Decision Memoa123.g.akamai.net/7/123/11558/abc123/forestservic... · 2016. 5. 13. · — Decision Memo — Page 2 of 22 direction as amended by PACFISH to manage fish habitat and

— Decision Memo — Page 1 of 22

DECISION MEMO Granite-Desolation Aquatic Restoration Project

U.S. Forest Service North Fork John Day Ranger District

Umatilla National Forest Grant County, Oregon

BACKGROUND The North Fork John Day Ranger District (NFJD) has identified the need for management actions to improve habitat for fish and other aquatic species in the Granite and Desolation Creek watersheds within Grant County, Oregon. The purpose of this project is to enhance watershed health, species recovery and diversity as required by the Umatilla National Forest Plan as amended by Pacific Anadromous Fish Strategy (PACFISH). The NFJD proposes the Granite-Desolation Aquatic Restoration Project to reduce road related impacts to streams, restore wet meadows, and improve instream aquatic habitat and connectivity in the Granite and Desolation Creek watersheds (see Appendix A for project maps). This project would reduce sediment delivery from 129 miles of roads, upgrade seven culverts on fish-bearing streams increasing connectivity on 17.4 stream miles, enhance 265 acres of wet meadow habitat, and increase habitat complexity on almost 100 stream miles.

Many roads in these watersheds contribute sediment to streams thereby degrading water quality and affecting fish production. Many streams are low in large instream wood with some current levels well below PACFISH Riparian Management Objectives (RMOs). Some riparian areas lack vegetation adequate to provide stream shading, bank stability and future large wood recruitment. Access to available aquatic habitat is restricted by numerous culvert barriers. Wet meadow habitat has been reduced by encroachment of conifers and stream channels have downcut due to previous land management activities. The water storage capacity of many of these wet meadows is lower than historic, which reduces downstream base flows and quantity.

We propose several actions that will improve water quality in these watersheds and address habitat impairment caused from excess fines and sedimentation; habitat, streambank, and floodplain alteration; and barriers to aquatic organism passage. The project implementation and design criteria would include maintenance and restoration prescriptions designed to maintain and enhance aquatic habitat, instream channel structure and complexity, and wet meadow ecosystems in the Granite and Desolation Creek watersheds.

The Umatilla National Forest proposes aquatic restoration activities in the Granite and Desolation creek watersheds that would aid in the recovery of aquatic species, impaired water bodies, and wet meadows.

PURPOSE AND NEED The purpose of this project is to improve aquatic habitats in the Granite and Desolation watersheds. There is a need to improve and enhance water quality in the watershed to address habitat impairment caused from excess fines and sedimentation, habitat alteration, and barriers to aquatic organism passage in the project area. The Proposed Action is consistent with Forest Plan


direction as amended by PACFISH to manage fish habitat and riparian areas to achieve increases in fish habitat capability as well as to manage soil and water resources to maintain or enhance the long-term productivity of the Forest. Specific aquatic restoration management objectives of the project are: 1. Reduce road related impacts to streams in the Granite and Desolation Creek watersheds. 2. Reduce maintenance cost and needs and minimize storm damage risk on roads in the watersheds. 3. Improve stream and riparian habitat characteristics to support successful adult and juvenile migration

for spawning and rearing of federally-listed or culturally important fishes. 4. Increase available and potential spawning habitat and connect migratory corridors for Mid- Columbia

River steelhead, Chinook salmon, westslope cutthroat trout, bull trout, and inland redband trout. 5. Reduce conifer encroachment and improve channel structure, floodplain access, and water retention

in wet meadows. 6. Reestablish diverse riparian vegetation in floodplains and streambanks currently lacking shade or

natural regeneration.

DECISION I have decided to authorize this project designed to reduce sediment delivery from 129 miles of roads, upgrade seven culverts on fish bearing streams increasing connectivity on 17.4 stream miles, enhance 265 acres of wet meadow habitat, and increase habitat complexity on almost 100 stream miles.

The Granite-Desolation Aquatic Restoration Project will include aquatic restoration, instream and floodplain improvements, meadow restoration, pre-commercial thinning, riparian planting, and road decommissioning. Throughout this project, special attention to Native American concerns regarding access to natural resources and cultural sites important to them will be given. Meadow treatments proposed include small instream structures, revegetation with native plants, thinning encroaching conifers, cattle fencing and relocating spring developments.

Granite and Desolation Creek watersheds are the highest priority for aquatic restoration on the North Fork John Day Ranger District and the objective is to improve aquatic habitat conditions in those watersheds. We will minimize short term adverse impacts to water quality, fish, and their habitat from this project by following project design criteria in the interagency Aquatic Restoration Biological Opinion (ARBO II, USDC, 2013; ARBO II, USFWS, 2013).

DESCRIPTION OF ACTIONS Road Treatments No roads currently open under the Travel Management Plan1 will be closed under this project.

