United States Department of Agriculture
Payson Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Project Draft Environmental Assessment
United States Forest Service Tonto National Forest, Payson Ranger District January 2018 For More Information Contact:
Eric Oswald Payson Ranger District 1009 E Hwy 260 928 474-7900 [email protected]
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.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Purpose and Need for Action ...... 3 Background ...... 3 Purpose and Need for Action ...... 3 Consistency with the Forest Plan and Other Statutes ...... 4 Decision Framework ...... 4 Public Involvement ...... 4 Issues ...... 5 Chapter 2: Alternatives ...... 6 Alternative 1 – No Action ...... 6 Alternative 2 – Modified Proposed Action ...... 6 Streamside Riparian Buffers ...... 6 OHV Staging Areas...... 8 Pyeatt Draw OHV Campground ...... 8 Alternatives Considered but Dismissed from Detailed Analysis in this EA ...... 11 Buffer all Riparian Areas ...... 11 Alternative OHV Staging Area Locations ...... 11 Alternative OHV Campground Locations ...... 11 Chapter 3: Environmental Consequences ...... 12 Assumptions ...... 12 Cumulative Effects...... 12 Recreation Opportunities ...... 12 Affected Environment ...... 12 Environmental Consequences ...... 15 Water Resources ...... 17 Affected Environment ...... 17 Environmental Consequences ...... 17 Heritage Resources ...... 18 Affected Environment ...... 18 Environmental Consequences ...... 19 Soil Resources ...... 20 Affected Environment ...... 20 Environmental Consequences ...... 20 Vegetation Resources ...... 21 Affected Environment ...... 21 Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Species ...... 23 Affected Environment ...... 23 Environmental Consequences ...... 27 Sensitive Plant Species ...... 30 Affected Environment ...... 30 Environmental Consequences ...... 31 Cumulative Affects to Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife and Sensitive Plants ...... 33 Migratory Bird Species ...... 34 Environmental Consequences ...... 36
Payson OHV Recreation Project EA 5 Invasive Plant Species ...... 36 Affected Environment ...... 36 Environmental Consequences ...... 36 References ...... 38 Appendix A: Recreation Opportunity Spectrum Class Descriptions ...... 41
List of Figures
Figure 1: Payson OHV Recreation Project Area Overview, including Stream Segments and OHV Staging Area Locations ...... 9 Figure 2: Location of Proposed OHV Campground at Pyeatt Draw ...... 10
List of Tables
Table 1: Migratory Bird Species of Concern by Nest Type within the Project Area ...... 35 Table 2: Recreation Opportunity Spectrum Class Descriptions ...... 41
Payson OHV Recreation Project EA 6
Environmental Assessment
Chapter 1: Purpose and Need for Action
Background The popularity of recreational off-highway vehicle (OHV) use continues to increase across Arizona, and particularly on the Tonto National Forest. Recreation use on the Payson Ranger District has grown rapidly commensurate with the popularity of OHV recreation and the growth of the population in the southwest.
During the summer months, thousands of people visit the Tonto National Forest seeking relaxation and relief from the heat of the southern portion of the state. Forested areas along waterways in higher elevations that are easily accessible by major roads receive some of the highest dispersed camping use. As a result of the visitor preference for dispersed camping in streamside locations, impacts associated with recreational OHV use have become prevalent across the District, particularly in fragile riparian areas where visitors seek to escape the heat of Arizona’s summer months.
In 2013 the Payson Ranger District on the Tonto National Forest appointed an interdisciplinary planning team (IDT) to review local conditions and develop a Proposed Action for recreational OHV management. The “Payson OHV Recreation Project” is designed to address specific needs on the Payson Ranger District associated with recreational OHV use trends and local resource conditions.
The Forest is currently developing a forest-wide Travel Management Plan to designate a system of roads, trails, and areas open for motor vehicle use as required by Federal law. The actions proposed in this EA are outside the scope of the forest-wide travel management planning effort and can be implemented without the completion of that project.
Planning for this project includes funding through a grant from the State of Arizona’s Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Fund.
Purpose and Need for Action The purpose and need for this project is to organize and manage recreational OHV use while protecting sensitive riparian areas on the Payson Ranger District. The IDT developed the purpose and need and the Proposed Action by reviewing existing and desired conditions across the Ranger District. The Proposed Action, described in detail in Chapter 2, is designed to protect Forest resources and values while managing recreational OHV use. This need is based on the following conditions:
• Streams and riparian areas along roadways are being increasingly impacted due to concentrated and unmanaged use from dispersed OHV-based overnight camping. Riparian vegetation and soils, wildlife habitat, heritage resources, and nonmotorized recreational opportunities are being adversely affected by this unmanaged use. Management actions are necessary to address deteriorating resource conditions and meet the standards for water quality and riparian conditions from the 1985 Tonto National Forest Plan (Forest Plan). • Locating access points to the existing network of motorized roads is difficult for Forest visitors due to the lack of designated, centralized staging areas. As a result, OHV parking and loading/unloading is dispersed makeshift, and contributes to issues of unauthorized Forest access
3 Payson Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Project
and associated resource damage. There is a need to give motorized visitor a clearly defined area where parking and loading\unloading is encouraged. • The Payson Ranger District does not have a developed campground designed to accommodate recreational OHV users. Existing campgrounds are often at capacity in the summer months, and most do not provide easy access to motorized opportunities. A developed OHV campground would enhance opportunities, limit mixed-use related recreational conflicts between motorized and nonmotorized users, and reduce dependency on dispersed OHV camping.
Consistency with the Forest Plan and Other Statutes The development of the Proposed Action and this EA is consistent with direction contained in the Tonto National Forest Land Management Plan (USDA FS 1985) (Forest Plan) and the National Forest Management Act and its implementing regulations (36 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 219), and has been developed in accordance with NEPA and its implementing regulations (40 CFR 1500-1508).
The Forest Plan has a wide variety of goals and objectives to achieve a balanced use of the Forest. The Proposed Action was developed to comply with the direction of the Forest Plan. It includes project design features to reduce or eliminate potential or unforeseen adverse environmental effects and to resolve concerns with the proposal. The alternatives discussed in this EA are consistent with the Forest Plan. A Forest Plan amendment is not necessary.
Decision Framework The Payson District Ranger is the official responsible for a decision regarding the alternatives presented in this EA. In compliance with Forest Service policy and Forest Plan objectives, the Payson District Ranger proposes to do the following:
1. Prohibit motorized vehicle use within a 400-foot streamside buffer identified in this EA. 2. Designate three OHV staging areas in the locations identified in this EA. 3. Identify the location of a potential future OHV campground, with construction dependent on future funding. Since this project will be implemented under the existing Forest Plan, it is subject to the predecisional objection process (36 CFR 218). Based upon analysis presented in this EA, the District Ranger will issue a draft Decision Notice, which begins this process.
Public Involvement The Payson Ranger District began 30 days of public scoping on March 28, 2014 with publication of a Legal Notice in the Payson Roundup. The project was first listed on the quarterly Schedule of Proposed Actions on April 2014. Letters were mailed to 73 entities and individuals, including local and state governments, Tribes, Federal agencies, partner groups, and individuals who in the past had expressed interest in Forest projects. Following strong local interest in the project, the Payson District Ranger twice extended the scoping period, which closed on June 6, 2014. In addition, the Ranger District hosted a public forum on May 23, 2014 in Payson, Arizona.
4 Environmental Assessment
The Payson Ranger District received approximately 300 individual pieces of correspondence (emails, letters, meeting comments, etc.) as a result of scoping for this project, including a petition to remove the Houston Mesa Campground from consideration for conversion from an equestrian focused campground to motorized use.
Issues Input from scoping was reviewed to determine if any issues related to the proposed action were presented. An issue is defined as a point of disagreement, debate, or dispute with a proposed action based on some anticipated undesirable effect caused by the action.
Public concern was focused on three areas associated with the proposed action:
1. Opposition to converting the Houston Mesa Equestrian Campground to accommodate OHV campers; 2. Recommendations for alternative OHV staging and campground locations; and 3. Opposition to potential conflicts and resource damage associated with OHV travel.
The IDT addressed public concerns over the equestrian camp and alternative staging areas in Chapter 2, “Alternatives Considered but Dismissed from Detailed Analysis in this EA.” Most of the concerns expressed about user conflict and resource damage were not elevated to issues in this EA because they were either too general, were determined to be not within the scope of the proposed action, or were not supported by evidence.
5 Payson Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Project Chapter 2: Alternatives This chapter describes the No Action and the modified Proposed Action alternatives developed for the Payson OHV Project. This chapter presents the alternatives in comparative form, defining the different outcomes resulting from implementation of either alternative. The differences between alternative actions form the basis for the analysis of environmental effects presented in Chapter 3.
Alternative 1 – No Action A No Action alternative is presented to establish a baseline for comparison of impacts between alternatives, and to provide the responsible official a viable choice in the range of reasonable alternatives. Under the No Action alternative, a new OHV campground and three OHV staging areas would not be developed, and a 400-foot streamside buffer prohibition for motorized travel would not be implemented. The effects of selecting the No Action alternative are described in Chapter 3.
Alternative 2 – Modified Proposed Action The Proposed Action originally scoped has been modified to respond to public comments. Specifically, the proposal to retrofit the Houston Mesa Equestrian Camp to accommodate OHV camping, and the proposal to locate an OHV staging area at the fairground location, have been eliminated from consideration. The modified Proposed Action presented above has relocated the proposed OHV 1 campground and staging area. Therefore, in accordance with Forest Service directionP0F P, the original Proposed Action has been modified. This alternative is designed to respond to the purpose and need for action described in Chapter 1 and proposes to: 1) prohibit off-highway motorized vehicle travel within a 400-foot streamside buffer within the project area; 2) develop three OHV staging areas; and 3) identify a location for a new recreational OHV campground. Figures 1 & 2 provides a general overview and reference location for each action proposed in this project.
Streamside Riparian Buffers Motorized travel, including dispersed overnight OHV camping, would be prohibited within a 400-foot streamside buffer in selected stretches of the East Verde River, Tonto Creek, and their tributaries (see Figures 1 & 2). The specific stream corridors closed to OHV camping include:
Christopher Creek through See Canyon: This section is accessed by Forest Road 284 which travels approximately 2 miles paralleling the creek. This road is accessed from the community of Christopher Creek off Arizona State Route 260 and terminates at the See Canyon Trailhead. In the last few years, camping pressures in this area has increased and this trend is expected to continue (Muise 2013)
East Verde River at:
1 Forest Service Handbook 1909.15, Chapter 10, section 14.3 “The description of the proposal and alternative(s) may include a brief description of modifications and incremental design features developed through the analysis process to develop the alternatives considered. The documentation of these incremental changes to a proposed action or alternatives shall be included or incorporated by reference in accord with 40 CFR 1502.21.”
