BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION For

AQUATIC THREATENED, ENDANGERED, and SENSITIVE (TES) SPECIES

Sisters Ranger District

Deschutes National Forest

Milli Fire Timber Salvage, Danger Tree and Reforestation

Figure 1. Milli Fire at the east flank of Black Crater Butte. Trout Creek is in the foreground running parallel to Forest Road 1018, extending left to right in the photo. Forest Road 1024 to the Milican Crater TH is the red cinder road that runs west from the 1018 rd, on the left in the photo.

Prepared by: /S/ Michael Riehle Date: 5/18/2018 ______MICHAEL RIEHLE Supervisory Fishery Biologist

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SUMMARY

The following (Table 1) displays the threatened, endangered and sensitive (TES) species considered in the analysis of the Milli Fire Timber Salvage.

Table 1. Aquatic species and effects for this project. Species Scientific Name Status Occur- Effects rence Determination Aquatic Species Columbia River Bull Trout Salvelinus confluentus T N NE and Critical Habitat Middle Columbia Steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss EP HD NI Inland Columbia Basin Oncorhynchus mykiss T D NI redband trout gairdnerii Indian Ford Juga Juga hemphilli ssp. S N NI A Caddisfly Rhyacophila chandleri S S NI

Status E Federally Endangered T Federally Threatened S Sensitive species from Regional Forester’s list C Candidate species under Endangered Species Act EP Experimental Population

Occurrence HD Habitat Documented or suspected within the project area or near enough to be impacted by project activities HN Habitat Not within the project area or affected by its activities D Species Documented in general vicinity of project activities S Species Suspected in general vicinity of project activities N Species Not documented and not suspected in general vicinity of project activities

Effects Determinations

Threatened and Endangered Species NE No Effect NLAA May Effect, Not Likely to Adversely Affect LAA May Effect, Likely to Adversely Affect BE Beneficial Effect

Sensitive Species NI No Impact MIIH May Impact Individuals or Habitat, but Will Not Likely Contribute to a Trend Towards Federal Listing or Cause a Loss of Viability to the Population or Species WIFV Will Impact Individuals or Habitat with a Consequence that the Action May Contribute to a Trend Towards Federal Listing or Cause a Loss of Viability to the Population or Species BI Beneficial Impact

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Background

On August 11, 2017 the Milli Fire started from a lighting strike on the southern flank of Black Crater in the Three Sisters Wilderness area. The Milli Fire has burned approximately 24,509 acres of National Forest System lands. The fire ranges in elevation from 7000 ft on Black Crater Butte to the canyon of Whychus Creek at 3300ft. Vegetation ranges from subalpine fir/lodgepole pine/mountain hemlock at higher elevation to a dry ponderosa pine forest on the eastern side of the burned area. Trout Creek Butte is a 5500ft elevation mountain in the burned area that is dominated by ponderosa pine overstory with mixed conifer forest on the west and northwest flanks. Whychus Creek Canyon is dominated by larger ponderosa pine with a mix of Douglas fir and white fir in the southern reaches. The fire is not contained in the wilderness areas along the west and southwest boundary. This area is bound by lava flow and the burn scar of the Pole Creek Fire from 2012.

Trout Creek within the Milli Fire is habitat for native redband trout, a R6 sensitive species and indigenous stock of rainbow trout unaffected by hatchery introductions. The habitat for this population is limited to 5.5 miles of stream and the Milli Fire burned the upper 3 miles of this habitat.

Whychus Creek is habitat for redband trout, a R6 sensitive species, Mid-Columbia Steelhead Trout and Chinook salmon. Both steelhead and Chinook salmon are being reintroduced to the Whychus watershed as part of the fish passage program at Pelton Round Butte Dams on the Deschutes River downstream. The steelhead trout are designated as an Experimental Population under a 10j rule under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Consultation with National Marine Fisheries Service is not required. The Spring Chinook salmon being passed above the dams are not listed under the ESA. The Milli Fire burned along 2.8 miles in the Wild and Scenic River segment of Whychus Creek, where bedrock is prevalent along the stream banks.

Pole Creek and Pole Creek Swamp is within the Milli Fire. Pole Creek has excellent water quality and contributes to the instream flow of Whychus Creek in the Milli Fire burn area. Pole Creek is also partially diverted for irrigation water by a nearby ranch and Pole Creek Ditch delivers the water to that ranch.

Proposed Action The Sisters Ranger District is proposing three projects to address some of the effects from the Milli Creek Fire in August 2017: salvage of fire killed trees, danger tree abatement, and reforestation with site preparation.

Salvage Fire killed trees in seventeen units in moderate or high severity burn areas totaling 249 acres are proposed for harvest. Units range from 4 to 30 acres in size and all units are located outside of Riparian Reserves. Fire killed timber would be harvested using ground 3 based logging systems on slopes up to 30%. No new or temporary road construction would be required.

To support post-harvest soil productivity and wildlife habitat for selected species, activity fuels (slash) would be left on-site as coarse woody debris. In addition, three to four snags greater than 21 inches dbh and three snags between 10 and 21 inches dbh per acre would be retained in each harvest unit. After harvest is completed reforestation would occur within the salvage harvest units. Danger Tree Abatement The proposal is to remove danger trees located along 45.6 miles of Forest Roads to provide for public and employee safety, particularly in those places of relatively high public use or concentrated administrative use by Forest Service employees. Only danger trees that have the potential to fall onto the roadway or areas of concentrated public use would be felled (as a general rule danger trees are located within 100 feet of the edge of a Forest Road). Ground-based logging equipment would be used to fell and skid danger trees to a temporary landing location. Danger trees in the Riparian Reserve land management allocation would be felled and left in place. Many trees would be felled and gathered from the road; however, in other cases a skid trail parallel to the road, an out and back pass with equipment to collect a tree, or hand-felling and long-lining may be used to access trees too far from the road for the machinery to reach. Regardless, ground-based machinery would not be allowed in Riparian Reserves or on slopes greater than 30%. In addition, no new roads would be constructed and landings would be located outside Riparian Reserves and past landing would be prioritized for use. Activity fuels in excess of soil and wildlife requirements would be piled and either sold or burned after timber felling operations are completed.

Reforestation

The Sisters Ranger District proposes to plant conifers on approximately 3,952 acres in the Milli Fire Salvage units and in the moderate and high fire severity areas in the Milli Fire boundary. The ground would be hand-scalped (generally 2 ft by 2 ft areas) to remove competing vegetation and expose mineral soil for planting. Approximately 2,442 of these acres would receive site-specific site preparation to ensure the survival of planted trees and promote natural tree regeneration. This consists of cutting and removing, cutting and masticating and hand-piling small fire killed trees up to 12 inches dbh with ground-based mechanical equipment or hand operated equipment (i.e. chain saws). Twenty percent of fire killed trees below 12 inches dbh would be retained to provide wildlife habitat in the short-term and for soil productivity in the medium and long-term. No ground-based mechanical equipment would be allowed in Riparian Reserves

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Management Direction A number of Forest planning documents and assessments guide the development of the purpose and need and the proposed action. All federal land management activities in the Milli Fire Recovery Project area must follow standards and guidelines listed in the 1990 Deschutes National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (USDA Forest Service 1990), as amended by the Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP) (USDA Forest Service and USDI Bureau of Land Management 1994), and in accordance with Best Management Practices (WT-5) and the Clean Water Act (WT-1). All National Forest lands in Milli Fire Recovery Project area fall under the guidance of the NWFP. Additional guidance is provided by the Whychus Watershed Analysis (USDA Forest Service 1998), and the Whychus Watershed Analysis Update (USDA Forest Service 2009).