1 Open roads are defined as a road without restriction on motorized use and shown on the Umatilla Motor Vehicle Use Map. These roads are open yearlong to the public. Seasonal roads are roads with seasonal restrictions typically to protect wildlife, specifically big game summer or winter range. These roads are open to use during certain seasons and are shown on the Umatilla Motor Vehicle Use Map. Closed roads are roads with year-round restrictions on motorized use. These typically exclude traffic by using natural blockage, physical barricades, regulation, or by obscuring the entrance. A closed road is still an operating facility on which traffic has been removed and remains on the Forest Transportation system. Unclassified roads are defined as roads on


1. Storm Damage Risk Reduction (SDRR)

SDRR refers to reducing the resource risk from flooding of roads that are either closed or open to motorized traffic while leaving them available on the travel system for future use.

Closed roads will remain on the road system, though anticipated maintenance needs are minimal. The work may include drain-dipping, out-sloping, fill reduction, improvement or removal of drainage structures at risk of failure, vegetation of road prisms for stability, and blocking the entrance. These roads are available for administrative use as needed, with some potential work being required to facilitate traffic. Work needed to open the road may range from simply removing an entrance barricade, to reshaping road surfaces, or reestablishing road width, and in some cases, may require installing culverts or other means or reestablishing stream crossings. As opposed to decommissioning, this treatment provides some reasonable expectation for use of the road within the foreseeable future.

Open roads actions would include blading, repair and stabilization of road surface with pit run or aggregate surfacing, culvert maintenance, and construction of drainage features, such as drainage dips or water bars. This work is anticipated to reduce maintenance needs and benefit the aquatic system.

2. Decommissioning Is intended to remove or substantially reduce the aquatic habitat risks of a road and results in the permanent removal of unclassified roads from the landscape. Road decommissioning shall be planned to restore water routing, improve slope stability, reduce sediment delivery to streams, and enhance reestablishment of native vegetation. While decommissioning does not absolutely preclude future use or reconstruction of the road, such as for emergency fire suppression needs or other critically needed access, a decision to decommission represents no reasonable expectation for future use of the road in the foreseeable future.

Decommissioning activities range from simple treatments such as blocking the entrance of the road , scattering wood and organic material on the roadbed, revegetating, and water barring, to more intensive activities such as sub-soiling, removing fills and culverts, reestablishing stream channels, pulling back unstable road shoulders and re-contouring slopes for full obliteration. Table 1: Total miles of road type proposed for specific treatments.

Proposed Action

Open* Closed

Previously Decommissioned

Unclassified Roads**

Total

Decommission 5.9 5.9 Maintenance 2.6 26.6 29.2

SDRR 33.0 53.2 5.8 1.7 93.7 Grand Total 35.6 79.8 5.8 7.6 128.8

*Some of these open roads are currently closed seasonally to protect wildlife, specifically big game summer or winter range. ** Not authorized for public travel on the MVUM.

National Forest System lands that are not managed as part of the forest transportation system, such as unplanned roads, abandoned traveled way, and off-road vehicle tracks that have not been designed and managed as a trail; or those roads that were once under permit or other authorization and were not decommissioned upon the termination of the authorization. Unclassified roads are not authorized unnecessary for long term resource management.


Table 2: Road identification, current status, and miles proposed for each proposed action Road Number

Current Road Status

Proposed Action

Miles

1000010 Closed SDRR 1.69 1000011 Decommissioned SDRR 0.82 1000015 Closed SDRR 0.44 1000020 Closed SDRR 0.83 1000040 Closed SDRR 2.22 1000042 Closed SDRR 0.23 1000043 Decommissioned SDRR 0.15 1000044 Decommissioned SDRR 0.20 1000150 Open SDRR 1.46 1000160 Decommissioned SDRR 0.47 1000172 Closed SDRR 0.54 1000180 Closed SDRR 1.68 1000187 Closed SDRR 0.96 1000200 Closed SDRR 0.72 1000210 Decommissioned SDRR 3.22 1000213 Closed SDRR 0.77 1000215 Decommissioned SDRR 0.59 1000221 Closed SDRR 0.97 1000224 Closed SDRR 2.02 1000225 Closed SDRR 0.37 1000400 Open SDRR 3.72 1000426 Closed SDRR 0.71 1000450 Closed SDRR 1.53 1000454 Closed SDRR 0.39 1000500 Open SDRR 3.89 1003080 Open* SDRR 1.00 1003080 Open* SDRR 0.70 1003095 Closed SDRR 0.22 1003140 Open* SDRR 1.48 1007085 Closed SDRR 0.99 1007089 Closed SDRR 1.07 1007091 Closed SDRR 0.86 1007092 Closed SDRR 2.03 1007094 Closed SDRR 1.08 1007145 Closed SDRR 0.63 1007145 Closed SDRR 0.41 1007145 Closed SDRR 0.72 1010038 Closed SDRR 0.49 1010075 Closed SDRR 0.41 1010092 Closed SDRR 0.40 1010095 Closed SDRR 0.24 1010100 Closed SDRR 0.18 1010110 Closed SDRR 0.35 1010370 Closed SDRR 2.82 1010380 Open SDRR 2.07 1011050 Closed SDRR 1.34 1012000 Closed SDRR 2.10 1012030 Closed SDRR 2.42 1014000 Open SDRR 4.69 1014017 Decommissioned SDRR 0.38