6 Environmental Assessment
o Flowing Springs: This section is located on the East Verde River approximately three miles north of Payson. Camping occurs a half a mile from Highway 87 and continues to the private property boundary of Flowing Springs. Forest Road 272 crosses the East Verde River at a low water crossing and then parallels the river for the remaining one mile. This is a popular camping area and is the closest of the dispersed stream sited to town limits..
o Verde Glen (including Dude Creek and the adjacent unnamed tributary): This section is located along an intermittent section of the East Verde River. This section of stream flows underground for part of the year but flows above ground when supplemented by flows pumped from the C.C. Cragin Reservoir, or as a result of monsoons or snow melt run-off. It is accessed by Forest Road 1190 from Control Road, just east of the Houston Mesa Junction, where a two mile stretch of road parallels the stream.;
o Washington Park: This area is a one mile stretch along Forest Road 32A that terminates at a trailhead for the Arizona Trail and Highline Trail. It provides access to the headwaters of the East Verde River, is a perennial stream and is accessed from Control Road. The area was popular for dispersed camping but currently is closed to camping through a Special Closure Order to protect the Chiricahua Leopard Frog..; and
o Second and Third Crossings: This section is located along Houston Mesa Road and above the East Verde River. All dispersed camping sites are located on a bench above the river where river access requires travel down a steep/rocky embankment.;
Tonto Creek: This section is located 16 miles east of Payson at Bear Flats and Arizona State Route (SR) 260 off the Tonto Creek Hatchery Road. The road is paved all the way to the terminus at the hatchery an approximate distance of 4 miles. The first two miles of road parallel the creek and is one of the most popular areas on the district. Much of this two mile corridor is bouldered off to prevent vehicle access to the creek, although several parking pullouts are located along the road.
Webber Creek: This creek is a spring-fed and originates on the Mogollon Rim. This area is accessed by Forest Road 440 from Control Road approximately six miles East of Arizona State Route 87.
Beat Flats: This section is located 14 miles east of Payson on SR 260 from FR 405. FR 405 traverses a steep and narrow canyon. Public access terminates at the private property boundary at Tonto Creek, where there is a small parking lot with no facilities, several dispersed camp sites, and a trailhead for accessing the Hellsgate Wilderness.
These riparian buffers were chosen due to existing damage from dispersed camping and OHV use and/or the recognition that these areas need to be protected for wildlife habitat. Day use would continue to be permitted in these locations and roadside parking would be allowed where vehicle pull-outs are available. Boulders or other native-material barriers would be installed to prevent motorized access.
7 Payson Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Project
OHV Staging Areas Three OHV staging areas would be located to the south, north, and east of Payson (Figure 1). The proposed staging areas are approximately half an acre to two acres in size and are located on previously disturbed sites in open, flat terrain consisting of little or no vegetation. The sites were selected for their ease of access and connectivity to existing motorized use on the Payson Ranger District. Limited development would occur within the staging areas, and may include information kiosks explaining rules and regulations, and directional signage. No construction is required. Native-material traffic control barriers may be placed on the sites as necessary. The staging areas are:
South Pine Staging Area: This area is accessible from Arizona SR 87 and Forest Road (FR) 1006, approximately three quarters of a mile south of Pine2. This site is a former landfill that has been capped and remains a large barren lot.
Mayfield Canyon Staging Area: This area is located on a public easement off FR 433 (Mayfield Canyon Road) approximately 6 miles east of Payson on Arizona SR 2603. It provides good access to multiple four-wheel drive routes including the Houston Mesa Loop and Pyeatt Draw.
Jim Jones Staging Area: This area is located at the shooting range approximately two and a half miles south of Payson off SR 87. It is located one and a half miles down a dirt road, one mile from the Jim Jones Shooting Range4. FR 208 continues ten miles beyond the shooting range and connects to a large network of four-wheel drive roads that would enable motorists to travel to Gisela and onto the Tonto Basin Ranger District.
Pyeatt Draw OHV Campground The Ranger District has identified a location for future development of a campground for recreational OHV visitors. The location is approximately a mile east of the Freedom Acres development, in an open area adjacent to FR 198 and FR 1591 and in close proximity to Pyeatt Draw5, as shown on Error! Reference source not found.. The campground could accommodate tent and recreational vehicle campers in 25 to 35 individual sites. Camp sites could be equipped with campfire rings and picnic tables. Vault toilets or similar facilities could be constructed. Roads, pull-through drives, and parking areas could be constructed of compacted earth or gravel surface. One or more group camp sites accommodating up to 65 people each could be constructed. A campground host site(s) with electric service and water could be developed. The campground area could be approximately 45 acres in size.
No alternative considered in this project would affect motorized use on any road or trail on the Payson Ranger District. The project would not affect cross-country motorized travel beyond the actions proposed under Alternative 2. This project would not result in the designation of new motorized roads, trails, or areas as described under Travel Management Regulations.
2 Township 11.5 north; Range 9 east; Section 21 3 Township 11 north; Range 11 east; Section 29 4 Township 10 north; Rand 10 east; Section 27 5 Township 11 north; Range 11 east; Section 6
8 Environmental Assessment
Conservation Measures The following design features have been included for Alternative 2 to reduce or eliminate the impacts to sensitive plant species that may be affected by project implementation.
• Identify and flag sensitive plants within the Christopher Creek and Tonto Creek areas to comply with FSM direction • Implement sign installation to limit foot traffic in sensitive areas • Conduct surveys in the vicinity of OHV staging areas at highly suitable habitat for sensitive plant species to ensure that necessary protective measures are put in place if sensitive plant species are documented in the area.
Figure 1: Payson OHV Recreation Project Area Overview, including Stream Segments and OHV Staging Area Locations
9 Payson Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Project
Figure 2: Location of Proposed OHV Campground at Pyeatt Draw
10 Environmental Assessment
Alternatives Considered but Dismissed from Detailed Analysis in this EA Federal agencies are required by NEPA to rigorously explore and objectively evaluate all reasonable alternatives and to briefly discuss the reasons for eliminating any alternatives that were not developed in detail (40 CFR 1502.14). Public comments received during project scoping provided suggestions for alternative actions to those proposed by the Forest Service. These comments have been incorporated into the Proposed Action, or were considered but dismissed from detailed consideration for reasons summarized below or in the response to public comments contained in the project record.
Buffer all Riparian Areas A comment recommended extending 400-foot streamside buffer to all water bodies on the Ranger District. This idea was considered but rejected as it is outside the scope of the project and as not fulfilling the purpose and need for this project. As stated in Chapter 1, the stream buffers were developed specifically to address social and resource conditions in areas of heavy, concentrated recreational use. Other waterways across the Ranger District are not experiencing comparable levels of use and associated impacts, principally because they cannot easily be accessed by roadway. Therefore, implementing stream corridor buffers in these locations would not meet the purpose and need for this project as described in Chapter 1.
Alternative OHV Staging Area Locations Several optional OHV staging area locations were proposed in public comments. Many of these locations were considered but it was concluded that they provided no additional benefits, or would not reduce potential environmental effects, beyond those staging areas already identified in the Proposed Action. Additionally, the staging areas selected for this project included ease of access from major roadways, proximity to open OHV travel routes on the Ranger District, a high degree of existing disturbed ground, and limiting impacts to cultural and natural resources.
Alternative OHV Campground Locations Public comments suggested alternative OHV campground locations to the Houston Mesa Equestrian Campground. The Payson District Ranger and interdisciplinary team consider alternative locations and ultimately selected the Pyeatt Draw location because it best met the purpose and need for this project and satisfied many of the expectations for an OHV campground as expressed by the public during scoping.
Payson OHV Recreation Project EA 11 Payson Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Project
Chapter 3: Environmental Consequences This section summarizes the effects of implementing the two alternatives described in Chapter 2. Additional details on analysis methodology, data sources, resource descriptions, and potential effects from project-related activities are contained in the individual specialist reports, on file with the project record6.
The Affected Environment section for each resource topic describes the existing or baseline condition against which environmental effects are evaluated and from which progress toward the desired condition can be measured. The Environmental Consequences section for each resource topic discusses direct, indirect, and cumulative effects. Effects can be neutral, beneficial, or adverse. Environmental consequences form the scientific and analytical basis for comparison of the alternatives, through compliance with standards set forth in the 1985 Tonto National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan), as amended, with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, and the National Forest Management Act of 1976.
Assumptions The following assumptions are incorporated into the effects analysis for this project.
• No actions described in this project are expected to increase visitation to or motorized use on the Payson Ranger District or Tonto National Forest. The staging areas are intended to consolidate existing use for improved OHV management. The OHV campground, when constructed, is anticipated to displace existing OHV visitation from dispersed sites and developed campgrounds. • The OHV campground would be constructed as funds become available.
Cumulative Effects The findings of the environmental analysis presented below are that direct and indirect effects from project-related activities are anticipated to be minor across resources analyzed. As a consequence, little additional cumulative effects are anticipated to occur from project-related activities. Within the spatial bounds of project activities, additional ongoing Forest projects and activities include livestock grazing, timber and fuel management activities, potential wildfire, and continued recreational use. Where cumulative effects may occur, these effects are described for the specified resource.
Recreation Opportunities
Affected Environment Recreation use of the District has grown rapidly over the last two decades commensurate with the growth of the population in the southwest region. For most Forest visitors, the use of a motor vehicle is an integral part of their time spent on the District. Access to and within the District will likely define the location, experience, and opportunities for those who visit. Almost all activities one could pursue on the
6 Additional documentation, including more detailed analyses of project area resources, may be found in the project planning record located on the Tonto National Forest, Payson Ranger District, 1009 East Highway 260, Payson, Arizona, 85541.
12 Environmental Assessment
Tonto National Forest involve driving on forest roads and trails. Three of the top ten primary activities involve some form of motorized recreation: OHV use, motorized trail activity, and driving for pleasure (Forest Service 2008).
Forests in the Southwestern Region receive some of the highest dispersed use in the nation, likely due to the open vegetation and year-round sun. From simple car-camping with tents, to overnight camping with larger vehicles such as motor homes, camping opportunities outside of developed campgrounds are desired by many people, and the demand for this type of motor-based recreational use is approximately equal to those that prefer camping in developed campgrounds (Forest Service 2009).
During summer weekends, thousands of people visit the Payson Ranger District seeking opportunities for relaxation and relief from the heat. Predictably, areas accessible by road in the higher elevations receive some of the highest dispersed camping use. These areas include the water corridors reached by SR 87 and SR 260. These stream corridors are used by small group campers as well as large groups ranging in size from 75 persons to 200 persons.
The primary OHV use-type in the stream corridors is not all-terrain vehicles, quads, or similar vehicles, but rather conventional motor vehicles, including cars, trucks, and motorhomes. These car-based OHV campers set up throughout the corridor wherever a flat area is located in close proximity to water. Typically campers will not establish camps more than a few hundred feet from their parked vehicles (Hohl 2014). The water in the river or creek is used in multiple ways including traditional water play, cleaning dishes, human waste disposal, trash disposal, personal hygiene, and as a non-potable source for camping activities.
The volume and dispersal of trash in these areas is an ongoing management concern. Although a “pack it in-pack it out” policy exists, it is not frequently followed by Forest visitors. On major summer holidays, a 40-yard dumpster is placed at the Whispering Pines Fire Department, which serves as a primary access point to Washington Park, Verde Glenn, and Webber Creek. Trash from campers in these locations fills the dumpster on holiday weekends. Many more visitors leave their garbage bagged on site.
Traffic congestion along these stream corridors frequently is a problem during the summer months and can result in ingress and egress blockage for emergency vehicles, Forest employees, Forest visitors, and area residents.
Developed facilities are non-existent along the stream corridors except in three areas: Flowing Springs, Tonto Creek north of SR 260, and See Canyon, where vault toilets, trash receptacles, and information signs are present. Following is a description of each stream corridor that would be closed to dispersed camping under this alternative:
Flowing Springs is located on the East Verde River approximately three miles north of Payson. Camping occurs 0.5 miles from Highway 87 and continues to the private property boundary of Flowing Springs. FR 272 crosses the East Verde River at a low water crossing and then parallels the river for the remaining 1 mile. This is a popular camping area and is the closest of the dispersed stream sited to town limits. The most desirable camp sites are at a low water crossing reached by a user-created off FR 272. Flowing Springs has a bathroom and the parking lot for this area is
Payson OHV Recreation Project EA 13 Payson Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Project
surrounded by large boulders. The Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) class is Rural and Semi- Primitive Motorized.
