Table of Contents. Chapter 1.0 Purpose and Need

Transcription

1 Table of Contents Chapter 1.0 Purpose and Need CHAPTER 1.0 PURPOSE AND NEED INTRODUCTION EA ORGANIZATION PROJECT AREA PROPOSED ACTION SCOPE OF THE PROPOSED ACTION DECISIONS TO BE MADE PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION NEED FOR THE PROJECT PURPOSE FOR THE PROJECT RELATIONSHIP TO FOREST PLAN... 3 A. Forest Plan Management Areas... 4 B. Project Area Desired Future Condition and Objectives PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT ISSUES THAT FRAMED THE ALTERNATIVES OTHER ISSUES APPLICABLE LAWS AND EXECUTIVE ORDERS... 8 Chapter 2.0 Alternatives Considered CHAPTER ALTERNATIVES INTRODUCTION ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED IN DETAIL DEVELOPMENT OF ALTERNATIVES ALTERNATIVE 1 (MANAGE AT CURRENT PERMITTED LEVEL)... 1 A. Response to Issues... 1 B. Implementation ALTERNATIVE 2 (PROPOSED ACTION)... 2 A. Response to Issues... 4 B. Implementation ALTERNATIVE 3 (NO GRAZING)... 5 A. Response to Issues... 5 B. Implementation ALTERNATIVE 4 (MINIMUM GRAZING)... 5 A. Response to Issues... 7 Sula Peak and East Fork Grazing Allotments EA ii-1

2 2.1.6 FEATURES COMMON TO ALTERNATIVES 1, 2 AND 4 (ALTERNATIVES THAT INCLUDE GRAZING ACTIVITY)... 7 A. Standards and Guidelines:... 8 B. Adaptive Management... 8 C. Design Criteria... 9 D. Monitoring ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED BUT ELIMINATED FROM FURTHER STUDY PAST, PRESENT AND REASONABLY FORESEEABLE FUTURE ACTIONS PAST AND PRESENT ACTIONS: REASONABLY FORESEEABLE FUTURE ACTIONS: COMPARISON OF ALTERNATIVES COMPARISON BY PURPOSE AND NEED COMPARISON BY KEY ISSUE SUMMARY DISCUSSION OF OTHER CONCERNS /ISSUES Chapter 3.0 Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences 3.1 RANGELAND CAPACITY AND LIVESTOCK MANAGEMENT INTRODUCTION REGULATORY FRAMEWORK PAST, PRESENT AND REASONABLY FORESEEABLE FUTURE ACTIVITIES... 1 A. Past and Current Grazing Activity... 1 B. Actual Use Compared to Permitted Use AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT... 3 A. Capability and Suitability... 3 B. Livestock Carrying Capacity... 4 C. Range Readiness ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES... 8 A. Consistent Display of Alternative Effects on Stocking Rates: (Cow/Calf Month vs AUM)... 8 B. Effects Common to Alternatives 2 and C. Direct and Indirect Effects... 9 D. Cumulative Effects FISHERIES ANALYSIS AREA AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT... 1 A. Sub-basin Scale... 1 B. Watershed Scale... 1 C. Allotment Scale... 2 D. Stream Scale... 2 E. Habitat Impairments ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES A. Effects Analysis Methods B. Direct and Indirect Effects C. Cumulative Effects REGULATORY FRAMEWORK A. Consistency with the Forest Plan B. Consistency with the Endangered Species Act ii-2 Sula Peak and East Fork Grazing Allotments EA

3 3.3 HYDROLOGY INTRODUCTION REGULATORY FRAMEWORK... 1 A. Forest Plan Standards... 1 B. Clean Water Act AREA OF ANALYSIS EFFECTS ANALYSIS METHODS EXISTING CONDITION... 3 A. Wetlands... 3 B. Past Activities... 4 C. Discussion of Stream Conditions... 6 D. Stream Discussion ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES A. Effects Common to All Action Alternatives B. Direct and Indirect Effects C. Cumulative Effects CONSISTENCY WITH THE BITTERROOT FOREST PLAN AND OTHER REGULATORY DIRECTION A. Forest Plan Standards B. Best Management Practices C. Clean Water Act RECREATION, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE INTRODUCTION REGULATORY FRAMEWORK... 1 A. National Environmental Policy Act... 1 B. Forest Plan Direction... 1 C. Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS)... 2 D. Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Use AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT... 3 A. Stakeholder Descriptions... 3 B. Economics ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES... 3 A. Direct and Indirect Effects... 3 B. Cumulative Effects VEGETATION INTRODUCTION REGULATORY FRAMEWORK AREA OF ANALYSIS EXISTING CONDITION... 2 A. Native Vegetation Species... 2 B. Non-Native Noxious and Invasive Plant Species ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES... 4 A. Direct and Indirect Effects... 4 B. Cumulative Effects... 7 C. Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive (TES) Plants ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES A. Sensitive Plants B. Direct and Indirect Effects C. Cumulative Effects Common to All Grazing Alternatives Sula Peak and East Fork Grazing Allotments EA ii-3

