Warren Wagon Road Improvement Project McCall Ranger District, Payette National Forest Project Description

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1 Warren Wagon Road Improvement Project McCall Ranger District, Payette National Forest Project Description Introduction The analysis of the Warren Wagon Road Improvement Project is tiered to the 2003 Environmental Impact Statement for the Payette National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan). The Forest Plan established long-term management direction for the project area and this proposal responds to the goals and objectives of the plan and helps to move the area closer to the desired future conditions outlined in the Forest Plan as listed below. Reducing road related affects to threatened and endangered species (TES) and their habitats. Management for soil and water including management of human-caused disturbances in order to avoid or reduce degrading effects to aquatic populations and reducing road-related impacts on soil productivity, water quality, aquatic and riparian species and their habitats. Warren Wagon Road Improvement The purpose of this action is to provide adequate and safe motorized traffic movement on County maintained roadways across National Forest System lands while minimizing potential impacts to fish, wildlife, and water resources. The growth throughout the State of Idaho and particularly the recreational growth in Valley and Idaho Counties have contributed to a larger volume of traffic on Warren Wagon Road to Secesh Meadows and on to Warren and the South Fork of the Salmon River. As a result of this growth in traffic, and to ensure proper road maintenance and safety, Idaho County roads in the area are being evaluated for need of repair, resurfacing, and widening. This section along Warren Wagon Road is in need of widening in order to safely accommodate the traffic that has increased over the last several years, and the Jersey barriers along the outer shoulder need to be relocated away from the Secesh River in order to minimize sediment transport. The increased traffic and the narrow and curved features of the road along the Secesh River have provided adequate reason for the funding of the project as a Title II project approved by the Southwest Idaho Resource Advisory Committee (RAC). Decisions to be Made The Payette National Forest Supervisor will decide whether or not the road widening project would take place, and if so, what mitigation will be required. 1

2 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Study The following alternatives were developed but dropped from further consideration because they could not meet the purpose and need of minimizing adverse impacts to fish, wildlife, and water resources. Rerouting Warren Wagon Road to the North An alternative was considered that would reroute Warren Wagon Road starting approximately 0.8 miles from Burgdorf Junction by moving the road to the north and traversing the steep slopes to Flat Creek and its tributaries and rejoining Warren Wagon Road at Secesh Meadows. This project would require an additional 5 miles of new road construction, 25 acres of wildlife habitat removal, and two addition stream crossings on Flat Creek. This alternative was removed from further analysis based on adverse environmental impacts, specifically to fish and wildlife, costs of construction, the potential instability of the road prism if constructed on these slopes, and soil type (landslide prone). Rerouting Warren Wagon Road to the South An alternative was considered that would reroute the road from Burgdorf Junction onto the existing Ruby Meadows road parallel the Secesh River on the south side. This alternative was not considered further due to a new bridge that would need to be constructed over Ruby Creek and the Secesh River, and associated impacts to fish, several areas of wetlands, seeps, and bogs that would require fill, and additional wildlife habitat that would be lost. Further, construction and maintenance of a road on the south side of the Secesh River would not be cost effective. Alternatives Analyzed in Detail Two alternatives, the No-Action alternative and the Proposed Action were analyzed in detail. The Proposed Action was the only action alternative that could meet the purpose and need of providing adequate and safe motorized traffic movement while minimizing adverse impacts to fish and wildlife. No-Action Under the No-Action alternative, the segment of Warren Wagon Road beginning approximately 0.8 miles east of Burgdorf Junction and ending about 2.1 miles further to the east would not be improved and widened. Proposed Action Under the Proposed Action, five segments of the existing road alignment along an approximately 2.1-mile section of Warren Wagon Road would be improved and widened by Idaho County (Figure 1). The Proposed Action would widen and remove materials on the cut slopes of these five road segments for greater traffic safety in narrow, restricted locations. The segments would begin 0.8 miles east of Burgdorf Junction and would be interspersed along the next 2.1 miles of Warren Wagon Road. The segments would have differing lengths and requirements to meet the purpose of the project but would not exceed 0.25 miles in overall construction length (Table 1). The existing roadway at each segment would be extended with a 10-foot increase in the road prism from new roadway construction. 2

