Chapter 4, Affected Environment

4 — Affected Environment This chapter describes the characteristics and re- dismissed from further consideration because there sources of the refuge and how existing or past man- would be no effects, or effects would be negligible or agement or influences have affected these resources. not detectable, as discussed below. It specifically addresses the physical environment, biological environment, special land designations, MOOSE recreational opportunities, cultural and paleontolog- Moose have occasionally been observed on the ref- ical resources including a history of human use on uge, often young dispersing bulls from central Mon- the site, and the socioeconomic environment. Ser- tana mountain ranges or southern Canada. Although vice data and other information, both published and there are substantial willow communities in the Mis- unpublished, was used to quantify what is known souri River floodplain, the area is generally not con- about refuge resources. Additionally, other sources sidered suitable moose habitat. Nonetheless, in were used including data and information from other recent years moose appear to be expanding their agencies or other scientific studies. range in portions of eastern Montana and in many _____________________________________________________________________________ places in the North Dakota prairies, and could potentially extend their range onto the refuge, but cur- 4.1 Topics Not rently they are not a common species on the refuge. Analyzed Further BLACK BEAR The affected environment describes those portions A few black bear sightings have been reported on of the natural and human environment that could be the refuge over the years, but none have become affected by implementing any of the management established residents and the Missouri River Breaks alternatives. The following topics or species were are not considered suitable black bear habitat. USFWS The elk-viewing area is popular, particularly during the fall months. 160 Draft CCP and EIS, Charles M. Russell and UL Bend National Wildlife Refuges, Montana _____________________________________________________________________________ Vegetated land such as what occurs on the refuge is 4.2 Physical Environment a tremendous factor in carbon sequestration. Large, naturally occurring communities of plants and ani- The following sections discuss the physical envi- mals that occupy major habitats—grasslands, for- ronmental resources that could be affected by the ests, wetlands, tundra, and desert—are effective implementation of the CCP. Physical characteristics both in preventing carbon emission and in acting as include climate, air, visual resources, soundscapes, biological “scrubbers” of atmospheric CO2. geography, soils, and water resources. Recently, the U.S. Global Change Research Pro- gram released a comprehensive report (Karl et al. CLIMATE 2009) synthesizing information from a wide variety The climate of the refuge region is typical of the high of scientific assessments regarding what is known plains in North America with moderately cold win- about the observed and projected consequences of ters (average January lows are near 0 °F) and occa- climate change in the United States. Global temper- sional cold periods exceeding –20 °F. Summers are atures are expected to rise at least 1 degree Fahr- generally pleasant (averaging in the 80s during after- enheit over the life of the CCP. In the Great Plains, noon hours) with occasional hot periods exceeding temperatures could increase more by 2–4 °F. Addi- 100 °F. Low humidity, high temperatures, and mod- tionally, there could be increases in both evaporation erate to strong winds cause rapid loss of soil mois- and drought stressing limited water supplies. Inva- ture. Mean annual precipitation is 12–13 inches with sive weeds would likely increasingly compete with about 70 percent occurring from April–September. native vegetation on rangelands (Karl et al. 2009). Due to the dominantly heavy-textured soils, run- Precise estimates of how climate change would affect off is rapid, often exceeding 50 percent of the total the refuge are not known. precipitation. The average frost-free period is about 120 days. The refuge is also subject to intense light- AIR QUALITY ning storms from late July to early September, often The UL Bend Wilderness is a class I air quality area, resulting in wildfires. and receives special protections against air pollu- Climate Change tion under the Federal Clean Air Act. The refuge is a member of the Interagency Monitoring of Pro- In 2001, the Secretary for the Department of the tected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) network, Interior issued Secretarial Order 3226 (DOI 2001) a cooperative program of Federal and State agencies requiring Federal agencies under its direction that whose primary purpose is to protect visibility in class have land management responsibilities to consider I areas and to characterize regional haze. This pro- potential climate change effects as part of long- gram was established to aid in the implementation of range planning endeavors. Recently, this order was the 1977 Clean Air Act goal of preventing future and replaced by Secretarial Order 3289 (DOI 2009). It remedying existing visibility impairment in class I left intact many of the planning requirements of areas (national parks, wilderness, and wildlife ref- Secretarial Order 3226, reiterating the need to ana- uges). At the UL Bend refuge, a monitoring station lyze climate change effects but made organizational filters the air every third day, collecting fine particles changes to enable the bureaus and agencies to ful- in three modules and larger particles in one of the fill the planning requirements (refer to Chapter 1– modules. The filters are changed on a weekly basis Introduction). and sent to a laboratory in Davis California where The U.S. Department of Energy report, “Car- the data is analyzed. The lab looks at visual obscurity bon Sequestration Research and Development,” due to particulate matter and long-term trends of 50 concluded that ecosystem protection is important years or more. The laboratory was not able to pro- to carbon sequestration and may reduce or prevent vide information as to whether the UL Bend moni- loss of carbon currently stored in the terrestrial toring site had ever exceeded class I standards (Jose biosphere (U.S. Department of Energy 1999). The Mojica, Crocker Nuclear Laboratory; personal com- report defines carbon sequestration as “the capture munication, December 2, 2009). and secure storage of carbon that would otherwise Prescribed fires are conducted under strict smoke be emitted to or remain in the atmosphere.” and air regulations as established by the Montana/ The increase of carbon dioxide (CO2) within the Idaho Airshed Group. The purpose of this group is earth’s atmosphere has been linked to the grad- to reduce the effect of particulate matter within spe- ual rise in surface temperature commonly referred cific air sheds throughout the two States. The group to as “global warming.” In relation to comprehen- was formed in 1978 and all prescribed fires conducted sive conservation planning for Refuge System units, on the refuge have met permitted requirements. The carbon sequestration constitutes the primary cli- refuge is assessed a fee based on tons of particulate mate-related effect to be considered in planning. matter produced by prescribed fires. Chapter 4—Affected Environment 161 VISUAL RESOURCES Facilities, Structures, and Developed Areas The National Environmental Policy Act requires that Roads, buildings, and developed camping areas pro- measures be taken to “assure for all Americans … aes- vide access and amenities, but potentially affect the thetically pleasing surroundings.” Visual resources visual resources. are those qualities of the resource that often inspire Roads. The refuge covers a vast remote area with people and contribute to their overall experience. about 670 miles of road that crisscross the refuge and There are several land designations found on the ref- provide vehicle access that would otherwise only be uge that are intended to preserve or even capitalize on accessible by foot or horseback (refer to access under the refuge’s scenic values. These include the Wild and visitor services in section 4.4 below). A road borders Scenic River designation along the western boundary, several of the proposed wilderness units as boundar- the Lewis and Clark historic trail along the entire Mis- ies were often drawn around roads. The majority of souri River, and the designated and proposed wilder- the refuge’s roads are primitive, nongraveled roads ness designations. There are sweeping views of the that are inaccessible during wet periods; nonethe- prairie, forested coulees, deep river canyons, broad less, refuge roads are highly visible in some areas, mesas, badlands, and river bottoms. Throughout its particularly from bluffs, ridges, and other viewpoints human history explorers, writers, photographers, as the aerial photo below shows. In places, roads have and visitors have penned, photographed, or painted become heavily rutted and braided, which poten- vibrant descriptions of the refuge’s abundant wildlife tially degrade scenic and resource values. resources and its rugged and picturesque scenery. In 2009, the Wilderness Society conducted a spa- Three categories were used to address potential tial analysis (The Wilderness Society 2009) assessing effects on visual resources: (1) facilities and struc- the visibility of roads on the refuge from various

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