Deschutes National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan The following standards and guidelines from the Deschutes Land and Resource Management Plan are applicable to the project: RP-3. Give preference to riparian area dependent resources. RP- 8. Evaluate the cumulative effects of proposed projects on water quality, runoff, stream channel conditions and fish habitat and adopt measures to avoid adverse effects to these resources. RP- 10. Manage woody debris and riparian vegetation to: 1) maintain or enhance stream channel and bank structure, and, 2) provide structural fish habitat to meet the objective for resident fish populations provided for in the Forest Plan. RP-39. Large organic material which is beneficial to fish, wildlife or water quality will be preserved in riparian areas, stream or river channels and lakes adjacent to summer homes. Streambank erosion or esthetic enhancements are not adequate reasons for its removal. The material may be altered if it creates a safety hazard, however its contribution to the riparian resources will be preserved. Northwest Forest Plan The Deschutes National Forest LRMP was amended in 1994 by the Record of Decision for Amendments to the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management Planning Documents within the Range of the Northern Spotted Owl (Northwest Forest Plan) (USDA Forest Service and USDI Bureau of Land Management 1994).

The entire Milli Fire Recovery Project area is managed under the direction of the Northwest Forest Plan. The Riparian Reserve land allocation was established as a key element of the Aquatic Conservation Strategy where riparian-dependent resources receive primary emphasis. Of the three projects only the Milli Fire Danger Tree Abatement project and the Reforestation Project would tree some of the Riparian Reserve. These projects comply with the following four requirements for projects within Riparian Reserves as directed in the ROD (USDA Forest Service and USDI Bureau of Land Management 1994): “1) review projects against the ACS objectives at the project or site scale, rather than only at the watershed scale, 2) evaluate the immediate (short-term) impacts, as well as long-term impacts of an action, 3) provide a description of the existing condition, including the important physical and biological components of the 5th

5 field watershed; and 4) provide written evidence that the decision maker considered relevant findings of watershed analysis.” The activities associated with the Milli Fire Danger Tree Abatement Project that are within Riparian Reserves would be reaching in from the road with equipment and felling danger trees or hand-felling danger trees and leaving them on-site (up to 17 acres may be treated) . For the Reforestation Project, planting of seedlings (119 acres) and site preparation (57 acres), both by hand, would be in the Riparian Reserves. For the Milli Fire Salvage, the only activities in the Riparian Reserves would be the use of open system roads for haul.

The Milli Fire Recovery Projects met the four requirements by: 1) providing an analysis of the ACS objectives 2) discussing the effect of the proposed Milli Fire Recovery Projects and other past, present and future foreseeable projects on the existing condition in the hydrology report, 3) referencing the Sisters/Whychus Watershed Analysis (USDA Forest Service 1998), and the Whychus Watershed Analysis Updates (USDA Forest Service 2009, 2013) which describe the existing condition for the portion of Whychus watershed on the Sisters Ranger District, and 4) by providing a Decision Memo written by the District Ranger demonstrating the use of the Whychus Watershed Analysis and Updates for the preferred alternative.

The NWFP provides standards and guidelines for Key Watersheds and Riparian Reserves (RRs) that prohibit or regulate activities that retard or prevent attainment of the Aquatic Conservation Strategy (ACS) Objectives at the project-level and watershed scale. Key watersheds under the NWFP contribute directly to the conservation of the threatened bull trout and resident fish populations. None of the subwatersheds in the hydrology analysis are considered “key watersheds” under the NWFP.

Northwest Forest Plan Standards and Guidelines The NWFP (USDA Forest Service and USDI Bureau of Land Management 1994) provides standards and guidelines for Timber Management, Roads Management, Fire Fuels Management, Key Watersheds and Riparian Reserves (RRs) that prohibit or regulate activities that retard or prevent attainment of the Aquatic Conservation Strategy (ACS) Objectives at the watershed scale (see below). All proposed actions in the Milli Fire Recovery Projects comply with the Key Watershed and Riparian Reserve standards and guidelines in the NWFP. The following NWFP standards and guidelines apply to the project:

Management in Riparian Reserves General Riparian Area Management: RA-2 Fell trees in Riparian Reserves when they pose a safety risk. Keep felled trees on- site when needed to meet coarse woody debris objectives.

Timber Management: TM-1. Prohibit timber harvest, including fuelwood cutting, in Riparian Reserves, except asdescribed below. Riparian Reserve acres shall not be included in calculations of the timber base. 6

a. Where catastrophic events such as fire, flooding, volcanic, wind, or insect damage result in degraded riparian conditions, allow salvage and fuelwood cutting if required to attain Aquatic Conservation Strategy objectives. b. Salvage trees only when watershed analysis determines that present and future coarse woody debris needs are met and other Aquatic Conservation Strategy objectives are not adversely affected. c. Apply silvicultural practices for Riparian Reserves to control stocking, reestablish and manage stands, and acquire desired vegetation characteristics needed to attain Aquatic Conservation Strategy objectives.

Roads Management:

RF-5. Minimize sediment delivery to streams from roads. Outsloping of the roadway surface is preferred, except in cases where outsloping would increase sediment delivery to streams or where outsloping is unfeasible or unsafe. Route road drainage away from potentially unstable channels, fills, and hillslopes.

RF-7. Develop and implement a Road Management Plan or a Transportation Management Plan that will meet the Aquatic Conservation Strategy objectives. As a minimum, this plan shall include provisions for the following activities: a. inspections and maintenance during storm events. b. inspections and maintenance after storm events. c. road operation and maintenance, giving high priority to identifying and correcting road drainage problems that contribute to degrading riparian resources. d. traffic regulation during wet periods to prevent damage to riparian resources. e. establish the purpose of each road by developing the Road Management Objective.

Riparian Reserve Buffer Distances The Sisters/Whychus Watershed Analysis refined Riparian Reserve widths under the Northwest Forest Plan based on average maximum tree height, 100 yr floodplain, extent of riparian vegetation, and unstable and potentially unstable lands (USDA Forest Service 1998) (Table 2). These distances meet or exceed those defined by the NWFP and the Deschutes Forest LRMP.

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Table 2. Riparian Reserve (RR) widths in the Milli Fire Recovery Project area.

Category Stream Description RR width (slope Class distance (ft) from edge of channel)

1 1 & 2 Fish-bearing streams 300 ft

2 3 Permanently flowing non-fish- 150 ft bearing streams

3 NA Ponds, lakes, reservoirs, and 150 ft wetlands > 1 ac

4 4 Seasonally flowing or intermittent 150 ft streams, wetlands < 1 ac, unstable or potentially unstable areas

Wild and Scenic Rivers Act Whychus Creek was designated as a Wild and Scenic River by Congress in 1988. The Whychus Wild and Scenic Corridor is outside of the analysis area for the Milli Fire Recovery Projects because no treatments are within the Riparian Reserves of Whychus Creek; however, approximately 147 acres of reforestation treatment including site preparation are proposed within the Whychus Wild and Scenic corridor. The protected area extends 15.4 miles from the headwaters to the USGS gauging station. A management plan for Whychus Creek W&S River was completed in 2010 (USDA Forest Service 2010). The Outstandingly Remarkable Values (ORVs) guided the development of the management plan.

Fisheries ORV

Whychus Creek in the Milli Fire area is designated Scenic River Segment under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Fisheries and Fish Habitat is an Outstandingly Remarkable Value (ORV) identified in the Management Plan. Any project in the river corridor needs to maintain and protect the ORVs and the values for which the river was designated. The Milli Fire burned along 2.8 miles in the Wild and Scenic River segment of Whychus Creek, where bedrock is prevalent along the stream banks.

Resource Protection Measures Common to the Action Alternatives

Aquatics

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Salvage  No harvest treatment within Riparian Reserves.  Repair drainage on all roads after treatment and before the next wet season.

