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Owyhee River Study Report, Idaho

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Owyhee River Study Report, Idaho ./Mtt.1 ~11:. ?9,/$5¥;1~ As the Nation's principal conservation agency, the Department of the Interior has responsibility for most of our nationally owned public lands and natural resources. This includes fostering the wisest use of our land and water resources, protecting our fish and wildlife, preserving the environmental and cultural values of our national parks and historical places, and providing for the enjoyment of life through outdoor recreation. The Department assesses our energy and mineral resources and works to assure that their development is in the best interests of all our people. The Department also has a major respon- sibility for American Indian reservation communities and for people who live in Island Territories under U. S. Administration. U. S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Cecil D. Andrus, Secretary National Park Service William J. Whalen, Director OWYHEE WILD & SCENIC RIVER STUDY Fl NAL REPORT /ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT Department of the Interior Nati ona I Park service March 1979 - I TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No. INTRODUCTION • 1 I. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSAL 4 Administration • .• 10 Acquisition and Development 11 II. DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT • 13 Regional Setting • 13 Physical Features 13 Climate 13 Population • 14 Economy 14 Transportation Facilities 16 Recreation • 16 Description of the Owyhee River Study Area • 20 Location and Physical Condition 20 Geology 22 Minerals • 22 Geothermal Activity 26 Soils 26 Vegetation • 26 Fish and Wildlife 29 Hydrology and Water Resource Development • 30 Water Quality 32 Land Ownership • 35 Land Use • 36 i Water Rights . 39 Access to River . 40 Archeological and Historical Values . 40 Recreation Resources . 44 III. THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF THE PROPOSED ACTION 45 Impact on Recreation • . 45 Impact on Local Economy . 46 Impact on Transportation . 47 Impact on Mining • . • . 48 Impact on Soil and Vegetation . 48 Impact on Fish and Wildlife . 48 ~ Impact on Water Development and Water Uses . • . 49 Impact on Water Quality . 50 Impact on Land Ownership and Land Use . 50 Impact on Archeological and Historic Values . 51 IV. MITIGATING MEASURES INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED ACTION 52 v. ANY ADVERSE EFFECTS WHICH CANNOT BE AVOIDED SHOULD THE PROPOSAL BE IMPLEMENTED • . 54 VI. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LOCAL SHORT-TERM USES OF MAN'S ENVIRONMENT AND THE MAINTENANCE AND ENHANCEMENT OF LONG-TERM PRODUCTIVITY . 55 VII. ANY IRREVERSIBLE OR IRRETRIEVABLE COMMITMENTS OF RESOURCES WHICH WOULD BE INVOLVED IN THE PROPOSED ACTION SHOULD IT BE IMPLEMENTED • 56 VIII. ALTERNATIVES TO THE PROPOSED ACTION . 57 Alternative One - No Action to Include the 192 Miles in the National System • • • • • . 57 ii Alternative Two - Inclusion in the National System of all but the 14 Miles in Oregon Between .China Gulch 60 and Crooked Creek • • • • • • • • • • • • • • .• ~ . Alternative Three - Inclusion in the National System of all but one or the other River Segments Required for Duncan Ferry or Three Forks Reservoirs • • • • • 62 Alternative Four - State Protection 65 Principles and Standards 66 IX. CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION WITH OTHERS 76 APPENDIX: Responses to the Draft Report and Draft Environmental Statement • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 79 MAPS: 1. Owyhee River Location Map . vii 2. Recommendations 5 3. Regional Transportation 17 4. Major Regional Recreation Areas . 21 5. Geology . 23 6. Land Capability 27 7. Water Resource Development . 33 8. Land Status . 37 9. Accessibility . • • 0 • 41 TABLES: 1. Average Monthly Runoff in the Owyhee River as Measured by the USGS, 1949-1977 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 30 2. Land Ownership Within One-Quarter Mile of the 142 Miles of Study River • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 36 ;;; 3. Recreation Days (Boating) . 45 4. Recreation Days (All Recreation Uses) . 46 S. Analysis of Alternatives in Accordance with Principles and Standards • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 67 FIGURES: 1. Lateral Boundary - Wild Section Lateral Boundary - Scenic Section . 7 iv SUMMARY ( ) Draft ( X ) Final Environmental Statement Department of the Interior, National Park Service 1. Type of Action: ( ) Administrative ( X ) Legislative 2. Brief Description of Action: The Owyhee Wild and Scenic River Study was conducted pursuant to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act as amended by Public Law 93-621. The study recommends Federal and State actions to add the 192-mile segment of the Owyhee River extending from the Duck Valley Indian Reservation in Idaho downstream to the Owyhee Res­ ervoir in Oregon and approximately 61,440 acres of adjacent land to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System under administra­ tion of the Bureau of Land Management and the State of Oregon. Specific lateral boundaries will be determined by the adminis­ tering agencies during detailed planning after addition of the segment. 