Washington Park is a one mile stretch along FR 32A that terminates at a trailhead for the Arizona Trail and Highline Trail. It provides access to the headwaters of the East Verde River, is a perennial stream and is accessed from Control Road. The area was popular for dispersed camping but currently is closed to camping through a Special Closure Order to protect the Chiricahua Leopard Frog. The ROS class is Rural.
Verde Glenn is located along an intermittent section of the East Verde River. This section of stream flows underground for part of the year but flows above ground when supplemented by flows pumped from the C.C. Cragin Reservoir, or as a result of monsoons or snow melt run-off. It is accessed by FR 1190 from Control Road, just east of the Houston Mesa Junction, where a two mile stretch of road parallels the stream. Camping occurs on both sides of the creek for the first and last 0.5 miles with flat areas accessed through several user-established roads. The creek is inaccessible by vehicle in the middle stretch although pedestrian access is possible. The ROS class is Roaded-Natural.
Second and Third Crossing: Five dispersed camp sites are located between Second and Third Crossing along Houston Mesa Road and above the East Verde River. Each site has a numbered sign and allows for parking of two to four vehicles. Access into each camp site is through the parking area at each sites’ entrance and is lined with large boulders to prevent driving into the camp area. All sites are located on a bench above the river where river access requires travel down a steep/rocky embankment. The ROS class is Roaded-Natural.
Tonto Creek: The dispersed camping section of Tonto Creek is located 16 miles east of Payson from SR 260 off the Tonto Creek Hatchery Road. The road is paved all the way to the terminus at the hatchery an approximate distance of 4 miles. The first two miles of road parallel the creek and is one of the most popular areas on the district. Within these two miles are two campgrounds (Upper and Lower Tonto Creek Campgrounds) and two trailhead parking lots (Horton and Derrick), each with a vault toilet, information signage, and trash receptacles. Much of this two mile corridor is bouldered off to prevent vehicle access to the creek, although several parking pullouts are located along the road. There are also several picnic sites with picnic tables along the road. Due to health and safety concerns associated with the Tonto Creek stream restoration project, dispersed camping adjacent to the creek was prohibited in 2012.
The last two miles of the road from the Horton Picnic/Trailhead area to the hatchery contains several campsites with limited creek access. A camping Closure Order (dating to the 1970s) prohibits camping within 200 yards of the creek in this area. The ROS class for this entire corridor is Roaded- Natural.
Bear Flats is located 14 miles east of Payson on SR 260 from FR 405. FR 405 traverses a steep and narrow canyon. Public access terminates at the private property boundary at Tonto Creek, where there is a small parking lot with no facilities, several dispersed camp sites, and a trailhead for accessing the Hellsgate Wilderness. Camping is infeasible until reaching the creek. In the last few years, camping pressures have increased in this once-undiscovered area, and this trend is expected to continue (Muise 2013). The ROS class is Semi-Primitive Motorized.
14 Environmental Assessment
Webber Creek is a spring-fed creek that originates on the Mogollon Rim. This area is accessed by FR 440 from Control Road approximately 6 miles East of SR 87. Camping occurs on both sides of this two mile stretch of road, until public access is restricted at the private property boundary of Camp Geronimo Boy Scout Camp. The ROS class is Roaded-Natural.
Christopher Creek (See Canyon) is accessed by FR 284 which travels approximately 2 miles paralleling Christopher Creek. This road is accessed from the community of Christopher Creek off SR 260. The road terminates at the See Canyon Trailhead where a restroom and horse corral are located. Camping occurs on several flat benches along FR 284, with the most desirable sites located in the last 0.5 miles and immediately out of the parking lot. In the last few years, camping pressures in this area has increased and this trend is expected to continue (Muise 2013). The ROS class is Rural.
Environmental Consequences The measurement indicator for the recreation issue is the type and level of displacement of recreation opportunities for forest visitors, as measured through impacts associated with recreation opportunities, as well as potential changes to ROS classifications within the project area.
The ROS (Forest Service 1982) is a land classification system of six management class categories, each being defined by its setting and by the probable recreation experiences and activities it affords (see Appendix A). Each project area considered in this analysis has been designated an ROS class in the Forest Plan. In the following analysis, potential changes to the ROS class for a project location are described.
Project Design Features The following design features are planned for the proposed action to reduce or eliminate potential adverse impacts that may result from implementing the proposed action:
• An Implementation Plan would be developed to inform and educate Forest visitors about the recreational use changes associated with this project. • A sign plan would be developed for staging areas and dispersed camping areas. • Placement of natural features (boulders, downed logs, timber or wood bollards) may be utilized in selected areas where it is necessary to control OHV movement.
Alternative 1 – No Action Limited effects would continue to occur should the No Action alternative be selected. Primarily, recreation opportunities for streamside corridors classified as Roaded-Natural, which is defined as “an area characterized by predominantly natural- appearing environments with moderate evidences of sight and sounds of man”( Forest Service 1985, p. 245), would continue to be adversely affected due to the ongoing conditions associated with heavy, concentrated use described above. The Roaded-Natural stream corridors include Verde Glenn, Second and Third Crossing, Tonto Creek (SR 260 to Hatchery), and Webber Creek. Crowding and displacement would also continue in many of these areas as day users and other visitors are crowded out by those who establish campsites and crowd access to the streams.
Payson OHV Recreation Project EA 15 Payson Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Project
The development of OHV staging areas is intended to improve management of recreational OHV use, and these anticipated beneficial effects would not be realized under the No Action alternative, although present conditions would not change.
The No Action alternative would not affect existing recreational opportunities or ROS classes on the Ranger District.
Alternative 2 – Proposed Action The Proposed Action would result in minor direct and indirect effects to the recreation resources and opportunities in the project area. Direct effects from closure of the stream corridors may include camper displacement and conflict (crowding) in other dispersed camping locations. Indirectly, camping pressures may increase elsewhere, causing displacement. Some of this conflict and displacement would be offset at the streamside corridors as day users would have improved access to the streamside areas. An information and education program may help to reduce conflicts and displacement associated with this action.
Although non-motorized recreational day use would continue, recreation-related direct and indirect effects within the 400-foot streamside buffer would be reduced. Other adverse effects associated with use facilitated by motorized vehicles (garbage, human waste, trampling, etc.) would be reduced. Conditions within the Verde Glenn, Second and Third Crossing, Tonto Creek (SR 260 to Hatchery), and Webber Creek stream corridors would be expected to return to their ROS classification of Roaded-Natural. ROS classes would not be affected for the other stream corridors.
Informational kiosks and signage at each staging area may reduce unintentional behavior that damages resources and creates conflict, as well as directing recreational OHV users toward motorized riding opportunities. The proposed staging areas would be consistent with each of the ROS designations of Urban, Rural, and Semi-Primitive Motorized for these locations.
The centralization of OHV opportunities may result in a slight increase in enforcement and maintenance needs at the staging areas. However, it is expected that better management through centralizing, informing, and educating visitors would result in improved recreational behavior for these users, thereby reducing enforcement patrols and maintenance needs elsewhere. Additionally, the Proposed Action would reduce enforcement and maintenance needs in the stream corridors as visitor-related management issues are reduced.
The experience of non-motorized recreation visitors in these areas may be adversely affected, primarily as a result of noise generated by OHVs in the immediate area. While the trail system is currently designated for motorized use, mixed use occurs and includes equestrian riding, hiking, and bicycling. By designating staging areas, motorized use is expected to become more concentrated in these areas.
Conversely, experiences on other district mixed-use trails may be enhanced as motorized users would be more inclined to stage at the new staging areas rather than engaging in dispersed, roadside parking to load and unload their OHVs. The staging areas are located to offer a high degree of trail connectivity, allowing for 20 miles or more of motorized riding.
Development of an OHV campground would provide beneficial effects as OHV users would have a campground designed to accommodate their specific type of recreational use. The effects to visitor use
16 Environmental Assessment and services are similar to the staging areas, with the campground providing an additional opportunity to centralize and manage OHV use on the Ranger District.
Throughout the project area, the placement of minimal, natural controls such as boulders and wood bollards would help reduce recreation impacts while being unobtrusive to the recreation experience.
Cumulative effects are expected to be minimal. While eliminating OHV use and camping in the stream corridors may reduce existing opportunities, the development of staging areas and an OHV campground enhance these opportunities. The project takes no action to change existing motorized trails, roads, and areas, so no cumulative effects are realized. None of the Proposed Actions would alter the existing ROS class designations on the Ranger District.
Water Resources
Affected Environment Forest Plan direction (Forest Service 1985, p. 19) is to meet minimum water quality standards. Under Section 303(d) the Clean Water Act of 1972, the State of Arizona is required on a biannual basis to assess water bodies for impairment to water quality. The latest 303(d) report lists portions of the East Verde River for metals contamination (arsenic and selenium), and Tonto Creek for low dissolved oxygen content (State of Arizona 2014). Tonto Creek was rated Not Attaining for Full Body Contact (a designated beneficial use) due to high Escherichia coli (commonly called E.coli) content.
The proposed OHV staging areas are located in third order watersheds of 10 to 23 square miles in size. The potential for increased runoff as a result of developing OHV staging areas is insignificant in terms of the total watershed. In the case of the South Pine site, it is buffered from the natural channel by one-third mile or more of hill slope.
The reaches on the East Verde River (approximately 4,000 feet in length) and Webber Creek (approximately 8,000 feet) proposed for streamside buffering are located in watershed areas of about 70 square miles in size and 16 square miles in size, respectively. Channel condition was found to be good to excellent at the time of field visits for this project. Similar findings were reported in the Little Green Valley EA (USDA FS 2013).
Environmental Consequences
Alternative 1 – No Action Measurable effects associated with the No Action alternative are limited to the stream corridors. Continuation of motorized travel and dispersed camping activities would continue to contribute sediment to the stream reaches in question. However, it would not constitute measurable change in runoff or sediment in watersheds of these sizes. In addition, while the conditions noted on the most recent 303(d) report may be correlated to sediment load in the streams they do not constitute drainage areas large enough to measurably impact the channels below the sites. Overall, effects to water resources from the No Action alternative would continue to be long-term but localized to the immediate areas.
Payson OHV Recreation Project EA 17 Payson Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Project
Alternative 2 – Proposed Action Prohibition of motorized vehicle use within the 400-foot streamside buffer of the East Verde River and Webber Creek should reduce ground compaction and erosion from present use. These actions should reduce surface flow runoff and sediment from the immediate bank and terrace surfaces into these stream reaches.