Danger Tree Abatement  No ground-based equipment (reaching in from roads is allowed for falling trees) or removal of danger trees within Riparian Reserves.  Restrict danger tree abatement on hydrologically connected southeast slope of Black Crater to only allow removal of trees that can be reached from the road and fully suspended, otherwise, fell and leave trees: 1040-730 road from the 1024rd jct to the 740 jct and the 1040-720 road from the 730rd jct to 780 rd jct.  Drop the section of the 1520-854 road within the Riparian Reserve from treatment.  Repair drainage on all roads after treatment and before the next wet season

Reforestation  No ground-based equipment (reaching in from roads is allowed for falling trees) or removal of biomass or trees within Riparian Reserves.  Restrict the reforestation site preparation units on hydrologically connected southeast slope of Black Crater to hand-thin and pile burn only: CE Units 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 26.  Repair drainage on all roads after treatment and before the next wet season.

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FISH HABITAT CONDITION IN THE MILLI FIRE

Trout Creek

The Milli Fire burned the upper Trout Creek subwatershed from the crest of the Cascades to just west of the town of Sisters (Figure 2). Trout Creek is a perennial stream originating in the Three Sisters Wilderness, with groundwater contribution between Trout Creek Swamp, and Forest Road 1018. Approximately 5.5 miles of the stream is habitat for Interior Columbia Basin Redband Trout. Redband trout of Trout Creek are an isolated population of native rainbow trout that are found to not have introgression from hatchery origin rainbow trout (Phelps 1996). Due to the ephemeral connection of Trout Creek to Indian Ford Creek, the Trout Creek population of redband trout are unique, native population inhabiting a very short length of stream. The Milli Fire burned the upper 5.2 miles of perennial stream in the watershed, a portion of which is upstream of habitat occupied by trout (Table 3 and Figure 2).

Figure 2. Trout Creek along the 1018 rd as it flows through the Milli Fire at the base of Black Crater Butte. Most of the area above the 1018rd in the photo is high and moderate soil burn severity.

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Table 3. Miles of streams by flow regime within the burn area.

Stream Type Miles of channel in burn area Perennial total 14.0 Perennial unnamed stream total 3.7 Perennial named stream total 10.3 Trout Creek 5.2 Pole Creek 1.5 Alder Creek 0.8 Whychus Creek 2.8 Intermittent stream total 3.5 Trout Creek 1.7 Unnamed 1.8 Ephemeral stream total 0.2 Ditch total (Pole Creek Ditch) 1.5

The Upper Trout Creek Subwatershed is 31 percent burned with moderate to high severity (Table 3). This may result in a 2 yr event that is 1.48 times the flow at the 1018rd crossing (Hydrology report). Riparian conditions along the stream are mixed, with some areas under burned and other areas burned with more moderate severity (Figure 3). Approximately one third of riparian areas upstream of in the upper watershed burned with moderate soil severity (Table 5 and Figure 3).

Both Alder Creek Fen and Trout Creek Fen were not burned but the adjacent forest were under burned with pockets of tree mortality along Trout Creek, particularly along the east side of Trout Creek Fen. (Figure 3).

Table 4. Subwatersheds burned within the Milli Fire and respective acres of soil burn severity within those subwatersheds (Hydrology Report) Total Acres Burn Severity Subwatersheds (Percent Unburned (HUC12) Burned) Acres Low Moderate High Fourmile Butte 19,201 (38%) 11,845 (38%) 2,588 (13%) 3,273 (17%) 1,495 (8%) Lower Trout Creek 20,056 (28%) 14,493(28%) 2,634 (13%) 2,236 (11%) 693 (3%) Upper Trout Creek 12,100 (59%) 4,962 3,412 (28%) 2,987 (25%) 739 (6%) Upper Whychus Creek 18,306 (8%) 16,774 772 (4%) 709 (4%) 51 (0%) .

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Table 5. Sum of GIS acres by soil effects class within the riparian reserves and RHCA (BAER Fisheries Report, Riehle 2017). Low High Soil Soil Moderate Burn Burn Soil Burn Unburned or Grand Subwatershed Severity Severity Severity Underburned Total Fourmile Butte 3.8 14.4 70.4 44.6 133.3 LAKBUF 3.8 12.3 67.7 37.4 121.2 SPRINGBUF 1.5 0.1 1.6 WATER 0.0 0.6 2.6 7.2 10.5 Lower Trout Creek 0.2 35.6 18.2 15.2 69.3 CLASS 2 0.0 5.5 4.4 0.4 10.4 LAKBUF 10.9 10.4 21.2 WATER 2.5 3.3 5.8 WETLAND 6.3 3.6 0.5 10.4 WETLANDBUF 0.2 10.5 10.3 0.6 21.6 Pole Creek 38.5 19.0 16.6 74.2 CLASS 3 21.6 0.1 6.0 27.7 WETLAND 8.1 13.5 6.5 28.1 WETLANDBUF 8.8 5.4 4.2 18.3 Upper Trout Creek 10.2 282.2 159.1 72.8 524.3 CLASS 2 0.2 38.3 12.7 3.9 55.2 CLASS 3 4.9 32.5 36.8 22.2 96.5

CLASS 4 1.2 52.9 55.8 0.4 110.3

LAKBUF 0.1 42.6 10.0 20.2 73.0 WATER 5.6 0.6 2.1 8.3 WETLAND 0.4 67.5 13.1 5.4 86.3 WETLANDBUF 3.3 42.7 30.1 18.6 94.7

Upper Whychus Creek 91.7 4.4 63.1 159.2 CLASS 1 45.7 4.1 20.2 70.0 WETLAND 8.9 11.4 20.4 WETLANDBUF 37.1 0.3 31.4 68.8 Grand Total 14.2 462.5 271.2 212.4 960.2

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Table 6. Total road density, riparian road density, and # of crossings in the Milli Creek Fire Recovery analysis area. SWS Total SWS Road Riparian Riparian Riparian # of road area density road area road road length (mi2) (mi/mi2) length (mi2) density cross (mi) (mi) (mi/mi2) -ings Lower Trout 205.0 31.3 6.5 6.4 0.8 8.2 57 Creek Upper Trout 30.8 18.9 1.6 3.2 1.1 2.8 7 Creek

The other source of increased runoff and source of sediment to Trout Creek is the area of the Forest Road 730 (Figure 3). This area is burned with high soil severity and drains to Trout Creek via ephemeral draws that cross the 720, 730 and 1018 roads. With this source area prone to surface erosion from exposed soil and the fact that the riparian area is also burned with high severity (Figure 6), this area is a risk of elevated fine sediment inputs to Trout Creek. This area is also at risk of damage to the road network that may compound the sediment erosion and delivery to Trout Creek.

There are road crossings on Trout Creek on the 1018rd and the 1520rd upstream of the fire (Table 6). The 1018rd crosses on the upstream edge of the range of trout and the 1520rd had a bottomless box culvert installed in 2004 for increased fish passage. Immediately downstream of the fire area on private land, the 990rd has a 4 ft round culvert that is a fish migration barrier. The 990rd over flowed the road in recent events.

Whychus Creek

The riparian area along 2.8 miles of Whychus Creek was burned with low or underburned soil severity (Table 3). Most of the large tree canopy over Whychus Creek remains alive. Abundant bedrock along the streambanks and canyon slopes may serve to mitigate any risk of soil erosion from the fire.

Pole Creek and Pole Creek Swamp

Pole Creek was largely underburned or low severity along the creek (Table 3). The only area burned with moderate severity was Pole Creek Swamp (Table 5). More field inspection is needed but from the air, the wetland itself appears to be burned, even in the wet areas where trees had been blown over prior to the fire. In the photo, standing water can be seen in the root pockets of the down trees.

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Figure 3. Soil burn severity for riparian areas of the Milli Fire (Fisheries BAER Report, Riehle 2017).

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Proposed Action

Salvage

Much of the salvage units are within the Lower Trout subwatershed (243 ac) on the north and east flank of Trout Creek Butte and the northeast shoulder of Black Crater Butte (Table 7). Only 6 ac of salvage in proposed in the Upper Whychus Creek subwatershed and that is in the flats along the west side of the creek. Both areas of salvage, Trout Creek Butte and north side of Black Crater, have little or no hydrological connection to perennial fish habitat and no units are located in Riparian Reserves (Figure 4 and Table 8).