Road Number

Current Road Status

Proposed Action

Miles

1014030 Closed SDRR 2.18 1030000 Open SDRR 2.30 1030020 Open SDRR 0.92 1030080 Closed SDRR 0.78 1031085 Closed SDRR 0.39 1035010 Open SDRR 0.29 1035012 Closed SDRR 1.23 1035060 Closed SDRR 1.93 1035080 Closed SDRR 0.67 1038060 Open SDRR 2.51 1310000 Closed SDRR 0.59 1310000 Open SDRR 3.70 1310070 Closed SDRR 2.32 1310150 Open SDRR 1.30 4500030 Closed SDRR 2.42 4500100 Closed SDRR 0.68 5505170 Open SDRR 2.53 5505200 Open SDRR 0.40 7300590 Closed SDRR 0.92 7350050 Closed SDRR 1.05 7350050 Closed SDRR 0.43 7350050 Closed SDRR 0.95 7350070 Closed SDRR 1.83 u1310-065

Unclassified Decommission 2.47

u1000-001


u1003-131


u1003-132


u1003-150


u1012-001

Unclassified SDRR 0.11

u1035-009


u1035-015


u1035-E1a


u1035-E1c


u4500-021


u7300-unk


u7350-050


*Some of these open roads are currently closed seasonally to protect wildlife, specifically big game summer or winter range.


Maintenance This includes blading, restoring ditches, culvert maintenance and installing water bars.

Culvert upgrades

Seven culverts have been identified as passage barriers to Mid-Columbia River steelhead/interior redband trout including three that are also barriers to Westslope cutthroat trout would be removed or replaced to provide passage for all life stages of these fish species. About 17.4 miles of Columbia River steelhead/interior redband trout and Westslope cutthroat trout spawning and rearing habitat would be reconnected (Table 3).

Table 3: Proposed culvert upgraded and miles of connectivity restored. Stream System Road Miles of Fish Habitat Reconnected

Kelsay Creek 1011-000 5.7 Lake Creek 1000-500 1.0 Lake Creek 10 2.9 Lost Creek 10 3.5

North Fork Desolation 1000-400 2.7 Park Creek 10 1.1

Rabbit Creek 10 0.5

Total Miles of Fish Habitat Reconnected 17.4

Instream and Riparian Restoration In-channel habitat restoration is proposed on approximately 99 miles of stream. Instream treatments include a combination of large wood placement including falling, tree lining and boulder placement as well as riparian planting.

1. Large Wood Placement

Large wood would be placed in and adjacent to streams to improve channel complexity including available pool habitat for fish. Some of the large wood could be obtained by directionally falling or pulling trees into the channel on-site from adjacent roads. While utilization of large wood and boulders onsite is preferred, the transport of material from off-site may occur. Trees could be placed by hand-felling, mechanized equipment such as excavators or cable yarders, or by helicopter. Large wood placement would maximize large wood stability, especially in areas with downstream infrastructure.

2. Riparian Restoration Riparian planting treatments will maintain and restore species composition of native plants. Treatments will be targeted in riparian areas lacking adequate vegetation to provide stream shading, bank stability and future large wood recruitment. Mine tailing removal may be required in some areas to facilitate riparian revegetation and is authorized in this decision using design criteria listed in the ARBO II.


Meadow Restoration Within the project area 265 acres of meadows were identified as having conifer encroachment along the meadow edges. Encroachment along each meadow is highly variable ranging from little or no encroachment to pockets of heavy encroachment. This project proposes to remove encroaching conifers along the meadow edges. Removed conifers will be hand piled and burned or used in instream restoration. Small diameter material may be used in adjacent springs and seeps to reduce gullying and raise the water table in the meadows to promote revegetation. Some mechanized equipment may be used to put material in stream. Meadow treatments will include pre-commercial thinning, prescribed fire, re-vegetation with native plants, fencing, and relocation of spring developments. Site-specific prescriptions and treatments are planned for the following meadows: Battle Meadows, Desolation Meadows, Park Creek Meadows and Kelsay Meadows.

