United States Department of Agriculture FLEECER Forest Service Beaverhead- Deerlodge MOUNTAINS National Forest Butte and Wise WATERSHED ASSESSMENT River Ranger Districts 2009 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. GOALS AND METHODS ................................................................................................... 5 II. LANDSCAPE SETTING.................................................................................................... 7 III. RESOURCE AREAS ....................................................................................................... 10 A. Geology, Landforms And Soils ................................................................................. 10 B. Watershed And Hydrology ....................................................................................... 18 C. Aquatic Species And Habitat ................................................................................... 44 D. Vegetation ............................................................................................................... 87 E. Fire And Fuels ........................................................................................................... 121 F. Wildlife ..................................................................................................................... 136 G. Recreation Resources ............................................................................................ 163 H. Heritage Resources ................................................................................................ 180 I. Grazing ...................................................................................................................... 186 J. Mineral Management .............................................................................................. 192 IV. FINDINGS and RECOMMENDATIONS by RESOURCE ............................................. 198 Soils .............................................................................................................................. 198 Watershed And Hydrology ......................................................................................... 199 Aquatic Species And Habitat ..................................................................................... 200 Vegetation .................................................................................................................. 202 Fire And Fuels ............................................................................................................. 204 Wildlife ........................................................................................................................ 206 Recreation .................................................................................................................. 207 Heritage ...................................................................................................................... 208 Grazing ........................................................................................................................ 209 Minerals ...................................................................................................................... 209 V. INTEGRATED RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................... 211 3 VI. PARTICIPANTS .......................................................................................................... 219 VII. MAPS ........................................................................................................................ 221 APPENDIX A - Road Sediment Survey .......................................................................... 223 APPENDIX B - Route Analysis........................................................................................ 235 4 I. GOALS AND METHODS The 2009 Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest (BDNF) Land and Resource Management Plan (Revised Forest Plan) directs us, through Goals and Objectives, to restore key watersheds and maintain all other watersheds to ensure long term ecological integrity of ecosystems, conserve genetic integrity of native species, attain desired stream function and support beneficial uses. The tool for accomplishing this, according to the Revised Forest Plan, is watershed analysis (Objectives, page 16). The BDNF coordinates Watershed Assessment of key watersheds with priority areas which contribute to the Northern Region Integrated Restoration Strategy. The Integrated Restoration Strategy identifies the Fleecer as a priority area for restoration for 2010. The Northern Region Integrated Restoration Strategy was developed, starting in 2006, to accomplish regional ecosystem restoration and protection of social values at risk ( http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/projects/int-restoration/overview.shtml ). The Region identified the following agents which affect resource conditions: • drought, • forest insects and pathogens, • invasive plant and animal species, • forest colonization into grasslands, • uncharacteristically dense vegetation that creates hazardous fuel conditions, and • erosion, sedimentation, and toxic chemicals. The Fleecer Watershed Assessment area has a high potential for contributing positive actions in resolving the Northern Region Integrated Restoration Strategy concerns as well as a high potential for meeting desired conditions, goals and objectives of the 2009 Revised Forest Plan. The Jerry Johnson and German Gulch watersheds, in particular, were identified in the 2009 Revised Forest Plan amongst a group 56 key fish watersheds with high priority for assessment and action Watershed Analysis as a Planning Tool Watershed analysis is a process used to describe the human, biological and physical conditions, processes, and interactions within a watershed. The analysis focuses on specific issues, values and uses identified within the landscape that are essential for making sound management decisions. For each resource of concern, the analysis describes past trends, existing conditions and desired conditions in both biophysical and social terms. The intention of this document then, is to present our current understanding of the processes and interactions of concern within the Fleecer Mountains watersheds based on information developed by a 10 person interdisciplinary team. 5 Watershed analysis is an intermediate step between land management planning (Forest Plans) and project planning. It is a stage-setting process which enhances our ability to guide the general type, location, and sequence of appropriate management activities within a watershed. One product of the watershed analysis is a description of management opportunities that will help to bring resources towards desired conditions. Opportunities are derived from the gap between existing and desired conditions. From a list of general opportunities, potential projects are identified for consideration by forest managers. The type of information collected varies for each landscape but always includes descriptions of the following conditions within the landscape: • basic geology, landform and soils • watershed condition • distribution of fish species • vegetation conditions and changes • key wildlife habitats • recreation use and travel patterns • resource uses • cultural or historic uses A watershed assessment makes no decisions, nor does it initiate or result in land management allocations. It does not select projects for implementations. Rather, the Wise River and Butte Ranger Districts will use this analysis to determine which specific projects would move the watersheds toward the desired condition described in the Beaverhead- Deerlodge National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan. Proposed projects will then be analyzed individually by a separate interdisciplinary team. Project analysis will include involvement by the public and result in a site- specific decision as required by the national Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Methods The watershed analysis was developed by a 10-member interdisciplinary team under the guidance of the Butte and Wise River District Rangers, using the “Federal Guide for Watershed Analysis – Ecosystem Analysis at the Watershed Scale (Version 2.2, August 1995)” as a guide. The purpose is to identify projects and priorities for restoring watershed and other resource conditions. The watershed analysis process includes the following steps: Step 1 – Characterization of the watershed – a summary of the dominant conditions and interactions within the watershed. Step 2 – Identification of issues and key questions 6 Step 3 – Description of current conditions Step 4 - Description of reference conditions – Generally, this is the historical condition, prior to the influence of European settlement. Since historical conditions are not available for hydrologic parameters and not necessarily the reference condition for human uses on the landscape, these sections will focus on desired conditions described in management direction of the 2008 Revised Forest Plan. Step 5 – Synthesis and interpretation of information – a comparison of current and reference conditions including discussion of similarities, differences, causes and trends. Identify the capability of the system to achieve Forest Plan objectives or desired conditions. The interdisciplinary team identified the key issues in the watershed based on previous project work in the area, proposals for the Northern Region Integrated Restoration Strategy, the Big Hole Landscape Analysis (2001), resource data developed for revising the Forest Plan (2002-2008), and