Reforestation and Site Prep

Reforestation units are well distributed throughout the project area and are found in all four subwatersheds (Table 7). Those unit that will have site prep, with the option of mechanical use are also distributed in all four subwatersheds (Table 7). Riparian reserves in the fire area will be reforested, primarialy in the Upper Trout subwatershed (117 ac) but only non-mechanical site prep will be allowed on the 56 acres in Riparian Reserves (Table 7 and 8, see Resource Protection Measures).

Danger Tree Abatement

Danger tree treatments along roads in the Milli Fire are concentrated in the Lower Trout Creek subwatershed (558 ac) but well distributed in the entire project area (Table 7). Few of these acres (17ac) along roads are in Riparian Reserves and many of those are in the Upper Trout Creek subwatershed (Table 8). These areas will have a fall and leave treatment to protect large wood recruitment in the Riparian Reserves (see Resource Protection Measures).

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Table 7. Milli Fire Recovery Project acres in subwatersheds (from Hydrology Report) Subwatersheds (SWS) SWS Acres Acres treated Danger Tree Site Total (% Burned**) Salvage* (future) Planting prep* Acres Fourmile Butte 19201 (41%) 0 293 (121) 1067 673 1360 Lower Trout Creek 20056 (50%) 243 558 (170) 1653 857 2211 Upper Trout Creek 12100 (%70) 0 141 (48) 885 373 1026 Upper Whychus Creek 18306 (%62) 6 145 (145) 739 546 884 TOTAL 249 1137 (485) 4343 2449 5480 * all these overlap planting areas **by Milli, Pole, and Black Crater Fires

Table 8. Milli Fire Recovery Project acres in subwatersheds and Riparian Reserves (Hydrology Report).

Subwatersheds (SWS) Acres treated in Riparian Reserves Danger Tree Site- Salvage* (future) Planting Prep* Total Acres Fourmile Butte 0 0 (5) 0 0 0 Lower Trout Creek 0 1 (0) 2.3 0.4 3.3 Upper Trout Creek 0 16 (7) 116.6 56.2 132.6 Upper Whychus Creek 0 0 (3) 0 0 0 TOTAL 0 17 (15) 118.9 56.6 135.9 * all these overlap planting areas

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Figure 4. Map of treatments in the Milli Fire Recovery Project.

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ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES

Salvage

Sedimentation

There would be no measurable sedimentation generated from the Milli Fire Timber Salvage in Trout Creek, Pole Creek or any of their tributaries because project activities would not occur in Riparian Reserves or other hydrologically connected areas. The salvage units are greater than 1300 ft from any Riparian Reserve and there are no ephemeral draws within the units. A compilation of studies on effectiveness of riparian buffers (Belt et al. 1992) concluded that non-channelized sediment rarely travels more than 300ft and that 200-300 foot riparian “filter strips” are generally effective at protecting streams from sediment and non-channelized flow (USDA and USDI 1995). Although the filtering capacity of the buffers within the fire area has been reduced, based on evaluation of slope, soil infiltration, and hydrologic connectivity, units outside the Riparian Reserves are not at increased risk of hillslope erosion and sediment delivery to the stream system.

In managed forest areas, the main source of direct sediment is from road construction associated with timber harvest and other activities (Helvey and Fowler 1979). No new roads or temporary roads are proposed in the project area. Log haul on select roads that are hydrologically connected or located within Riparian Reserves would be prioritized for haul during the dry season. These roads include Forest Road 1018 along Trout Creek.

Stream Habitat In the proposed action no salvage units are within Riparian Reserves; therefore, existing and newly established riparian vegetation, which provides channel stability, large wood and habitat complexity will not be impacted by harvest activities. In addition, the proposed activity will not reduce large woody debris recruitment because no logs will be removed from riparian buffers.

The proposed action has no effect on streamflow because no live trees will be removed. By not increasing streamflow, especially the more erosive high flows, the proposed action will not increase the risk of stream erosion. Also, large riparian buffers will prevent potential upland erosion caused by activities in the proposed action from being transported to the streams; thereby, having no measurable effect on sediment deposition and associated channel erosion.

Although the Milli Fire will likely affect channel condition and long-term large woody debris recruitment, the salvage of fire killed trees will not affect fish habitat.

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Danger Tree Abatement

Sedimentation Proposed activities which will cause ground disturbance in the short-term include harvest of dead trees, pile burning, and hauling of trees. Mitigations to limit the amount of sediment increase are listed in the sale contract and specific mitigations and recommendation to this project are listed in Resource Protection Measures section. Although sedimentation will likely increase in the short-term as a result of the Milli Fire, danger tree abatement will have a negligible effect on sedimentation because no harvest will occur in Riparian Reserves.

Approximately 17 acres of Riparian Reserve may be treated for danger tree abatement. Danger trees in Riparian Reserves will be felled from the road or hand-felled and left. Felling and leaving of trees in the Riparian Reserve will help reduce erosion in the short- term by adding roughness to the floodplain. Harvest of dead danger trees is proposed in approximately 2% of the Trout Creek subwatersheds (assuming 47 miles of road with a 100 ft treatment area on either side), all of which is ground-based and outside of Riparian Reserves. This will result in minimal ground disturbance. In some cases, landings may be located on old landings, slightly off the road, or in the ditch. Ground disturbance will occur in situations where the tree is too long or heavy for the equipment to fully suspend, in which case, one end of the tree will drag along the ground. Although some soil displacement and compaction will occur outside of Riparian Reserves, a negligible amount of sediment from harvest activities will reach the streams due to trapping by downed wood and ground vegetation and distance to the streams. Burning will not occur in the Riparian Reserves and danger trees will be hand-felled in arrangements that minimize fuel concentrations.

In a few cases danger trees will be too far to reach with the boom and the following scenarios could occur: 1) trees will be hand-felled and cabled to the road, 2) a skid trail will be created parallel to the road, 3) old skids trails will be used, 4) a single out-and- back trip will be made to retrieve the tree, and 5) trees will be hand-felled and left. If trees are cabled to the road some gouging may occur from dragging one end of the tree. If trees are accessed via a skid trail or off-road out-and-back pass some soil disturbance will occur; however, this method will not be used on sensitive soils or slopes greater than 30%. Regardless of treatment method (i.e. accessing trees via a skid trail parallel to the road or cabling trees to the road) some compaction will occur but it will be below the Forest Plan standard of 20% detrimental soil disturbance (see Soils Report). Wildfire risk will not increase as a result of this project because activity fuels in excess of desired levels will be treated.

Hauling on roads, especially roads adjacent to streams or roads that cross streams, increases the risk of sedimentation to the streams. Driving on wet roads with puddling or dry roads that are dusty can also transport sediment to the streams. Within the Riparian Reserve a 0.8 mile section of Forest Road 1018 road parallels Trout Creek, a 0.9 mile section of the Forest Roads 1514 and 1514-600 rd parallel Whychus Ck, and a 0.5 mile

19 section of the 1514 parallels Snow Ck. In addition, there are approximately 10 stream crossing. Resource Protection Measures such as not hauling or logging in wet conditions are listed in the sale contract to reduce the risk of sedimentation.

Stream Habitat In the proposed action no trees will be removed from Riparian Reserves and no equipment will travel off-road in Riparian Reserves; therefore, existing and newly established riparian vegetation, which provides streambank stability, will not be destroyed by harvest activities. In addition, the proposed activity will not reduce large woody debris recruitment because no logs will be removed from riparian buffers.

The proposed action has no effect on streamflow because no live trees will be removed. By not increasing streamflows, especially the more erosive high flows, the proposed action will not increase the risk of stream erosion.