DECISION RATIONALE This action is categorically excluded from documentation in an environmental impact statement (EIS) or an environmental assessment (EA). The applicable categories for all actions are identified in agency procedures as Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Section 32.12, Category 4 and Section 32. 2, Categories 5, 6, 7, 18, and 20. These categories of action(s) are applicable because:

(4) Repair and maintenance of roads, trails, and landline boundaries. (36 CFR 220.6(d)(4))

SDRR and maintenance treatments within road prisms, and obtaining roadside danger logs and trees for wood placement.

(5) Regeneration of an area to native tree species, including site preparation that does not involve the use of herbicides or result in vegetation type conversion. (36 CFR 220.6(e)(5))

The project proposes riparian planting and revegetation of meadows with native plants in order to maintain and restore species composition of native plants.

(6) Timber stand and/or wildlife habitat improvement activities that do not include the use of herbicides or do not require more than 1 mile of low standard road construction. (36 CFR 220.6(e)(6))

Meadow restoration activities will include the removal of conifers up to 12 inches in diameter at breast height, prescribed burning of hand piles, and building of beaver analogue structures to improve meadow habitat.

(7) Modification or maintenance of stream or lake aquatic habitat improvement structures using native materials or normal practices. (36 CFR 220.6(e)(7))

Instream treatments and riparian restoration will be used to improve aquatic habitat. These proposed activities will benefit aquatic habitat by using placement of small and large wood, tree lining, boulder placement, and riparian planting.

(18) Restoring wetlands, streams, riparian areas or other water bodies by removing, replacing, or modifying water control structures such as, but not limited to, dams, levees, dikes, ditches, culverts, pipes, drainage tiles, valves, gates, and fencing, to allow waters to flow into natural channels and floodplains and restore natural flow regimes to the extent practicable where valid existing rights or special use authorizations are not unilaterally altered or canceled. (36 CFR 220.6(e)(18))


Aquatic organism passage and other culvert work outside of road prisms in wetlands (wet meadows), streams, and riparian areas, restoring ditches in wet meadows, spring/trough developments with fencing, bridge abutment removal, and maintenance of log and rock instream structures.

(20) Activities that restore, rehabilitate, or stabilize lands occupied by roads and trails, excluding National Forest System roads and National Forest System trails to a more natural condition that may include removing, replacing, or modifying drainage structures and ditches, reestablishing vegetation, reshaping natural contours and slopes, reestablishing drainage-ways, or other activities that would restore site productivity and reduce environmental impacts. (36 CFR 220.6(e)(20))

Decommissioning of unclassified roads and trails.

EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES I find that there are no extraordinary circumstances that would warrant further analysis and documentation in an EA or EIS. I took into account resource conditions identified in agency procedures that should be considered in determining whether extraordinary circumstances might exist:

Federally listed threatened or endangered species or designated critical habitat, species proposed for Federal listing or proposed critical habitat, or Forest Service sensitive species:

Terrestrial Wildlife

Project activities may impact individuals or habitat, but will not likely contribute to a trend towards federal listing of Columbia spotted frog, Rocky Mountain tailed frog, Lewis’ woodpecker, white-headed woodpecker, Johnson’s hairstreak butterfly, western bumblebee, and the fringed myotis (Wildlife Specialist Report in project record). Project design criteria developed for this project will mitigate potential impacts to these sensitive species. Project activities will have no effect on any federally listed terrestrial wildlife species.

Fisheries

The implementation of the Granite Desolation Aquatic Restoration project would be not likely to adversely affect the Mid-Columbia steelhead, or steelhead designated critical habitat or the Columbia River bull trout, or bull trout designated critical habitat. In the short-term project activities may impact individuals or habitat, but would not likely contribute to a trend towards federal listing of westslop cutthroat trout, pacific lamprey, and western ridged mussel.

In order to mitigate for and minimize potential effects to listed, MIS, and sensitive species as well as their habitat, the Granite Desolation project will use project design criteria from Aquatic Restoration Biological Opinion (ARBO II, 2013) and Aquatic Restoration Biological Assessment (ARBA II, 2013) for implementing and planning of this project. In addition to mitigate for and minimize potential effects to sensitive Pacific lamprey, the project will use Best Management Practices to Minimize Adverse Effects to Pacific Lamprey (2010).


In the long-term, the purpose of this project is to improve habitat for aquatic organisms including the special status species listed above. Improved habitat conditions would lead to increased freshwater production.

Plants

There are no activities in any potential habitat for any federally listed, proposed, or candidate species; therefore, this project will have no effect to any of these species. Consultation with the USFWS is not necessary for plants for this project, activities proposed are also covered under the ARBO II (2013). Project design criteria will greatly reduce the chance of negative impacts to known populations of sensitive plants in the project area. Many species of sensitive plants either have no habitat in the project area, or they occur in habitats where no activities are proposed. Implementation of the proposed action will have no impact to the documented sensitive plant populations or species found in habitat types within project area. There is a small risk that there may be inadvertent impacts to sensitive plant species that occur in wetland and riparian habitats. Therefore, this project may impact individuals or habitat, but will not likely contribute a trend towards federal listing, or cause a loss of viability to the population or the species for riparian and wetland dependent species.

