POISON SPRINGS/ SIERRA ANCHA, DAGGER CHRYSOTILE, HAYSTACK BUTTE, SEDOW, and HICKS/PIKES PEAK ALLOTMENTS STREAM CHANNELS AND RIPARIAN AREAS EXISTING CONDITIONS

Lynn Mason and Janet Grove July 2011, updated October 2012 Updated January 28, 2013

INTRODUCTION

Area of Analysis

This project area incorporates seven allotments from two districts. The Poison Springs and Sierra Ancha Allotments are being managed as one allotment. Those, along with the Dagger Allotment, are located on the Tonto Basin District. The remaining four allotments, Chrysotile, Haystack Butte, Sedow and Hicks-Pikes Peak, are located on the Globe District.

All of the allotments are located along the Salt River, beginning at the eastern Forest boundary on the Chrysotile Allotment and ending at Roosevelt Lake on the Poison Springs Allotment. The project area lies within twenty-one 6th code watersheds. The watersheds and their condition are listed in Table 1.

There are approximately 374 miles of named streams on the USGS 1:24,000 topographic quadrangles and unnamed streams that support riparian vegetation within the project area. There appear to be at least as many miles of unnamed streams delineated as blue lines on the USGS topographic quadrangles. These unnamed streams are the ephemeral and intermittent tributaries to the named streams. These channels are primarily headwater channels dominated by upland vegetation or ephemeral washes. They provide important functions relating to water quantity, water quality, the flood regime, hydrological connectivity, riparian vegetation and wildlife habitat within the watershed (Meyer et al. 2003, Levick et al. 2007).

Historic Conditions

The existing condition of watersheds, stream channels and riparian areas has been affected by many factors, both natural disturbances and human activities. The natural disturbances, drought, fire and floods, have likely been exacerbated by human activities.

Historic over-grazing has had the most extensive effect on watersheds, stream channels and riparian areas. Cattle were introduced in the late 1870s following the Civil War and the subjugation of the Apaches. By 1891, one and a half million cattle had been brought to Arizona (Allen 1989). The range was severely overstocked. The trails formed by livestock on the uplands and next to the stream channels were the beginnings of gulleys. Trampling and compaction in the uplands caused deterioration of the vegetation and soils. Vegetation along stream channels was removed by cattle. In 1892-93 a severe drought occurred that caused the death of many cattle and had a detrimental effect on an already deteriorated range (Allen 1989).

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In 1875, silver was discovered in Richmond Basin. Subsequently, the Mack Morris Mine was established and a ten-stamp mill was installed on Pinal Creek to reduce its ore (Dobyns 1981). There were also smelters and mills in operation in Globe and Miami. In the early 1880s, when the production of copper surpassed silver and gold, three water jacket furnaces were built on Pinal Creek (Dobyns 1981). All these mining operations required huge amounts of wood for fuel and building purposes which resulted in severe depauperation of timber in the surrounding areas (Dobyns 1981), including the Hicks-Pikes Peak Allotment. Pinal Creek was also subjected to placer mining (Dobyns 1981).

Other activities connected with prospecting and mining operations, including grazing and removal of vegetation, also impacted areas of the Chrysotile Allotment (FS 2210 range files).

When the rain came, there was little ground cover left to slow the water. In February 1891 two large floods occurred in the Gila River watershed, and had a devastating effect on the channels in the Pinal Creek watershed (Dobyns 1981). Overland flow and subsequent erosion of the uplands overwhelmed steams. Soil surface layers and large areas of floodplain were washed away. Stream channels downcut, widened, and lost connectivity with the water table, leaving the wide, unstable, dry channels existing today.

The Forest Service Range Management Planning (2210) files located at the Tonto National Forest Supervisor’s Office in Phoenix indicate that all of the allotments in the project area had been severely over-grazed by the 1940s. Cattle concentrated in the channel bottoms, flat areas and near water. There were few off-channel waters so the cattle depended on springs, streams and the Salt River for water. Many of the springs were fenced and used as traps, causing severe erosion and loss of vegetation. A 1944 Forest Service range inspection includes a lengthy report that contains information about several of the channels on the Radium Allotment which is adjacent to Hicks-Pikes Peak, to the south. The report states that older stockmen claimed the washes, at one time, supported sodded-over bottoms and the small gravelly streams ran nearly yearlong. By 1944, the channels were getting washed out by floods because of poor upland condition and cattle were trailing down channels and causing damage. The condition of Negro Wash, which also occurs on the Hicks-Pikes Peak Allotment, was “deplorable”. It was depleted of perennial grasses, though some bunch grasses were present (possibly deergrass). This is certainly the case for channels on the other allotments as well.

Best Available Science

The best available science was used for this analysis. The analysis is based primarily on data collected during past and present field visits conducted for the purposes of monitoring riparian use, stream channel classification, condition assessment and inspections. Field methods and protocols used can be found in the following documents: Utilization studies and residual measurements (ITT 1996), Riparian Area Management Utilization Guidelines (McBride and Grove 2002), Applied River Morphology (Rosgen 1996), Stream channel reference sites: an illustrated guide to field technique (Harrelson et al. 1994), Tonto Stream Assessment Method (Mason and Grove 1999). Other current literature used is listed under references. This information was used in conjunction with the principles of hydrology and riparian ecology and constitutes consideration of the best available science.

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EXISTING CONDITIONS

Presently, of 374.14 miles of stream channels, including those named on the USGS topographic maps and those identified as supporting riparian vegetation on the National Wetland Inventory (NWI) maps, there are approximately 70 miles of stream channels that support obligate riparian vegetation. Based on the 2210 Forest Service reports, and associated changes in both upland and riparian vegetation, this extent of riparian vegetation has been reduced from historic conditions (Croxen 1926, Haskett 1935, Heffernan 2008). The potential to restore and increase the acreage of riparian vegetation is unknown, but likely.

On these allotments, most of the stream channels evaluated in the field are in unstable or impaired condition (Table A3). Riparian areas and springs have been relied upon as the primary source of livestock water for many years causing stream channels and adjacent riparian areas to receive concentrated grazing pressure.

Appendix A summarizes all the data available for the streams and riparian areas of the project area. This data provides the source of information for the description of steams and riparian areas chosen as key reaches for the project area.

Recent Flood Events

Stream channels are dynamic ecosystems that are constantly being changed by the water and sediment flowing through the system. These changes obey the natural forces of gravity, friction and fluid cohesion (Janicke 2000). A stable (Mason and Johnson 1999), or properly functioning (Barrett 1993), stream channel is dependent on its ability to resist the forces of erosion (Janicke 2000) and will maintain its dimensions (width/depth ratio, gradient, sinuosity) over time without excessive erosion or deposition (Rosgen 1996). A healthy riparian ecosystem contributes to channel stability by increasing resistance, thereby reducing flood peaks, trapping sediment and increasing groundwater recharge (Briggs 1996). Modifications that cause removal of vegetation will lower the channel’s resistance to erosion and lead to an increased frequency and magnitude of flood impacts (Trimble and Mendel 1995, Rosgen 1996, Janicke 2000).

Most of the stream channels in the project area are in impaired or unstable condition (Mason and Johnson 1999) in a large part due to lack of riparian vegetation. These streams are less able to resist the erosive forces of flood waters and will begin to erode with smaller events which consist of lower water velocities (Janicke 2000). When large events with high water velocities occur, the channels “blow out”, causing heavy loss of riparian vegetation and severe erosion and/or aggradation.

In late January 2008, a weather system off the west coast moved into Arizona that tapped tropical moisture from the south. It brought high precipitation along the Mogollon Rim and the Upper Gila River watershed that caused flooding (Stall and Lader 2008). Stream gages within and near the project area recorded high flows (Table 1).

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In mid-January 2010, three low pressure systems passed through Arizona within a week causing intense rainfall and record flooding south and west of the Mogollon Rim (NOAA 2010). Stream gages within and near the project area recorded record high flows (Table 1).

Table 1. Peak flow data for gages within and near the project area (USGS 2011a). Gage Date Flow (cfs) Comment Salt R. near Chrysotile 1-28-2008 55,300 6th highest flow of record 1-22-2010 37,000 15th highest flow of record Salt R. near Roosevelt 1-28-2008 81,300 9th highest flow at the time 1-22-2010 88,300 8th highest flow of record Cherry Creek near Globe 1-28-2008 10,300 3rd highest flow at the time 1-22-2010 17,700 highest flow of record Pinal Creek at Inspiration Dam 1-28-2008 2520 5th highest flow at the time 1-22-2010 5330 2nd highest flow of record

Given the initial condition of the stream channels and the magnitude of two rainfall/flooding events at such close intervals, many of the streams within the project area have been “blown out” by the recent floods. They have lost riparian vegetation, downcut, eroded, aggraded, and are now trying to recover.

Key Reaches

The 65 riparian areas identified in Table 2 below have the potential to improve within a relatively short time period (10 years), and have been identified as key reaches for this analysis. Key reaches, similar to upland key areas (Interagency Technical Team 1996), are stream channels/ springs/ riparian areas that are representative, responsive to changes in management, accessible to livestock, and contain key species. Key reaches are synonymous with designated monitoring areas (DMA’s) defined by Burton et al. (2011) as the location where monitoring occurs. Table 2 displays the key reaches, some of which were rated using a condition assessment developed on the Tonto National Forest (Mason and Johnson 1999), and whether they currently have enough available, palatable riparian vegetation to provide for statistically valid annual use monitoring as a management tool.

Table 2. List of key reaches within each allotment and pasture and summary of conditions. Allotment Pasture Key Reach Stream Manage by Condition Monitoring Dagger Lower Dry Creek Coon Creek Stable Yes Salt River not assessed Yes Upper Coon Creek Coon Creek Unstable No Bill Lee Spring Impaired No Oak Creek Mesa Zimmerman Spring not assessed Yes Oak Creek Stable Yes Reynolds Creek (Knoles not assessed Yes Hole Spring) Coon Creek Stable Yes West Devore Salt River not assessed No data

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Cherry Creek not assessed Yes Dagger Salt River not assessed No data Holding (3) Armor Corral Spring not assessed No data Montag Spring not assessed Yes Coon Creek Stable Yes Poison Springs/ Blevens Pinto Creek Unstable Yes Sierra Ancha Blevens Wash not assessed Yes North Black Mesa Chalk Creek Stable Yes Klondike Salt River not assessed No data Chrysotile Boundary Butte Creek not assessed No Salt River not assessed No Gleason Riparian Salt River not assessed No Gleason Holding Salt River not assessed No Ash Creek Ash Creek not assessed No data Ash Creek Riparian Ash Creek not assessed Yes North Ash Creek Salt River not assessed Yes 4th of July Holding Walnut Canyon (4th of July Impaired Yes Spring) Walnut Riparian Walnut Canyon not assessed Yes Tony Ash Creek Impaired No Jackson Rock Springs Severely No Impaired Carol Carol Spring Stable Yes Haystack Butte Ash Creek Ash Creek not assessed Yes Upper Ash Creek Rock House Spring not assessed No Bronson Bronson Canyon Impaired Yes East Steer Bronson Canyon not assessed Yes River Salt River not assessed No Cottonwood Willow Spring not assessed No Sedow 4Y Yankee Joe Canyon (Lower not assessed No Yankee Joe Spring) Storm Canyon Yankee Joe Canyon Impaired No Yankee Joe Canyon (Upper Impaired No Yankee Joe Spring) Walnut Spring Unstable No Storm Canyon Impaired Yes Little Walnut Trap Little Walnut Spring Stable Yes Hess Hess Canyon Unstable No No Name Spring not assessed Yes Pancho Spring Impaired Yes Big Horse Hess Canyon Unstable No Steer Hess Canyon Unstable No Bronson Bronson Canyon Impaired No Nesbitt Spring Impaired No Hudson Little Woodcamp Spring not assessed Yes

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Hudson Spring Impaired Yes Indian Garden Garden Spring not assessed No Monument Trap Monument Spring Unstable No Monument Monument Spring Unstable No Brushy Trap Sedal Canyon (Brushy Unstable No Spring) Brushy Sedal Canyon Unstable No Sevenmile Riparian Sevenmile Wash Unstable No ungrazed Salt River not assessed No data Hicks-Pikes Peak Holly Bluff Spring not assessed Yes Kenny Devore Wash Impaired No Rip Hicks Wash Severely No Impaired Ortega Salt River not assessed Yes Lower Shute Springs Salt River not assessed Yes Horseshoe Bend Sycamore Canyon Unstable No Mud Springs Wash Unstable No

Existing and desired conditions of these key reaches are discussed below. Appendix A presents data sources and information for these stream channels as well as those not selected as key reaches.

