Headwaters Sacramento River Ecosystem Analysis - I Table of Contents
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Headwaters Sacramento United States River Ecosystem Analysis Department of Agriculture Mt. Shasta Ranger District Forest Service Shasta-Trinity National Forest Pacific Southwest Region January 2001, Version 2 (updated from version 1, dated August 29, 1995) For Further Information, Contact: Mount Shasta Ranger Station 204 West Alma Mt. Shasta, CA 96067 (530)926-4511 (530)926-4512 (TTY-TDD) (530)926-5120 (FAX) The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (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 USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer Preface The Record of Decision for Amendment to Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management Planning Documents within the Range of the Northern Spotted Owl including Standards and Guidelines for Management of Habitat for Late-Successional and Old Growth Related Species (herein called The President’s Plan), describes four components including riparian reserves, key watersheds, watershed analysis and watershed restoration. This report addresses those components with the exception of key watersheds, of which there are none in the Upper Sacramento River sub-basin. The outline of this report follows recommendations from Version 2.1 of the Ecosystems Analysis at the Watershed Scale Review Draft of March 1995. To fully understand this analysis, the reader must be familiar with the above documents and the Land and Resource Management Plan for the Shasta-Trinity National Forests (herein called The Forest Plan). Announcements were published in three local newspapers and two regional newspapers inviting public input to this analysis. Over seventy letters were sent to known interested people and organizations, inviting their participation and input. An Open House was held on April 18, 1995 where resource specialist on the Headwaters Team presented information on existing conditions and management direction for the Headwaters Watershed. No new information or issues were identified from public input to this analysis. The Headwaters Interdisciplinary Team included the following resource specialists: Dennis Poehlmann, Forester and Team Leader, Mt. Shasta Ranger District Julie Nelson, Forest Botanist, Shasta-Trinity National Forests Julie Cassidy, Zone Archaeologist, Shasta-Trinity National Forests Joe Zustak, Zone Fisheries Biologist, Shasta-Trinity National Forests Larry Wright, Fuels Officer, Mt. Shasta Ranger District Jeff Huhtala, Zone Engineering Technician, Shasta-Trinity National Forests Tricia Humpherys, Acting Recreation Officer, Mt. Shasta Ranger District Steve Bachmann, Hydrologist, McCloud Ranger District Abel Jasso, Geologist, Shasta-Trinity National Forests Peter Van Susteren, Soil Scientist, McCloud Ranger District Gregg DeNitto, Pathologist, Shasta-Trinity National Forests Heidi Dias, Wildlife Biologist, Shasta-Trinity National Forests Greg Goldsmith, Fisheries Biologist, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Felix Panlasigui, Soil Scientist, Natural Resources Conservation Service Annette Sun, Writer-Editor, McCloud Ranger District The team would like to especially thank Don Haskins, Forest Geologist and member of the Forest Ecosystems Management Group, who was our team mentor. Watershed Analysis Version History Version 1 of the Headwaters of the Sacramento River Watershed Analysis was completed in August 1995 (8/29/95). Minor edits were made to Version 1 during January 2001 to create Version 2. The edits were almost exclusively grammar and syntax as well as fixing formatting problems. The reader is cautioned that all of the data and information found in Version 2 are based on 1995 WA methodologies, data and policy and that the content in this analysis has not been updated. Steve Bachmann, Editor, Shasta-McCloud Management Unit Headwaters Sacramento River Ecosystem Analysis - i Table of Contents Chapter 1 - Watershed Characterization ..................................................................... 1 The Upper Sacramento River Sub-Basin.............................................................................................................1 Watershed Setting..................................................................................................................................................1 Relationship of Watershed to Sub-Basin..............................................................................................................2 Management Direction ..........................................................................................................................................3 Values and Uses ......................................................................................................................................................3 Chapter 2 - Key Questions and Discussion ................................................................ 4 Recreation...............................................................................................................................................................4 Forest Health..........................................................................................................................................................4 Special Plant and Animal Populations .................................................................................................................5 Water Quality.........................................................................................................................................................8 Chapter 3 - Current Conditions.................................................................................. 10 Recreation / Heritage Resource ..........................................................................................................................10 Forest Health........................................................................................................................................................ 11 Vegetation ...........................................................................................................................................................11 Insects and Pathogens .........................................................................................................................................12 Fire and Fuels......................................................................................................................................................14 Special Plant and Animal Populations ...............................................................................................................15 Plant Populations of Concern..............................................................................................................................15 Animal Populations of Concern..........................................................................................................................19 Fisheries Populations ..........................................................................................................................................25 Water Quality.......................................................................................................................................................26 Geology and Geomorphology.............................................................................................................................26 Soils ....................................................................................................................................................................29 Hydrology ...........................................................................................................................................................29 Channel Morphology ..........................................................................................................................................30 Water Quality ......................................................................................................................................................32 Turbidity..............................................................................................................................................................32 Water Temperature ..............................................................................................................................................32 Water Chemistry and Microbiology....................................................................................................................32 Peak Flows..........................................................................................................................................................33 Base Flows..........................................................................................................................................................33 Hydrologic Impacts From Disturbance...............................................................................................................34