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Crooked River Valley Rehabilitation Project
Scoping Presentation
January 2013
Meeting Objectives
Team Introduction NEPA & Public Involvement Process Present Proposed Actions Crooked River Meanders Crooked River Narrows Road
How to submit comments Questions/Answers
Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests • Terry Nevius – Red River District Ranger • Rick Brazell – Forest Supervisor & Responsible
Official • ID Team Members
Cooperating Agencies • Nez Perce Tribe • Idaho County • Bonneville Power Association (BPA)
Team Introduction
NEPA and Public Involvement
Public Involvement Process
∗ Scoping – 45 –days (Now) ∗ Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) & Comment Period– 45-days ∗ Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) & Decision ∗ Appeal Period – 45 days ∗ Appeal Disposition – 45 days ∗ Implementation
Public Involvement
∗ Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) by Forest Service - published in Federal Register on December 12, 2012.
∗ 45-day comment period ∗ Comment period ends January 26, 2013
What we need from you now
Specific comments about the Proposed Actions presented today. Comments needed from you about:
Specific concerns about this project that you feel should be considered Alternatives to be considered Analysis that should be completed
Submit comments by letter, email, or fax.
Proposed Actions of the Crooked River Valley Rehabilitation
Project
Crooked River Meanders Crooked River Narrows Road
Crooked River Valley Rehabilitation
How Proposed Actions were developed:
Existing Condition What we see today.
Desired Condition What we want to see in the future. Directed by the Forest Plan
Proposed Action Actions to move from
existing to the desired condition
Crooked River Meanders Existing Conditions
∗ Lower two miles of Crooked River
Meanders – Existing Conditions
∗ Valley dredged mined for gold in the 1930-50s.
∗ Dredge tailing piles throughout the valley bottom creating highly modified stream.
∗ Tailing piles eroding. ∗ Chronic sediment sources.
Meanders - Existing Conditions
∗ Listed and sensitive anadromous and resident fish species – spring summer chinook salmon; steelhead, west slope cutthroat and bull trout.
∗ Floodplain functions have been altered.
∗ Highly modified fish habitat and stream channel.
Meanders - Floodplain Function
Meanders - Desired Conditions
Forest Plan directs the forest to improve degraded fish habitat.
∗ Accessible and functioning floodplain. ∗ Natural stream meanders. ∗ Complex fish habitat. ∗ Desired vegetation established.
Meanders – Desired Conditions
∗ Conceptual view of valley and channel rehabilitation.
Meanders - Proposed Action
Rehabilitation of 2 miles of valley bottom.
Implement in phases
over 3-5 years. Begin in 2015.
Meanders – Proposed Action
Proposed Actions: Redistributing tailing piles in floodplain. Channel construction including placement of
instream habitat structures, side channels and meanders. Re-vegetate the floodplain. Maintain campsites in project area. Preserve heritage resource areas identified by
SHPO.
Construct accessible and functioning floodplain
• Floodplain morphology to support aquatic habitat objectives.
• The floodplain design includes three primary features including the bankfull floodplain, low terrace and high terrace.
• Provide temporary bi-pass channel that will allow fish passage during construction.
Construct natural stream meanders
Example of constructed channel floodplain and meanders
Before After
Add fish habitat complexity
∗ Construct new channel features: including pools, riffles, runs, glides, meanders, point bars and alcoves to establish complex habitats with variable depth, velocity and substrate.
Example of constructed fish habitat complexity
Before After
Plant desired vegetation
∗ Establish desired vegetation across new floodplain surfaces.
∗ Plant species that contribute to hydrologic function and aquatic habitat and are sustainable overtime.
∗ Protect establishing woody vegetation.
Meanders - Alternatives
∗ Alternatives for deciding official to consider: No Action – No Treatments. Proposed Action - Rehabilitation of 2 miles of
Crooked River valley bottom.
Crooked River Narrows Road Existing Condition
∗ Five miles of Road 233 adjacent to Crooked River
Narrows Road – Existing Conditions
∗ Road within floodplain of river.
∗ Sediment input into stream.
∗ Difficult and costly to
maintain.
Narrows Road- Desired Condition
Functioning floodplain through the narrows section of Crooked River
Reduced sediment input from Road 233 to stream Improve large woody debris function Full size vehicle access from Elk City to Orogrande Maintainable road
Narrows Road – Proposed Action
Reconstruct segments along five miles of Road 233, near the current location, to reduce failure potential and sediment input to Crooked River.
Implement over 2-3 years. Following Meanders
channel rehabilitation.
Narrows Road – Proposed Action
Proposed Actions: Move road away from river,
where possible. Re-construct a stable road base. Raise elevation of road in
sections. Construct turnouts, where they
fit. Provide a buffer between road
and river. Gravel road surfaces. Install drainage structures. Example of riprap placement.
Narrows Road – Proposed Action
∗ Cross section of road construction methods.
Narrows Road – DRAFT Alternatives
∗ Alternatives for deciding official to consider: No Action – No Treatments. Proposed Action – Reconstruct segments along five
miles of Road 233, near the current location, to reduce failure potential and sediment input to Crooked River.
Relocate Road 233 upslope out of 100 year floodplain between milepost 2 and 6.
Relocated road access from Road 233 onto Roads 1803 and 522, along Deadwood Creek. Convert to trail or decommission Road 233.
Narrows Road – Proposed Action
Primary elements of the proposed action: ∗ Keep road grades at 5 % or less. ∗ Create 100 year stream flow width of at least 70 feet, except
where the original valley width is less than 70 ft. ∗ Use competent rock excavated from the cutslope for fill,
subgrade, and riprap material to reduce hauling, where feasible. Use excess material to raise the road surface elevation of Road
233 from milepost 6 to its junction with Road 522, near Relief Creek.
∗ Move the centerline of the reconstructed road to minimize cutslope excavation, where feasible.
Narrows Road – Draft Alternative
Relocate Road 233 upslope out of 100 year floodplain between milepost 2 and 6.
Convert to trail or decommission Road 233.
Narrows Road – Draft Alternative
∗ Relocated road access from Road 233 onto Roads 1803 and 522, along Deadwood Creek.
∗ Convert to trail or decommission Road 233.
What we need from you now
Specific comments about the Proposed Actions presented today.
Comments needed from you:
Specific concerns about this project that you feel should be considered Alternatives to be considered Analysis that should be completed
Submit comments by letter, email, or fax.
Where to send your comments:
∗ Mail to: Jennie Fischer Nez Perce National Forest 104 Airport Road Grangeville, Idaho 83530 ∗ Email; or send .doc, .docx, .rtf or .pdf file types to: [email protected] ∗ FAX to: 208-983-4099
More information
Visit our project website as we move through the planning process. http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/fs-usda-pop.php/?project=40648
Contact: Jennie Fischer in Grangeville, Idaho; at 208-983-4048.
Questions?