Salt River

The Salt River originates at the confluence of the White River and the Black River on the boundary of the White Mountain Apache and San Carlos Indian Reservations. The Salt River then forms a portion of the boundary until it reaches the Tonto National Forest where it forms the boundary between the Forest and the White Mountain Apache Indian Reservation. About a half mile past Yankee Joe Canyon it passes the Reservation boundary and flows entirely on the Forest.

Valley widths vary from narrow (<50 feet) to broad (300 feet) with occasional sections reaching 600 feet. High energy flows are common in the canyon. In some locations, the river is narrowly confined by rock walls with no potential to support riparian vegetation. However, some of the river has banks capable of supporting stands of riparian vegetation.

The history and amount of livestock use along the river is generally not known. Float trips were conducted by the district in May 1999 (Gleason Flat to SR 288 bridge) and April 2011 (second camp on the reservation to SR 288 bridge) to document existing condition, accessibility by cattle and use on the river. Inspection notes were written up by Kristen McBride (Riparian Monitoring Coordinator) in 1999 and by Jamie Wages (Range Conservationist, Globe) in 2011. Their data, along with some limited monitoring and site visit data, were used in this report.

Although the Salt River is divided into reaches by pasture, there are no fences across the river to prevent cattle from accessing the river in adjacent pastures. Once in the river, cattle would have access up and down stream until reaching natural barriers.

DAGGER ALLOTMENT

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This allotment was in non-use from 2000 to 2009 and some of the stream channels and riparian areas are showing recovery from historic overuse, such as Chalk Creek. However, the larger systems and the reaches that received the highest past use, such as Coon Creek and Bill Lee Spring in the Upper Coon Creek Pasture, are still in need of improvement before statistically valid annual use monitoring can be used to effectively manage grazing in the riparian areas. Streams identified as perennial on the Tonto GIS perennial layer on this allotment are the headwaters of Reynolds Creek, Coon Creek below Coon Creek Spring and Cherry Creek.

Lower Dry Creek Pasture

Coon Creek. Coon Creek originates below Carr Peak at about 6600 feet and flows south into the Salt River at about 2200 feet. The entire length lies within this allotment. Approximately 1.5 miles of Coon Creek occur in this pasture, including its confluence with the Salt River. It is a spring-fed, perennial reach. The spring source lies about 3/4 mile above the private property. Most of the channel in this pasture lies in a 100-300 foot wide valley bottom. It is incised, with the level of incision seeming to vary with sediment contributions from side channels. There is localized headcutting occurring in the channel, exposing bedrock in places. Channel types include “B” (Rosgen 1996) with building floodplains, and “F”.

Monitoring in 1998 found no recent use. Recruitment of sycamore, cottonwood and red willow was noted. Deergrass plants were consistently present, but low in number. Photo points established in 1994 and repeated most recently in 2000 show an increase in herbaceous and shrubby vegetation and a decrease in the width/depth ratio of the channel. In 2002, a field inspection showed some vegetative recovery. Deergrass plants were infrequent but robust. Emergents, especially horsetail are increasing in cover and have encroached into the channel, narrowing the stream and trapping a wide band of sediment. Currently, the dominant woody size class is large saplings (poles), indicating successful recruitment. Large, overstory trees are found as individuals and within small stands throughout the length of the reach. Recent reports (2011) from district personnel indicate there is further vegetative recovery.

The lower end of Coon Creek above the Salt River is in a narrow canyon with limited floodplain. Walking up the canyon from the Salt River in August 1997, cattle use was observable above the canyon, but limited within it.

Chalk Creek. The headwaters of Chalk Creek originate just south of Hackberry Mountain. The creek then flows southeast approximately 3.5 miles to its confluence with Dry Creek. Approximately 1.6 miles of Chalk Creek lie within this pasture. The reach downstream from FR 1075 is intermittent with perennial pools and supports abundant deergrass. In 2000, this reach showed very high use on the deergrass and stream banks (100% for both). By 2002 deergrass cover had increased from trace to 25-50%, no livestock use was found, but the channel showed evidence of past chronic overuse. It was an “F” type stream in a bedrock channel.

This reach was visited in 2011. There is a spring about one tenth of a mile downstream from the wilderness boundary. Downstream from the spring the stream still flows through a narrow bedrock channel, but the vegetation is trapping sediment and forming banks to create a “B” type channel. It was assessed as stable condition (Mason and Johnson 1999). Deergrass is thick

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along the channel up and downstream of the spring. There is a dense thicket of pole size willows near the spring. Moving downstream, the spring supports sedges and mesquite. As the channel becomes dryer, the vegetation transitions into Bermuda grass and seep willow. The lower mile was drier with decreasing cover of riparian vegetation, and a wider, shallower “F” channel. The whole reach contained non-native species including tamarisk, brome, wild oats and star thistle.

Salt River. The Salt River is accessible to livestock from the Lower Dry Creek Pasture. Some monitoring occurred during the summer of 1999 along the Salt River below Redmond Flat from Chalk Creek to Coon Creek. No use was authorized. Cattle sign was observed, but use was not measurable. The Salt River streambank in this area was dominated by an impenetrable stand of salt cedar, except for the cottonwood stand found at the Coon Creek confluence.

Upper Coon Creek Pasture

Coon Creek. About 4.5 miles of Coon Creek occur in this pasture. The one-quarter mile perennial spring-fed reach of Coon Creek just above the private property used to be a watergap. This reach has received historic high use and is very degraded. In 1998 and 2000 there was no herbaceous vegetation along the channel, only bare ground. There was a closed overstory canopy consisting primarily of pole and mature sycamore. Unpalatable species, such as sycamore, were showing use by cattle. In 2011, the herbaceous component was still depauperate and consisted mainly of annuals. Shrubs such as California buckthorn, grape, and blackberry now inhabit the banks and floodplain. The main tree species is still sycamore with some alder and a few willow. The channel is an unstable “F” that has recently downcut, probably after recent floods, and is still in the process of widening to form a new floodplain. A large component of the sediment in the banks and channel is sand with some cobble in the channel. The sand in the banks is being washed away, exposing tree roots.

The vegetation remains similar going upstream toward Coon Creek Spring (3/4 mile), consisting mainly of pole and mature sycamore with a few alder. The channel becomes a slightly more stable “B” type with a more functional floodplain. Deergrass and one cottonwood are present at the spring. This channel is still in need of recovery before it can be managed with annual use monitoring.

Bill Lee Spring. Bill Lee Spring is a small tributary to Coon Creek. It flows approximately 0.15 mile and supports old sycamore, willow and seep willow. The floodplain contains a thick stand of shrubs including California buckthorn and hollyleaf buckthorn. Near the confluence it becomes more of a wetland inhabited by grasses. The herbaceous layer is very depauperate and there is little regeneration of tree species. The entire reach should support deergrass.

Holding Pasture

Coon Creek. About a half mile of Coon Creek occurs in the holding pasture. There is an old holding corral on the right terrace. The stream here is probably intermittent. In 2011 it was rated as a stable “B” type channel with cobble being the dominant sediment. The vegetation on the channel and banks showed good diversity but low cover and included deergrass, sedges, horsetail, monkeyflower and alder seedlings. The upper banks and floodplain support poison

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ivy, buckthorn, oak, sycamore, cottonwood and alder. The channel contained lots of downed wood and the sediment, including boulders and cobble, was very unsorted, possibly due to recent floods. Downstream from the corral the vegetative cover decreases.

Oak Creek Mesa Pasture

Zimmerman Spring. Zimmerman Spring is located on an unnamed tributary to Coon Creek that originates west of the holding pasture. The upper half of the tributary is a small, shallow, “B” type channel that supports thick deergrass and occasional sycamore and cottonwood. The lower half of the tributary flows into a steep canyon that is inaccessible to cattle.

Oak Creek. The headwaters of Oak Creek originate on the escarpment below Zimmerman Point. Oak Creek, mostly intermittent or ephemeral, then flows south to its confluence with Cougar Canyon. Oak Creek Spring, located in Oak Creek just north of the Oak Creek Trailhead, is probably perennial. It supports a thick stand of deergrass, sycamores and willows. No use was found in 2002.

Reynolds Creek (Knoles Hole Spring). Reynolds Creek originates in this pasture at the spring. It flows approximately a mile before dropping over a waterfall into a steep, narrow canyon. The spring forms a channel with fine sediment banks and deep pools. It supplies a wetland about 300 feet long that supports cottonwoods, sedges and rushes. High wildlife use was noted in October 2011. This small wetland is very vulnerable to impacts.

Coon Creek. The portion of Coon Creek in this pasture which is adjacent to the Holding Pasture (approximately a quarter mile) is the same as the reach within the Holding Pasture. Moving upstream the creek becomes narrower and contains more bedrock and less vegetation.

West Devore Pasture

Salt River. The entire reach of Salt River in this pasture supports riparian vegetation and is accessible to cattle (Google Earth 6/24/2011). There is no field data for this reach.

Cherry Creek. Cherry Creek originates below the Mogollon Rim and flows approximately 51.7 miles south to its confluence with the Salt River on the Dagger Allotment. Approximately 4.3 miles of Cherry Creek lie in this pasture. In 2001 a demonstration project was initiated on Cherry Creek to restore the one mile reach within section 3 of Township 4 North, Range 15 East (approximately a half mile above and below the first crossing of FR 203). The restoration was intended to enhance the stability of the channel by constructing riffle and pool features, low elevation structures of natural materials and planting both herbaceous and woody riparian species. Subsequent monitoring showed an increase in riparian vegetation in this reach (see Table A2). The Decision Notice (2001) also states that the project area would be fenced to exclude livestock before grazing is reauthorized on the allotment. The reach in the Rock Pasture (north of this pasture) has been fenced. Currently there is no grazing in this pasture and the project reach will be fenced before grazing occurs. However, riparian vegetation continues downstream of the project area and will be considered a key reach.

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A research project was conducted on Cherry Creek in approximately the same reach as the restoration project to determine the flow necessary to support riparian habitat (Merritt et al. 2010). The upper mile in the West Devore Pasture is the main study reach and supports nine vegetation cover types. The most frequent vegetation types in this reach were cottonwood/ Goodding’s willow/ sycamore/ salt cedar (22 percent), burrobrush/desert broom (18 percent), and Cottonwood/willow/seepwillow/burrobrush (16 percent) (Merritt et al. 2010). In 2010 flooding caused bank cutting, erosion and channel and vegetation changes along Cherry Creek in this pasture.

Dagger

Salt River. The only place with significant riparian vegetation on the river in this pasture is a reach above the Cherry Creek confluence (Google Earth 6/24/2011). The only way cattle can access this reach is down Cherry Creek, as the side slopes above the river are too steep. It’s also possible, but not likely, that cattle could access the river from the Hikes-Pikes Peak Allotment south of the river. There is no field data for this reach.

Holding Pastures

There are four small holding pastures on the Dagger Allotment that contain springs. In the past, these holding pastures were used as traps to hold cattle. This practice causes detrimental impacts to the spring resources located in the traps. The unnamed spring in the holding pasture west of Oak Creek is fenced to exclude cattle and water is piped downstream to drinkers. Coon Spring is located in a corral inside a holding pasture and does not support riparian vegetation.

Armor Corral Spring and an unnamed spring are located in a small holding pasture on the mesa above upper Coon Creek within the Oak Creek Mesa Pasture. The NWI map indicates perennial flow and forested type riparian vegetation at both springs. There are no field data for the springs. Once they have been evaluated in the field, a decision will be made whether or not to keep them as a key reach.