Floodplains, wetlands, or municipal watersheds This project does not propose to occupy or adversely impact any floodplain and therefore is consistent with Executive Order (EO) 11988, which requires the Forest Service to avoid “to the extent possible the long and short term adverse impacts associated with the ... occupation ... or modification of floodplains...”

This project does not propose to destroy or modify any wetlands and therefore is consistent with Executive Order (EO) 11990, which requires the Forest Service to "avoid to the extent possible the long and short term adverse impacts associated with the ... destruction or modification of wetlands."

There are no designated municipal watersheds and no Source Water Areas in the project area.

Congressionally designated areas such as wilderness, wilderness study areas, or national recreation areas

Closed roads 1310060 and 1310070 are within the North Fork John Day Wilderness. There are no valid existing rights or special provisions requiring the presence of these roads and are not needed for administration of the North Fork John Day Wilderness. The mines the roads once accessed no longer have valid claims and the wilderness has been withdrawn from further mineral development.

Administrative action is needed to reduce the impacts of these roads in the wilderness on portions of the roads that are interrupting hydrologic flows and causing sediment in streams. Activities for these roads within wilderness are proposed for SDRR activities and will be completed following Alternative 1 of the Minimum Requirements Decision Guide Workbook (see project record) and will have no significant effects to congressionally designated areas.


Inventoried roadless areas or potential wilderness areas

The project area overlaps two inventoried roadless areas, proposed activities will not have any negative impacts on the roadless area characteristics. Potential wilderness areas will not be impacted by project activities.

Research natural areas There are no research natural areas within the project area.

American Indians and Alaska Native religious or cultural sites

In the 2004 Programmatic Agreement with the Oregon State Historic Preservation Officer (SHIPO), a streamlined compliance process with the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA is outlined. It targets numerous undertakings with limited potential to negatively affect cultural resources. The majority of the aquatics restoration project work covered by this analysis falls under the criteria of undertakings which can receive NHPA clearance using these streamlined procedures. Most work conducted under the proposed project is of a nature that has very limited potential to effect cultural resources. These are exempt from case-by-case review under appendices A, B, and C of the 2004 Programmatic Agreement. Those cleared under Appendix B in that document would be inspected or monitored as required under the 2004 Programmatic Agreement.

Archaeological sites, or historic properties or areas Consultation with Native American tribes is conducted under the terms of the Memorandums of Understanding the Forest has with each individual tribe. The Federal government has trust responsibilities to Tribes under a government-to-government relationship to ensure that the Tribes reserved rights are protected. Consultation with Tribes helps ensure that these trust responsibilities are met. For the proposed project area, the Forest regularly consults with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation. The Forest consulted, via the NEPA scoping process and program of work meetings, with the potentially affected Tribes (Umatilla and Warm Springs), and no significant effects were determined or identified. The aquatic restoration work to be implemented under this project would have positive effects on traditional plant and animal resources valued by Native American tribes including significant treaty resources such as Columbia River steelhead/interior redband trout and Westslope cutthroat trout. Hence, the project will not adversely affect any known American Indian religious or cultural sacred sites.

PROJECT DESIGN CRITERIA Fisheries Aquatic restoration goals and objectives of this project would be achieved when administered by following guidelines within the following aquatic restoration categories 1, 2, 6, 9, 12, 15, 16, 18, and 20 of ARBO II and ARBA II.


Table 4: Aquatic Restoration Categories of ARBO II Category Number

Aquatic Restoration Categories Page(s) in ARBO II

1 Fish Passage Restoration (Stream Simulation Culvert and Bridge Projects; Headcut and Grade Stabilization; Fish Ladders; Irrigation Diversion Replacement/Relocation and Screen Installation/Replacement)

19 to 24

2 Large Wood, Boulder, and Gravel Placement (Large Wood and Boulder Projects; Engineered Logjams; Porous Boulder Weirs and Vanes, Gravel Augmentation; Tree Removal for Large Wood Projects)

25 to 30

6 Streambank Restoration 35 9 Livestock Fencing, Stream Crossings and Off-Channel Livestock Watering 38 to 39 12 Road and Trail Erosion Control 41 to 42 15 Riparian Vegetation Treatment (controlled burning) 47 to 49 16 Riparian Vegetative Planting 49 18 Beaver Habitat Restoration 50 20 Fisheries, Hydrology, Geomorphology, Wildlife, Botany, and Cultural Surveys in