Under this alternative, surface flow runoff from the proposed OHV staging areas would continue as the disturbance condition would be similar to the current condition. Implementation of Best Management Plan-3, which would designate Aquatic Management Zones (AMZ) to natural channels at the Jim Jones staging area and Mayfield Canyon staging area should reduce some of the excessive runoff flow and sediment. Very fine grain sediment of silt or finer class that may stay in suspension in surface flow would be expected to reach the channels. Abrasion by tires breaks down natural soil aggregates of a native surface and the amount of suspended load is positively correlated to use. An AMZ of 15 meters should be adequate on the shallow slopes of the Jim Jones and Mayfield Canyon staging areas to mitigate runoff and sediment delivery from the disturbance areas to the natural channels (Castelle et al 1994; Castelle and Johnson 2000; Broadmeadow and Nesbit 2004; Lee et al 2004)
Environmental effects associated with project activities are not anticipated to contribute to cumulative effects for the watersheds in the project area. The proposed OHV staging areas are bare, compacted ground in third order watersheds. Runoff from the sites constitutes a small proportion of the total runoff for the watershed. In the case of the South Pine staging area, it is buffered from the natural channel by one-third mile or more of hill slope.
Water quality impairments listed by the state for East Verde River are for excessive metals content, and low dissolved oxygen for Tonto Creek. While both conditions may be correlated to sediment load in the streams, the impacted areas are not large enough to have measureable effects on the water quality or channel form below the sites.
Heritage Resources
Affected Environment Forest recreational users have a preference for areas located along waterways. These areas were also important to prehistoric and protohistoric cultures, and remain today important to Native American Tribes for traditional uses. Use of vehicles in these areas can cause impacts to surface and subsurface heritage resources due to artifact displacement and soil compaction and erosion. Camping in these areas results in digging for campfire placement and latrine construction, and incidental collection and removal of artifacts, all of which may potentially destroy evidence used to date a site chronologically, as well as impact evidence of technology, trade, and social interactions (Sampson 2007). Additionally, unchecked resource degradation can affect the value of these locations for Tribal traditional uses.
The Payson Ranger District has had limited formal archaeological investigation, primarily related to heritage resources situated within areas associated with the realignment corridor for SR 260, a few land exchanges and occasional small tract land sales. The majority of the heritage resources identified consists of prehistoric sites in open or exposed locations, which have been subjected to a range of natural environmental conditions resulting in the deterioration of site conditions.
18 Environmental Assessment
Environmental Consequences The method used for data collection consisted of a review of historic materials and archival documents relevant to the project areas and a review of the Tonto National Forest site and project atlases for known heritage resource locations.
Design Features and Mitigation Measures Prior to any project implementation which involves ground disturbing actions or allows for actions which could have ground disturbing effects, an archaeological survey shall be conducted to determine the presence/absence of heritage resources within the Area of Potential Effect. Should any heritage resources be identified, mitigation measures will be established which must be adhered to during, and potentially following, project implementation. If any heritage resources are within a project area that cannot be avoided or protected in place due to the nature of the project and its associated constraints, then consultation with Tribal governments and the State Historic Preservation Officer would be initiated, and the appropriateness of conducting data recovery (i.e. site excavation, ethnographic studies, etc.) would be addressed in order to preserve the scientific and cultural information which is contained within the identified heritage resource(s). Data recovery actions would be completed prior to any project implementation in order to ensure that all relevant components of a site have been preserved in a scientific manner according to laws, regulations, and professional standards.
Alternative 1 – No Action Effects to heritage resources would remain unchanged from existing conditions and trends under the No Action scenario. Conditions described in the affected environment section above would continue into the foreseeable future, with no anticipated improvement to trends affecting heritage resources.
Alternative 2 – Proposed Action Implementing the Proposed Action would have potentially beneficial effects on heritage resources within the project area. Removing vehicles from riparian areas would directly reduce or eliminate impacts to heritage resources as they would no longer be subjected to surface damage and destruction, or indirect effects associated with soil compaction and erosion, and surface collection. This action would also allow for the preservation of materials and plants important to Native American Tribes for the continuation of their traditional lifeways.
By designating OHV staging areas, it is anticipated that there would be a reduction in off-road parking and loading/unloading of recreational vehicles, thereby reducing the potential for associated damage to archaeological sites elsewhere. Because these locations are previously disturbed, additional impacts are unlikely to occur to any heritage resources that may be located in the staging areas. Construction of the designated OHV campground is anticipated to lessen the dependency on dispersed OHV camping, which may help reduce impacts to heritage resources located throughout the Payson Ranger District. The design features described above would reduce potential impacts to heritage resources associated with campground construction and use.
Due to the nature of heritage resources and the effects of natural and human-caused impacts over centuries, all effects upon heritage resources are considered to be cumulative. Given the effects described
Payson OHV Recreation Project EA 19 Payson Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Project above, implementing the Proposed Action would not result in additional cumulative effects to heritage resources.
Soil Resources
Affected Environment The proposal would eliminate camping from floodplains for several perennial streams. These sites occur in deep-set canyons that emanate from the Mogollon Rim. Soils within these stream sections consist of a mix of river cobble and gravel sandy loam soils formed on secondary floodplains. Some of these river floodplains occur on extremely cobbled and graveled loam soils developed on hillside benches.
The proposed OHV staging areas would be located within existing clearings comprised of road-base or compacted disturbed soils from previous uses. The South Pine staging area is located on an engineered cap for an old landfill. The Mayfield Canyon staging area has disturbed and bare sandy loam soils on an elevated alluvial terrace. The Jim Jones staging area consists of a graveled, 0.5-acre clearing. All three sites exhibit altered or degraded soils. These sites are presently open to motor vehicle travel, but largely go unused.
The proposed OHV campground location currently supports a typical pinyon-juniper vegetation community on loamy skeletal soils. These rocky soils have a clay subsurface that would support administrative construction of parking areas, camping pads, and associated facilities.
Environmental Consequences
Alternative 1 – No Action Effects to soil resources in the proposed OHV staging areas and proposed OHV campground would remain unchanged from existing conditions and trends under the No Action scenario. Vehicular travel would continue to occur along within riparian areas along the stream segments identified for closure under the Proposed Action. As a consequence, ongoing recreational use would continue to affect soils in the riparian areas, primarily through soil compaction and displacement in the floodplain.
Alternative 2 – Proposed Action Prohibiting motorized travel within the designated stream corridors would eliminate impacts due to motor vehicle use and greatly reduce trampling of vegetation and shearing/compaction of soils as recreational use declines. Soils and vegetation would be expected to recover along the floodplains, and effects to soil resources are expected to be beneficial over the long-term.
Designating the three OHV staging areas would have limited direct effects to soils within these areas. Traffic would be expected to increase in these areas, but the increased use would not further degrade soil conditions on these sites. The soils have engineered surfaces at the Jim Jones Shooting Range and the South Pine sites. The Mayfield Canyon site has sandy loam soils and existed as an informal parking area as an intersection between roads FR 433 and FR 476. The soils have sufficient gravel and fine texture to support parking vehicles. Air born dust at the staging areas would increase, but not markedly. While
20 Environmental Assessment vehicles are expected to concentrate at these locations, site design would not allow for the higher rates of speed needed to raise dust beyond the immediate area.
Effects may occur should site users travel outside the designated staging areas. Slopes are short and moderately steep for the South Pine and Jim Jones staging areas, and therefore have moderate risk erosion potential. The Mayfield Canyon staging area has deeper inset topography and erosive soils on the hillslopes. The decomposed granite soils have gruss characteristics with low cohesion. These soils resist compaction, but do not hold together well once the groundcover is removed on slopes steep enough to generate surface wash (typically greater than 20 percent). Thus, for the low lying areas adjacent to the staging areas, soils would be somewhat resilient to compaction due to occasional motorized travel. Where OHVs travel off trail on the steep adjacent terraces, these slopes would be prone to severe erosion. The placement of natural feature traffic control devices, such as boulders and logs, should help minimize off- trail travel and protect slopes from erosion potential.
Effects to soil resources from campground development are expected to be long-term, but limited to the immediate project area. The proposed OHV campground would convert approximately 45 acres to administrative use, removing the area from the productive land base that currently supports a pinyon- juniper vegetation community. The soils in this area are currently degraded with topsoil depleted and signs of gullying, although the area does support deeper rooted species. The pinyon and juniper vegetation would discourage travel. Any trampling or clearing of vegetation by OHV users would exacerbate erosion along current surface wash pathways. Site design would help minimize soil impacts beyond the footprint of the proposed campground area.
Ongoing activities in the area, such as livestock grazing and fuels and forest management, would not be considered adverse since the OHV staging areas and campground would be designated to support administrative use and not grow vegetation. The removal of camping along the floodplain would substantially reduce soil disturbance from recreation users and thus further reduce any additive soil disturbance from recreation and livestock use along the floodplains.
Vegetation Resources
Affected Environment The proposed action would eliminate motorized vehicle use and camping within a 400-foot streamside buffer, designate the location of a potential future OHV campground and designate three potential OHV staging areas. Vegetation within the designated stream corridors is riparian while the vegetation around the proposed staging areas and campground is pinyon/juniper chaparral and Ponderosa pine forest.
Riparian vegetation along the Mogollon rim is typified by the Arizona Sycamore (Platanus wrightii) and Willow (Salix spp.) association. Other species commonly found within this association are Arizona Alder (Albus oblongifolia), deergrass (Muhlenbergia rigens) and tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceus).
The proposed Preacher Canyon, Event Center and Mayfield Canyon OHV staging areas occur within a mix of pinyon juniper vegetation type. The pinyon juniper chaparral vegetation is characterized by evergreen shrubs, with the dominant being juniper (Juniperous spp.) and manzanita (Arctostaphylos spp.). Other common shrubs include catclaw acacia (Acacia greggi), wait-a-minute bush (Mimosa biuncifera),
Payson OHV Recreation Project EA 21 Payson Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Project skunkbush sumac (R. trilobata) and scrub oak (Quercus turbinella). Upland perennial grasses include side oats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula), hairy grama (B. hirsute), squirreltail (Elymus elymoides) and weeping love grass (Eragrostis curvula). Weeping love grass is a non-native species that was originally planted for forage. It tends to out-compete native forage and is not as palatable.
The Pine OHV staging area is located in Ponderosa pine forest. This plant community is dominated by nearly pure stands of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa). Other species present are gambel oak (Quercus gambelii) and the New Mexico Locust (Robinia neomexicana) that are typically found in lower and rockier locations among the Ponderosa pine associations. Species mentioned for all the listed vegetation types are typical in their distribution (Brown, 1994).
All OHV staging areas and the proposed campground location are located in sites that have been previously disturbed. These sites have, generally, been cleared of brush and due to past use, have compacted and/or degraded soils that are unlikely to allow vegetation to persist.
Environmental Consequences Alternative 1- No Action
Vehicular travel would continue to occur within riparian areas along the identified stream corridors that are proposed for closure in the proposed action. As a result, it is likely that ongoing use in these corridors would continue to impair recruitment of woody and herbaceous vegetation. The same continued use would contribute to soil compaction which could further impede vegetation establishment. Removal of larger woody species through non-permitted recreational fuelwood collection may occur. Effects to vegetation resources within the proposed OHV staging areas and campground would remain unchanged from existing conditions and trends under this alternative. The size of these sites could expand in the future as the sites have no defined boundaries.
Long term direct and indirect effects on vegetation disturbance and soil compaction would continue to occur, along with unplanned development of new staging areas, contributing to the cumulative effects of OHV use in the Payson Ranger District project area.
Alternative 2- Proposed Action
Effects of OHV travel outside of the designated staging areas and off-trail could continue to occur. Vehicular travel on steep slopes and soils with higher erosion potential would continue to impair vegetation establishment. The placement of natural feature traffic control/barrier devices, such as logs and boulders, could minimize off-trail travel and protect soils and existing vegetation.
