Stream Crossing Reconstruction on the Bog Dam Loop Road (FR15) Scoping Notice. Androscoggin Ranger District

Transcription

1 United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service White Mountain National Forest Stream Crossing Reconstruction on the Bog Dam Loop Road (FR15) Scoping Notice Androscoggin Ranger District Androscoggin Ranger District January 2010 For Information Contact: Mark Prout Supervisor s Office White Mountain National Forest 71White Mountain Drive Campton, NH Phone: Fax:

2 Introduction The Androscoggin Ranger District of the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) is initiating a public scoping period for a Stream Crossing Reconstruction Project on the Bog Dam Loop Road of the WMNF in the Town of Berlin, New Hampshire. This report includes a description of the proposed action, the purpose and need for the project, the decisions to be made, and information on How you can submit comments to the Forest Service. Background In 2004, seventeen state agencies, five federal agencies, and numerous conservation organizations initiated a regional collaborative effort to maintain and restore native eastern brook trout populations throughout watersheds of its native range. A state by state assessment of the species status and threats to the future of populations was conducted for thousands of watersheds in the eastern U.S. In the state of New Hampshire, biologists identified the following threats to native brook trout and its habitats: sedimentation from roads, stream fragmentation from road culverts and dams, naturalization of non-native fish species such as rainbow trout, increases in stream temperatures, and reduced stream productivity from acid deposition. Urbanization has, and will continue, to result in the loss of some coldwater habitats in watersheds of both New Hampshire and New England. Conservation lands, where threats can be minimized, will become more important to the long term sustainability of native brook trout, coldwater stream habitats, and their public use. The headwaters of the Upper Ammonoosuc River provide an important conservation opportunity. While many dams are considered as detrimental to riverine fish populations, Godfrey dam, which provides water to the City of Berlin, provides a secondary benefit of isolating two different approaches to fisheries management. Below the dam, the river provides marginal native trout habitat as the rivers higher flows and warmer temperatures are more suited to put-and-take hatchery-based fisheries. Above the dam, over 50 miles of river and tributaries provide coldwater habitat to wild eastern brook trout. Stream fragmentation is the prominent threat to coldwater fish and their habitats above Godfrey dam. As changing environmental conditions occur into the future, maintaining free movement of fish, other aquatic species, stream sediments, and downed instream wood would help secure the higher quality coldwater habitats of the headwaters of the Upper Ammonoosuc. The Bog Dam Loop Road is a 16 mile route traversing the headwaters of the Upper Ammonoosuc River. The road provides access to Godfrey Dam, a water supply source for the city of Berlin since the 1920 s. For many decades, this road has provided access to both pulp and saw timber that supported both local loggers and mills. The sale of forest products has long been designed to provide early successional forest habitats for a variety of wildlife species. Moose, deer, bear, and bird hunters, as well as wildlife watchers, use the Bog Dam Loop Road to access thousands of acres of habitat to pursue their sport. Overall, this road system is essential to meeting the goals and objectives identified in the Forest Plan for the White Mountain National Forest. Maintaining this road into the future will require investments in surfacing, grading, drainage, and stream crossings. 2