Support of Aquatic Restoration 58 to 59

Hydrology Project design criteria are the specific measures that the Interdisciplinary Team developed to implement best management practices on the ground. Project design criteria specific to this project include: 1. Upgrade drainage structures to avoid, to the extent practicable, or minimize direct discharges into

nearby waterbodies. 2. Shape road surfaces to drain as designed. Construct or reconstruct drainage control structures as

needed. 3. Maintain the road surface drainage system to intercept, collect, and remove water from the road

surface and surrounding slopes in a manner that reduces concentrated flow in ditches, culverts, and over fill slopes and road surfaces. Clean ditches and catch basins only as needed to keep them functioning. Do not undercut the toe of the cut slope when cleaning ditches or catch basins. Identify diversion potential on roads and prioritize for treatment. Minimize diversion potential through installation and maintenance of dips, drains, or other suitable measures. If needed, maintain road surface treatments to stabilize the roadbed, reduce dust, and control erosion consistent with anticipated traffic and use. Grade road surfaces only as necessary to meet the smoothness requirements of the assigned operational maintenance level and to provide adequate surface drainage.

4. Maintain permanent stream crossings and associated fills and approaches to reduce the likelihood that water would be diverted onto the road or erode the fill if the structure becomes obstructed. Identify waterbody-crossing structures that lack sufficient capacity to pass expected flows, bedload, or debris, or that do not allow for desired aquatic organism passage, and prioritize for treatment.

5. Decommissioned roads are stabilized and restored to a more natural state to protect and enhance NFS lands. One or more treatments are applied to decommission the road depending on resource objectives and cost.

6. Design fish passage crossings to be consistent with ARBO II (USDC, 2013) and An Ecological Approach to Providing Passage for Aquatic Organisms at Road-Stream Crossings (USDA, 2008), including design the crossing to pass a normal range of flows for the site. Design the road fill to prevent restriction of flood flows. Use suitable measures to avoid or minimize scour and erosion of the channel, crossing structure, and foundation to maintain the stability of the channel and banks.


Design and construct the stream crossing to maintain the desired migration or other movement of fish and other aquatic life inhabiting the waterbody. Consider the use of bottomless arch culverts where appropriate to allow for natural channel migration and desired aquatic organism passage. Use stream simulation techniques to aid in crossing design.

7. Perform instream work during Instream Work Window, July 15 to August 15, to protect aquatic organisms and reduce impacts from heavy equipment on wet soil.

8. Use silt fencing, wattles, and other barriers to manage sediment near streams. 9. Scatter native seed mix, weed free straw, or slash on exposed soil in fall to prevent erosion.

Wildlife 1. Retain all danger trees where they are felled along roads or utilize them in in-stream channel work as

needed. 2. Utilize appropriate mechanized equipment when constructing beaver analogue structures in wet

meadows and riparian habitat. When possible, limit any activities requiring mechanical equipment until after meadows have dried (no standing water) to reduce potential impacts to adult and juvenile amphibians.

3. Where appropriate, girdle or top encroaching conifers along meadow edges to create snags/perches for wildlife. Consult with Forest Service Wildlife Biologist regarding location and extent of this activity.

4. Implement prescribed burning of meadows to minimize impacts to instream downed wood and snags, where feasible.

Botany 1. In areas where project activities may potentially negatively impact sensitive plant populations,

locations will be designated as “areas-to-protect” (ATPs). Ground disturbing activities shall only occur in these areas if approved by the forest botanist. The use of excavators or cable yarders to move large wood proposed for instream or riparian restoration and any piling and burning of slash, shall not occur in ATPs identified on all contract maps and implementation plans.

2. As specific portions of the project are planned for implementation, the project lead shall provide maps and details of specific activities to the forest botanist. The botanist will then determine if botany surveys are necessary for the particular activity and location and provide annual clearances.

3. If any new sensitive plant populations are located before, or during project implementation, the forest botanist shall be notified. The population will be evaluated, and appropriate management and/or protections shall be implemented.

4. When it is deemed necessary to reestablish native vegetation, or to prevent non-native invasive species infestations, seeding and/or planting of native plants shall be implemented after ground disturbing activities. Areas that may need treatment include decommissioned roads and any other disturbed site.

5. All seed and other plant materials used for revegetation will be locally adapted native seed or stock approved by the Forest Service.

6. Meadow restoration work will be closely coordinated with the forest botanist. Trees will be felled in a manner to enhance sensitive plant habitat. Slash will be scattered and not pile burned in sensitive plant population areas. Heavy equipment will be used in a manner to reduce the risk of creating bare soil conditions.


Invasive Plants Prevention Standards 2, 3, 7, 8, and 13 of the Umatilla National Forest Land Management Plan as amended by the Pacific Northwest Invasive Plant Program EIS will be used in implementing this project.

Table 5: Invasive Plants Prevention Standards Prevention Standard Number

Prevention Standard

Standard 2 Any equipment used outside the road prism will be cleaned prior to entering National Forest Lands.