Montag Spring (Montague Spring on the USGS topographic map) is located in a holding pasture between the Upper Coon Creek Pasture and the Rock Pasture. The spring supports large deergrass and seep willow. It forms a small channel that supports deergrass and a few willows. The soil banks were highly trampled by cattle in May 2010 and use on deergrass was variable.

POISON SPRINGS/SIERRA ANCHA ALLOTMENT

Most of the channels on this allotment are ephemeral washes. They provide the important functions as listed above (Area of Analysis), but do not support obligate riparian vegetation.

Blevens Pasture

Pinto Creek. Pinto Creek originates in the Pinal Mountains and flows through several allotments before reaching the Poison Springs/Sierra Ancha Allotment where it follows the

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western boundary of the Blevens Pasture for approximately four miles. It exits the allotment just before its confluence with the Salt River.

For about one and a half miles upstream from SR 188 Pinto Creek lies in a very wide valley bottom (>300 feet). This reach was visited in 2011. The lower mile is dry, then there is a narrow pinch-point formed by bedrock, above which riparian vegetation has established. The valley bottom is still very wide and flat, and the channel is braided and unstable, changing course frequently. The main sediment is sand and gravel. There are some higher bars with thick vegetation including ash, cottonwood, seep willow and tamarisk. There is a small channel of running water cutting through the sediment that is lined with cottonwood seedlings. All the vegetation is young as this area was impacted by recent floods. Because of the instability of this reach, and the size of the contributing watershed, it may never recover but it should be managed for short-term vegetation for wildlife habitat and sediment trapping.

Riparian vegetation continues upstream as the creek flows through a narrow canyon.

Blevens Wash. Blevens Wash originates about one mile south of the allotment and flows northwest approximately four miles through Blevens Pasture to its confluence with Pinto Creek. It is mostly ephemeral but for about one half mile below Lower Blevens and Summit Springs near the southern boundary of the pasture. Visits to this spring in 2007 and 2011 found spotty riparian vegetation below the spring and thick deergrass, sedges and rabbit’s foot grass, along with sycamore, cottonwood and one walnut at the spring. No use was found on either visit.

Klondike Pasture

Salt River. The Salt River is accessible to livestock from the Klondike Pasture. The history, condition and amount of livestock use in this pasture is generally not known.

CHRYSOTILE ALLOTMENT

The streams on this allotment have been impacted by the recent flood events. Many were not stable to begin with and have downcut and lost vegetation. Most of the riparian areas on this allotment do not have enough available, palatable riparian vegetation to use annual use monitoring to effectively manage grazing use and should be rested until they do. The only perennial stream indicated on the Tonto GIS perennial stream layer is Ash Creek, about 0.5 mile up from the confluence and about 1.5 miles on the boundary of the Timber and Tony Pastures.

Boundary Pasture

Butte Creek. Butte Creek originates on the neighboring Haystack Allotment and flows northwest to its confluence with the Salt River. It flows 3.5 miles through the Boundary Pasture, most of which is through a narrow canyon. The one mile reach above FR 303A was dry in August 2003 but supported patches of thick deergrass, rabbit’s foot grass and seep willow. Burrobrush was common throughout the reach. There was mortality on seep willow, probably due to the drought. Woody species were very sparse and included some walnut and three cottonwoods in the upper part of the reach. The channel is a down-cut "F" with cobble, gravel

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and sand as the main sediment. Large amounts of sediment are entering the channel from side drainages. The valley bottom is usually less than 100 feet wide. The only parameter that could be measured for use is deergrass.

Salt River. In April 2011, cattle tracks were seen on river left. There is a perennial pond on river right that supports cattails. The vegetation is similar to that in the Gleason Riparian Pasture. A new fence was seen paralleling the river extending from Gleason Riparian Pasture south to the adjacent Cottonwood Pasture, effectively excluding the river from the Boundary Pasture.

Gleason Riparian Pasture

Salt River. In July 2003, the river was low enough that cattle could cross. Fresh cattle manure was found on the Forest Service side. Dominant species growing on the greenline were seep willow and salt cedar. There were scattered patches and individuals of large Fremont cottonwood. Most of the trees in the area were small and young. The adjacent mesquite bosque contained graythorn, Lycium species, catclaw acacia, prickly pear, occasional Goodding’s willow, desert willow and an understory of annuals and snakeweed.

In 2011, the Salt River was low enough that cattle could cross. There was no sign of cattle and no use. There was no recruitment of riparian vegetation at the site, except one lone cottonwood. Major species present are desert willow and tamarisk.

Gleason Holding Pasture

Salt River. The riparian vegetation in this pasture is similar to that in the Gleason Riparian Pasture, though the floodplain is narrower and supports only a narrow band of vegetation.

Ash Creek Pasture

Ash Creek. Ash Creek originates east of Timber Camp Mountain, flows north for about nine miles then turns west and continues for another six miles to its confluence with the Salt River. It flows approximately three miles through the Ash Creek Pasture, most of which is in a narrow canyon. The NWI map indicates about half a mile of riparian vegetation at the lower end where the valley widens. Photos taken from above the creek in 2003 show extensive riparian vegetation on the floodplain. There are no other field data for Ash Creek in this pasture.

Ash Creek Riparian Pasture

Ash Creek. A quarter mile of Ash Creek lies in this pasture, including its confluence with the Salt River. This reach was visited in 2006 to determine if livestock (either Tonto NF or Reservation cows) were still accessing the Salt River in this small riparian pasture. There was evidence of recent livestock use along the channel. Light use was observed on deergrass and seedling trees such as ash, Goodding's willow and cottonwood and there was trampling around the pools in the channel. There is no way livestock can access Ash Creek from the Salt River as there are steep, bedrock features that climb up from the river. It is likely that livestock accessed

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this site from the Gleason Flat area, or possible that OHV-ers left open gates into the riparian pasture.

The entire segment of Ash Creek in this pasture transitions from a wide, boulder-dominated channel with large woody debris piles and intermittent riparian obligate trees to a narrow channel with boulder and bedrock. The channel does not have consistent greenline or streambank features. However, riparian vegetation is more consistent where the channel narrows. Common species include: Arizona ash, cottonwood, Goodding's willow, seep willow, sycamore, hackberry, tamarisk, rabbit's foot grass, deergrass, and Bermuda grass.

North Ash Creek Pasture

Salt River. Cattle can access the river from the western portion of this pasture. The channel in this reach consists of large cobbles. Vegetation includes tamarisk, baccharis and willows. In April 2011 there was recruitment of Goodding’s willow along the bank, no sign of cattle and some alteration by recreationists.

4th of July Holding Pasture

Walnut Canyon (4th of July Spring). Walnut Canyon is mostly ephemeral and flows about two miles north to its confluence with Regal Canyon. A perennial reach occurs downstream from 4th of July Spring. In 1997 the reach in this pasture was an “Fb” stream rated in impaired condition due to lack of vegetation and a high width/depth ratio. Two photo points were established along the reach in 1995 that show the same. Recent photos (2009) show a marked increase in vegetation, especially deergrass, and a decrease in the channel width.

Walnut Riparian Pasture

Walnut Canyon. This reach of Walnut Canyon lies downstream from 4th of July Spring in a riparian pasture. Five photo points were established along the reach in this pasture in 1995. At that time, the three upper points looked similar to the ones in the 4th of July Holding Pasture. Recent photos (2003 and 2004) show a significant increase in vegetation, especially deergrass, and a decrease in channel width. The two lower points were only retaken 1996 and 1998, but showed a stable channel with vegetation each year.

Tony Pasture

Ash Creek. Approximately five miles of Ash Creek flow through this pasture, of which about 1.7 miles lie on private land. Another 1.7 miles flow through a steep, narrow canyon. The one mile south of FR 304 and the private property has been visited several times. This reach includes the “Buck Place”, a small piece of private land that was acquired by the Forest Service in 1997. The quarter mile reach above the former Buck Place is in a narrow canyon, is inaccessible to cattle and includes a small dam. This reach contains diverse flora and fauna and includes willow, ash, walnut, alder, sycamore, locust, box elder, false indigo, buckthorn, hackberry, watercress, juncus, cattail, deergrass, black hawks and lowland leopard frogs. The channel is a “B” containing mostly bedrock. This is a good reference area for vegetation.

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The reach below the dam is accessible to cattle and there is a stock tank on the right terrace. When first visited in 1997, the vegetation was dominated by mature alders and the few alder seedlings were browsed. The channel was a downcut, eroding, unstable “G” type. In 2011, the channel is now a “C” with cobble and boulder as the dominant sediment. The channel and floodplain support all ages of alder and box elder. The herbaceous component is still depauperate and includes columbine. There is also regeneration of box elder on the terrace, some of which were browsed. Cattle were present during our visit, but probably prefer to stay on the terrace due to the large sediment in the channel, which makes access up and down stream difficult. There was a large amount of downed wood in the channel, probably due to recent floods. The channel was rated as impaired due to lack of herbaceous vegetation and excess sediment. It will be difficult to manage this reach with annual use monitoring as there is no deergrass and only box elder to monitor.

Jackson Pasture

Rock Springs. Rock Springs is mostly an ephemeral channel with reaches of perennial flow that support riparian vegetation. It originates south of Timber Camp Mountains and flows southwest for about 5.75 miles, to its confluence with Sevenmile Wash. About 1.8 miles occur in this pasture with the reach upstream of FR 2327 supporting riparian vegetation. On a recent visit (2011) the vegetation consisted of old large cottonwoods, sapling size willows and a couple of sycamores. There was no regeneration and no deergrass. The only herbaceous plants were yellow clover and juncus xiphiodes. The stream is a “B” with small floodplains and defined banks. The channel is full of sediment, decomposed granite and sand. It was rated as severely impaired due to lack of vegetation, excessive sediment and high width/depth ratio. It has not been grazed for some time and previous visits found no use. The stream was probably impacted by the recent floods. There is not enough available, palatable riparian vegetation to provide for statistically valid use monitoring as a management tool, but this reach has high potential.

Downstream of FR 2327 the channel is a dry, sandy wash with eroding banks.

Carol Pasture

Carol Spring. Carol Spring consists of several springs located on the hillside above Carol Tank Water Lot. The water from the springs seeps down the hillside, creating a wetland that supports sedges, rushes and orchard grass, and eventually fills Carol Tank. Two of the springs are developed with a large hole dug out on the hillside below a bedrock shelf. One is full of water. Part of the spring area is fenced, but on our visit in 2011 the fence was down. This is a unique area that has a long history of overuse (2210 range files); it would be easily impacted and difficult to manage.

HAYSTACK BUTTE ALLOTMENT

There are two reaches of perennial stream identified on the Tonto GIS perennial stream layer on this allotment: Ash Creek in the Upper Ash Creek Pasture and Bronson Canyon for about three quarters of a mile below Bronson Spring. Many of the small tributary channels on this allotment

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support sporadic mature cottonwoods. It is not clear whether these channels have the potential to support more riparian vegetation, especially as the climate dries. Ash Creek and Bronson Canyon are the only riparian areas that have enough available, palatable riparian vegetation to provide for statistically valid use monitoring as a management tool. The remainder of the riparian areas should be rested until they have enough riparian vegetation to monitor.

Ash Creek Pasture

Ash Creek. The lower half mile of Ash Creek in this pasture was monitored in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006. In 2000, 2002 and 2003 there was good age class diversity of cottonwood, sycamore and ash, though seedlings and saplings dominated. Use was low to moderate. There was also good age class diversity of deergrass. Use on deergrass was low. Most of this reach lies in a wide valley bottom (100-300 feet), and is a “C” type with a substantial floodplain. At the lower end of the reach the valley bottom narrows into a box canyon which is not as accessible to livestock. The dominant sediment on the channel and floodplain was cobble, boulder and bedrock. In 2005 and 2006 there was no use found, except for a low amount from a wild horse in 2005.

The winter storms of January and February 2005 caused flooding over a wide area of the state (Waters 2005). These events created fine sediment deposits in many streams on the Tonto NF. The site visit in 2006 found fine sediment had deposited on the channel and floodplain of Ash Creek covering up boulders and bedrock seen on previous visits. There was a marked increase in herbaceous species including: horsetail, cattail, speedwell, water cress, rabbit's foot grass, Carex spp., American bulrush, deergrass, and spike rush. Recruitment of obligate riparian trees was observed on red willow, alder, cottonwood, ash and sycamore. Additional species included poison ivy, desert baccharis, monkey flower and Bermuda grass.