The long-term effects from campground development would include the conversion of approximately 45 acres of previously disturbed, topsoil depleted area with gullies to administrative use. The productive use of the land base that supports a pinyon-juniper vegetation community would be removed with campground site design including features to minimize soil/erosion impacts and control the footprint of the site.
Ongoing activities in the OHV staging and campground areas, such as livestock grazing, fuels and forest management, would not be considered as effects as the areas would be designated to support
22 Environmental Assessment administrative use and not support or be managed for vegetation growth. The prohibition/exclusion of camping along the stream corridors would substantially reduce soil disturbance from recreation users and any other use, such as livestock grazing, along the floodplains.
It is anticipated that the overall effect of the proposed action would be beneficial to the vegetation in the project area with the provision of controlled and managed staging and camping areas and the protection of designated stream corridors.
Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Species This section summarizes the analysis of effects to terrestrial wildlife species as documented in the specialist report and accompanying Biological Assessment (BA) and BE for this project.
The biological assessment (BA) recorded a determination that the proposed action may affect, but is not likely to adversely affect the threatened Chiricahua leopard frog, the threatened Mexican spotted owl and its designated critical habitat, proposed critical habitat for the northern Mexican gartersnake and narrow- headed gartersnake. The Forest Service anticipates a beneficial effect to the above mentioned species given the proposed action is intended to reduce traffic congestion at specific riparian area and limit overnight camping which will indirectly improve water quality and riparian vegetation. The BA also determined there would be no effect to designated critical habitat for the Chiricahua leopard frog, the threatened Gila trout, narrow-headed gartersnake and northern Mexican gartersnake. Species with a no effect determination do not require any further review.
The biological evaluation (BE) reported that the following Tonto National Forest Sensitive S species may also be impacted (mostly beneficial) by project related activities: Northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), American peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus anatum), Pale Townsend’s big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii pallescens), Spotted bat (Euderma maculatum), Allen’s lappet-browed (big-eared) bat (Idionycteris phyllotis), Western red bat (Lasiurus blossevillii), desert sucker (Catostomus clarkii), Blumer’s dock (Rumex orthoneurus), broadleaf lupine (Lupinus latifolius ssp. Leucanthus), Mogollon fleabane (Erigeron anchana), and Senator alumroot (Heuchera eastwoodiae). Potential effects to each of these species are described below.
The Forest Service monitors population trends of selected wildlife and plant species, called Management Indicator Species (MIS), to determine the effects of management activities on selected habitat types. The BE reported that the Proposed Action would not affect vegetation conditions in the project area in a manner that would negatively affect MIS associate with these vegetation types. Because there would be no changes in vegetation types, there would be no changes to the trend in MIS populations associated with these vegetation types, and MIS are not considered further.
Affected Environment The project area is a mix of pinyon juniper forest with associated shrubs, mature conifer forest, and riparian corridors. The OHV staging areas and campground are proposed in pinyon-juniper vegetation types, while all the other proposals are in riparian associated areas.
The potential natural vegetation database indicates OHV staging areas are pinyon-pine/live oak. The dominance type database also indicates alligator juniper as dominant contributor to the type, except for
Payson OHV Recreation Project EA 23 Payson Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Project the South Pine OHV staging area, where the vegetation is beginning to transition to a ponderosa pine type.
These various vegetation types support a variety of game and non-game species. The project is within Game Management Unit 22. Big game spanning the project area include black bear, elk, mule deer, whitetail deer, javelina, turkey, and mountain lion. Stable black bear populations and high densities of elk within the project area can be found at higher elevations below the Mogollon Rim from Pine, Arizona towards upper Tonto Creek are stable. Whitetail deer can be found along the face of the Mogollon Rim within the project area while mule deer tend to inhabit isolated areas below the Mogollon Rim given their selection for more open areas like those in the Wildland Urban Interfaces or lower elevations south of the Town of Payson. Merriam’s turkey within the project area are recovering from harsh winters seen in the early 2000s and populations are starting to stabilize at higher elevations. Lower elevations of the project area near the Shooting Range OHV Staging Area inhabit higher densities of javelina and stable elk herds. Mule deer are present with higher densities further south where habitat transitions into desert scrubland. Small populations of whitetail deer and transient black bears can be found in these lower elevations of the project area where steeper topography exists. Mountain lions show no preference within the project area and can be found throughout.
Game birds and small game found in the project area include; Gambel’s quail, mourning dove, white- winged dove, cottontail rabbits, black tailed jackrabbit, Abert’s and grey squirrel. Most small game populations rely heavily on rainfall so populations can fluctuate annually. Currently small game populations are stable with no concerns (J. Sayer, personal communication January 23, 2017). Predators such as coyotes and gray fox, are commonly found on the within the project area; bobcats are less frequently observed. Non-game species include a variety of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.
Chiricahua Leopard Frog7 The Chiricahua leopard frog was listed as threatened by the US Fish and Wildlife Service in 2002 (USFWS 2002), and Critical Habitat was designated in 2012 (USFWS 2012a). There is no Critical Habitat in the project area.
Chiricahua leopard frog populations can be found in both lentic and lotic habitat throughout the northern portions of the Payson Ranger District including streams, springs, and earthen livestock tanks. While there are no current records in any of the proposed project stream corridors, they are known to occur within dispersal distance of two proposed stream corridors. Based on observations of various leopard frog species in Arizona and New Mexico (USFWS 2007: 14-15), reasonable dispersal distances for the species are one mile overland, or three miles along intermittent drainages, or five miles along permanent water courses (USFWS 2007: D-2,3). The closest known population of Chiricahua leopard frogs is approximately one-half mile from the Washington Park proposed stream corridor. Further, several frog populations exist within two miles of the Tonto Creek proposed stream corridor. Given the close proximity of known populations to proposed stream corridors and that proposed stream corridors contain
7 For life history information on the Chiricahua leopard frog visit https://www.azgfd.gov/w_c/edits/documents/Lithchir.fi_002.pdf
24 Environmental Assessment suitable habitat for Chiricahua leopard frogs, it is likely that over time, frogs could naturally disperse to several streams identified in the proposed action.
Mexican spotted owl8 The Mexican spotted owl (MSO) was listed as threatened in 1993 with critical habitat established in 2004 (USFWS 2012b). The Payson Ranger District has identified 24 nest and/or roost areas known as Protected Activity Centers (PACs) on the district, three of which are located within one-half mile from proposed stream corridors. The nearby PACs are adjacent to Webber Creek and See Canyon proposed stream corridors. These PACs were last surveyed in 2014 with one male Mexican spotted owl detection in one of the three PACs. Proposed staging areas are located at least 3.5 miles away from the nearest MSO PAC. Additionally, portions of three reaches fall into the critical habitat boundary for the owl; Webber Creek, Washington Park, and See Canyon proposed stream corridors.
Roundtail and Headwater chub9 On April 6, 2017 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife (FWS) withdrew the proposed listing for headwater chub (Gila nigra) and roundtail chub (Gila robusta) in the Lower Colorado River Basin due to the findings of the Joint Committee on the Names of Fishes. These findings concluded that the two formerly proposed species as well as the currently listed Gila chub (Gila intermedia) are no longer valid species and should be all considered roundtail chub. The FWS is still working internally to clarify the process that will be taken for this species complex. Roundtail and headwater chub have no current federal listing status but are still on the Regional Forester’s sensitive species list as separate entities and therefore will be analyze as sensitive species but group into a single analysis.
Headwater chub (now known as roundtail chub*) are present within the action area. Surveys in 2015 and 2016 by AGFD indicate numbers may be low for chub within the project area. Headwater chub* currently occupy portions of the East Verde River and Tonto Creek. Headwater chub* occupancy in these systems overlap with the following proposed stream corridors; Flowing Springs, First and Second Crossing, and Bear Flat. At this time, Webber Creek is the only proposed stream corridor in the project area that has been identified as a potential re-introduction site for Headwater chub*.
Desert sucker There are known populations of desert sucker within the action area, along the East Verde River and upper Tonto Creek. Populations of desert sucker can also be found in lower Tonto Creek (AGFD, 2017).
Sonora sucker There is one drainage within the action area inhabited by Sonora suckers. Surveys conducted by AGFD in 2011 resulted in observations of Sonora sucker in the East Verde River near Flowing Springs.
8 For life history information on the Mexican spotted owl, visit https://www.azgfd.gov/w_c/edits/documents/Strioclu.fi_002.pdf
9 For life history information on chub visit https://www.azgfd.gov/w_c/edits/documents/Gilanigr.fi_005.pdf
Payson OHV Recreation Project EA 25 Payson Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Project
Northern Goshawk The closest observations of Northern goshawks in the project area are from the mid-1990s, approximately one-half mile from the See Canyon proposed stream corridor. More recent observations of Northern Goshawks have been reported 1.7 miles away from the Webber Creek proposed stream corridor in 2015 and 1.5 miles from the Tonto Creek proposed stream corridor in 2013. Potential habitat exists in conifer forest near Washington Park, and in the upper reaches of Tonto Creek and See Canyon, just below the Rim. Potential foraging habitat exists in the adjacent riparian areas.
American Peregrine Falcon Peregrine falcons are known from four areas near the project (AGFD HDMS). The westernmost location is three-quarters of a mile southwest of the proposed South Pine OHV Staging Area site in The Narrows of Pine Creek. Survey data collected by AGFD personnel in 2015 resulted in evidence of an active territory with no sign of successful nesting. Two other known sites are more centrally located within the project area, near the Mogollon rim at 1.5 miles northeast of Webber Creek and 2.3 miles east of Washington Park. According to AGFD HDMS data, observations of peregrine falcons have not been reported since 2005 near Webber Creek; it is unclear if the lack of observations are a result of the bird being absent from the area or lack of surveys post 2005. Surveys completed near Washington Park have occurred in 2005 and 2015 with adults detected and vocalizations heard each time. The forth and easternmost location is one mile northwest of See Canyon. Surveys near See Canyon occurred in 2009, 2012, and 2015. Failed nesting attempts were documented in 2009 and 2012 while the 2015 survey only confirmed an active territory.
Pale Townsend’s Big-eared Bat, Spotted Bat, Allen’s Lappet-browed Bat, Western Red Bat One of four sensitive bat species found on the Tonto National Forest is associated with riparian areas for foraging and roosting, the western red bat. Spotted and Allen’s lappet-brown bats are likely to forage in open areas like meadows or clearings while Pale Townsend’s Big-eared Bat spend more time foraging in cluttered areas, riparian or edge habitats near trees (A. McIntire, personal communications 2017).
These four bat species tend to select different roosting habitat. Red bats typically roost in foliage of riparian trees, while a majority of Allen’s bat populations roost under loose tree bark. Townsend’s big- eared bats prefer abandoned mines and spotted bats are often found in rock crevices in canyons (A. McIntire, personal communications 2017; Adams, 2003).
There are many rock outcrops near the project area reaches but only two known caves are within one mile from two proposed stream reaches. Several reaches do have large riparian trees, some of which may be suitable for red bat foraging or roosting. According to AGFD HDMS occurrence data, only one roost is located in the project area, approximately 4.7 miles southeast of the Jim Jones proposed OHV staging area. This roost, located in an abandoned mine was first reported in 1995 annually through 1998 by USFS and again in 2003 by AGFD. In August of 2003, AGFD biologists reported up to 10 Pale Townsend’s Big- eared Bat, two of which were lactating females.