3. Summary of Environmental Impact and Adverse Environmental Effects: Inclusion of the 192-mile segment and its immediate environment in the National System would have an overall effect of preserving the existing scenic, recreational, fish and wildlife, archeologi­ cal, and geologic values of the river and its immediate environ­ ment. Existing uses of the area, chiefly livestock grazing, would con­ tinue. However, limitations on the use of lands adjoining the river, as well as on the amount and kinds of recreation use per­ mitted, are probable. 4. Alternatives Considered: In addition to the proposed action, other alternatives considered were: 1. Noninclusion in the National System of any of the 192 miles studied. 2. Inclusion in the National System of all but the 14 miles in Oregon between China Gulch and Crooked Creek. 3. Inclusion in the National System of all but one or the other river segments required for Duncan Ferry or Three Forks Res­ ervoirs. v 4~ State protection. s. Counnents were Requested from the Following: Federal Agencies: Advisory Council on Historic Department of the Interior Preservation Bureau of Indian Affairs Department of Agriculture Bureau of Land Management Department of Counnerce Bureau of Mines Department of Defense Bureau of Reclamation Corps of Engineers Fish and Wildlife Service Department of Energy Geological Survey Department of Health, Education, Environmental Protection and Welfare Agency Department of Housing and Urban Department of Transportation Development Pacific Northwest River Basins Counnission Clearinghouses: State of Idaho Clearinghouse State of Oregon Clearinghouse Others: American Camping Association, Inc. National Wildlife Federation American Canoe Association, Inc. Northwest Mining Association American Conservation Association, Oregon High Desert Study Group Inc. Oregon State Public Interest American Farm Bureau Federation Research Group American Mining Congress Pacific Power and Light American Petroleum Institute Sierra Club Preservation Society Sport Fishing Institute Ducks Unlimited, Inc. University of Oregon Outdoor Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs Program Friends of the Earth Washington Kayak Club Idaho Power Company Western Oil and Gas Association Interagency Whitewater Counnittee Western River Guides Izaak Walton League of America Association Local and State Cattleman The Wilderness Society Associations North Board of Control National Audubon Society (Irrigation District) National Farmers Union South Board of Control The National Grange (Irrigation District) Cattlemen Associations vi MAP 1 LOCATION LEGEND Study Area • Cities Over 75,000 O Cities Under 75,000 -··-··-··-·· -··-··r-··-··-··-··-··-··-··-·· 1. I. i i I ' \ Missoula 0 Montana ~.. ..,. .. r·.~ \ ·-··-··-··- : l \.·. .., : \ ·.... r.r ........ ·~ ·I.\ Oregon Idaho Wyo. INTRODUCTION This report on the scenic and recreational qualities of ~he Owyhee River in Oregon and Idaho was prepared under the authority of the National Wild ·and Scenic Rivers Act, as amended. In the Act, Con­ gress stated: It is hereby declared to be the policy of the United States that certain selected rivers of the Nation which, with their immediate environments, possess outstandingly remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wild­ life, historic, cultural, or other similar values, shall be preserved in free-flowing condition, and that they and their immediate environments shall be protected for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Congress declares that the established national policy of dam and other construction at appropriate sections of the rivers of the United States needs to be complemented by a policy that would preserve other selected rivers or sections thereof in their free-flowing condition to pro­ tect the water quality of such rivers and to fulfill other vital national conservation requisites. The Act establishing the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System desig­ nated eight initial rivers; the system has since grown to include 27 rivers. The Act, as amended, identifies 72 other rivers for study as potential additions to the system, including the Owyhee River from the Idaho-Oregon State border downstream 126 miles to the Owyhee Reservoir. At the request of the State of Idaho, the Owyhee River study area was extended to include the Owyhee in Idaho from the Idaho-Oregon border upstream 66 miles to the west boundary of the Duck Valley Indian Reser­ vation. (See Map 1.) In evaluating the 192-miles, requirements of three major documents were complied with. The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act requires the prep­ aration of a report and its submission by the President to the Congress. The report evaluates the suitability or nonsuitability of the river for addition
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