Upper Ash Creek Pasture

Rock House Spring. This spring is a tributary to Butte Creek and was inventoried in 2009 and 2011. It is probably intermittent with small perennial pools. It supports sapling and pole size cottonwood, sycamore, willow and walnut, as well as seep willow and deergrass. In 2009 the area showed heavy cattle use and the channel was lacking any channel features. The spring development was not functioning.

In 2011 the development had been rebuilt and is now functioning and water is pumped up on the hillside. The channel and vegetation remain similar with mostly bare ground, no recruitment of tree species and a very depauperate herbaceous component. As the climate dries, the potential in this channel is questionable; however, the willows present indicate enough water to potentially support a riparian area.

Bronson Pasture

Bronson Canyon. Bronson Canyon originates on the Chrysotile Allotment and flows a total of 6.9 miles to its confluence with Hess Canyon on the Sedow Allotment. Bronson Spring supports a reach of riparian vegetation up and down stream of the pasture boundary with the Steer

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Pasture. The reach in the Bronson Pasture was visited in 2001, 2002 and 2011. In 2001 use on the few woodys was very high, moderate on deergrass. In 2002, use was moderate on woodys and low on deergrass. Regeneration was higher in 2002. In July 2002 the ranch manager installed an electric fence to restrict livestock access to the perennial reach (about 0.15 mile), which was successful.

In 2011 the woody riparian vegetation had high cover and diversity and included all ages of cottonwood, red and Goodding’s willow and sycamore, except pole size. Seep willow also occurs in patches, especially upstream as the channel dries. The herbaceous component is depauperate and includes a few deergrass and bullgrass plants and patches of rabbit foot grass and other grasses. This may explain why the channel is still not stable, even though the woody vegetation has appeared to recover. The valley bottom is narrow (<50 feet). The channel, which is a wide “F” with no channel features and no floodplain, fills the entire valley bottom. The sediment consists mainly of unsorted cobble, gravel and sand. It takes a thick herbaceous component to begin trapping sediment and form stream banks, which has not occurred here. No cattle use was seen. The electric fence is no longer there, though the posts remain.

There is a narrow spot that is a natural, bedrock “F” where the spring development consists of a standpipe with water and pipes running up the hillside to the drinker. Below this was a short reach of wet soil. The rest of the channel was dry.

East Steer Pasture

Bronson Canyon. This reach is a continuation of the reach in the Bronson Pasture. It was visited in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006 and the upper end in 2011. Use on woodys declined every year and went from high in 2002 to none in 2006. Use on deergrass was low to very low every year.

River Pasture

Salt River. The river in this pasture is accessible from the reservation as well as the allotment. However, a fence has been constructed that excludes the river from this pasture. In April 2011 cattle sign was seen in White Ledges Wash and on the floodplain of the river near the confluence of the wash. The river banks are cobbly and support baccharis and tamarisk seedlings. There is no recruitment of any preferred species.

Cottonwood Pasture

Willow Spring. Willow Spring is located in an unnamed tributary to the Salt River that flows across the north of the pasture. The spring, inventoried in 2009, supplies water to a densely vegetated channel. The dominant tree species is willow, with cottonwood and sycamore also present. Grape, hackberry and seep willow were in the understory with deergrass on the banks. The small drinker in the channel was not functioning. Cattle use was estimated at heavy, and cows were bedded down by the channel.

SEDOW ALLOTMENT

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Perennial or intermittent springs provide most of the stream channels and riparian areas on this allotment with water. These riparian areas, large and small, contribute to increased water quality, water quantity and wildlife habitat. Many of the springs are located in traps and get frequent high use. All of the spring developments consist of a drinker located next to the stream channel which contributes to high use in the adjacent channel. It is recommended to move the drinkers away from the channels. The most common riparian vegetation occurring in channels on this allotment are spotty cottonwoods, sycamores and Goodding’s willows of the same age (pole size). Most of the riparian areas do not have enough available, palatable riparian vegetation to provide for statistically valid use monitoring as a management tool, and should be rested until they do. There are no perennial streams identified on the Tonto GIS perennial stream layer for this allotment, however many of the springs supply reaches of perennial flow. The Salt River lies in a pasture that has been excluded from grazing.

4Y Pasture

Yankee Joe Canyon. Yankee Joe Canyon originates at Yankee Joe Spring on the Winters Allotment and flows north approximately 12.5 miles to its confluence with the Salt River. The flow in Yankee Joe Canyon is sustained by several springs on the Sedow Allotment including Upper Yankee Joe Spring, Yankee Joe Spring, Yankee Joe Seep, Lower Yankee Joe Spring and several unnamed springs. It flows approximately 4.7 miles through the 4Y Pasture.

Yankee Joe Canyon by Lower Yankee Joe Spring was monitored in early 2002. There were several pole size cottonwood and willow trees but recruitment was low and there too few seedlings or saplings to monitor use. Deergrass plants were patchy and use was low to moderate. The streambanks were mainly comprised of bedrock or cobble but the few soil banks were highly trampled by cattle. There is no recent data for this reach.

Storm Canyon Pasture

Yankee Joe Canyon. There are two reaches of Yankee Joe Canyon in this pasture that support riparian vegetation. The downstream reach is up and downstream from the confluence of Walnut Spring and along FR 645. This reach has been visited several times; 1999, 2001, 2003, and 2011. In 1999 and 2001 there was high bank alteration and moderate to high use. There was high mortality on false indigo and willows in 1999, 2001 and 2003, likely due to drought conditions. In 2011 the channel supports mostly pole size cottonwoods, false indigo, and weedy and upland species on the banks and floodplain. There is also a high frequency of tamarisk. The “C” type channel consists of unsorted sand, gravel and cobble. There are defined stream banks, in some places, that show erosion due to little vegetative protection. There is little woody regeneration. No recent use was seen. There is not enough available, palatable vegetation to manage this reach by annual use monitoring.

The upstream reach in this pasture is located up and downstream from Upper Yankee Joe Spring and up and downstream from the FR 217 crossing. In 2001 there were high bank impacts near the spring and high mortality on false indigo and willow. In 2011 the false indigo has recovered and there are thick patches of it. Pole size cottonwoods and Goodding’s willows are spaced out

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along the channel. Also present are a few old cottonwoods, some sycamore, walnut, seep willow and a couple tamarisk. The banks are lined with thick desert baccharis. There is little woody regeneration and no deergrass. The floodplains also support a high cover of weedy species. The valley bottom is mostly narrow, < 100 feet, and contains a narrow channel, about 3-5 feet wide. The channel is a “B” type consisting of sand with gravel and cobble in impaired condition due to little effective vegetation on the floodplain and excess sediment in the channel.

Walnut Spring. Walnut Spring is located in an unnamed tributary to Yankee Joe Canyon that enters near the FR 645 crossing. The spring development, consisting of a dam across the channel and a drinker, is located in a trap upstream from the riparian reach. The reaches in and below the trap have evidence of extreme concentrated use, such as mostly bare ground and large Goodding’s willows with a shrubby appearance and extremely large leaves, indicative of many years of overuse. There are no channel features, no woody regeneration, no herbaceous species and only weedy species in the understory. It is an “F” type channel in unstable condition.

Storm Canyon. Storm Canyon originates in the southwest corner of the Storm Canyon Pasture and flows north 3.1 miles through the pasture, then west onto the Hicks/Pikes Peak Allotment. It is mostly an ephemeral stream with perennial or intermittent flow near in-channel springs. Riparian vegetation occurs upstream of Storm Canyon Spring, along FR 2321. In 2011, vegetation consists of spotty pole size cottonwoods and thick desert baccharis on the banks. Also present are deergrass, a few sapling cottonwoods and willows, false indigo and grape. The channel is a small, “B” type stream in a wide (>100 feet) valley bottom. No recent cattle use was seen. There may be enough available, palatable vegetation to manage this reach by monitoring.

Little Walnut Trap

Little Walnut Spring. Little Walnut Spring is located in an unnamed tributary to Yankee Joe Canyon that enters near the FR 645 crossing. The spring is developed with a horizontal well in the channel and a drinker on the terrace near the road. A short reach (about 70 feet long) upstream from the road has been highly impacted by cattle but supports pole size cottonwoods and willows. Upstream, the channel steepens and becomes rocky. It is mostly a “B” type with a small floodplain, but there is a steeper “A” type section in bedrock. Cattle access above this spot would be difficult. The channel is gravel with boulders and bedrock in a very narrow valley bottom, <50 ft. Vegetation consists of pole size cottonwood, willow and walnut, with grape, desert baccharis, thick horsetail, false indigo and cottonwood and willow seedlings. No recent use was seen. It was assessed as stable and can be managed by annual use monitoring.

Hess Pasture

Hess Canyon. Hess Canyon originates on the neighboring Chrysotile Allotment and flows west and north to its confluence with Bronson Canyon. The flow in Hess Canyon is supplied by several springs along its course. The reach of Hess Canyon upstream from FR 303 was visited in 1992, 1998, 2003 and 2011. In 1992 no channel features were evident. In 1998 a permanent cross section was installed, finding a “Bc” type stream in impaired condition and heavily browsed young willows. In 2003 the permanent cross section was no longer in place. Vegetation consisted mainly of sapling size cottonwoods and willows that lined an undefined

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“F” type channel. Photo points throughout this reach from 1987 to 2008 are variable. The lower ones show an increase in vegetative cover, the upper ones show no apparent change.

The cattle were in this pasture when we visited in 2011. This reach was heavily traveled. It is still an “F” type channel, composed of sand with some cobble and boulders, in unstable condition. There were pole and mature size cottonwoods and Goodding’s willows with patches of coyote willow and a few sycamore. The coyote willow showed 100% use. The lower branches of the larger trees were browsed where the cattle could reach. Even the unpalatable sycamore and false indigo showed use. Deergrass was spotty, with estimated moderate to high use.

Pancho Spring. Pancho Spring forms a tributary to Hess Canyon upstream of FR 303. The riparian area begins at the mouth and continues upstream about ¼ mile. This tributary contains the same species as Hess Canyon but with much higher density and cover. Below the development, the thick deergrass and coyote willow were estimated to have moderate use, but trailing was heavy. Use above the development was less. The drinker is located next to the channel and seemed to have been worked on recently. The channel is a narrow “F” type, consisting of sand with a few boulders, in impaired condition.

No Name Spring. This spring is located in an unnamed tributary to Hess Canyon. The upper portion of the reach is excluded from grazing with a fence and supports thick deergrass. The lower portion, below the fence, has been visited several times and is a photo point site. Photos from 1996 to 2005 show a dramatic increase in vegetation. A site visit in June 2009 found thick deergrass lining the channel, sapling and pole size Goodding’s willow and cottonwood, as well as seep willow and grape. The drinker is located next to the channel, cattle use was estimated as recent but light.

Big Horse Pasture

Hess Canyon. The riparian reach begins at the Adobe Ranch and continues upstream almost to the pasture boundary. This reach of Hess canyon was monitored in 2000. Most of the streambanks were unalterable, there was no deergrass to monitor, and the few available woodys showed 53% use. The photo point at the downstream fence shows no apparent change from 1993 to 2006.

A field visit in 2011 revealed a downcut “F” type channel in unstable condition consisting of sand, with some cobble and boulders. An occasional cottonwood, sycamore or walnut was found along the undefined channel. There was a patch of coyote willow and one red willow which all showed 100% old use and then regrowth. The false indigo also had high use. There is no herbaceous vegetation and no regeneration of tree species, therefore this reach cannot be managed with annual use monitoring. The canyon dries moving upstream and the vegetation on the upper end consists of walnut and desert willow.