Although the Milli Fire will likely affect channel condition and long-term large woody debris recruitment, the danger tree abatement will not affect stream habitat condition.

Reforestation

Approximately, 78 acres of reforestation will occur in the Trout Creek and Alder Creek Riparian Reserve with approximately 60 of those acres requiring site preparation. Reforestation of the high severity burn areas in these subwatersheds may improve the recovery of tree stands and/or the rate of recovery of tree stands. Recovery of both upland and Riparian Reserves can help reduce the effects from the fire to water quality and peak streamflow by increasing infiltration, reducing overland flow, providing future stream shade, and supplying future instream and floodplain wood. However, the potential beneficial effects of the reforestation treatment may not be measurable because much of the upper watershed has burned in the last 15 years and only a small portion will be reforested. While there will be some site-prep in the Trout Creek and Alder Creek Riparian Reserves, no ground-based mechanical treatment would be allowed within the Riparian Reserve and any ground-disturbance from hand-planting trees in the riparian reserves would be minimal. Therefore, no negative effects are predicted from the proposed reforestation treatment.

Cumulative Effects for Milli Fire Recovery Projects

The cumulative effects to stream habitat condition from the Milli Fire Recovery Projects will not incrementally add to cumulative effects because no measurable effects to streamflow, sedimentation, temperature, stream condition, or Fisheries ORVs for the Whychus Wild and Scenic Corridor are predicted. The cumulative effects analysis area will be the Trout Creek drainage (Upper and Lower Trout Creek Subwatersheds, 12th field HUCs) because all Riparian Reserves and hydrologically connected areas affected by the Milli Fire Recovery projects are within these subwatersheds with over 95% of them in the Upper Trout Creek subwatershed. Less than 100 acres of Riparian Reserve

20 will be treated in the Trout Creek drainage by the Milli Fire Recovery Projects. Likewise, the projects will treat less than 0.5% of the analysis area, and none of these treatments allow removal of trees from Riparian Reserves or ground-based equipment within Riparian Reserves or other potentially hydrologically connected areas. The Milli Fire Recovery Projects will not change the Watershed Condition Framework rating (Hydrology Report).

Past activities that occurred in the same project area as the Milli Fire Recovery Projects are listed in Cumulative Effects Table in the project file. The project area has mostly been affected by the 2017 Milli Fire which burned approximately 40% of the hydrologic analysis area, although, some of the area had been previously burned by the Pole Creek Fire (2012) and the Black Crater Fire (2006) for a total of approximately 60% of the Trout Creek subwatersheds. However, these fires did not result in a change to the Watershed Condition Framework rating for the Upper or Lower Trout subwatersheds (Hydrology Report).

All these fires increased sedimentation and streamflow in Trout Creek and burned a portion of the Riparian Reserves. Numerous culverts were upsized and fords and drainage on roads in the fire area were improved as part of the BAER treatments.

Recent vegetation treatment projects that have occurred in the Trout Creek subwatersheds include the Sisters Area Fuel Reduction (SAFR) Project (≈ 5300 ac), the Pole Creek Fire Salvage 0.2% of the SWSs), and the Black Crater Fire Salvage (0.6% of the SWSs). The SAFR Project is more than 95% done and is a fuels reduction project that includes thinning, mowing and prescribed fire. All three projects did not treat Riparian Reserves and were not predicted to have a measurable effect on the hydrology resource. Beneficial water quantity and quality cumulative effects will continue from the Trout Creek Swamp Restoration Project, which helped restore swamp function by plugging man-made ditches.

Current and future foreseeable activities that could occur within the subwatersheds affected by the proposed project is the remainder of the SAFR project and the Whychus Roads Project. The first phase of the Whychus Roads Project, which includes decommissioning and closing roads that are hydrologically connected, was implemented in 2017 and will be completed in 2019. Beneficial riparian and water quality effects are predicted from this project.

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Summary of Effects to Aquatic TES Species

No consultation is required under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) on the effects of this project is on threatened and endanged fish covered under this biological evaluation. By following the Resource Protection measures in this Biological Evaluation , the following effects determinations were reached:

Bull trout and Critical Habitat- Threatened Species There will be no effect to Bull trout and Bull trout critical habitat from the Milli Fire Recovery Projects because of the distance of the fish and habitat from the project area and the fact that there are no expected effects to flow, sediment, temperature and large wood from the action alternatives.

Redband Trout- R6 Sensitive Species and Mid Columbia River Steelhead Trout- Experimental Population There will be no impact to redband trout and to steelhead trout from the Milli Fire Recovery Projects because of the BMPs that protect Riparian Reserves and connected ephemeral draws, increased road maintenance and seasonal haul road restrictions. The sediment and flow regime, temperature and large wood would not be affected under the action alternatives.

A Caddisfly- R6 Sensitive Species There will be no impact to A Caddisfly from the Milli Fire Recovery Projects because of the BMPs that protect Riparian Reserves and connected ephemeral draws, increased road maintenance and seasonal haul road restrictions. The sediment and flow regime, temperature and large wood would not be affected under the action alternatives. No activities will occur in suspected habitat and therefore no impact will result from the actions proposed.

Indian Ford Juga- R6 Sensitive Species There will be no impact to Indian Ford Juga from the Milli Fire Recovery Projects because of the species is not known to inhabit the streams within the project area. BMPs that protect Riparian Reserves and connected ephemeral draws, increased road maintenance and seasonal haul road restrictions. The sediment and flow regime, temperature and large wood would not be affected under the action alternatives. No activities will occur in suspected habitat and therefore no impact will result from the actions proposed.

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BULL TROUT - Salvelinus confluentus USFWS Threatened Species (Middle Columbia Population) Existing Population and Habitat Columbia River bull trout are federally listed as threatened and it is unknown if bull trout were present on National Forest System lands in upper Whychus Creek. Sampling to date has not detected bull trout in the upper reaches. Bull trout are present 24 miles downstream near Alder Springs (2 miles above the confluence of Whychus Creek with the Deschutes River). Ecological Trends––No Action Bull trout use the lower 1.5 miles of Whychus Creek for early rearing habitat. No spawning has been documented and no change in the use of Whychus Creek has been found in recent years. No change to habitat in the Alder Springs reach is expected under no action. Any changes related to the wildfire may be offset by the influx of ground water at the springs. Direct and Indirect Effects –Proposed Action No direct effects to bull trout or critical habitat will occur as no in-channel work or work in Riparian Reserves will occur in areas known to contain bull trout. The nearest documented bull trout populations and critical habitat are located in Whychus Creek over 24 miles downstream of the project. There will be no direct effects to bull trout from the project due to the distance from which they are located downstream and because no direct effects from the project itself on Riparian Reserves and streams within the project area are expected. Therefore there will be no detrimental effects that carry downstream to where bull trout and critical habitat are located. Indirect effects will not occur to bull trout as they are currently found only in the lower reaches of Whychus Creek, over 24 miles downstream from where work is expected to occur. No measurable changes in streamflow, shade, sediment or instream wood will result from the project. No impacts to algae or aquatic insect populations are expected to occur where bull trout reside or critical habitat is located. There are no anticipated indirect effects to bull trout or critical habitat. Cumulative Effects – Proposed Action The cumulative effects analysis area includes all subwatersheds that streams in the project area drain into and the subwatersheds of tributaries that connect to these drainages via surface flow. The timber salvage analysis area includes the subwatersheds associated with Whychus Creek. No cumulative effects are expected to occur to bull trout or critical habitat because no direct or indirect effects will occur as a result of the action alternatives. This is mainly due to the far proximity of bull trout and critical habitat which is located over 24 miles from the project. Mitigation The BMPs, and PDCs listed in Resource Protection Measures for Aquatics in this document, including the seasonal haul restrictions and protection for Riparian Reserves and ephemeral draws are needed and will be adhered to in order to protect the viability of bull trout critical habitat or bull trout populations.