26 Environmental Assessment
Environmental Consequences
Alternative A – No Action (all species) The Proposed Action would have limited effects to species and their habitat. In general, environmental effects are anticipated to be positive and long-term within the stream corridors. Riparian area vegetation is relatively resilient. In general, the proposed reduction in intensive activity associated with OHV use and dispersed camping in riparian areas would result in recovery of riparian vegetative cover within a year in some places. It is reasonable to expect a stabilized recovery to an improved condition within five years for most affected riparian areas. Day use would still be allowed, so a full recovery to natural conditions is not expected.
Alternative B – Proposed Action The Proposed Action would have limited effects to species and their habitat. In general, environmental effects are anticipated to be positive and long-term within the stream corridors. Riparian area vegetation is relatively resilient. In general, the proposed reduction in intensive activity associated with OHV use and dispersed camping in riparian areas would result in recovery of riparian vegetative cover within a year in some places. It is reasonable to expect a stabilized recovery to an improved condition within five years for most affected riparian areas. Day use would still be allowed, so a full recovery to natural conditions is not expected.
Chiricahua Leopard Frog The Proposed Action would result in immediate beneficial effects to leopard frogs and suitable habitat as the actions would reduce potential injury to any life stage of the leopard frog and increase habitat quality over time.
Chiricahua leopard frogs, along with other riparian or aquatic species and their habitats can be influenced by human uses (Baron et al. 2002). Alterations in flow regimes, organic matter and sediment input, or chemical and nutrient characteristics can affect water permanency and habitat features used by frogs. Changes in habitat features may result in affects to survival, growth, and behavior during different life stages of the frog. Further, human use in freshwater systems may increase the likelihood of native riparian or aquatic species being exposed to nonnative species like crayfish or American bullfrogs.
The spread of infectious diseases, specifically chytridiomycosis, a fungal skin disease caused by the amphibian chytrid Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), has been linked to declines of Chiricahua leopard frogs throughout its range (USFWS 2007). Human use in freshwater habitats may contribute to the spread of this fungal disease which is easily transferred from one site to another by wet equipment, shoes, vehicle tires or movement of water; this fungus may also be spread through natural processes and movement of wading birds, mammals, and riparian herpetofauna.
A reduction in human caused disturbances surrounding proposed stream corridors will 1) reduce the likelihood of incidental injury to frogs and tadpoles or damage to egg masses and 2) lessen the probability of human caused alterations of habitat and movement of invasive species like crayfish or American bullfrogs, and decrease the spread of Bd from one recreational site to another.
Payson OHV Recreation Project EA 27 Payson Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Project
Vegetative and bank damage can be correlated to length of time people and vehicles spend in riparian habitat. Trampled vegetation decreases frog habitat given onshore vegetation provides escape and thermal cover for frogs. Bank trampling reduces shore cover, undercut banks and efficiency of rootwads and logs to act as cover and overwinter habitat. Reduced aquatic or semi-aquatic vegetation can reduce the success of eggs, alter growth rates of tadpoles, reduce food for tadpoles and adults, and increase the exposure of tadpoles and adults to predation and desiccation (USFWS 2007). Increased sedimentation and turbidity caused by loss of vegetation can inhibit aquatic macrophyte development, thus adversely affecting frogs, by decreasing available food resources. These impacts would be reduced given OHV travel would be prohibited in the proposed stream corridors. Reductions in vegetation trampling and sedimentation in these stream corridors would increase habitat suitability for aquatic species like the Chiricahua leopard frogs. Although there are no extant frog populations in any of the proposed stream corridors, several are within dispersal distance and it is not unreasonable to assume frogs could colonize these areas in the future. Further, decreases in vegetative trampling and sedimentation, will likely increase bank stability, development of undercuts, and retention of coarse woody debris that would act as both thermal and escape habitat for frogs. An increase in vegetative cover may increase snake-related predation of frogs, but this is unlikely to greatly affect leopard frog populations given most frog populations have historically overlapped with ranges of several native gartersnake species.
Chiricahua leopard frogs may also benefit given that proposed stream corridors only span segments of streams, not entire reaches. Reduction of aquatic or semi-aquatic vegetation in densely vegetated areas can benefit frogs by 1) increasing open surface water, creating suitable sites to deposit egg masses, 2) increasing water temperatures in microsites to aid in developmental rates of embryos and tadpoles, and 3) increasing open bank space used for foraging and basking (Bull 2005, USFWS 2007: 18, 77).
The BA reported a determination that selection of the proposed action “May Affect, and is Not Likely to Adversely Affect” the Chiricahua leopard frog, and would have “No Effect” on Chiricahua leopard frog critical habitat.
Mexican Spotted Owl Factors affecting owls related to this project include effects to riparian habitat and noise disturbance. As owls may use riparian areas for nesting, foraging, or dispersal where sufficient vegetation and structure exists, any alterations in riparian vegetation may affect use of these areas. Noise disturbance, particularly near nesting and roosting sites, may cause increase stress, especially during the nesting season (USFWS 2012b).
Beneficial effects of the Proposed Action upon spotted owls would be immediate as noise disturbance would be greatly reduced within the riparian areas. The owls in the two affected PACS would have more undisturbed potential foraging habitat.
There may also be an improvement in habitat quality for spotted owls with project implementation. Overnight OHV-based camping in riparian are buffers would cease, and activity in these areas would decline. As such, there is a potential for vegetative cover to increase. This would benefit spotted owl prey and would increase recruitment trees in foraging and nesting/roosting habitat.
Under the Proposed Action, no activities would occur in critical habitat, so no effects are anticipated.
28 Environmental Assessment
The BA reported a determination that selection of the proposed action “May Affect, and is Not Likely to Adversely Affect” the Mexican spotted owl and its designated critical habitat.
Roundtail/Headwater chub, Sonoran Sucker and Desert sucker The proposed action will also not affect viability of aquatic biota, including forest sensitive native fish species present within the action area streams. Under the proposed action, the implementation of Best Management Plan-3 (USDA FS 2012) that designate Aquatic Management Zones (AMZ) to natural channels at the Jim Jones and Mayfield Canyon staging areas should reduce some of the excessive runoff and sediment into stream channels. Very fine grain sediment of silt or finer class that may stay in suspension in surface flow would be expected to reach stream channels. However; an AMZ of 50 feet should be adequate to mitigate runoff and sediment delivery from the disturbance areas to the natural channels (see Water Resources).
The proposed action will result in long term beneficial impacts to streams occupied and proposed for recovery habitats for chub as streams occupied by Sonora and desert suckers. Prohibition of motorized vehicle use within the 400 foot stream corridors of the East Verde River Webber Creek, and Tonto Creeks should reduce ground compaction and erosion from present use, thus protecting riparian vegetation and stream habitat. These actions should reduce surface runoff and sediment from the immediate banks and terrace surfaces into these stream reaches that will protect both occupied and proposed recovery habitats for this for chub and other native fishes (see Water Resources above). Reductions of fine sediments within the streams will improve both spawning and rearing habitat conditions as well as providing improved habitat for macroinvertebrate prey (Osmundson et al. 2002). Reduced compaction of riparian areas will also, over time, provide for stabilized channels that will be more resilient to stochastic stream flow (Zaimes 2007).
For the chub, Sonora suckers, and desert sucker, the BE reported a determination that the Proposed Action may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of viability for in the project area.
Northern Goshawk Similar to Mexican spotted owls, Northern goshawks may be affected by disturbance near nest sites that are associated with noise (Squires and Reynolds 1997). Reported noise sources included logging machinery at 50 meters to 100 meters from a nest tree (ibid). There are anecdotal reports that camping may also cause disturbance (ibid).
For the Northern goshawk, the BE reported a determination that Proposed Action may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of viability for in the project area. The proposed action would have no direct effects to goshawks or their habitat. Beneficial indirect effects to potential habitat are expected because over time riparian vegetation quality would increase as OHV- related impacts and disturbances are removed. Additionally, removing OHVs from stream corridors may increase habitat qualify for goshawk prey.
Payson OHV Recreation Project EA 29 Payson Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Project
American Peregrine Falcon For the American peregrine falcon, the BE reported a determination that Proposed Action may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of viability. Direct effects to peregrine falcon are the same as to goshawks: no direct effects are anticipated to occur to individual peregrine falcon or habitat due to their absence from the project area. At the South Pine Staging Area, there may be the potential for adverse indirect effects associated with OHV-related noise. The proposed staging area is three-quarters of a mile from a peregrine observation site in the Narrows Canyon of Pine Creek. However, the existing vegetation should act as a noise barrier between the staging area and the nest site. The lack of trail use near the nest location and the concentrated use along existing trails from the staging area are unlikely to greatly alter the noise-related disturbance from existing levels. In all other project areas, effects are anticipated to be negligible. When indirect effects are considered with other projects and activities in the planning area, cumulative effects are expected to be minor.
Pale Townsend’s Big-eared Bat, Spotted Bat, Allen’s Lappet-browed Bat, Western Red Bat For bat species, the BE reported a determination that Proposed Action may affect individuals, but is not likely to result in a trend toward Federal listing or loss of viability for the pale Townsend’s big-eared bat, spotted bat, Allen’s lappet-browed bat, and western red bat in the project area. In general, all effects of the Proposed Action are beneficial to the bat species because noise in riparian areas during nocturnal foraging would be reduced or eliminated. As a result, more foraging habitat may become available to bats. The project would have no effect on roosting habitat associated with caves and mines. There would be a reduction in potential disturbance to Red bats in tree roosts by removing OHV use and camping from riparian areas.
The Proposed Action would not add harmful effects to the impacts associated with other activities in the project area, although a slight improvement in habitat may result from implementing the Proposed Action.
Sensitive Plant Species
Affected Environment A Biological Evaluation (BE) was prepared to analyze potential effects to sensitive plant species and potential habitat within the project area. The BE is included in the project planning record and contains additional information and a full analysis of potential effects to sensitive plant species.
The project area is considered within potential habitat range for four plant species listed on the Forest Service Southwestern Region’s (Region 3) Sensitive species list, including:
• Mogollon Fleabane, Erigeron anchana • Blumer’s dock, Rumex orthoneurus • Senator Alum Root, Heuchera eastwoodiae • Broadleaf lupine, Lupinus latifolius
30 Environmental Assessment
Mogollon Fleabane This species occurs at granite cliff faces in chaparral and pine forest. There is one historic observation in the action area on the Star Valley Allotment. This locality was last surveyed in 1990. There is also a historic population from 1973 approximately one half mile east of the action area in Tonto Creek and another five miles west of the action area reported in 1937 from Pine Creek within the Tonto National Bridge State Park. Suitable habitat does exist within the action area, however, there have been no recent reports within the project area.
Senator Alumroot There is only one historic observation of Senator Mine alumroot within the project area downstream of the See Canyon proposed stream corridor from 1966. There may be suitable habitat within the project area where moist slopes exist in ponderosa pine forests and canyons from 5,000-8,000 ft.
Blumer’s Dock In the 1980s, Blumer’s dock was transplanted to 17 localities within the Tonto National Forest, largely from seed or seedlings taken from native populations in the Sierra Ancha Mountains on the Pleasant Valley Ranger District (Harris and Gobar 1993). Occurrences pulled from AGFD’s Heritage Data Management System within the action area near proposed stream corridors include three transplanted populations scattered along drainages below the Mogollon Rim; East Verde River, Webber Creek, and Tonto Creek. Translocations occurred in the late 1980s with more consistent monitoring up the early 1990s. Currently, status of transplanted populations in two of the three drainages is unknown; Webber Creek and two populations on Tonto Creek. However botanists suspected a number of plants were extirpated by wildfires since the 1990’s along with post fire impacts like flooding and erosion. Populations in the East Verde River were recently monitored in 2017, indicating the Blumer’s dock population in East Verde River near the Washington Park proposed stream corridor may have been list given no confirmed specimens were discovered during 2017 survey assessing habitat post monsoon (Madera 2017, unpublished raw data).