Steer Pasture

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Hess Canyon. This reach is located near Willow Spring and was visited in 1998, 2004, 2006 and 2011. In 1998 there was 100% use on the little available vegetation, including some deergrass and 100% alteration of the banks. The spring exclosure was down and the spring area was trampled. In 2004 the vegetation was beginning to recover. The spring exclosure was repaired in 2006. There were low numbers of deergrass plants and most of the trees were mature, with little regeneration. In 2011 the channel seems to be in worse condition, an unstable, sandy “F” channel with cobble bars and few bank features. No deergrass was seen and there was little regeneration. Sycamore saplings, an unpalatable species, showed use. There are occasional old sycamores and cottonwoods. Also present are false indigo and some upland grasses showing use. There was fresh cow sign on our visit in October.

The spring exclosure is still functioning and includes thick sedges and willows. Outside the exclosure, near the spring are some red and Goodding's willow, grape, walnut and false indigo.

Bronson Pasture

Bronson Canyon. Bronson Canyon originates on the Chrysotile Allotment and flows across the Haystack Butte Allotment before entering the Sedow Allotment. The riparian area begins at the confluence of Nesbitt Spring and goes downstream approximately a quarter mile. The channel is an over-wide “C” type with sand as the dominant sediment. Stream banks are present in much of the reach, stabilized by deergrass. There are also thick patches of desert baccharis. Seep willow dominates the greenline with intermittent patches of coyote willow. Pole size cottonwoods and Goodding’s willows grow consistently along the channel throughout the reach, along with a few sycamore and mature trees. There were very few seedlings or saplings on every site visit. Use monitoring in 2001 and 2002 showed moderate to high use on woodys and low to moderate use on deergrass. There were very few woodys to monitor. The site visit in 2011 showed light use on deergrass with some trailing on the floodplain and in the channel. The fact that seedling numbers are low and receive high use may be limiting woody recruitment in this channel.

Nesbitt Spring. Nesbitt Spring is a tributary to Bronson Canyon. The spring is located east of FR 303 and flows 1.3 miles to its confluence west of FR 303. This stream has been monitored approximately one quarter mile above and one quarter mile below the road and near the confluence, though the entire reach supports riparian vegetation. It is a “B” type stream in a narrow valley with stream banks stabilized by deergrass. The vegetation is much the same as in Bronson Canyon with pole and large size cottonwood, Goodding’s willow and sycamore occurring sparsely but consistently along the channel and seep willow as the dominant shrub. Also present are desert baccharis and an occasional tamarisk. The are several spots where waterfalls create short sections that are somewhat inaccessible which support thick patches of deergrass. Nesbitt Spring was monitored in 2001, 2002 and 2006. Like Bronson Canyon, there were few woodys to monitor and use was moderate to high, low in 2006. Use on deergrass was low to moderate. There was moderate to heavy trailing on the channel and floodplain. In 2011, use on deergrass was estimated to be moderate, there were few seedlings and there was heavy trailing through the valley bottom contributing to the high amount of bare ground. It is unknown whether the narrow floodplain or the consistent heavy trailing is suppressing the recruitment of woody species. This channel has high potential to support a dense riparian area of shrubs and deergrass.

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Hudson Pasture

Hudson Spring. Hudson Spring occurs in an unnamed tributary to Sevenmile Wash that parallels FR 2318. The main riparian reach is above the spring development. The drinker lies on the floodplain which supports Bermuda grass, and sedges near the leaking drinker. The channel is mainly bedrock below this point.

The spring box is about 50 feet upstream of the drinker. The valley bottom is very narrow (<50 feet). A field visit in 1998 revealed 100% use on woodys and the stream channel. No bank features were evident. In 2011, stream banks are present, the active channel is about 5 feet wide, it contains sedges and is probably perennial with water occurring where there is bedrock at the surface. The main sediment is sand with some cobble present. The floodplain supports thick willow and seep willow. Other vegetation includes grape, false indigo and an occasional walnut. There is no herbaceous vegetation and little regeneration. This reach was rated as impaired (Mason and Johnson 1999) due to some braiding in the reach and lack of herbaceous component. About a half mile upstream two large burned cottonwoods were laying across the channel. They were likely damaged during the Sevenmile prescribed fire in June 2010. Upstream of the cottonwoods, the channel narrows and is lined with thick hackberry, willow and shrubs.

Little Woodcamp Spring. This spring is located in an unnamed tributary to Sevenmile Wash that lies south of and parallel to the Hudson Spring tributary. A field visit in 1998 found conditions to be similar to Hudson Spring, but with more species density, greater cover of deergrass and better channel features. There is no recent data for this reach, but it is likely, again similar to Hudson Spring but with the addition of deergrass.

Indian Garden Pasture

Garden Spring. Garden Spring forms a tributary to Sevenmile Wash. It was visited in 2002 and 2009. Both times water was flowing for a short distance, there was recent cattle sign and the channel was heavily trampled by cattle, obliterating channel features. In 2002, a few Gooding's willow seedlings were present and use was estimated to be moderate. No monitoring was done as there was little to monitor. The spring supports Goodding’s willow and walnut, most of pole size. Cottonwood is also present. The herbaceous component is depauperate and includes deergrass and sedges.

Monument Trap Pasture and Monument Pasture

Monument Spring. Monument Spring is a tributary to Sedal Canyon. The spring is located below FR 645 and there is an exclosure that begins at the road and goes downstream about 0.1 mile. It was visited in June 2011. Flow from the spring and riparian vegetation, continue downstream of the exclosure. Below the exclosure, within the trap, there is a boggy area that supports sedges and rabbit’s foot grass as well as pole size willows and poison ivy. The water continues downstream through a bedrock area that forms a channel. Further downstream, the channel becomes wide, shallow and sandy again, lined with pole size cottonwoods and willows. There is no herbaceous component, no regeneration of tree species, and the whole channel had

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been trampled. There was high use on the sedges and rabbit’s foot grass. This channel lies in a small trap in a narrow valley bottom which makes it very vulnerable to impacts. It is an unstable “F” type channel. With vegetation, water and soil it has high potential to recover and support a lush riparian area.

The stream continues below the trap in the Monument Pasture where it is dryer but looks much the same; wide, shallow and sandy, lined with pole size cottonwoods and willows. Potential is not known, but the channel should be protected during regeneration events.

Brushy Trap

Brushy Spring. Brushy Spring occurs in Sedal Canyon and is fenced in a small trap in the southern corner of the Brushy Pasture. This situation is very similar to Monument Spring.

The valley bottom is very narrow (<50 feet). A field visit in 2011 showed no channel or bank features, except for one short reach of about 20 feet with defined banks and running water. The rest of the reach was wet across the whole valley bottom and was thick with Goodding’s willow seedlings and sedges above the spring development. The development consists of a spring box with a drinker about 50 feet downstream next to the channel. There were patches of young coyote willow with previous high use, then regrowth, an occasional pole size Goodding’s willow, and a few seep willow, sycamore and mature cottonwood. There is no herbaceous component. No recent sign of cattle was observed. The channel is an “F” type in unstable condition with sand/gravel as the main sediment.

Brushy Pasture

Sedal Canyon. Sedal Canyon originates west of Jackson Butte and flows west and north to its confluence with Hess Canyon. It is mostly an ephemeral stream with a perennial reach below Brushy Spring. This reach of Sedal Canyon below the trap is dryer and contains less vegetation than within the trap. It seems to be used as a travel way and has no channel features. There are pole size cottonwoods and willows lining the channel with two sapling cottonwoods, no other regeneration and no herbaceous component. The channel is an unstable “F” type.

Sevenmile Riparian Pasture

Sevenmile Wash. Sevenmile Wash originates in the Storm Canyon Pasture and flows east and then south to its confluence with the Gila River on the San Carlos Indian Reservation. The riparian pasture was built about 1992. Photo points show a considerable increase in riparian tree cover and density from 1987 to 2009 in the northern half of the pasture. Field visits showed high use on vegetation and banks in 1992, bank trampling and woody regeneration in 1999, dense sapling cottonwoods and willows in 2001, and a “C” type channel in 2003. In 2012, a field trip found an “F” type channel with no herbaceous vegetation and no woody regeneration. There was fairly high cover of pole size willow trees, but many had fallen over or were broken off, presumably from the recent floods. The deergrass seen on previous trips has been extirpated. There were some weedy species present in the channel. No recent cattle use was seen, but there was old sign of cattle. The pasture fence was not functioning.

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ungrazed pasture

Salt River. This pasture has excluded cattle from the river since about 1998. However, cattle occasionally find their way into it. A cow and calf were sighted in this pasture by Hess Canyon in May 1999. The river in this pasture supports spotty riparian vegetation along most of the reach. There is a polygon of riparian vegetation near the eastern fence (Google Earth 6/24/2011). There are several spots within the pasture where cattle could access the river.

HICKS/PIKES PEAK ALLOTMENT

The Tonto GIS perennial stream layer identifies Pinal Creek and one mile of Mud Springs Wash, below Lower Mud Spring, as perennial on this allotment. The key reaches on this allotment have high potential to support lush riparian areas, but are used as water sources and typically receive high use.

Holly Pasture

Bluff Spring. Bluff Spring is located in Blevens Wash. The site was visited in 2006. A short reach of the channel was dominated vegetatively by a dense patch of deergrass with a few cottonwood and Goodding’s willow trees. The deergrass was over five feet in height. Seep willow and sedges were also present. The concrete trough in the channel was dry. We speculated that the cattle were watering at Laurel Spring, a quarter mile to the south in a tributary, and Bluff Spring received little use. If this spring is going to be used as a water source, it would be advisable to move the trough out of the channel.

Kenny Pasture

Devore Wash. Devore Wash originates on the north side of Webster Mountain and flows north approximately 8.2 miles through the west side of the allotment to its confluence with Pinal Creek. Forest Road 225 lies in the wash for about 1.3 miles from SR-188 upstream, through the West Pasture. FR 225 leaves the wash near the pasture boundary. Devore Wash flows about 1.4 miles through the Kenny Pasture and is the primary source of water in this pasture. It is mostly perennial, supported by springs, and flows in a narrow (<50 feet) valley bottom. The channel is an “F” type (Rosgen 1996) stream, wide and shallow, lacking channel or floodplain features, and predominantly comprised of sand and gravel sized sediments.

Murphy Spring is located just south of the southern pasture boundary in the Murphy Pasture. The drinker, which is shared by the two pastures, is located next to the creek. This spring supplies perennial flow in the upper reach of Devore Wash in this pasture. The dominant riparian tree size classes are saplings and poles of cottonwood, Goodding’s willow and sycamore. There are less frequent old trees and seedlings. Deergrass is absent near the spring, but occurs downstream where the channel becomes dryer. It is speculated that the deergrass has been extirpated near the spring. Sedges and rushes are also present.

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Downstream of this quarter mile reach the channel becomes intermittent for about half a mile. The intermittent reach supports most of the riparian species observed in the wetter reaches, but with lesser cover and density. Below this, the channel again becomes perennial and supports much the same vegetation as near the spring, but with a higher cover of deergrass. There were also short reaches of no impact where the channel became deep & narrow with deergrass forming banks.

Visits between 2004 and 2007 to monitor use near the spring showed light use on the few seedlings and there was no deergrass to monitor. In 2009 use was estimated on the whole reach. Use on the vegetation was variable, but trailing and trampling were excessive. Cattle were concentrated in the narrow riparian area and in the wettest areas, channel and floodplain features were obliterated.

This stream has high potential, but is vulnerable because of the narrow valley which concentrates use. Reaches around the wetter areas could be expected to increase in riparian species diversity and cover, and extend up and downstream with time.

Rip Pasture

Hicks Wash. Hicks Wash originates in the Murphy Pasture and lies entirely within the allotment except for a quarter mile at the confluence with Pinal Creek, which is on private land. It flows to the south of and parallel with Devore Wash, approximately 1.8 miles through this pasture. Forest Road 1120 lies in the lower half mile of the wash, which is dry, and exits at Rockhouse Trail Spring. In 2010, the old cottonwood at the spring had fallen over and there were a few seedlings present. There are some pole and large size cottonwoods upstream from the spring near an old dam. Upstream from the dam the channel becomes dry.