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Determination There will be No Effect to bull trout critical habitat or bull trout populations. The project will meet NWFP Standards and Guidelines for Riparian Reserve protections, and BMPs found in this document.

A CADDISFLY - Rhyacophila Chandleri Forest Service Region 6 Sensitive Species Existing Population and Habitat This species of caddisfly is known only from Siskiyou Co., California, and Lane and Deschutes counties, Oregon. It is thought to be a rare species that is very patchily distributed, and apparently highly localized where it does occur (Wisseman pers. comm. in USDA and USDI 2005). Its range is thought to be in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and California. It is associated with very cold, larger spring-fed streams (Wisseman pers. Comm. in USDA and USDI 2005). There is no specific information available on threats to this species or its habitat. Activities that degrade water quality or increase water temperatures would likely have negative impacts on this species (USDA and USDI 2005). This species was reportedly collected in 1982 from Tyee Creek and Devils Lake on the Deschutes National Forest, Bend Ranger District (Giersch 2002). This species may exist elsewhere on the forest in headwater spring habitats but sampling for marcroinvertebrates has mainly been limited to larger streams and river sections on the Sisters Ranger District and this species was not identified in those samples.

Ecological Trends––No Action No trend data exists for this species. It has been found on the Bend Fort Rock District in the Upper Deschutes Watershed and no other location has been found. The species habitat is described as spring fed mountain streams with instream wood and gravel substrates. This habitat is present in the project area and has been altered by the Pole Creek fire in that the forest canopy in many areas has been burned stand replacement. Large wood may increase in these habitats and the loss of shade may increase stream temperatures slightly, but with a limited duration of about 10 years. Due to the cool stream temperatures prior to the fire, this effect is thought to be buffered and may be slight. Direct and Indirect Effects –Proposed Action No direct or indirect effects to A Caddisfly habitat will be expected because no project activities will impact the suspected habitat of the species. Riparian Reserves will not have salvage actions, haul roads will be maintained and seasonally restricted along Riparian reserves and danger trees will not be removed from Riparian Reserves. Shade will not be changed by the action alternatives. Shade and instream wood will remain intact as all trees and snags will be maintained in riparian reserves. No effects to stream substrate or sediment will result from the project alternative because of the BMPs on ephemeral draws, haul road restrictions and maintenance, and exclusion of Riparian Reserves from treatments.

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Cumulative Effects – Proposed Action The cumulative effects analysis area includes the Trout, Pole and Whychus Creek subwatersheds that include habitat for the A. Caddisfly. No cumulative effects are expected that would detrimentally affect A. Caddisfly habitat because no direct or indirect effects are resulting from the project. Some already existing roads or trails may contribute some sediment to streams but this amount is estimated to be low. The project will not cumulatively add to increases in flow, sediment or stream temperature or subtract from current and future instream wood at levels that would have effects on A Caddisfly habitat. Mitigation The BMPs listed in this document are needed and will be adhered to in order to protect the viability of the Whychus Creek, Pole Creek and Trout Creek A. Caddisfly habitat. Determination There will be to No Impact to A. Caddisfly habitat. The project will meet NWFP Standards and Guidelines for Riparian Reserve.

INDIAN FORD JUGA - Juga hemphilli ssp. Forest Service Region 6 Sensitive Species

Existing Population and Habitat

Juga hemphilli ssp. was added to the sensitive species list in 2012 and is a new (undescribed) subspecies which somewhat resembles Juga (Juga) hemphilli maupinensis in its relatively large size (~25mm) (Frest & Johannes 1995). It is distinct from J. h. maupinensis in that the nacre is white (as opposed to light purple when fresh) and the shell is dark brown and with two dark brown bands (as opposed to a yellow-brown shell with one band) (Frest & Johannes 1995).

Juga snails are characterized as rasper-grazers, feeding on both algae and detritus, such as dead alder leaves (Furnish 1989, Allan 1995). Individuals in the Juga genus may live for 5-7 years, reaching sexual maturity in 3 years and continuing to grow (Furnish 1990). Adults in this genus are gonochoristic (as opposed to hermaphroditic). Reproduction is iteroparous (individuals are capable of having offspring many times), and most Juga species appear to breed and lay eggs once a year as adults (Frest & Johannes 2006). The same egg-laying localities are utilized year after year if undisturbed. There is no veliger stage, and juvenile snails emerge from eggs (Frest & Johannes 2006).

As a whole, Juga hemphilli is known from the headwaters of the Columbia River in British Columbia, the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington, and the Deschutes River system in Oregon (NatureServe 2009). Although this new subspecies may have been historically widespread in the upper Deschutes system, it is currently known from a single site: Indian Ford Creek, near Indian Ford Campground in Deschutes

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National Forest, Deschutes County, Oregon (Frest & Johannes 1995). No abundance estimates have been made for this subspecies, but according to NatureServe (2009), Juga hemphilli is declining (10-30%).

The habitat for this subspecies is considered to be streams and spring-seeps (Duncan 2008). The only known site is a medium-sized spring-fed creek, where the subspecies was found in mixed basalt cobble-mud substrate (Frest & Johannes 1995). Macrophytes and epiphytic algae are rare at the site, and the site is considered almost monospecific as far as snails are concerned (Frest & Johannes 1995). This subspecies is a perilithon grazer (Frest & Johannes 1995).

The egg masses of Juga are most often found in loose (non-cemented) but stable cobble substrate, with free and fairly vigorous flow through at least the upper substrate layers (Frest & Johannes 2006). The egg masses are affixed by a narrow basal stalk to the underside of a firm surface, generally a cobble or boulder, although other stabilized hard substrate objects, such as sunken logs, may also be used (Frest & Johannes 2006).

Threats include any factors tending to downgrade water quality, including nutrient enhancement, grazing, and water diversions, would negatively impact this taxon. Many of the springs in the Black Butte area where this subspecies occurs are in a resort development; Frest & Johannes surveyed most of these and found no “interesting” mollusks and very few mollusks of any kind surviving (Frest & Johannes 1995). Due to diversions and groundwater pumping Indian Ford Creek used to go dry downstream from the site where the Indian Ford Juga were sampled which is just downstream of the Highway 20 crossing in Indian Ford Campground (USDA and USDI 2011). In recent years more water has flowed downstream during the summer due to water conservation efforts combined with a series of average or above average water years. No surveys for this species have been performed since the initial sighting by Frest and Johannes (1995).

Ecological Trends––No Action

There are no expected changes to Indian Ford juga populations or their habitat from current conditions. No in-stream work will be done and no individuals will be disturbed or harmed. Conditions in Indian Ford Creek will continue on current trends.

Direct and Indirect Effects –Proposed Action

No impact to Indian Ford Juga will occur to their habitat or to individuals in Indian Ford Creek. The creek is outside of the project area and instream work will occur. Stable spring habitats will not be affected by the action alternatives and therefore no effect to potential Juga habitat will occur.

