The United States Forest Service (USFS), Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Naches Ranger District, in partnership with the Yakama Nation, are proposing to enhance aquatic habitat within approximately 6.2 miles of the Bumping River (Figure 1). This will be accomplished by placing large woody debris (LWD) at six identified sites (Figure 2). LWD is defined as the wood (logs, branches, and sticks) that fall, or are placed, into a stream or river. LWD is separated into three categories: Large (20” diameter at 35ft), Medium (12” diameter at 35ft), and Small (6” diameter at 20ft). The categories help to define the conditions of LWD within each stream reach. The Bumping River is within the basin and is a tributary to the Little in northwest Yakima County, . The project is proposed to occur between Township 17, Range 13, Section 14 to Township 16, Range 13, Section 07.

This letter summarizes the project proposal and invites you to comment on the proposed actions.

Figure 1: Location of the proposed project, downstream of Bumping Lake.

Background

There were approximately 400 trees in the USFS Soda Springs campground (Figure 2) that were naturally felled during a November 2015 storm with sustained strong winds. The Yakama Nation and the Naches Ranger

District completed Phase I of the LWD emplacement in the summer of 2016, by loading the trees out of the campground with heavy equipment and storing them in a quarry 0.7 mile down the paved Bumping River Road (Road 1800). Phase II is planned for the summer of 2017, and it entails re-loading the trees, delivering them to the six identified large wood placement sites, and placing them in-stream to restore and enhance aquatic habitat.

Purpose and Need

Aquatic habitat surveys performed by the Naches Ranger District in 2005 found that the reach of the Bumping River, in which this project is proposed, is deficient of instream LWD. The survey data shows that this reach of the Bumping River only had 27 key pieces of wood per mile, and 64 total pieces wood per mile overall. Compared to reference data from the American River, which had 130 key pieces/mile, 324 total wood pieces/mile. This data highlights the necessity of large wood replenishment in the Bumping River. LWD has been shown to improve hydrologic and habitat functions, including channel complexity, spawning habitat, pool creation, recharge of shallow groundwater (base flows), reduction of peak flows, refugia, and stream temperatures. The purpose of this project is to improve the hydrology and aquatic habitat of the Bumping River through the placement of large wood. These improvements will directly benefit Yakama Nation treaty reserved fish species, including the Middle steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and Bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus), both of which are listed as threatened by the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This project directly addresses limiting factors of the recovery of these treaty reserved fish species including diminished habitat complexity, a lack of large wood, elevated temperatures, and reduced stream flows. Part of the Aquatic Conservation Strategy (NWFP 1994) is to restore watershed condition and function. The emplacement of LWD in this reach is a direct benefit to watershed condition and function.

Figure 2: Location of Soda Springs Campground and LWD emplacement sites.

Proposed Action

The project proposes to enhance aquatic habitat by placing up to 400 pieces of large wood (75% of which is classified by Forest Service standards as Medium sized LWD) within the active channel of the Bumping River at six identified sites (Figure 2), between river mile 5 and river mile 13. The majority of the logs still have their root balls attached. The logs will be loaded by a log loader/excavator onto log trucks and transported to the six identified placement site. All of the placement sites are within 3.3 miles of the storage area. The logs will be placed within the active channel with a cable crane (or similar equipment). Cable cranes have extend reach, and can place logs on the opposite bank without entering into the water. All of the six identified placement sites are currently utilized for dispersed recreation, so access will be by established routes to minimize new disturbance of native vegetation. All disturbed sites will be treated with a weed free grass mix and/or mulch and live stakes where appropriate. All proposed work is dependent on dry weather, and will occur at low flow during the in water work window.

This project will be implemented in the summer of 2017, between August 1st and August 15th.

Project Consistency and Environmental Protection

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Wenatchee National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan, the ESA, the Clean Water Act (CWA), Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), and Forest Service regulations, the Naches Ranger District is proposing to complete a Categorical Exclusion (CE) analysis for the project. The project is occurs within and is consistent with the Wenatchee National Forest Late Successional Reserves and Managed Late Successional Areas Assessment.

The project is being analyzed under the CE category as described in 36 CFR 220.6(e)(7).

(7) Modification or maintenance of stream or lake aquatic habitat improvement structures using native materials or normal practices. Examples include but are not limited to: (i) Reconstructing a gabion with stone from a nearby source; (ii) Adding brush to lake fish beds; and (iii) Cleaning and resurfacing a fish ladder at a hydroelectric dam.

Documentation will be completed in a Decision Memo, which will summarize the project purpose and need and analysis of potential project effects on natural and cultural resources. Resource studies and evaluations will be conducted as needed to gather necessary data for the Forest Service Deciding Official to make an informed decision. The CE analysis is in a category which will require a Decision Memo but will not require an Official Comment Period, or Appeal Period (36 CFR 215.12[f]). The project is not subject to objection as per 36 CFR 218.12.

How to Provide Feedback and Be Involved

The planning process for this project is currently underway. If you would like to continue to be updated on this project or would like to comment on the proposed action, comments would be most helpful if received by July 14, 2017.

Electronic comments should be submitted through the web-based Comment and Analysis Response Application (CARA). The project web page can be located at http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/fs-usda-pop.php/?project=51994. Attachments to comments must be submitted only in one of the following three formats: Microsoft Word, rich text format (rtf), or Adobe Portable Document format (pdf). Emails submitted to email addresses other than the one listed above or in other formats than those listed or containing viruses will be rejected. Comments received

in response to this initial request, including names, addresses, and any other information provided with the comments, will be considered a part of the public record and will be subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and released if requested. If you have any questions or concerns please contact the project lead: Scott Nagel (509)653-1442 [email protected]. If we do not hear from you during this scoping period, you will not continue to be notified of the status of this project.

Thank you for your interest in the management of your National Forest lands. We look forward to hearing from you.