3 Proposed Action The proposed action is to replace up to 14 culverts in fish-bearing streams on the Bog Dam Loop Road, located in the towns of Berlin and Randolph, NH, over the next five years (see attached map for locations). New crossings would allow unimpeded movement of water, fish, other aquatic species, stream sediments, and woody debris. The proposed action includes the following components: Closure of the Bog Dam Loop Road, at each stream crossing site, for the duration of crossing installation (2-21 days per each crossing, depending on the complexity of the site). One way access from either end of the Bog Dam Loop Road would still be open. Work would be planned during low flow months (July-September). Removal of existing culverts and temporary removal of associated road fill. Installing bridges, bottomless culverts, or larger closed culverts with a natural bottom constructed inside of the pipe. Installation of natural rock grade controls immediately upstream and downstream of the new structure, to insure streambed stability. Purpose and Need The purpose of this project is to improve stream connectivity in the headwaters of the Upper Ammonoosuc River watershed to 1) allow free movement of wild brook trout and other aquatic species to stream habitats upstream of the Bog Dam Loop Road; 2) to prevent the accumulation of stream sediments and woody debris upstream of culverts that could lead to crossing failures; and 3) to prevent the scouring of stream beds and banks at the outlets of culverts that can lead to stream degradation and crossing failures. Existing culverts range in width from 2 feet to nearly 10 feet. New crossings will span the stream banks at minimum, and generally result in spans of 5 feet to 15 feet, and provide natural stream bottoms. A variety of structures would be needed to span stream width at each site; including bridges, bottomless arch pipes, and squashed pipes. The replacement of culverts on the Bog Dam Loop Road is consistent with the goals and objectives in the WMNF Plan: The WMNF will restore and improve self-sustaining populations of indigenous fish and other aquatic species and their habitats (WMNF LMP p.1-15). The WMNF will restore and improve 5-10 miles of in-stream habitat per year over the planning period with emphasis on 6 th level watersheds best suited for managing selfsustaining wild brook trout populations and their associated coldwater aquatic communities (WMNF LMP p.1-16). The WMNF will manage streams at proper functioning condition to dissipate stream energy associated with high water flows, thereby decreasing erosion, reducing flood damage, and improving water quality (WMNF LMP p.1-18). The proposed improvements are compatible with the standards and objectives identified in the 2005 Land and Resource Management Plan (USDA-Forest Service, 2005). The project area is 3

4 entirely within Management Area 2.1 (General Forest Area), and the project supports the purpose of this Management Area. Decisions to be Made After receiving your input, other public comments, and recommendations from an interdisciplinary team of resource specialists, Androscoggin Deputy District Ranger O Dell, as the Responsible Official, will decide: 1. The level of analysis necessary to assess and document the environmental effects of this proposed project. This includes determining whether this project meets criteria for categorical exclusion from documentation in an environmental impact statement or environmental assessment, including an assessment of any extraordinary circumstances (as defined in 36 CFR 220.6(b)), and whether there is sufficient information and analysis to make a decision to implement the proposed project. 2. What mitigation measures and monitoring requirements will help assure the proposed project meets LRMP standards and guidelines for all resources? 3. Whether a Forest Plan amendment will be required to accommodate this project. Once the level of documentation is determined and the analysis is completed, copies of the environmental and decision documents will be mailed to people who submit comments during this scoping period, and to people who request copies. Environmental Analysis If no significant issues or extraordinary circumstances are identified, this project may be categorically excluded from documentation in an Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement under: 36 CFR 220.6(e)(7), Modification or maintenance of stream or lake aquatic habitat improvement structures using native material or normal practice; or: 36 CFR 220.6(d)(4), Repair and maintenance of roads, trails, and landline boundaries. In accordance with 36 CFR 220.6(b), a review for any extraordinary circumstances that exist will be conducted. This review will consider the following specific resource conditions: 1. Federally listed threatened or endangered species or designated critical habitat, species proposed for Federal listing or proposed critical habitat, or Forest Service sensitive species. 2. Floodplains, wetlands, or municipal watersheds. 3. Congressionally designated areas. 4. Inventoried Roadless Areas 5. Research Natural Areas 6. American Indians and Alaska Native Religious or Cultural Sites 7. Archaeological Sites, or Historic Properties or Areas 4

5 How to Submit Comments We are seeking your comments to help identify issues or concerns associated with the proposal. We encourage you to share your comments and concerns now so we can incorporate them into the environmental analysis. In order for your comments to be considered in the next stage of analysis, they should be received by February 28 th, 2010 and submitted in one of the following ways: Mail: Send to Mark Prout, Project Team Leader, Forest Head Quarters, 71 White Mountain Drive, Campton, NH Letters can be hand delivered Monday through Friday, 8:00am- 4:30pm. FAX: Send to Attn: Mark Send to (comments-eastern-white-mountain-so@fs.fed.us). Comments submitted as electronic documents must be in plain text (.txt), rich text format (.rft) or Word (.doc) format. Oral comments may be submitted by phone ( ) or in person Monday through Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm. Comments should include the following information: Your name, address, and if possible, your phone number and address. The title of the project you are commenting on. Your specific concern and reasons the concern may lead to environmental effects. Be aware that your name, address and comments will become part of the public record and may be available for public inspection. Please direct questions to Mark Prout, Project Team Leader, at the above address or call O Dell Tucker Deputy District Ranger 5

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