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Cumulative Effects – Proposed Action The cumulative effects analysis area includes the Trout, Pole and Whychus Creek subwatersheds that include habitat for the Indian Ford Juga. No cumulative effects are expected that would detrimentally affect Juga habitat because no direct or indirect effects are resulting from the project. The project will not cumulatively add to increases in flow, sediment or stream temperature or subtract from current and future instream wood at levels that would have effects on Juga habitat. Mitigation The BMPs listed in this document are needed and will be adhered to in order to protect the viability of the Indian Ford Juga habitat. Determination There will be to No Impact to Indian Ford Juga habitat. The project will meet NWFP Standards and Guidelines for Riparian Reserve

REDBAND TROUT - Oncorhynchus mykiss STEELHEAD TROUT- Oncorhynchus mykiss Forest Service Region 6 Sensitive Species

Existing Population and Habitat Redband trout are a USFS Region 6 sensitive species that are present within all streams that originally had native fish populations. This includes Whychus Creek and Trout Creek. Within the project area habitat exists for summer steelhead. Steelhead were reintroduced to Whychus Creek in 2007 through fry plants, which are ongoing. Reintroduced summer steelhead have been recently classified by National Marine Fishery Service as an experimental population above the Pelton Round Butte dams under Section 10(j) of the Endangered Species Act. Steelhead are not considered listed as Threatened upstream of Pelton Round Butte Dams. Historically, summer steelhead trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, and spring chinook salmon, O. tshawytscha, spawned and reared in Whychus Creek. In 1953, the summer steelhead return in Whychus Creek was estimated at 1000 adults, ranking Whychus Creek the largest run of steelhead in the Deschutes Basin that year (Nehlson 1995). Steelhead were reported to spawn in Whychus Creek above the town of Sisters. No historical information is known to exist about the presence of steelhead in Trout Creek. . Ecological Trends––No Action Redd counts have been conducted for redband trout in recent years in Lower Whychus Creek. No real trend has been detected in population status. Some reaches in the lower creek have more spawning than others, although surveys have been inconsistent due to variable, high flows during spawning season. The trends in population of redband are expected to continue under no action.

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Steelhead fry have been released into Whychus Creek in recent years as part of the reintroduction effort. Only two returning steelhead pairs has been recorded to have spawned in Whychus Creek approximately 10 miles downstream of the project area. The returning adults from the reintroduction effort have been low in numbers and they have not been established in the project area to date. These trends are expected to continue under no action. Direct and Indirect Effects –Proposed Action Effects to redband trout and steelhead will be combined as they are both the same species and would utilize the same habitats for rearing, with migratory steelhead adults using larger gravel for spawning than the resident redband trout. Steelhead trout fry have been in released in Whychus Creek up to the 1514 road. No direct effect will occur because no in-channel work or work in Riparian Reserves will occur in areas known to contain redband trout, potential or steelhead habitat. Natural reproduction of steelhead is not occurring in the project area yet but may occur in the future. Perennial and intermittent streams and connected ephemeral draws will not contribute fine sediment delivery to streams as a result of falling, skidding and yarding activities; no treatment will occur in these areas. Haul restrictions and road maintenance will reduce road runoff and connection to streams. Shade and instream wood will remain intact as all trees and snags will be maintained in riparian reserves. Danger trees, if necessary, will be cut and left in place in Riparian Reserves. There will be no indirect effects to redband trout, or potential steelhead habitat in Whychus Creek or Trout Creek. The project will not change stream temperature, instream wood, or sediment delivered to the stream. Since no change in stream shade, sediment or instream wood will result from the project, there are no indirect effects to redband trout steelhead or potential steelhead habitat. There will be no change to current composition and amounts of algae or macroinvertebrates from this project within areas inhabited by redband trout in Trout Creek or where potential steelhead habitat exists in Whychus Creek. No detrimental indirect effects that could result in effects to native fish are expected as a result of action alternatives mainly because no treatment will occur in or near native fish bearing streams and protective BMPs in the form of no cut buffers in Riparian Reserves and ephemeral draws, road haul restriction and maintenance will be used to avoid effects. Cumulative Effects – Proposed Action The cumulative effects analysis area includes all subwatersheds that streams in the project area drain into and the subwatersheds of tributaries that connect to these drainages via surface flow. The analysis area includes the subwatersheds associated with Whychus and Trout Creek. No cumulative effects are expected that would detrimentally affect redband trout, potential steelhead habitat because no direct or indirect effects are resulting from the project. Some already existing roads or trails may contribute some sediment to streams but this amount is estimated to be low. The project will not cumulatively add to increases

28 in flow, sediment or stream temperature or subtract from current and future instream wood at levels that would have effects on redband trout or potential steelhead habitat. Mitigation The BMPs listed in this document are needed and will be adhered to in order to protect the viability of the Whychus Creek and Trout Creek redband trout, or potential steelhead habitat. Determination There will be to No Impact to redband trout, and potential steelhead populations and habitat. The project will meet NWFP Standards and Guidelines for Riparian Reserve protections, and BMPs as described is this environmental assessment.

Aquatic Conservation Strategy An essential piece of the Northwest Forest Plan is the ACS (Aquatic Conservation Strategy) which “was developed to restore and maintain the ecological health of watersheds and aquatic ecosystems contained within them on public lands” (USDA Forest Service and USDI Bureau of Land Management 1994, B-9). Management activities proposed for watersheds must meet the nine ACS objectives as specified in the Northwest Forest Plan (pages C31-C38).

Salvage activities will occur over 1300 ft from any Riparian Reserve and will not be located in hydrologically connected areas. Danger tree removal will not occur in Riparian Reserves and the hazard will be abated by falling and leaving the trees. In addition, no ground-based equipment will be used in hydrologically connected areas to reduce risk of hydrologic effects. Therefore, the only treatments in the Milli Fire Danger Recovery Projects area that could potentially have an effect on ACS objects 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9 are the treatments that will occur in some Riparian Reserves: abating danger trees by hand- felling or felling by reaching in from the road, hand-felling small live trees and brush for reforestation site preparation, planting conifers, and utilizing existing open roads.

ACS Objective 1: Maintain and restore the distribution, diversity, and complexity of watershed and landscape-scale features to ensure protection of the aquatic systems to which species, populations and communities are uniquely adapted. The Milli Fire Recovery Projects will not alter watershed or landscape scale features of the Whychus Creek Watershed. Although the Milli Fire has altered the landscape and will have an effect on aquatic systems, the removal of dead trees (salvage and danger tree abatement) and some small live trees (reforestation site preparation) outside of Riparian Reserves and hydrologically connected areas will not be at a magnitude or location to affect the distribution, diversity and complexity of landscape scale features in the Whychus Creek Watersheds. However, the reforestation of 4343 acres of burned areas resulting in a high or moderate soil severity rating could help restore the distribution, diversity and complexity of watershed-scale features.

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ACS Objective 2: Maintain and restore spatial and temporal connectivity within and between watersheds. Lateral, longitudinal, and drainage network connections include flood plains, wetlands, upsweep areas, headwater tributaries, and intact refugia. These network connections must provide chemically and physically unobstructed routes to areas critical for fulfilling life history requirements of aquatic and riparian-dependent species. Felling and leaving danger trees on-site, reforesting high and moderate burn severity sites, and only using existing roads for haul in the Riparian Reserves will maintain the existing connectivity between watersheds. The removal of danger trees outside Riparian Reserves will not disrupt the spatial or temporal connectivity of aquatic and riparian species between watersheds because these are focused along already disturbed areas (i.e. roads). Likewise, salvage of dead trees outside of Riparian Reserves is only 1% of the Milli Fire burn area and units are located at least 1300 ft from any Riparian Reserves and thus will not not interrupt the lateral, longitudinal or drainage network connections. The proposed project also will not create a chemical barrier or physical barrier that will prevent achieving full life history requirements of aquatic or riparian dependent species. Therefore, the current condition of the streams in the Whychus Creek Watershed will be maintained and areas along streams may be improved where vegetation is restored quicker from reforestation efforts.

ACS Objective 3: Maintain and restore the physical integrity of the aquatic system, including shorelines, banks, and bottom configurations. Felling and leaving danger trees on-site, reforesting high and moderate burn severity sites, and the use of existing roads for haul in the Riparian Reserves will not disrupt the physical integrity of the aquatic system. The physical integrity of the aquatic system including shorelines, banks, and bottom configurations will not be modified by these activities because no ground-based equipment will be used in Riparian Reserves. Reforestation in Riparian Reserves will attempt to restore aquatic systems by providing future instream wood. Therefore, the Milli Fire Recovery Projects will maintain or restore the physical integrity of the aquatic in the Whychus Creek Watershed.