3 The existing Jersey barriers along the outer road shoulder would be repositioned 4 to 6 feet towards the inside of the road or removed. The project area is on the McCall Ranger District in T22N, R5E, Section 4, 7, 8, & 9. Table 1. Road Segment Features for the Proposed Action FILL REMOVAL (APPROXIMATE - CUBIC YARDS) SEGMENT LOCATION* LENGTH OF SEGMENT SLOPE CONFIGURATION Segment miles 370 feet 12, : 1 to vertical Segment miles 250 feet 5, :1 to vertical Segment miles 250 feet 700 Minor movement Segment miles 240 feet 0 Fill area Segment miles 260 feet 0 Fill area *Mileage from Burgdorf Junction The five road segments would commit approximately 0.2 acres of soil to road prism and expose approximately 1.7 acres of hillside to erosion from disturbed cut and fill. The cut and fill areas are expected to re-vegetate over the next 5 to 15 years and are considered short-term impacts. Minor impacts to water quality from construction-related sediment transport and potential for turbidity are expected to be reduced by implementation of BMPs (silt fence, straw bales, erosion control blankets, seeding/mulching) and specific project design features. Construction on the project is proposed to start in the summer of 2008 and be completed by the fall of The project would be consistent with the road standards for the Payette National Forest. Project Design Features The following project design features are included as a part of the Proposed Action and would be included in addition to BMPs and any mitigation necessary to reduce potential adverse impacts. Two culverts in each of Segments 1 and 2 and one in each of Segments 4 and 5 would be extended in length and repositioned or replaced to meet the new road prism width and to ensure that they function properly to facilitate storm water removal and decrease sedimentation. No berms would be left along the outside edge of roads, unless an outside berm was specifically designed to be a part of the road and low-energy drainage is provided for. Roads would be graded and shaped to conserve existing surface material. Road grading and shaping would maintain the designed drainage of the road, unless modification is necessary to improve drainage problems that were not anticipated during the design phase. Minor blasting in Segments 1 and 2 would be contained through the use of a blasting curtain that would minimize potential for debris to be displaced in the river. Cut materials from Segments 1, 2, and 3 would be used in Segments 4 and 5. The remainder would be disposed of in the government pit at Burgdorf Station (Summit Rock Pit, Warren Wagon Road). 3

4 When treating weeds or brush, management direction for non-native plants identified and referred to in the Forest Plan (p. III-35 to 37) would be followed. Dust-abatement would be used during construction activities and could consist of applications of water and/or stabilization chemicals. Debris that obstructs drainage systems would be promptly removed. A journey hydrologist and soils scientist should be in agreement with the proposed earthdisturbing activities near listed fishes, such as culvert replacement, and one should be on hand to monitor the project. Replacement of culverts would meet LRMP standards. Erosion control structures and materials would be placed at the work site prior to any construction so as to reduce sediment delivery to the stream to negligible levels. The disturbed cut and fill areas would be seeded and mulched; sediment that has collected by erosion control material as specified by a hydrologist, soil scientist, or fisheries biologist would be removed. Additional site-specific measures, including modifications to BMPs because of site-specific conditions, may be identified and approved by a fisheries biologist, soil scientist, or hydrologist. Road maintenance would not be attempted when surface material is saturated with water and erosion problems could result. The road prism expansion may further interrupt the delivery of large woody debris (LWD), which is currently limited, to streams thereby inhibiting the maintenance or attainment of good habitat conditions. LWD (LWD > 9 m in length and >50 cm in diameter) shall be moved intact to down slope of the road, subject to site-specific considerations. Movement downslope would be subject to the guidance of a journey level fisheries biologist; that guidance would be provided at annual training sessions for road crews and on a site-by-site basis as necessary. Resource Issues The Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) formulated the potential resource issues through an internal scoping process with URS Corporation, Idaho County, and the Payette National Forest Service staff. Through this process the IDT identified a preliminary set of issues that should be analyzed in detail in the EA, those that could drive additional alternatives, and those issues that are outside the scope of the Purpose and Need or would be addressed through standard operating procedures and management requirements. Following is the list of resources that could be aversely affected by the Proposed Action that will be studied in detail in the EA. 4