Moving upstream from the dry reach, the valley narrows and the channel becomes more defined. Rip Spring is located just upstream of the western pasture boundary and provides intermittent flow to the wash for approximately a half mile below the pasture boundary. The channel is an “F” type in severely impaired condition due to lack of vegetation and excessive sediment in the channel. It supports spotty sapling and pole size cottonwoods, seep willow and desert baccharis where water is forced to the surface by bedrock. There is one large patch of coyote willow. The herbaceous component is depauperate and consists of less than half a dozen deergrass plants. Cattle were in this pasture from March 1 to April 10, 2010. There was very little use on the vegetation, but trailing along the channel was excessive and preventing the channel from forming banks.

Ortega Pasture

Salt River. Cattle have access to the river and can cross at low flows in this pasture at the Cherry Creek confluence and Horseshoe Bend. In April 2011, past cattle use was seen in Cherry Creek and on the floodplain near the confluence. No recent use was seen. Cherry Creek looked to be in good condition.

Lower Shute Springs Pasture

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Salt River. In this pasture, the cattle have access to the river at Redmond Flats, Redmond Wash and Shute Springs Creek. Cattle sign was observed in the Redmond Wash area in April 2011.

Horseshoe Bend Pasture

Sycamore Canyon. Sycamore Canyon originates northwest of Apache Peaks and flows north for approximately 6.6 miles to its confluence with the Salt River at Horseshoe Bend in the Ortega Pasture. It is one of three main tributaries that enters the Salt River at Horseshoe Bend from the south, the other two being Grapevine Canyon and Mud Springs Wash. Just over half of the three miles through this pasture are ephemeral, with the lower mile and a quarter being perennial or perennial-interrupted flow supplied by springs. The last quarter mile drops into a steep narrow canyon. The floodplain of Sycamore Canyon is encumbered by FR 219 for approximately two miles which leaves the floodplain at Sycamore Spring. The road is causing sedimentation and impacts to riparian vegetation.

The reach above the spring is a wide, shallow, “F” type with no channel features. The riparian vegetation consists mainly of thick stands of seep willow, with occasional willows and cottonwoods. In some years there is a thick carpet of seedlings.

Below the spring, the channel contains bedrock and boulders. In 2008 the channel was a “C” type. There was a small section that was somewhat inaccessible that supported thick deergrass, sycamore, cottonwood, willow and seep willow. In 2012, the channel was highly trampled and is now an “F” type with no channel features. Gravel size sediment fills the entire channel. This may be partly due to the recent floods. The site is dominated by occasional pole size and larger willows, cottonwoods and sycamores and seep willow.

The deergrass has been extirpated from both reaches and there is no herbaceous vegetation and little regeneration of woody species. There was a high amount of breakage on the seep willows. Both reaches were visited several times and showed moderate to high use on seedlings and heavy trailing and trampling in 1992, 2000, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2012. There was no use in 2001.

Downstream from the spring, the channel dries and supports much the same vegetation as above, with lower density.

Mud Springs Wash. Mud Springs Wash originates south of Rockinstraw Mountain, flows around it to the east and then north to its confluence with the Salt River at Horseshoe Bend, approximately five miles. The upper half of the wash, in the Horseshoe Bend Pasture, is mostly ephemeral but contains springs that support perennial flow and riparian vegetation.

Near the boundary of the Horseshoe Bend Pasture and the Ortega Pasture, there is a spring (Lower Mud Spring) that supports a substantial riparian area. In June 2007, when the spring was inventoried, vegetation included sycamore, willow, seep willow, deergrass and sedges. Cattle were present and the channel and banks were highly trampled. In 2008, there was no herbaceous vegetation and seep willow and other baccharis species dominated. The soil near the spring was impacted by cattle. In 2012, there are no herbaceous species, no regeneration of woody species

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and the channel and floodplain are dominated by seep willow with some desert broom. Both species are unpalatable but showed 100% use and high breakage of branches by cattle. Spotty pole size cottonwoods and willows occur in the channel. Most of the channel consists of gravel size sediment, but there is soil near the spring which was highly impacted. The channel is an “F” type in Unstable condition due to lack of vegetation and channel features. ATV tracks are also evident in the channel.

Water from the spring is piped downstream to a drinker near the road, which supplies both the Horseshoe and Ortega Pastures. The drinker was full in 2012.

Climate

Climate on the project area is characterized by a bimodal precipitation pattern with about 60 percent occurring as frontal systems in the winter from December to March and about 40 percent occurring as monsoons in the summer from July to September. Summer storms can be more intense than winter storms but are generally of shorter duration and smaller aerial extent.

The nearest climate gauges to the project area with current data are Miami and Roosevelt 1WNW. The period of record for Miami is 1914-present and the average annual precipitation is 18.85 inches (WRCC 2011). The data indicate six of the last ten years (2001-2010) had below average precipitation, with 2002 being below 50% of average, two years (2005 and 2010) were above average and two years had missing data (WRCC 2011).

The period of record for Roosevelt 1WNW is 1905-present and the average annual precipitation is 15.85 inches (WRCC 2011). The data indicate seven of the last ten years (2001-2010) have had below average precipitation, with 2002 being below 50% of average. Three years (2005, 2008 and 2010) had above average precipitation (WRCC 2011). For the same years, the temperature was above average eight of the years and below average two of the years (WRCC 2011).

Wild and Scenic Rivers

Two streams in the project area have been classified as potentially eligible rivers for inclusion into the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System (USDA 1993). Pinto Creek from north of the Layton Ranch to the lower end of the Pinto Box is classified as Scenic. The lower mile of this segment lies in the Blevens Pasture, Poison Springs-Sierra Ancha Allotment. Four segments of the Upper Salt River have been classified as potentially eligible. The Upper Salt River flows through remarkable canyons and is nationally known for its white water rafting. The Outstandingly Remarkable Values (ORVs) are listed in Table 3 below and there are criteria established to describe these ORVs (see Appendix C). Forest Handbook direction is to manage potential wild and scenic rivers to protect their indicated ORVs (FSH 1909.12, Chapter 80).

Table 3. Potentially eligible streams for inclusion into the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System (USDA 1993). Stream Location Classification ORVs Name

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Pinto Creek From southern pasture boundary Scenic Scenic, Riparian, Ecological downstream 1 mile Salt River – From the east boundary of the Scenic Scenic, Geologic, Wildlife, segment 1a Tonto NF to the NE boundary of Recreational, Ecological the Salt River Canyon Wilderness Salt River – From the NE boundary of the Salt Wild Scenic, Geologic, Wildlife, segment 1b River Canyon Wilderness to the Recreational, Ecological west boundary of the Ft. Apache Indian Reservation Salt River – From the west boundary of the Ft. Wild Scenic, Geologic, Wildlife, segment 2a Apache Indian Reservation to the Recreational, Ecological SW boundary of the Salt River Canyon Wilderness Salt River – From the SW boundary of the Scenic Scenic, Geologic, Wildlife, segment 2b Salt River Canyon Wilderness to Recreational, Ecological the SR 288 bridge

Water Quality

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) evaluates the water quality status of waters within the state in a Nonpoint Source Assessment Report (2011a). Six water bodies within the project area have been monitored by ADEQ (Table 4). The Salt River from Pinal Creek to Roosevelt Lake is rated Impaired due to exceedances of the suspended sediment, nitrogen and phosphorus criterion for aquatic and wildlife-warm water fisheries (A&Ww) and the E. coli criterion for full body contact recreation (FBC). A total maximum daily load (TMDL) study is scheduled to begin in 2015 (ADEQ 2011b). All other uses are Attaining.

Cherry Creek and Coon Creek are rated Attaining Some Uses because of inconclusive sampling for A&Ww and FBC due to the lack of seasonal coverage for E. coli, phosphorus and nitrogen. All other uses are Attaining.

Lower Pinal Creek was first listed as Impaired by ADEQ in 1988 for copper, manganese, zinc, and low pH (ADEQ 2011a). Consequently, a water treatment plant was constructed on Pinal Creek at SR 188, groundwater is pumped from the creek to interrupt the flow, the water is then treated and returned to the creek. Pinal Creek was delisted in 2002 (ADEQ 2011a). The reach of creek from the treatment plant to the Salt River is now Attaining Some Uses. The data was inconclusive because of one exceedance of the criterion for each of cadmium, copper, dissolved oxygen and bottom deposits for A&Ww. All other uses are Attaining.

Pinto Creek, from West Fork Pinto Creek to Roosevelt Lake remains Impaired for the selenium criterion for A&Ww. It is also Not Attaining the copper standard for A&Ww because even though a TMDL has been completed and is being implemented, there are still exceedances due to high natural background levels. A TMDL for selenium is scheduled to begin in 2013 (ADEQ 2011b). All other uses are Attaining.

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Roosevelt Lake is listed as Attaining Some Uses by ADEQ (2011a) due to inconclusive sampling for A&Ww, FBC, DWS, AGL and AGI. However, the lake was added to the 303d list of impaired waters by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for fish consumption (FC) due to exceedance of the narrative water quality standards for mercury in fish tissue. A fish consumption advisory is currently in place (EPA 2009). A TMDL is scheduled to begin in 2014 (ADEQ 2011b).

Table 4. List of water bodies monitored by ADEQ and their designated uses (ADEQ 2011a). Stream Name Designated Uses Overall Assessment Salt River – Pinal Creek to A&Ww, FBC, FC, AGI, Impaired Roosevelt Dam AGL Cherry Creek – Fourmile Canyon A&Wc, FBC, FC, AGI, AGL Attaining some uses to Salt River Coon Creek – 10.1 miles to Salt A&Ww, FBC, FC, AGL Attaining some uses River Pinal Creek – lower Pinal Creek A&Ww, FBC, FC, AGL Attaining some uses WTP discharge to Salt River Pinto Creek – West Fork Pinto A&Ww, FBC, FC, AGI, Impaired (selenium) Creek to Roosevelt Lake AGL Not attaining (copper) Roosevelt Lake A&Ww, FBC, FC, DWS, Impaired AGI, AGL A&Ww - aquatic and wildlife-warm water fisheries A&Wc - aquatic and wildlife-cold water fisheries FBC - full body contact recreation FC - fish consumption DWS – domestic water source AGI – agricultural irrigation AGL - agricultural livestock watering A&We - aquatic and wildlife-ephemeral water fisheries PBC - partial body contact recreation

Designated uses for non-ephemeral, unlisted tributaries above 5000 feet are A&Wc, FBC and FC. Designated uses for non-ephemeral, unlisted tributaries below 5000 feet are A&Ww, FBC and FC. Designated uses for ephemeral, unlisted tributaries are A&We and PBC (A.A.C. R18- 11-105).

REFERENCES

ADEQ. 2011a. Draft 2010 Status of Water Quality in Arizona 305(b) Assessment and 303(d) Listing Report. Salt River Watershed. 88 p.

ADEQ. 2011b. Draft 2010 Status of Water Quality in Arizona 305(b) Assessment and 303(d) Listing Report. Appendix C - ADEQ TMDL Priority Ranking and Schedule. 10 p.

Allen, Larry. 1989. Roots of the Arizona Livestock Industry. Rangelands. Vol. 11, Issue 1, February 1989. p. 9-13.

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Barrett, Hugh, Jim Cagney, Ron Clark, Jim Fogg, Karl Gebhardt, Paul L. Hansen, Brenda Mitchell, Don Prichard and Dan Tippy. 1993 (Revised 1995). Riparian Area Management: Process for assessing proper functioning condition. Tech. Ref. 1737-9, Bureau of Land Management, Denver CO. 51 p.

Briggs, M., 1996. Riparian Ecosystem Recovery in Arid Lands, Strategies and References. The University of Arizona Press, Tucson. 159 p.

Burton, Timothy A., Steven J. Smith, and Ervin R. Cowley. 2011. Multiple Indicator Monitoring (MIM) of Stream Channels and Streamside Vegetation, Technical Reference 1737-23. Information and Publishing Services, Bureau of Land Management National Operations Center, Denver, CO.

Croxen, F. W. 1926. History of grazing on Tonto. Presentation at the Tonto Grazing Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, November 4-5, 1926. Unpublished paper. On file at the Tonto National Forest Supervisor’s Office, Phoenix, AZ. 11 p.

Dobyns, H.F. 1981. From Fire to Flood: Historic Human Destruction of Sonoran Desert Riverine Oases. Ballena Press. Socorro, NM.