Broadleaf Lupine There is one known population of broadleaf lupine within the action area in upper reaches of the East Verde River upstream of the Washington Park proposed stream corridor. Broadleaf lupine occurs near permanent sources of water, along streams, springs, riparian areas in ponderosa pine forest, chaparral, and mixed conifer forests. Suitable habitat for the species exists within the action area.
Environmental Consequences
Mogollon Fleabane, Senator Mine Alum root, broadleaf lupine, and Blumer’s dock
Payson OHV Recreation Project EA 31 Payson Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Project
Alternative 1 – No Action The BE reported a determination of “May Impact, but not likely to lead to loss of viability or a trend toward federal listing” for Blumer’s dock, broadleaf lupine and Senator Mine alumroot. Rationale for this determination was that the No Action alternative would allow the continuation of unmanaged recreational OHV use in streamside riparian areas that have the potential to support habitat for these sensitive plant species. In these locations, long-term direct and indirect effects would continue to occur and accumulate to the environmental conditions that may be conducive to the development of habitat for these species.
Alternative 2 – Proposed Action
Conservation Measures As described in the proposed action, the following design features have been included for Alternative 2 to reduce or eliminate the impacts to sensitive plant species that may be affected by project implementation.
• Identify and flag sensitive plants within the Christopher Creek and Tonto Creek areas to comply with FSM direction • Implement sign installation to limit foot traffic in sensitive areas • Conduct surveys in the vicinity of OHV staging areas at highly suitable habitat for sensitive plant species to ensure that necessary protective measures are put in place if sensitive plant species are documented in the area.
Implementation of Alternative 2 is intended to protect resource conditions in riparian areas from the direct and indirect impacts associated with heavy, concentrated OHV-based visitor use occurring in these locations. Under the Proposed Action, direct and indirect effects to resource conditions associated with potential habitat would decline. These effects include damage to soils, vegetation, and hydrological conditions from current OHV. Sensitive plants inhabiting riparian habitat like Blumer’s dock, broadleaf lupine, and Senator Mine alumroot will benefit from this action and a decline in negative impacts would create suitable habitat over time. Although trend data is not available for either sensitive plant species or habitat in these riparian areas, implementing Alternative 2 would result in a direct reduction in activities that have the potential to degrade potential habitat for sensitive plant species – specifically those most susceptible to ground disturbance and physical damage in accessible streamside habitat (broadleaf lupine and Blumer’s dock). Mogollon Fleabane is not as strongly tied to riparian areas, instead inhabits cliff and rock faces or crevices and ledges in canyons. Suitable habitat for the Mogollon fleabane will not be impacted by resource protection measures in proposed stream corridors. Further, direct damage to individual Mogollon fleabane is unlikely because plants are located at steep and inaccessible habitats (cliff faces and rocky areas) where the proposed actions will not occur.
Designating the OHV staging areas and construction of the OHV campground are not anticipated to result in any direct or indirect effects to any sensitive plant species due to the lack of suitable habitat at these areas. OHV staging areas and identified campground are not within suitable habitat for either of these species.
32 Environmental Assessment
Alternative 2 would remove a source of adverse impacts to resource conditions in the project area.
Effects Determination It is determined that the Proposed Action would not contribute to a trend toward Federal listing or cause a loss of viability to the population or species for Blumer’s dock, broadleaf lupine, Mogollon fleabane, and Senator Mine alumroot. There are no viability concerns for sensitive plant species in the project area because the proposed action is anticipated to provide beneficial effects (reduced human and ground disturbances and resource damage, etc).
Cumulative Affects to Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife and Sensitive Plants Cumulative effects include the direct and indirect effects of each alternative when added to all past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions.
A majority of the project area is within the Diamond Rim grazing allotments; eastern proposed stream corridors are located on the Christopher/Ellinwood allotments. Both allotments are year-long grazing. Diamond Rim Allotments encompass all of the proposed stream corridors except for See Canyon and the downstream corridor on Tonto Creek which are found on the Christopher/Ellinwood Allotment. Cumulative watershed effects for these allotments are anticipated to be minimal in contrast to the size and complexity of the watersheds themselves. Both Diamond Rim and Christopher Mountain/Ellinwood allotments have current NEPA, so additional impacts should be minimal given utilization standards and BMPs in place to minimize impacts to the resources.
Motorized and non-motorized recreation, and illegal cross country travel, negatively impact wildlife resources and or habitat through removal, destruction or degradation of herbaceous/woody vegetation and aquatic emergent vegetation and associated stream habitats. Traffic impacts may cause wildlife to avoid an area due to dust and/or presence of vehicles and people, wildlife/vehicle collisions, and poaching from vehicles. Secondary roads may have similar impacts to wildlife, although traffic volume and speed will generally be lower, impacts to wildlife will still exist, but at reduced levels. Illegal cross country travel also has negative effects to wildlife and habitat through proliferation of wildcat trails, use of motor vehicles through washes, riparian corridors, and uplands. Wildlife habitat becomes fragmented and often damaged for the long term as a result of illegal, cross country, motorized travel.
Maintenance of roads and trails may also have a temporary negative effect on wildlife. Workers, heavy equipment, and noise may lead to wildlife avoidance during maintenance activities. Within the projects area, road maintenance affects to wildlife are expected to be minimal due to the infrequent maintenance cycle (annual) of Forest Service Roads. Well maintained roads prevent erosion, help to keep human traffic on established roads, and prevent vegetative growth on roadbeds.
Climate change has the potential for additional impacts. According to NOAA National Climatic Data Center data, there has been a marked upward trend in the globally averaged annual mean surface temperature since the mid-1970s (Shein 2006). The Federal Advisory Committee Draft Climate Assessment Report is projecting higher temperatures and lower precipitation for the southwestern U.S. (Garfin et al. 2013). New modeling efforts for the North American monsoons indicate that the amount of
Payson OHV Recreation Project EA 33 Payson Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Project monsoon moisture will change little, however, the monsoons will be delayed and most of the precipitation will come late in the season (September-October) (Cook and Seager 2013).
Wildfire suppression activities can affect wildlife and associated habitat by direct loss of habitat to fire or suppression activities (brush removal, line construction, black-line construction, aerial application of retardant, drafting from streams), and indirect effects such as fire support aircraft noise, sedimentation in aquatic systems, and avoidance of areas with fire suppression activities. Wildfires, prescribed fires, and fire suppression activities within the watersheds are expected to continue at recent or historical levels. Fires, particularly on a large scale, alter wildlife habitat use patterns. Depending on fire severity and intensity, initial loss of habitat may drive animals into adjacent areas straining available resources. As burned areas recover, it often becomes a magnet for wildlife as it offers early seral species not available elsewhere in the habitat. Meaningful movement of wildlife into or out of the allotments could intensify or negate anticipated changes in habitat conditions.
The Town of Payson is in the construction phase of a treatment plant and has completed construction of a pipeline to deliver water from the C.C. Cragin Reservoir, located above the Mogollon Rim into the Town of Payson with portions paralleling and crosses the East Verde River three times. According to the analysis, changes in flow because of the pipeline project has little impact on the channel as a whole, though there are local impacts at the out-flow discharge point in the form of bank cutting. The Environmental Assessment for the pipeline determined that a 17% reduction in deliveries would not likely impact overall flow or riparian habitat on the East Verde River (SWCA 2011), thus we anticipate minimal impacts to native aquatic species occupying the East Verde River and its tributaries. Short term increases in erosion and sedimentation occurred when the pipeline crossed the East Verde River. River crossing disturbance was short in duration and effects to aquatic species were minimized due to conservation measures in place during project implementation.
Past, present and foreseeable future actions within the project area, for the most part, are one-time events that are short in duration with a small geographical extant relative to the action area with built in conservation measures to minimize impacts to special status species, migratory birds, and management indicator species. When viewed cumulatively with other projects, the effect of the proposed action would be beneficial as the total effects to individuals would be reduced and sensitive habitat would be protected from vehicle-related damage in riparian areas, bank-side vegetation would be expected to rebound, and disturbance and potential injury to aquatic and semi-aquatic species would be reduced. The elimination of OHV-related effects in proposed stream corridors is expected to improve resource conditions in riparian areas over the long-term.
Migratory Bird Species Executive Order 13186, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, imposes procedural requirements on project level analyses for migratory birds. For this analysis, migratory bird species of concern were analyzed if their habitat was present in the action area. A report can be found within the project record.
Two sources were used to compile a list of migratory bird species: Arizona Partners in Flight (Latta and others 1999) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife (USFWS 2008). To determine which species may occur in the project area, this list was narrowed to those bird species occurring within the three applicable Biological Conservation Regions and that had been identified on the Tonto National Forest bird checklist (USDA FS
34 Environmental Assessment
2009). To determine the potential presence of habitat in the project area, Corman and Wise-Gervais’s (2005) habitat classifications were used to determine a species-associated habitat by its most common occurrence in 1 to 4 habitat types. Because certain species were found in more than one type of habitat, many bird species were classified in multiple habitat types.
Important Bird Areas (IBA) and overwintering areas are present on the Tonto National Forest. No designated IBA’s occur within the action area, however, the Mogollon Rim Snow Melt Draws state ranked IBA is located north of the action area on top of the Mogollon Rim. The IBA encompasses drainages in close proximity to the edge of the Rim where an increase of precipitation is expected due to the air currents along the cliffs. This IBA includes Ponderosa pine, white fir, Douglas fir, southwestern white pine, quaking aspen, and Gambel oak. Despite the IBA’s proximity to the action area, the IBA is not affected by the proposed action and therefore are not considered in this analysis.
The following species are assumed to be present in the project area because their habitats are within the project area.
Table 1: Migratory Bird Species of Concern by Nest Type within the Project Area Species Nest Substrateb Montane riparian wetlands: cottonwood, maple, box elder, alder, willow, some Gambel’s oak, ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, white fir, and aspen occurs in Alternatives 1,2 Flycatcher, Cordillerana deciduous tree, cliff, ground Sapsucker, red-napeda deciduous tree Warbler, MacGillivray’s shrub, ground Warbler, red-faceda ground Pinyon Pine – Juniper woodland occurs in Alternatives 1, 2 Eagle, goldena cliff, tree Falcon, peregrinea cliff, tree Flycatcher, gray shrub Jay, pinyon conifer Titmouse, juniper deciduous tree, snag Vireo, gray shrub Warbler, black-throated graya conifer, deciduous tree Interior riparian deciduous forests and woodlands: sycamore, cottonwood, willow, ash, walnut, bigtooth maple, hackberry, cypress, juniper, oak occurs in Alternatives 1, 2 Beardless-tyrannulet, northerna deciduous tree Black-hawk, commona deciduous tree Warbler, yellowa shrub, tree
Payson OHV Recreation Project EA 35 Payson Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Project
Species Nest Substrateb a Species occur in multiple habitat categories b Source: Ehrlich and others 1988
Environmental Consequences
Alternative 1 – No Action There would be no direct or indirect effects associated with Alternative 1 because the project and associated activities would not be implemented. Current effects associated with OHV use in the riparian areas would be ongoing and continue to accrue, but these effects are negligible in terms of available habitat across the landscape for migratory bird species.