4 3.6 WILDLIFE INTRODUCTION REGULATORY FRAMEWORK... 1 A. Endangered Species Act of 1973 (as amended)... 1 B. National Forest Management Act of C. Bitterroot National Forest Plan (Forest Plan) AREA OF ANALYSIS DESCRIPTION, HISTORY AND EXISTING CONDITION... 2 A. Habitat Conditions... 2 B. Management Direction... 3 C. Wildlife Populations... 3 D. Wildlife Populations Non-TES Species... 3 E. Wildlife Populations TES species... 3 F. Management Indicator Species ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES A. Effects common to all alternatives B. Direct and Indirect Effects C. Cumulative Effects BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION FOR THREATENED, ENDANGERED AND SENSITIVE SPECIES A. Biological Assessment B. Biological Evaluation SOILS INTRODUCTION REGULATORY FRAMEWORK... 1 A. Bitterroot Forest Plan AREA OF ANALYSIS DATA COLLECTION EXISTING CONDITION... 2 A. Geology... 2 B. Soils, Landforms, and Parent Materials... 2 C. Past Activities... 6 D. Existing Soil Condition DESIRED CONDITION SULA PEAK AND EAST FORK ALLOTMENTS ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES A. Effects Analysis Methods B. Direct and Indirect Effects for Alternative 3 No Grazing C. Direct and Indirect Effects Common for Alternatives 1, 2, & 4 (Action Alternatives) D. Cumulative Effects PAST, ONGOING AND REASONABLY FORESEEABLE ACTIVITIES CONSISTENCY WITH THE BITTERROOT FOREST PLAN AND OTHER REGULATORY DIRECTION A. Forest Plan Standards B. Forest Service Manual Guidelines (FSM 2554) C. Montana State Guidelines D. Executive Order E. Monitoring Tables TABLE 2-1: ANNUAL COMPLIANCE MEASURES PROPOSED FOR DETERMINING GRAZING DURATION ON THE SULA PEAK/EAST FORK ALLOTMENT... 3 ii-4 Sula Peak and East Fork Grazing Allotments EA

5 TABLE 2-2: ANNUAL COMPLIANCE MEASURES PROPOSED FOR DETERMINING GRAZING DURATION ON THE SULA PEAK/EAST FORK ALLOTMENT... 6 TABLE 2-3: ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT GUIDE... 8 TABLE 2-4: DESIGN CRITERIA TABLE 2-5: RESPONSE OF ALTERNATIVES TO KEY ISSUES TABLE 3.1-1: GRAZING USE HISTORY ON THE EAST FORK ALLOTMENT... 2 TABLE 3.1-2: GRAZING USE HISTORY ON THE SULA PEAK ALLOTMENT... 2 TABLE 3.1-3: MAXIMUM ACTUAL AND POTENTIAL LIVESTOCK CARRYING CAPACITY 2 BY ALLOTMENT... 7 TABLE 3.1-4: MAXIMUM ACTUAL OR POTENTIAL LIVESTOCK CARRYING CAPACITY OF BOTH ALLOTMENTS BY VEGETATION CONDITION COMPARED TO THE CURRENT PERMITTED STOCKING RATE IN ALTERNATIVE TABLE 3.1-5: ALTERNATIVE 2 - MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE COW/CALF MONTHS BASED ON MANAGEMENT INTENSITY AND FORAGE PRODUCTIVITY OR VEGETATION CONDITION VARIABLES COMPARED TO ESTIMATED CARRYING CAPACITY TABLE 3.1-6: ALTERNATIVE 4 - MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE COW/CALF MONTHS BASED ON MANAGEMENT INTENSITY AND FORAGE PRODUCTIVITY OR VEGETATION CONDITION VARIABLES COMPARED TO ESTIMATED CARRYING CAPACITY TABLE 3.2-1: EXISTING STATUS OF INFISH RMOS IN CAMERON CREEK... 6 TABLE 3.2-2: EXISTING STATUS OF INFISH RMOS IN NORTH FORK CAMERON CREEK... 7 TABLE 3.2-3: EXISTING STATUS OF INFISH RMOS IN HART CREEK... 9 TABLE 3.2 4: EXISTING STATUS OF INFISH RMOS IN NORTH FORK LYMAN CREEK TABLE 3.2-5: EXISTING STATUS OF INFISH RMOS IN GUIDE CREEK TABLE 3.2-6: EXISTING STATUS OF INFISH RMOS IN JENNINGS CAMP CREEK TABLE 3.2-7: EXISTING STATUS OF INFISH RMOS IN THE EAST FORK DOWNSTREAM OF COLVERT CREEK TABLE 3.2-8: FISHERIES SENSITIVE SPECIES BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION - SUMMARY OF DETERMINATION OF EFFECTS TABLE 3.3-1: SUMMARY OF STREAM CHANNEL AND WETLAND CONDITION (OTHER INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM COMMENTS INCLUDED) TABLE 3.5-1: SENSITIVE PLANTS NOT CONSIDERED FOR THIS ANALYSIS TABLE 3.5-2: BITTERROOT NATIONAL FOREST SENSITIVE PLANT SPECIES BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION TABLE 3.6-1: HABITAT COMMENTS FOR TES SPECIES IN SULA PEAK AND EAST FORK ALLOTMENTS... 4 Sula Peak and East Fork Grazing Allotments EA ii-5