5 Issues Analyzed in Detail Water Quality The removal of soil required to widen the road prism could cause an interruption of the subsurface movement of water and exposure of mineral soil to the erosive forces of running water. Road cuts expose mineral soil and can be a source of sediment to waterways. The five sites would commit approximately 0.2 acres of soil to the road prism and expose approximately 1.7 acres of hillside to erosion from disturbed cut and fill. The cut and fill areas are expected to re-vegetate over the next 5 to 15 years and are considered short-term impacts. Minor impacts to water quality from construction-related sediment transport and potential for turbidity are expected to be reduced by implementation of BMPs and specific project design features. Fish and Fish Habitat The affects of the proposed action on the habitat of the Federally threatened Chinook salmon, steelhead, and bull trout and the Forest Service Region 4 sensitive westslope cutthroat trout. Consultation with National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been initiated and a Biological Assessment will be prepared. The buffer between the road shoulder and the ordinary high water mark would be increased through the movement or removal of the Jersey barriers and the drainage of the road improved through repair and replacement of culverts. Increasing the buffer width from the road shoulder, improving the road drainage, re-vegetating the hillslope on the inside side of the road, and the placement of woody debris between the shoulder and ordinary high water mark would be considered a beneficial effect on water quality (less sedimentation) and fish habitat and fish species. Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat The affects of the Proposed Action on the habitat of Federally threatened and Forest Service Region 4 sensitive wildlife species. Minor losses of habitat are expected where the new road prism would be extended (approximately 0.21 acres). No Federally endangered wildlife species are potentially present in the project area. Issues Identified, but Not Analyzed in Detail The following issues were identified during the internal scoping process and were determined to be either outside the scope of the Purpose and Need of the project, would not be impacted, or would be addressed through standard operating procedures and management requirements. Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive Plants No Federally listed plant species are known to occur in the project area. Surveys were conducted in the project area in October 2007 for Region 4 Sensitive plant species potentially present and none were found. Soil Productivity Expansion of the roadway could increase the total soil resource committed to a nonproductive condition however, the Forest Plan excludes existing or planned classified transportation facilities, dedicated trails, and landings, mining dumps or excavations, 5

6 parking areas, developed campgrounds and other dedicated facilities that commitment and will not be analyzed in detail. Air Quality Impacts to air quality from fugitive dust from construction activities. There would be shortterm impacts to air quality in the project area associated with dust generated by construction activities and blasting. Dust suppression would be implemented to minimize this impact to negligible levels and would not affect any Class I airsheds. Noise There would be would be short-term noise impacts generated in the project area by blasting and use of construction equipment. Use of blasting would be limited and the impacts would be temporary. Noise from construction equipment would be lower in decibels than blasting and also would be temporary. Noise is not expected to exceed the sound level acceptable for residential land use. Public Access Minor construction delays and access restrictions would be expected during construction. These would be short-term and the public would be advised regarding these delays and the potential for closures. Noxious Weeds The removal of fill and other ground-disturbing activities associated with the proposed road widening could increase the potential for establishment and spread of noxious weed species. Management direction for non-native plants outlined in the Forest Plan (p. III-35 to 37) would be followed and mitigation measures would be implemented to prevent the establishment and spread of noxious weeds and other non-native plants. Cultural Resources and Archaeology Resource records and literature was reviewed and field surveys were conducted in 2007 to look for historic and prehistoric properties in the project area. No historic or prehistoric properties or sacred and traditional sites were indentified. The SHPO issued a no effect concurrence in March Wild and Scenic River designation The Secesh River in the project area is recommended for designation as a Wild and Scenic River for recreation. The Proposed Action is not expected to affect this recommendation. Road management and maintenance are acceptable in areas with a recreation recommendation classification. 6

7 Impact Avoidance and Minimization Measures: Conservation Measures and Best Management Practices Conservation measures (CMs) are precautionary measures implemented to minimize or compensate for project effects on the physical, biological resources. These actions are usually avoidance or preservation measures such as timing restrictions or buffers around habitats or important habitat features. Best Management Practices (BMPs) are methods, facilities, built elements, and techniques implemented or installed during project construction to reduce short- and long- term project impacts on resources. These measures are considered part of the proposed action that will be implemented. They are not recommendations or suggestions. Road Improvement Project Conservation Measures (CMs) and BMPs The CMs and BMPs are in the process of being developed as a part of the project design and will be incorporated to avoid or minimize effects to resources during the implementation of the project in the permitting, design, and construction phases. 7