Alternative 2 – Proposed Action Direct effects from project activities on migratory birds are limited to the proposed OHV staging areas. These impacts are extremely minimal given the areas are previously disturbed dirt flats with little to no vegetation present, thus, habitat used by migratory birds would not affect bird populations.
Negative effects are not anticipated for any of the bird species in Table 1. Overall, cumulative effects to migratory birds resulting from proposed project activities would be negligible or beneficial to riparian obligates.
Invasive Plant Species
Affected Environment The BE prepared for sensitive plants presented information on noxious and invasive weeds that are known to occur in the project area. These include Malta starthistle (Centaurea melitensis), Yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis), Bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare), and Weeping and Lehmann’s lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula & E. lehmanniana). These species are categorized as having moderate to high occurrences in the project area, but are considered to be minimal to moderate in risk of additional introduction and spread (USDA FS 2005). It is likely that surveys have overlooked individual plants or small occurrences of other high priority invasive plant species in the area.
Environmental Consequences
Alternative 1 – No Action Under the No Action alternative, conditions would remain unchanged and present trends would continue. There would be no additional risk of transmission or establishment of invasive species. Because there would be no additional risk of transmission or establishment of invasive species, there would be no cumulative effects from selection of the alternative.
36 Environmental Assessment
Alternative 2 – Proposed Action A known vector for invasive and noxious weed seed dispersal is off-highway vehicle travel (Fenner 2012). Improved management of OHV travel is anticipated to minimal indirect beneficial effects to the risks associated with invasive species. The Proposed Action would result in the designation of centralized OHV staging areas and the construction of a new OHV-based campground. These actions could result in improved management of invasive species risks by allowing for more rapid identification of new populations of invasives, as well as improved education of the risks associated with invasive species for Forest visitors. Eliminating OHV-based travel from streamside locations would remove a potential risk for invasive species introduction and spread, as well as reduce negative resource impacts to soils and native vegetation that may contribute to the establishment and spread of invasives. Because the project would not directly treat invasive weeds, none of the actions considered in this EA are anticipated to directly affect existing populations of invasive and noxious weeds in the project area.
Over time, the environmental effects associated with the Proposed Action would not affect the status or classification of the four invasive species in the project area. Cumulative effects would continue to accrue as livestock grazing and motorized use remains unchanged. The Proposed Action may improve conditions conducive to containing the spread of invasives within certain riparian areas, and may enhance management of new introduced populations in or near the staging areas and campground, the action is not directly designed to affect the status of invasive and noxious weeds on the Payson Ranger District.
37 Payson Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Project References Adams, Rick A. Bats of the Rocky Mountain West: Natural History, Ecology, and Conservation. University Press of Colorado, 2003.Adler, P. B., and W. K. Lauenroth 2000. Livestock exclusion increases the spatial heterogeneity of vegetation in Colorado shortgrass steppe. Applied Vegetation Science, Vol. 3, No. 2, Dec., 2000. pp. 213-222.
Arizona Game and Fish Department. 2006. Arizona Game and Fish Department. 2006. Lithobates (Rana) chiricahuensis. Unpublished abstract compiled and edited by the Heritage Data Management System, Arizona Game and Fish Department, Phoenix, AZ. 11 pp.
Arizona Game and Fish Department. 2017. Unpublished data within the Heritage Data Management System, Arizona Game and Fish Department, Phoenix, AZ.
Baron, J. S., N. L. Poff, P. L. Angermeier, C. N. Dahm, P. H. Gleick, N. G. Hairston, Jr., R. B. Jackson, C. A. Johnston, B. D. Richter, and A. D. Steinman. 2002. Meeting ecological and societal needs for freshwater. Ecological Applications 12:1247-1260.
Broadmeadow, S., and T.R. Nisbet. 2004. The Effects of Riparian Forest Management on the Freshwater Environment: A Literature Review of Best Management Practices. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 8(3), 286-305.
Bull, E. 2005. Ecology of the Columbia spotted frog in northeastern Oregon. Gen. Tech. Report PNW- GTR-640, Portland, Oregon: USDA, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station.
Castelle, A.J., A.W. Johnson, and C.Conolly. 1994. Wetland and Stream Buffer Size Requirements—A Review. Journal of Environmental Quality 23:878-882.
Castelle, A.J., and A.W. Johnson. 2000. Riparian Vegetation Effectiveness. National Council for Air and Stream Improvement. Technical Bulletin No. 799.
Corman, T. and C. Wise-Gervais, editors. 2005. Arizona Breeding Bird Atlas. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque. 636 pages.
Fenner 2012. Salt River Allotments Vegetative Analysis Weed Specialist Report.
Harris, D., and C.F. Gobar. 1993. A conservation assessment for Rumex orthoneurus on the Tonto National Forest, 1993-1997. Tonto National Forest, Phoenix, Arizona
Hohl, Rachael. 2014. USDA Forest Service, Tonto National Forest, Interview.
Garfin, G., G. Franco, H. Blanco, A. Comrie, P. Gonzalez, T. Piechota, R. Smyth, R. Waskom. 2013. Chapter 20 – Southwest in: Federal Advisory Committee Draft Climate Assessment Report. (Retrieved February 4, 2013). Federal Advisory Committee Draft Climate Assessment Report. http://ncadac.globalchange.gov/
38 Environmental Assessment
Latta, M.J., C.J. Beardmore, and T.E. Corman. 1999. Arizona Partners in Flight Bird Conservation Plan. Version 1.0. Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program Technical Report 142. Arizona Game and Fish Department, Phoenix, Arizona.
Lee, P., C. Smyth, and S. Boutin. 2004. Quantitative Review of Riparian Buffer Width Guidelines from Canada and the United States. Journal of Environmental Management 70 165-180.
Muise, Chelsea Interview. 2013. USDA Forest Service, Tonto National Forest, Interview.
Osmundson, D.R, R. J. Ryel, V. L. Lamarra, J. Pitlick. 2002. Flow-Sediment-Biota Relations: Implications for River Regulation Effects on Native Fish. Ecological Applications, Vol. 12, No. 6 (Dec., 2002), pp. 1719-1739.
Sampson, Michael P., 2007. The Effects of Off-Highway Vehicles on Archaeological Sites and Selected Natural Resources of Red Rock Canyon State Park. California State Parks, published at 32Twww.parks.ca.gov32T
Shein, K. A., ed. 2006. State of the climate in 2005. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 87, S1-S102.
Squires, John R., and Richard T. Reynolds. 1997. Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/298
State of Arizona. May 2014. 2012/2014 Status of Water Quality Arizona’s Integrated 305(b) and 303(b) Listing Report. Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.Sullivan, Kim A. 1999.
SWCA Environmental Consultants. 2011. Final Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Town of Payson–Cragin Water Pipeline and Treatment Plant Project in Gila County, Arizona, Volume I of II. Prepared for U.S. Forest Service, Tonto National Forest, Payson Ranger District. 160 p.
Yellow-eyed Junco (Junco phaeonotus), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/464.
FS 1982. Forest Service Manual 2300 – Recreation, Wilderness, and Related Resource Management, Chapter 2330 – Publicly Managed Recreation Opportunities, WO Amendment 2300-90-1. 9 pp.
USDA FS, 1985. Tonto National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan, USDA Forest Service, Southwestern Region.
USDA Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1998. Coconino NF, Kaibab NF and Tonto NF. Conservation Agreement for Arizona Bugbane, Cimicifuga arizonica. Accessed on line on November 19, 2014. https://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/arizona/Documents/SpeciesDocs/AZBugbane/azbugbanefnl.pdf
USDA FS. 2005. Final Environmental Impact Statement for Integrated Treatment of Noxious or Invasive Weeds (2005).
39 Payson Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Project
USDA FS. 2008. National Visitor Use Monitoring: Visitor Use Report, Tonto NF. USDA Forest Service, Southwestern Region. Online: http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/programs/nvum/
USDA FS. 2009. Birds of the Tonto National Forest: A checklist. MR-R3-12-4.
USDA FS. 2013. Little Green Valley Complex Allotments, Draft EA. Tonto National Forest
USFWS (Fish and Wildlife Service). 2002. Listing of the Chiricahua Leopard Frog (Rana chiricahuensis). Federal Register 67(114):40790-40811.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 2007. Chiricahua Leopard Frog (Rana chiricahuensis) Recovery Plan. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southwest Region, Albuquerque, NM. 149 pp. + Appendices A-M. http://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/arizona/CLF.htm
USFWS. 2008. Birds of Conservation Concern. United States Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Migratory Bird Management, Arlington, Virginia. 85 pp. [Online version available at
USFWS. 2012a. Listing and Designation of Critical Habitat for the Chiricahua Leopard Frog (Rana chiricahuensis); Final rule. Federal Register 77(54):16324-16424. March 20, 2012. http://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/arizona/CLF.htm
USFWS. 2012b. Final Recovery Plan for the Mexican Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis lucida), First Revision. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. 413 pp.
USFWS. 2014. Species profile for the Mexican spotted owl (Strix occidentalis lucida). Environmental Conservation Online System. Available at: http://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile.action?spcode=B074
Zaimes G. N. 2007. Understanding Arizona’s Riparian Areas. Tucson, AZ: University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Publication No. AZ1432. p. 7-30, 75-92.
40 Payson Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Project
Appendix A: Recreation Opportunity Spectrum Class Descriptions
Table 2: Recreation Opportunity Spectrum Class Descriptions
Recreation Development opportunity Level of site modification scale spectrum class
Primitive 1 Minimum site modification. Rustic or rudimentary improvements designed for protection of the site rather than comfort of the users. Use of synthetic materials excluded. Minimum controls are subtle. No obvious regimentation. Spacing informal and extended to minimize contacts between users. Motorized access not provided or permitted.
Semi-primitive 2 Little site modification. Rustic or rudimentary improvements (Motorized and designed primarily for protection of the site rather than the non-motorized) comfort of the users. Use of synthetic materials avoided. Minimum controls are subtle. Little obvious regimentation. Spacing informal and extended to minimize contacts between users. Motorized access provided or permitted. Primary access over primitive roads. Interpretive services informal.
Roaded natural 3 Site modification moderate. Facilities about equal for protection of natural site and comfort of users. Contemporary/rustic design of improvements is usually based on use of native materials. Inconspicuous vehicular traffic controls usually provided. Roads may be hard surfaced and trails formalized. Development density about 3 family units per acre. Primary access may be over high standard roads. Interpretive services informal, but generally direct.
Rural 4 Site heavily modified. Some facilities designed strictly for comfort and convenience of users. Luxury facilities not provided. Facility design may incorporate synthetic materials. Extensive use of artificial surfacing of roads and trails. Vehicular traffic control usually obvious. Primary access usually over paved roads. Development density 3-5 family units per acre. Plant materials usually native. Interpretive services often formal or structured.
Urban 5 High degree of site modification. Facilities mostly designed for comfort and convenience of users and usually include flush toilets; may include showers, bathhouses, laundry facilities, and electrical hookups. Synthetic materials commonly used. Formal walks or surfaced trails. Regimentation of users is obvious. Access usually by high-speed highways. Development density 5
41 Appendix B
Recreation Development opportunity Level of site modification scale spectrum class or more family units per acre. Plant materials may be foreign to the environment. Formal interpretive services usually available. Designs formalized and architecture may be contemporary. Mowed lawns and clipped shrubs not unusual.
42