6 TABLE 3.6-2: ACREAGE COUNTS BY LYNX ANALYSIS UNIT IN SULA PEAK/EAST FORK ALLOTMENTS... 6 TABLE 3.6-3: ELK COUNTED DURING SPRING TREND COUNTS FLOWN OVER ALLOTMENTS, TABLE 3.6-4: SPECIES NOT INCLUDED IN THE EFFECTS ANALYSIS TABLE 3.7-1: LANDTYPE MAPPING UNITS (LMUS) ACROSS THE ALLOTMENTS. DATA INCLUDES THE LMU SYMBOL, SOIL ORDER, SOIL SERIES/FAMILY, LANDTYPE, PARENT MATERIAL, TEXTURE TABLE 3.7-2: RANGELAND HEALTH INDICATOR MONITORING FOR THE SULA PEAK AND EAST FORK ALLOTMENTS TABLE 3.7-3: ALTERNATIVE DESCRIPTIONS FOR THE SULA PEAK & EAST FORK ALLOTMENTS Figures FIGURE 3.2-1: FISH ABUNDANCE IN THE CAMERON CREEK 6.1 MONITORING SECTION... 5 FIGURE 3.2-2: FISH ABUNDANCE IN THE CAMERON CREEK 10.1 MONITORING SECTION... 6 FIGURE 3.2-3: FISH ABUNDANCE IN THE HART CREEK 2.8 MONITORING SECTION... 8 FIGURE 3.2-4: FISH ABUNDANCE IN THE GUIDE CREEK 0.1 MONITORING SECTION FIGURE 3.2-5: FISH ABUNDANCE IN THE JENNINGS CAMP CREEK 0.5 MONITORING SECTION FIGURE 3.2-6: FISH ABUNDANCE IN THE EAST FORK BITTERROOT RIVER 25.6 MONITORING SECTION FIGURE 3.2-7: FISH ABUNDANCE IN THE EAST FORK BITTERROOT RIVER 12.0 MONITORING SECTION FIGURE 3.2-8: WATER TEMPERATURE TRENDS IN THE SULA PEAK AND EAST FORK ALLOTMENT STREAMS FIGURE 3.2-9: WATER TEMPERATURE TRENDS AT THREE LONG-TERM MONITORING SITES IN THE EAST FORK BITTERROOT RIVER FIGURE : PERCENT SURFACE FINES < 6 MM DIAMETER MEASURED IN FIVE LOW GRADIENT RIFFLES IN THE EAST FORK BITTERROOT RIVER BETWEEN 2000 AND FIGURE 3.3-1: STREAM ANALYSIS IN THE SULA PEAK AND EAST FORK ALLOTMENTS FIGURE 3.7-1: CATTLE USE AREAS AND RIPARIAN ACCESS SITES BASED ON MODELING IN GIS. USE AREAS AND ACCESS SITES ARE LIMITED TO AREAS WITH SLOPES < 40% AND TREE COVER < 50%.. 16 Maps MAP 3.2-1: FISH DISTRIBUTION ON THE SULA PEAK AND EAST FORK ALLOTMENTS... 3 MAP 3.2-2: FISH HABITAT ON THE SULA PEAK AND EAST FORK ALLOTMENTS... 4 ii-6 Sula Peak and East Fork Grazing Allotments EA

7 Appendix ALLOTMENT MAP MANAGEMENT AREA MAP IMPROVEMENTS MAP MONITORING PLAN HYDROLOGY, FISH HABITAT AND VEGETATION GRAZING UTILIZATION HISTORY LITERATURE CITED LIST OF PREPARERS Sula Peak and East Fork Grazing Allotments EA ii-7