Environmental Assessment
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Environmental Assessment For Big Fork Watershed Management Project Polk County, Arkansas Responsible Agency: USDA Forest Service Ouachita National Forest Caddo-Womble Ranger District Responsible Official: Gloria Chrismer District Ranger Caddo-Womble Ranger District 1523 Hwy 270 East Mount Ida, AR 71957 (870) 867-2101 For Further Information Contact: Sabrina Kirkpatrick Caddo-Womble Ranger District 1523 Hwy 270 East Mount Ida, AR 71957 (870) 867-2101 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 ...................................................................................................................... 1 PURPOSE AND NEED FOR THE PROPOSED ACTION ......................................... 1 Proposed Action ................................................................................................................ 1 Scope of This Environmental Analysis ......................................................................... 10 History of the Planning and Scoping Process ............................................................... 10 Relevant Planning Documents ...................................................................................... 10 Issues Eliminated From Further Study ......................................................................... 11 Jurisdictional Wetlands ..................................................................................................... 11 Prime Farmlands ............................................................................................................... 11 Civil Rights and Minority Groups .................................................................................... 12 Federal, State, and Local Laws ......................................................................................... 12 Forest Fragmentation ........................................................................................................ 12 Issues Further Analyzed ................................................................................................ 12 Herbicide Use.................................................................................................................... 12 Air Quality ........................................................................................................................ 13 Heritage, Cultural and Historical Resources ..................................................................... 13 Soil Productivity ............................................................................................................... 13 Water Quality & Municipal Watersheds........................................................................... 13 Floodplains and Riparian Areas ........................................................................................ 13 Wildfire Hazards & Fuels Accumulation ......................................................................... 13 Transportation Systems ..................................................................................................... 13 Wildlife and Fisheries and Habitats .................................................................................. 14 PETS Species and Habitats ............................................................................................... 14 Public Health and Safety ................................................................................................... 14 Scenic Resources .............................................................................................................. 14 Climate Change ................................................................................................................. 14 Decisions to Be Made ...................................................................................................... 15 CHAPTER 2 .................................................................................................................... 16 ALTERNATIVES INCLUDING THE PROPOSED ACTION ................................. 16 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 16 Alternative Design and Evaluation Criteria ................................................................. 16 Technical Requirements (General) ............................................................................... 16 Project Objective Requirements ................................................................................... 18 Monitoring .................................................................................................................... 19 Alternatives Documented in Detail................................................................................ 19 Other Past, Present and Reasonably Foreseeable Future Actions ............................. 25 CHAPTER 3 .................................................................................................................... 28 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES .... 28 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 28 Air Quality ....................................................................................................................... 29 Soils................................................................................................................................... 36 Water Resources & Quality ........................................................................................... 42 Riparian Areas and Floodplains .................................................................................... 48 Wildfire Hazards and Fuels Accumulation .................................................................. 50 Transportation & Infrastructure .................................................................................. 53 Vegetation ........................................................................................................................ 55 Wildlife, Fisheries & Habitat ......................................................................................... 63 Public Health and Safety .............................................................................................. 104 Scenic Resources ........................................................................................................... 107 Climate Change ............................................................................................................. 110 Recreation Resources.................................................................................................... 112 ID TEAM MEMBERS & PRIMARY AUTHORS .................................................... 114 CHAPTER 5 .................................................................................................................. 115 PERSONS AND AGENCIES CONTACTED &/OR CONSULTED ....................... 115 CHAPTER 6 .................................................................................................................. 117 LITERATURE CITED ................................................................................................ 117 APPENDICES ............................................................................................................... 122 LISTING OF TABLES EXISTING CONDITIONS CONTRASTED TO THE DESIRED CONDITIONS (TABLE 1.1) ................................................................................................................................... 7 REFERENCE FOR FOREST PLAN DESIGN CRITERIA BY MANAGEMENT AREA (TABLE 1.2) ................................................................................................................................. 11 PROJECT OBJECTIVE REQUIREMENTS AND METHOD OF MEASUREMENT (TABLE 2.1) ................................................................................................................................. 18 SUMMARY COMPARISON OF ACTIONS BY ALTERNATIVE (TABLE 2.2) ............... 25 SUMMARY COMPARISON OF ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS BY ALTERNATIVE (TABLE 2.3) ................................................................................................................................. 26 SUMMARY COMPARISON OF OBJECTIVES MET BY ALTERNATIVE (TABLE 2.4) ....................................................................................................................................................... 26 AREAS PROPOSED FOR COMMERCIAL HARVEST WITH SEVERE EROSION POTENTIAL (TABLE 3.1) ........................................................................................................ 39 AREAS PROPSED FOR COMMERCIAL