EPA. 2009. Enclosure 2: Waters Added by EPA to Arizona’s Section 303(d) 2006-2008 List

Harrelson, Cheryl C, C. L. Rawlins, John P. Potyondy. 1994. Stream channel reference sites: an illustrated guide to field technique. Gen. Tech. Rep. RM-245. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. 61 p.

Haskett, B. 1935. Early history of the cattle industry in Arizona. Arizona History Review 6: 3- 42.

Heffernan, J. B. 2008. Wetlands as an alternative stable state in desert streams. Ecology 89(5): 1261-1271.

Interagency Technical Team. 1996 (revised 1999). Utilization studies and residual measurements. Technical reference 1734-3. U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Denver CO. p.3

Janicke, Steve. 2000. Stream channel processes: Fluvial Geomorphology in River Restoration. Water and Rivers Commission, Report No. RR6, July 2000. 12 p.

Levick, Lainie, David Goodrich, Mariano Hernandez, Darius Semmens, Juliet Stromberg, Rob Leidy, Melissa Apodaca, D. Philip Guertin, Melanie Tluczek, William Kepner. 2007. Hydrology and Ecology of Intermittent Stream and Dry Wash Ecosystems. Southwest Region Threatened, Endangered, and At-Risk Species Workshop: Managing Within Highly Variable Environments. Oct. 22, Tucson, AZ. EPA/600/R-07/142, ARS/218464. 20 p.

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Mason, Lynette W. and Janet L. Johnson. 1999. Tonto National Forest Stream Assessment Method. In: AWRA Symposium Proceedings on Wildland Hydrology June 30-July 2, Bozeman, MT. American Water Resources Association, pp. 255-257.

McBride, K. and J. Grove. 2002. Riparian Area Management Utilization Guidelines. On file at the Tonto National Forest Supervisor’s Office. 25p.

Merritt, David M., Heather L. Bateman, Christopher D. Peltz. 2010. Instream Flow Requirements for Maintenance of Wildlife Habitat and Riparian Vegetation: Cherry Creek, Tonto National Forest, Arizona. 87 p.

Meyer, J.L., L.A. Kaplan, D. Newbold, D.L. Strayer, C.J. Woltemade, J.B. Zedler, R. Beilfuss, Q. Carpenter, R. Semlitsch, M.C. Watzin, P.H. Zedler. 2003. Where Rivers are Born: The Scientific Imperative for Defending Small Streams and Wetlands. 24 p.

NOAA. 2010. Local Service Assessment: 18-23 January 2010 Arizona Winter Storms. National Weather Service. 77 p.

NPS. 2011. Nationwide Rivers Inventory, Outstandingly Remarkable Values (ORVs). http://www.nps.gov/ncrc/programs/rtca/nri/eligb.html#orv

Pfankuch, D. J. 1975. Stream reach inventory and channel stability evaluation. USDA Forest Service, R1-75-002. GPO #696-260/200, Washington, D.C. 26 p.

Rosgen, Dave. 1996. Applied River Morphology. Wildland Hydrology. Pagosa Springs, CO.

Stall, Tina and Glenn Lader. 2008. Heavy Mountain Rainfall and Flooding across Southeast Arizona: January 26-28, 2008. NOAA/NWS Forecast Office, Tucson, Arizona. 7 p.

Thompson, William H., Robert C. Ehrhart, Paul L. Hansen, Thomas G. Parker, and William C. Haglan. 1998. Assessing Health of a Riparian Site. In: Proceedings AWRA Specialty Conference on Rangeland Management and Water Resources May 27-29, Reno, NV. American Water Resources Association, pp. 3-12.

Trimble, S. W., and A. C. Mendel. 1995. The cow as a geomorphic agent-a critical review. Geomorphology 13: 233-253.

USDA. 1993. Resource Information Report, Potential Wild, Scenic, Recreational River Designation, National Forests of Arizona. Southwestern Region, September, 1993. 375 p.

USDI. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1991-1995. National Wetland Inventory Maps. Denver, CO.

USGS. 2011a. USGS Real-Time Water Data for Arizona. http://waterdata.usgs.gov/az/nwis/rt

USGS. 2011b. National Water Information System. USGS Surface-Water Monthly Statistics for Arizona. http://waterdata.usgs.gov/az/nwis/monthly/?referred_module=sw 30

Waters, Stephen. 2005. Storm Report: February 2005. Flood Control District of Maricopa County. 19 p.

Western Regional Climate Center. 2011. Arizona. http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/summary/Climsmaz.html

APPENDIX A. Summary of Data and Data Sources for Stream Channels and Riparian Areas

The data used to describe the stream channels and riparian areas in the project area are provided by a variety of sources discussed below. All of the following data are on file at the Forest Supervisor's Office in Phoenix, Arizona.

2210 Forest Service Range Allotment Planning Files. These files are housed at the Tonto National Forest Service Supervisor’s Office in Phoenix, Arizona. Information from these files was used to describe past management and condition of riparian areas.

Aerial photos, GIS layers and maps. National Wetland Inventory (NWI) maps (USDI, 1991- 1995), aerial photos and GIS layers of streams and water sources were used to provide allotment- wide information (1:24000-scale) on stream flow regime (perennial or intermittent) and riparian vegetation cover type. These maps were used to prioritize field visits.

The streams listed in Table A1 include named streams delineated on the Tonto National Forest Stream Route GIS layer and unnamed streams that support riparian vegetation. Riparian vegetation is estimated from the National Wetland Inventory (NWI) maps classified as obligate, broadleaf, and deciduous (for example, cottonwood, willow or sycamore forests) or streams found on field visits to support riparian vegetation.

Table A1. Miles of important named streams and unnamed streams that support riparian vegetation within pastures in the project area. Miles of obligate riparian vegetation is taken from the NWI maps (USDI, 1991-1995). The asterisk (*) indicates the miles were adjusted per field data (or Google Earth for some reaches of the Salt River). Allotment Pasture Stream Name Stream Miles of Miles Obligate Riparian Vegetation Dagger Upper Coon Creek Banning Wash 2.8 0 Upper Coon Creek Bull Canyon 3.0 1.4 Upper Coon Creek Deep Creek 0.2 0.2 Upper Coon Creek Bladder Canyon 0.15 0 Upper Coon Creek Sheep Wash 0.3 0 Upper Coon Creek Cherry Creek 2.7 0 Upper Coon Creek Coon Creek 4.5 1.1 Upper Coon Creek Dry Creek 1.3 0 Upper Coon Creek unnamed trib to Cherry Creek 1.2 1.2 Upper Coon Creek Oak Creek 0.8 0.4 North Sheep Banning Wash 2.6 0 North Sheep Bladder Canyon 3.2 0

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North Sheep Sheep Wash 3.3 0 Ellison Pringle Wash 1.6 0 Rock Pringle Wash 1.6 0 Rock Cherry Creek 1.3 1.0* Rock unnamed trib to Cherry Creek 2.1 0.3 Dagger Upper Corral Canyon 1.8 0 Dagger Lower Corral Canyon 1.4 0 Dagger Bee Canyon 0.9 0 Dagger Dagger Canyon 4.1 0 Dagger Lawrence Creek 2.1 0 Dagger Salt River 6.6 1.6* West Devore Bee Canyon 1.9 0 West Devore Cherry Creek 4.3 4.3* West Devore unnamed trib to Cherry Creek 1.0 1.0 West Devore Salt River 8.0 8.0* Oak Creek Mesa Reynolds Creek 1.0 0 Oak Creek Mesa Devils Chasm 0.5 0 Oak Creek Mesa Deep Creek 3.6 0.8 Oak Creek Mesa Coon Creek 4.6 0.75* Oak Creek Mesa Oak Creek 2.5 1.6 Oak Creek Mesa Cougar Canyon 1.3 0 Oak Creek Mesa Warm Creek 1.7 0.1* Lower Coon Creek Coon Creek 0.5 0.5 Upper Dry Creek Oak Creek 1.7 0 Upper Dry Creek Cougar Canyon 3.3 0 Upper Dry Creek Dry Creek 2.6 0 Upper Dry Creek Coon Creek 0.25 0.25 Lower Dry Creek Dry Creek 3.1 0 Lower Dry Creek Chalk Creek 1.6 0.5* Lower Dry Creek Coon Creek 1.7 1.7* Holding Coon Creek 0.36 0.1* Holding Armer Corral Spring 0.08 0.08 Total 95.14 23.88 Poison Springs/ Hackberry Meddler Wash 2.2 0 Sierra Ancha Chalk Creek Chalk Creek 2.5 0 Braddock Meddler Wash 3.3 0 Braddock Braddock Creek 4.6 0 Intake Poison Springs Wash 4.0 0 Intake Eads Wash 1.8 0 Intake HZ Wash 0.6 0 Summit HZ Wash 3.2 0 Summit Eads Wash 2.4 0 Summit Poison Springs Wash 0.7 0 Klondike Poison Springs Wash 1.1 0 Klondike Eads Wash 1.0 0 Blevens Wildcat Creek 0.2 0 Blevens Spring Creek 0.4 0 Blevens Pinto Creek 4.2 1.7*

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Blevens Quail Springs Wash 3.5 0 Blevens Blevens Wash 4.9 0.2* North Willow Warm Creek 2.6 0 North Willow Griffin Wash 3.1 0 South Willow Griffin Wash 0.3 0 East Highway Walnut Creek 1.6 0 East Highway Griffin Wash 1.6 0 East Highway Warm Creek 0.15 0 Zig Zag First Water Canyon 0.4 0 Total 50.35 1.9 Chrysotile Boundary Butte Creek 3.5 1.2 Boundary Salt River 2.4 1.8* Gleason Riparian Butte Creek 0.1 0 Gleason Riparian Salt River 1.0 0 Gleason Holding Salt River 0.4 0 Ash Creek Ash Creek 3.0 0.6 Ash Creek Salt River 1.3 0 Ash Creek Riparian Ash Creek 0.25 0 Ash Creek Riparian Salt River 0.5 0 North Ash Creek Salt River 4.2 3.8* Regal Regal Canyon 3.9 0.8 Regal Walnut Canyon 1.6 0 Regal Salt River 3.8 0 4th of July Holding Walnut Canyon 0.2 0.2* Walnut Riparian Walnut Canyon 0.6 0.6* 72 Phillips Canyon 3.7 0.5 72 Salt River 3.8 0 Tony Ash Creek 5.0 1.0 Tony unnamed trib to Ash Creek 2.3 1.4 Tony Bronson Canyon 1.0 0 Timber Ash Creek 4.8 0 Horse #1 Tanks Canyon 1.0 0 Carol Tanks Canyon 1.3 0 Carol unnamed tribs to Sycamore 4.1 0.5* Creek Carol Carol Spring 0.2 0.2 Home Hess Canyon 2.4 0.9 Jackson Hess Canyon 0.8 0 Jackson Rock Springs 1.8 0.5* Survey Rock Springs 0.7 0.4 Poverty Rock Springs 0.8 0 Total 60.45 14.4 Haystack Butte Ash Creek Ash Creek 0.8 0.4 Upper Ash Creek Ash Creek 2.0 0.2 Upper Ash Creek unnamed tribs to Ash Creek 3.5 2.1 Upper Ash Creek Butte Creek 0.8 0 Bronson Butte Creek 2.2 0 Bronson Bronson Canyon 1.6 0.5* East Steer Bronson Canyon 1.0 0.5