Standard 3 If straw or mulch is used during this project, use weed- free straw and/or mulch Standard 7 Inspect active gravel, fill, sand, stockpiles, quarry sites, and borrow material for invasive

plants before use and transport. Use only gravel, fill, sand, and rock that is judged to be weed free by District or Forest weed specialists.

Standard 8 Conduct road blading, brushing, and ditch cleaning in areas with high concentrations of invasive plants in consultation with District of Forest- level invasive plant specialists. Equipment parking and staging areas will not be located at known invasive plant infestations.

Standard 13 If any seeding occurs during the implementation of this project, native plant materials will be the first choice.

In addition to the prevention standards described above, the District will monitor the project area and survey for new infestations before and after implementation of the project. Any new infestations may be treated if funding allows. All treatments will be consistent with the Umatilla National Forest Invasive Plants Treatment EIS.

Range To mitigate permittee concerns regarding access to manage their allotments as well as trailing livestock on existing roads (open, closed, or unclassified), coordination between the responsible official, project manager, and the range manager will occur during implementation. Notifications of temporary road closures to upgrade culverts will be given to the permittees. Prior to implementing Storm Damage Risk Reduction and road decommissioning, the permittees will be engaged to address their concerns. SDRR and decommissioning activities may be designed on certain roads to allow the permittees to trail cattle along the roads.

The permittees will be notified of any proposed burning to ensure they have adequate time to remove cattle from the area. If the meadows are burned, an assessment will be made to determine when it is appropriate to resume grazing.

Fire/Fuels The fuel loading after implementation will not exceed an average of nine tons per acre within the zero to three inch size class across the management area. This project should not exceed that across the management area as only a small portion of the management areas will be affected.

Cultural 1. For each potential activity the a Forest Service archaeologist will determine which of the criteria in

the 2004 Programmatic Agreement with the Oregon SHPO best fit the particular project, or if a cultural resource inventory will need to be conducted (Oregon SHPO 2004). If an inventory is necessary either a contractor or a Forest Service archaeologist will complete an inventory report


meeting current Oregon SHPO standards which will be then be submitted to the SHPO for review and concurrence signature or further discussion as appropriate.

2. Areas not currently surveyed for cultural resources would be surveyed before ground disturbance commenced following the terms of the 2004 PA and the archeologist will document their findings on a PA form or during the Section 106 consultation process.

3. If any previously unidentified cultural resources are located during project implementation, ground disturbing work will be halted, in the vicinity, until the resources are evaluated by a Forest Service archaeologist. If the cultural resources are determined to be potentially eligible for listing on the NRHP work will either be permanently halted or a mitigation plan will be developed in consultation with the Oregon SHPO before work continues.

Wilderness Proposed activities for roads within wilderness proposed for SDRR activities (roads 1310060 and 1310070) are documented in Alternative 1 of the Minimum Requirements Decision Guide Workbook (see project website). Design criteria for these areas include: 1. Crews or pack strings will hike in tools and equipment to and from the project site. 2. Culverts and water bars will be dug out by hand using tools such as picks, shovels, and rock bars. 3. Culverts would be cut up using motorized equipment (i.e. battery operated sawsall) or a torch. Limit

sawzall or cutting torch use (may require a generator) to a maximum of eight total hours to cut culverts into lengths suitable for loading onto pack stock.

4. Disturbed soil will be contoured and seeded with native seed. 5. Boulders will be used to block Road 1310060 and 1310070 at or near the wilderness boundary. A

tractor or mini excavator will be used to place boulders, which could require a brief motorized incursion (less than 200 meters) into wilderness for up to four hours. This incursion will only occur if it is determined that the best location for blocking OHV access is inside the wilderness.

Lands and Minerals 1. The Minerals Administrator and Responsible Official will be made aware of any conflicts or potential

conflicts with miners in the field. Currently none exist. 2. Prior to the conduction of proposed activities each year, the lead will need to review proposed work

with the Minerals Administrator who will review the proposed activities against the known local operators and claimants The minerals administrator will contact (by letter, phone, or email) those claimants actively working in the area and inform them of any delays or overlaps with their mining operation. Currently none overlap.

3. Use of rock from any of the Forest Service rock pits in the area for the projects listed in the proposed action will need to be cleared thru the engineering department and cleared by line officer for the presence of noxious weeds.

4. Should previously unidentified abandoned mine sites be located during the project implementation, work should stop until the minerals administrator or other appropriate Forest Service representatives have reviewed and evaluated the area for potential safety hazards or risks.

5. Equipment should stay at least 100 feet from any adits or shafts in the project area. 6. The abandon mine map is considered sensitive information and should not be given out to the public. 7. Should any vertebrate fossils be located during the earth moving operations, work will stop in that

area until the find can be assessed and mitigation measures incorporated.


Other Proposed large wood placement will be reviewed by the responsible official and project leader to assess potential impacts from mobilized wood to infrastructure such as roads, culverts, bridges, or private property.

PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT This action was originally listed as a proposal on the Umatilla National Forest Schedule of Proposed Actions in October 2015 and updated periodically during the analysis.

Government-to-government letters were sent to Tribes affected by this project. Scoping was conducted concurrently with the provision of a Legal Notice of Proposed Action and Solicitation for Public Comment. Letters were sent to interested participants with the project description. Scoping information and the notice and opportunity to comment were mailed to 223 individuals and/or organizations that had previously expressed interest in these types of projects on the North Fork John Day Ranger District. A legal notice announcing the intention to complete this Decision Memo and providing opportunity to comment was published in the East Oregonian on August 12, 2015. Comments were requested within 30 days from publication of the legal notice.

The scoping letter and supporting documents were posted to the Forest website for public review. Seven comment letters and emails were received in response to the public comment period. All comments received were reviewed and considered for this Decision.

FINDINGS REQUIRED BY OTHER LAWS AND REGULATIONS This decision is consistent with the Umatilla National Forest Land Management Plan (Forest Plan). The project was designed in conformance with management areas A3, A4, A7, C5, C7, A8, A9, B1, C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C7, and E2 and forest wide standards and guidelines. The project file contains information supporting the following findings.

• This project is tiered to the Umatilla National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan), Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), and Record of Decision (ROD) dated June 11, 1990 and all subsequent NEPA analysis for Forest Plan amendments.

• The project is in compliance with the Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, Executive Order 11988, Executive Order 11990, and other applicable laws (see project website). There is no prime farmland, rangeland, or forestland within the project area.

• This project is in compliance with the Forest Plan (USDA Forest Service 1990), as amended by PACFISH (1995). This project is also in compliance with project design criteria from Aquatic Restoration Biological Opinion (ARBO II, 2013) and Aquatic Restoration Biological Assessment (ARBA II, 2013).

• The project is in compliance with the Endangered Species Act, Federal regulations, and Forest Service policy pertaining to the management of Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive species. The Biological Evaluation process ensures that impacts to these species have been analyzed and clearly declared meets forest plan standards.

• This project is in compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) for activities authorized under this analysis and will be completed and concurred with by the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) before any ground disturbing action takes place.

• This project is not expected to have any disproportional effects on consumers, civil rights, minority groups, women, or low income people because there would be no change in the long-term use of the area for these populations (Executive Order 12898).

ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW (APPEAL) OPPORTUNITIES

Recent legislation has changed the appeal/objection process for categorically excluded actions. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014 (Pub. L. No. 113-76), Section 431 directed that the 1992 and 2012 legislation establishing the 36 CFR 215 (post-decisional appeals) and 36 CFR 218 (pre-decisional objections) processes were not applicable to projects that are categorically excluded under the National Environmental Policy Act. The Agricultural Act of 2014 (Farm Bill) (Pub. L. No. 113-79), Section 8006 repealed the Appeals Reform Act (ARA) (Pub. L. No. 102-381 ). The ARA's implementing regulation was 36 CFR 215.The 2014 Farm Bill also directs that the pre-decisional objection process established in the Consolidated Appropriation Act of 2012 shall not be applicable to categorically excluded projects or activities.

As a result of these two statutes, notice, comment and appeal opportunities pursuant to 36 CFR 215 are no longer available for categorically excluded projects. Therefore there will be no administrative review (objection or appeal) period for this decision.

IMPLEMENTATION DATE

This decision is not subject to administrative review pursuant to 36 CFR 218.23. Implementation may begin immediately and some road and culvert work is planned to begin this fiscal year (FY2016). Project design criteria described above will be used to determine when project activities will take place.

CONTACT

This Decision Memo and associated project file, including maps, may be viewed by appointment at the North Fork John Day Ranger District at 401 Main St, Ukiah, Oregon 97880 or on the project website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=47500. Contact Leslie Taylor, Environmental Coordinator for the North Fork John Day Ranger District at 541-427-5324 for further information concerning this project.

North Fork John Day

District Ranger

- Decision Memo -Page 15 of 22

Date , I


In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: [email protected].

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

El USDA es un proveedor, empleador y prestamista que ofrece igualdad de oportunidad.


APPENDIX A: PROJECT MAPS

Map 1: Granite Desolation Aquatic Restoration Project Vicinity Map



Map 2: Granite Desolation Aquatic Restoration Springs and Fences


Map 3: Northwest section of the Granite Desolation Aquatic Restoration


Map 4: Middle Section of the Granite Desolation Aquatic Restoration Project


Map 5: Southeast Section of the Granite Desolation Aquatic Restoration Project

Documents

Decision Memoa123.g.akamai.net/7/123/11558/abc123/forestservic... · 2016. 5. 13. · — Decision Memo — Page 2 of 22 direction as amended by PACFISH to manage fish habitat and