ACS Objective 4: Maintain and restore water quality necessary to support healthy riparian, aquatic, and wetland ecosystems. Water quality must remain within the range that maintains the biological, physical, and chemical integrity of the system and benefits survival, growth, reproduction, and migration of individuals composing aquatic and riparian communities. While water quality has been affected in the short-term by the Milli Fire, the Milli Fire Recovery Projects will not negatively affect water quality because only minor ground disturbance will occur in Riparian Reserves. The abatement of roadside hazards from felling and leaving of trees within Riparian Reserves will not measurably alter the water temperatures necessary to support aquatic species. Use of existing system roads will maintain the current water quality by adhering to contract specification for haul such as maintaining drainage and suspending use if conditions are not favorable. Reforestation in Riparian Reserves will attempt to restore aquatic systems by providing future stream shade necessary for maintaining cool stream temperatures. Therefore, the Milli Fire

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Recovery Projects will maintain or restore water quality necessary to support healthy riparian, aquatic and wetland ecosystems in the Whychus Creek Watershed.

ACS Objective 5: Maintain and restore the sediment regime under which aquatic ecosystems evolved. Elements of the sediment regime include the timing, volume, rate, and character of sediment input, storage, and transport. Changes to the sediment regime may be seen as a result of the Milli Fire, but are not anticipated from the Milli Fire Recovery Projects. The sediment regime under which aquatic ecosystems have evolved would be maintained by the Milli Fire Recovery Projects because sediment input to the streams is not predicted. No ground-based equipment will be used in Riparian Reserves or hydrologically connected areas; therefore, ground disturbance will be minimal and transport of sediment to the stream unlikely. Falling and leaving trees in Riparian Reserves adjacent to roads may even help to slow runoff from the fire area and trap sediments before reaching stream channels. and transport of sediment to the stream unlikely. As a result, the project is expected to maintain the current timing, volume, rate, and character of sediment input, storage, and transport in the Whychus Creek Watershed.

ACS Objective 6: Maintain and restore in-stream flows sufficient to create and restore riparian, aquatic, and wetland habitats and to retain patterns of sediment, nutrient, and wood routing. The timing, magnitude, duration and spatial distribution of peak, high, and low flows must be protected. While the Milli fire has affected the timing, magnitude, duration and spatial distribution of peak, high and low flows by significantly reducing evapotranspiration and interception and increasing open areas for snow accumulation in rain-on-snow zones, the Milli Fire Recovery Projects have a negligible effect on streamflow. Project treatments will remove of dead trees which are no longer evapotranspiring. In addition, open areas created by salvage units are over 1300 ft from Riparian Reserves and any overland flow generated from these activities will like infiltrate prior to reaching a waterbody. While some small trees and brush for reforestation site preparation will be removed, this will be replaced by other planted trees. Any ground-disturbing activity that could concentrate overland flow will occur outside of Riparian Reserves and hydrologically connected areas and, as a result, is unlikely to provide a path to a waterbody. Therefore, the project will maintain the current instream flows will not have measurable impact to timing, magnitude, duration and spatial distribution of peak, high, and low flows in the Whychus Creek Watershed. ACS Objective 7: Maintain and restore timing, variability, and duration of flood plain inundation and water table elevation in meadows and wetlands. The Milli Fire Recovery Project has no measurable effects on floodplains and water table elevations in meadows and wetlands because no significant ground-disturbing activities will occur in Riparian Reserves. Work will not drain wetlands or intercept surface or groundwater flows that would alter the water table elevations in meadows and wetlands. The timing, variability, and duration of flood plain inundation and water table elevation in meadows and wetlands will be maintained within the Whychus Creek Watersheds.

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ACS Objective 8: Maintain and restore the species composition and structural diversity of plant communities in riparian areas and wetlands to provide adequate summer and winter thermal regulation, nutrient filtering, appropriate rates of surface erosion, bank erosion, and channel migration and to supply amounts and distribution of coarse woody debris sufficient to sustain physical complexity and stability. The Milli Fire Recovery Projects will help restore species composition and structural diversity of plant communities by reforesting high and moderate burn severity areas in the Riparian Reserve. Other treatments in the Riparian Reserve such as danger tree abatement and use of system roads will have no effect on the existing plant communities because the trees treated are already dead and the road footprint already existed; therefore, these activities will maintain the plant communities in the Whychus Creek Watershed Riparian Reserves.

ACS Objective 9: Maintain and restore habitat to support well-distributed populations of native plant, invertebrate, and vertebrate riparian-dependent species. The Milli Fire Recovery Projects will help restore habitat for plants and riparian dependent species by reforesting high and moderate burn severity areas in the Riparian Reserve. This may help accelerate the recovery of future instream wood necessary to maintain instream habitat and provide some shade for the reestablishment of other native plant species. Other treatments in the Riparian Reserve such as danger tree abatement and use of system roads will have no effect on the existing plant communities because the dead trees treated will eventually fall anyway and the road footprint already existed; therefore, these activities will maintain the existing habitat the Whychus Creek Watershed Riparian Reserves.

Statement of Consistency with ACS Objectives Overall, this project will maintain riparian vegetation and aquatic conditions within the fifth field watershed and will not impede the development of late-successional forest characteristics in second growth and old growth stands both within and outside of Riparian Reserves. The project maintains the natural sediment regime through design elements and Best Management Practices which prevents harvest and ground-based equipment in Riparian Reserves and requires maintenance of drainage on haul routes and adherence to contract specifications for haul conditions. These design elements and BMPs protect riparian areas and maintain the existing vegetation, connectivity, water flow, water quality, and habitat within the Whychus Watershed. The project will not result in measurable increases in sediment production or changes to the streamflow regime at individual sites. At the site or watershed scale, changes in water quality, turbidity or sediment production will not be detectable. Based on the evaluation of the short-term, long-term, and cumulative impacts, the Milli Fire Recovery Projects are designed to “contribute to maintaining or restoring the fifth-field watershed over the long-term.” Therefore, this project is consistent with the ASC objectives.

Whychus Creek Wild and Scenic River Fisheries Outstandingly Remarkable Value 32

The Fisheries ORV of the Wild and Scenic River segment of Whychus Creek will be protected because no effects to fish habitat are expected from the timber salvage, reforestation or danger tree activities. Timber salvage is outside of the river corridor and will have no impact to Whychus Creek. Reforestation site preparation in in the corridor but far away from the canyon of Whychus Creek. Any mechanical site preparation will not by hydrologically connected to the creek or fish habitat. Planting trees will only benefit forestation in the corridor. Danger trees will be felled in riparian reserves and no effect will result from other roads in the Wild and Scenic corridor because of distance from Whychus Creek. There will be no effect to the Fisheries ORV from the Milli Fire Recovery Project. Fish habitat in Whychus Creek will be maintained and protected.

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References

Allan, J.D. 1995. Stream ecology: structure and function of running waters. Chapman & Hall, New York, NY. 388 pp.

Belt, G. H., J. O’Laughlin, and T. Merrill. 1992. Design of forest riparian buffer strips for the protection of water quality: Analysis of scientific literature. Idaho Forest, Wildlife and Range Policy Analysis Group, Report No. 8.

Duncan, N. 2008. Survey Protocol for Aquatic Mollusk Species: Preliminary Inventory and Presence/Absence Sampling, Version 3.1. Portland, OR. Interagency Special Status/Sensitive Species Program. U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Oregon/Washington and U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Region 6. 52 pp.

Frest, T.J. and E.J. Johannes. 1995. Interior Columbia Basin mollusk species of special concern. Final report: Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project, Walla Walla, WA. Contract #43-0E00-4-9112. 274 pp. plus appendices.

Frest, T.J. and E.J. Johannes. 2006. Draft. Review of the Status of Juga (Western U. S. Cerithioidea, Pleuroceridae, Semisulcospirinae). Unpublished document available from Ed Johannes.

Furnish, J.L. 1989. Factors affecting the growth production and distribution of the stream snail Juga silicula (Gould) [Doctoral Dissertation]: Department of Entomology, Oregon State University, 216 p.

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