Bull Trout Biological Assessment May 2017
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Bull Trout Biological Assessment United States Department of May 2017 Agriculture Forest Service Pacific Bluebucket, Dollar Basin, and Northwest Region Star Glade Allotments Prairie City Ranger District, Malheur National Forest Grant, and Harney Counties, Oregon Page 1 of 165 In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). 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Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: [email protected]. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. Cover Photo: Malheur River, Prairie City Ranger District, summer, 2014 Page 2 of 165 Bull Trout Biological Assessment Bluebucket, Dollar Basin, and Star Glade Allotments May 2017 Malheur National Forest Prairie City Ranger District Grant and Harney Counties, Oregon Prepared for: United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Malheur National Forest Prairie City Ranger District Grant County, Oregon Prepared By: /s/Brandy Langum _________________________ Brandy Langum Forest Consultation Fisheries Biologist Malheur National Forest Supervisor’s Office May 17, 2017 Page 3 of 165 Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................................... 11 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................ 12 ESA ACTION AREA SUBWATERSHEDS AND STREAMS ................................................................... 13 CONSULTATION HISTORY ...................................................................................................................... 14 DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT AREA................................................................................................. 16 FOREST PLAN DIRECTION AND POLICIES GUIDING THE ACTION ............................................... 17 1.4.1 Malheur National Forest LRMP .......................................................................................................... 17 1.4.2 LRMP Amendment 29 Desired Future Conditions .............................................................................. 20 1.4.3 PACFISH/INFISH LRMP Amendment............................................................................................... 21 1.4.4 PACFISH/INFISH Riparian Management Objectives ......................................................................... 22 1.4.5 PACFISH/INFISH Riparian Habitat Conservation Areas and Standards ............................................ 23 1.4.6 PACFISH/INFISH Key Watersheds, Watershed Analysis, and Targeted Restoration through Watershed Analysis 23 1.4.7 PACFISH/INFISH Enclosure B: Livestock Grazing Guidelines ........................................................ 25 2 MONITORING ................................................................................................................................................ 30 PACFISH/INFISH (PIBO) MONITORING ................................................................................................. 30 MALHEUR NATIONAL FOREST RIPARIAN MONITORING STRATEGY .......................................... 32 METHODS FOR DETERMINING MOST SENSITIVE RIPARIAN AREAS IN RELATION TO COLUMBIA RIVER BULL TROUT..................................................................................................................... 34 MONITORING PROTOCOLS ..................................................................................................................... 35 2.4.1 Proper Functioning Condition Assessments ........................................................................................ 35 2.4.2 Multiple Indicator Monitoring ............................................................................................................. 35 2.4.3 Forest Service Region 6 Level II Stream Inventory Surveys ............................................................... 36 2.4.4 Spawning Surveys ............................................................................................................................... 36 3 COMPLIANCE ................................................................................................................................................ 37 LITIGATION OVER PREVIOUS COMPLIANCE ..................................................................................... 37 COMPLIANCE STRATEGY FOR THE STREAMBANK ALTERATION ENDPOINT INDICATOR .... 37 END OF YEAR REPORTING ..................................................................................................................... 39 Page 4 of 165 REDD SURVEY AND MITIGATION REPORTING ................................................................................. 40 BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ......................................................................................................... 40 4 STATUS OF THE SPECIES AND DESIGNATED CRITICAL HABITAT .............................................. 40 COLUMBIA RIVER BULL TROUT RECOVERY PLAN ......................................................................... 40 MALHEUR NATIONAL FOREST INFORMATION ON THE SPECIES AND CRITICAL HABITAT .. 46 5 ENVIRONMENTAL BASELINE OF THE ACTION AREA/ALLOTMENT DESCRIPTIONS ............ 47 EXISTING CONDITION WITHIN ACTION AREA .................................................................................. 47 5.1.1 Malheur River ...................................................................................................................................... 47 5.1.2 Bluebucket Allotment .......................................................................................................................... 54 5.1.3 Dollar Basin Allotment ........................................................................................................................ 77 5.1.4 Star Glade Allotment ......................................................................................................................... 100 MALHEUR BASIN WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN ......................................................... 111 USFWS MATRIX OF PATHWAYS AND INDICATORS ....................................................................... 113 6 COMMON TO ALL MNF ALLOTMENTS ............................................................................................... 118 ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT OVERVIEW AND APPLICATION ........................................................ 123 PROJECT DESIGN CRITERIA ................................................................................................................. 124 7 PROPOSED ACTION (2017-2027) .............................................................................................................. 126 BLUEBUCKET ALLOTMENT .......................................................................................................................... 126 DOLLAR BASIN ALLOTMENT/STAR GLADE ALLOTMENT ............................................................................ 128 8 EFFECTS OF THE PROPOSED ACTIONS .............................................................................................. 130 FACTORS THAT MAY BE AFFECTED BY THE ACTION ................................................................... 130 PROJECT ELEMENTS .............................................................................................................................. 132 PROJECT ELEMENTS DROPPED FROM FURTHER ANALYSIS ....................................................... 132 PROJECT ELEMENTS ANALYZED ........................................................................................................ 133 9 ANALYSIS OF EFFECTS TO THE SPECIES .......................................................................................... 133 BLUEBUCKET ALLOTMENT ................................................................................................................. 133 DOLLAR