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Cottonwood Salt River 0.5 0 River Hess Canyon 1.5 0 River Salt River 3.3 3.3* Total 17.2 7.0 Sedow Bronson Bronson Canyon 2.9 0.7 Bronson Nesbitt Spring 2.5 1.3* 4Y Bronson Canyon 0.3 0 4Y Hess Canyon 5.0 0 4Y Sedal Canyon 2.0 0 4Y Yankee Joe Canyon 4.7 0.25* 4Y Blackjack Wash 2.3 0 4Y unnamed trib to Blackjack 1.0 0.4 Wash Hess Hess Canyon 2.5 1.3* Big Horse Hess Canyon 0.4 0.1 Steer Hess Canyon 1.0 0.1* Monument Sedal Canyon 0.5 0 Monument and Monument Spring 0.5 0.25* Monument Trap Brushy and Brushy Sedal Canyon 0.9 0.25* Trap Brushy unnamed tribs to Sedal 1.7 0.6 Storm Canyon Blackjack Wash 3.0 0.5 Storm Canyon Yankee Joe Canyon 5.4 0.75* Storm Canyon Storm Canyon 3.1 0.3* Storm Canyon Sevenmile Wash 0.7 0 Reveg Sedal Canyon 2.1 0 Rock Springs Sedal Canyon 1.7 0 Rock Springs Riparian Rock Springs 0.4 0.3 7-Mile Rock Springs 1.9 0 7-Mile Sevenmile Wash 0.3 0 7-Mile Riparian Sevenmile Wash 0.5 0.25* Walnut Sevenmile Wash 1.8 0 Little Walnut Trap Yankee Joe Canyon 0.2 0.2 Hudson Sevenmile Wash 1.7 0 Hudson Hudson Spring 2.0 0.5* Hudson Little Woodcamp Spring #2 0.7 0.2 Indian Garden Sevenmile Wash 0.4 0 ungrazed Salt River 7.4 0.7* ungrazed Yankee Joe Canyon 1.1 0 Total 62.6 8.95 Hicks/Pikes Ortega Storm Canyon 3.0 0 Peak Ortega Grapevine Canyon 1.1 0 Ortega Sycamore Canyon 2.0 0.5 Ortega Mud Springs Wash 2.5 0.1* Ortega unnamed trib to Salt R 2.5 0.6 Ortega Salt River 8.2 1.2 Lower Shute Springs Redmond Wash 1.5 0

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Lower Shute Springs unnamed trib to Salt R 1.8 1.8 Lower Shute Springs Nail Creek 2.2 0 Lower Shute Springs Shute Springs Creek 3.4 0 Lower Shute Springs Pinal Creek 2.8 2.8* Lower Shute Springs Salt River 10.0 3.4 Upper Shute Springs Redmond Wash 2.0 0 Upper Shute Springs Shute Springs Creek 2.6 0 Hope Grapevine Canyon 3.6 0 Horseshoe Bend Sycamore Canyon 4.5 0.6 Horseshoe Bend Mud Springs Wash 2.3 0.2* Horseshoe Bend Wood Springs Wash 3.2 0 Upper Big Negro Wash 0.5 0 Big Negro Wash 1.1 0 Windmill Wood Springs Wash 3.1 0 Windmill Horseshoe Bend Wash 3.5 0 North Steer Pinal Creek 1.4 1.4* South Steer Horseshoe Bend Wash 1.6 0 Lower Devore Devore Wash 2.6 0 West Devore Wash 1.3 0 West Hicks Wash 0.7 0 Hicks Hicks Wash 0.8 0 Hicks Murray Wash 2.3 0 Rip Hicks Wash 1.8 0.7* Rip Murphy Wash 0.4 0 Murphy Devore Wash 2.4 0.1 Murphy Hicks Wash 2.0 0.1* Kenny Devore Wash 1.4 1.4* Holly Blevens Wash 2.3 0.1* Total 88.4 14.0

Permanent photopoints. There are 85 permanent photopoints (Table 2) located in riparian areas in the project area that have been repeated for multiple years. An upward trend indicates that it is possible to see an increase in the density and/or size of riparian vegetation and improvement of stream function in the photos over the time of monitoring. Photo point trend does not indicate condition of stream channel or riparian vegetation. For further discussions of trend, see the key reaches section of the Stream Channels and Riparian Areas report.

Table A2. Photopoints in the project area. Allotment Stream Name Number Date Apparent Trend Established Dagger Cherry Creek 3 1996 all upward Cherry Creek 16 02(10), 03(6) 11 upward, 5 no apparent (restoration project) change Coon Creek 4 1994 all upward Dry Creek 2 1994 all no apparent change Chrysotile Ash Creek 7 93(1), 97(5), 1 upward, 5 no apparent 09(1) change, 1 new Walnut Canyon 7 1995 4 upward, 3 no apparent 35

change Haystack Butte Ash Creek 1 1996 no apparent change Sedow Sedal Canyon (Brushy 2 93, 99 1 downward, 1 no apparent Spring) change Sedal Canyon 4 82(1), 96(1), all no apparent change 99(2) Double Corral Spring 1 1988 no apparent change Hess Canyon 11 87(1), 88(3), 8 upward, 3 no apparent 91(2), 92(1), change 93(1), 96(3) Monument Spring 6 2001 all no apparent change No Name Spring 2 1996 all upward Rock Springs 3 95(2), 97(1) 2 no apparent change, 1 upward Sevenmile Wash 8 87(3), 92(1), 6 upward, 2 no apparent 96(4) change Yankee Joe Canyon 1 1999 upward (Little Walnut Spring) Yankee Joe Canyon 1 1999 upward (Walnut Spring) Yankee Joe Canyon 4 1999 1 upward, 3 no apparent change Hicks-Pikes Peak Sycamore Canyon 2 1992 all no apparent change

Field Visits. Field visits are conducted for the purposes of monitoring riparian use, stream channel classification, condition assessment and inspections and are documented by reports and photographs available in the project record. This data is summarized in Table A3. Stream reaches selected for field visits for this analysis were chosen based on the extent of riparian vegetation indicated on the NWI maps (USDI 1991-1995), and accessibility to livestock.

Reaches were classified according to the Rosgen (1996) system. Stream types are described in Appendix B. Some stream reaches were rated using a condition assessment developed on the Tonto National Forest (Mason and Johnson 1999). Condition assessment is based on stream channel stability. Channel stability is defined as the ability of a stream to carry the water and sediment of its watershed while maintaining its dimension, pattern, and profile, without aggrading or degrading, over time and in the present climate (Rosgen 1996). The five condition rating classes are stable, slightly impaired, impaired, severely impaired, or unstable. Parameters used to assess stability include depositional pattern, riparian health rating (Thompson et al. 1998), stream channel width/depth ratio, channel stability rating (Pfankuch 1975), and bank erosion hazard index (Rosgen 1996).

Water Sources. The availability of alternative water within a pasture can determine the amount of time cattle may spend in riparian areas. Waters on the allotment were located using the water points layer in the Forest’s Geographic Information System (GIS). This layer contains springs, tanks and wells for which the Tonto has water rights or claims, as well as other sources indicated on the USGS topographic maps. No water rights in the project area have been adjudicated. Several of the water developments have been inventoried (Table A4).

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Gaged Stream Flow. Streamflow is gaged by the US Geological Survey (USGS) at two sites on the Salt River, one site on Cherry Creek and one site on Pinal Creek within or near the project area. "Salt River near Chrysotile, Az", the most upstream gage, has a period of record of 1924 to present, and the drainage area is 2849 square miles (USGS 2011b). The “Salt River near Roosevelt, Az” gage has a period of record of 1913 to present, and the drainage area is 4306 square miles (USGS 2011b). The “Cherry Creek near Globe, Az” gage has a period of record of 1965 to present, and the drainage area is 200 square miles (USGS 2011b). The Pinal Creek at Inspiration Dam, near Globe, Az gage has a period of record of 1980 to present, and the drainage area is 195 square miles (USGS 2011b). The annual hydrograph for the Salt River gages is characterized by a peak in the mean monthly flows in the spring in response to snowmelt followed by a steady decline through June with another smaller peak in August in response to monsoon moisture. The annual hydrograph for the Cherry and Pinal Creeks gages is characterized by a peak in the mean monthly flows in the winter in response to winter storms followed by a steady decline through June with another smaller peak in August in response to monsoon moisture. Mean monthly flows for the period of record are shown in Table A6.

Table A6. Mean monthly flows for USGS gages in the project area (USGS 2011b). Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Salt River near Chrysotile, Az 651 898 1450 1630 864 296 224 417 334 381 269 470 Salt River near Roosevelt, Az 1110 1390 1970 1930 989 348 322 592 445 411 369 734 Cherry Creek near Globe, Az 79 90 82 25 11 6.6 9 15 13 18 17 55 Pinal Creek at Inspiration Dam, near Globe, Az 30 26 13 7.9 6.3 4.8 6.4 7.8 6.4 7.6 6.4 9.0

APPENDIX B. Stream Channel Type Description (Rosgen 1996)

“A” type streams are steep (>4%), entrenched, and confined channels of the headwaters that contain little or no floodplains. They dissipate energy in cascading step/pools.

"B" type streams are moderately entrenched, containing narrow floodplains, and have a moderate gradient (2-4%).

“Bc” type streams are moderately entrenched have narrow floodplains, like a “B”, and a low gradient, like a “C”. They are probably a step in the evolutionary sequence, C-G-F-C, between F and C when the channel is just beginning to gain back some floodplain.

“C" type streams are not entrenched and have very wide floodplains able to dissipate flood flows and support extensive riparian areas. They have a low gradient (0-2%) and display the typical riffle/pool sequence of a meandering stream. "C" type streams are also sensitive to any disturbance and riparian vegetation is very important for the stability of these streams.

"D" type streams evolve from a more stable stream type due to some natural or management caused disturbance but widen rather than downcutting. They straighten, steepen and become braided.

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Braided streams have more than one channel and may change main channels with each high flow. This results in a loss of riparian vegetation and an unstable floodplain. These stream types are extremely unstable and have low potential for natural recovery.

"F" type streams are highly entrenched (downcut), with little or no floodplain to dissipate flood flows, consequently, high flows are concentrated in the stream channel rather than in overbank flow which results in streambank erosion and loss of riparian vegetation. They usually evolve from a more stable stream type due to some natural or management caused disturbance. "F" type streams have a high width/depth ratio (wide and shallow) and lack the stream power, or energy, necessary to move the sediment though the system, causing aggrading. These stream types are generally unstable and extremely sensitive to disturbance. The numbers 1-6 indicate the dominant sediment size, 1=bedrock, 2=boulder (256-2048mm), 3=cobble (64-256mm), 4=gravel (2-64mm), 5=sand (.062-2mm), and 6=silt (<.062mm).

APPENDIX C. Criteria for the Outstandingly Remarkable Values (ORVs) for Pinto Creek and the Salt River (NPS 2011)

1. Scenery (S): The landscape elements of landform, vegetation, water, color, and related factors result in notable or exemplary visual features and/or attractions. When analyzing scenic values, additional factors -- such as seasonal variations in vegetation, scale of cultural modifications, and the length of time negative intrusions are viewed -- may be considered. Scenery and visual attractions may be highly diverse over the majority of the river or river segment.

2. Recreation (R): Recreational opportunities are, or have the potential to be, popular enough to attract visitors from throughout or beyond the region of comparison or are unique or rare within the region. Visitors are willing to travel long distances to use the river resources for recreational purposes. River-related opportunities could include, but are not limited to, sightseeing, wildlife observation, camping, photography, hiking, fishing and boating. o Interpretive opportunities may be exceptional and attract, or have the potential to attract, visitors from outside the region of comparison. o The river may provide, or have the potential to provide, settings for national or regional usage or competitive events.

3. Geology (G): The river, or the area within the river corridor, contains one or more example of a geologic feature, process or phenomenon that is unique or rare within the region of comparison. The feature(s) may be in an unusually active stage of development, represent a "textbook" example, and/or represent a unique or rare combination of geologic features (erosional, volcanic, glacial, or other geologic structures).

4. Wildlife (W): Wildlife values may be judged on the relative merits of either terrestrial or aquatic wildlife populations or habitat or a combination of these conditions. o Populations: The river, or area within the river corridor, contains nationally or regionally important populations of indigenous wildlife species. Of particular significance are species considered to be unique, and/or populations of federal or state listed (or candidate) threatened, endangered or sensitive species. Diversity of species is an important consideration and could, in itself, lead to a determination of "outstandingly remarkable."

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o Habitat: The river, or area within the river corridor, provides exceptionally high quality habitat for wildlife of national or regional significance, and/or may provide unique habitat or a critical link in habitat conditions for federal or state listed (or candidate) threatened, endangered or sensitive species. Contiguous habitat conditions are such that the biological needs of the species are met. Diversity of habitats is an important consideration and could, in itself, lead to a determination of "outstandingly remarkable."

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