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West Fork Illionois River Watershed Analysis

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West Fork Illionois River Watershed Analysis WEST FORK ILLINOIS RIVER WATERSHED ASSESSMENT United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Medford District Office 3040 Biddle Road Medford, Oregon 97504 May 2003 West Fork Illinois River Watershed Analysis May 2003 Dear Reader: The West Fork Illinois River Watershed Analysis (Iteration 1.0) document was completed in June 1997 to provide an ecological context for proposed mineral development, including management recommendations. The focus of iteration 1.0 was the serpentine portion of the watershed on Forest Service lands. The purpose of the current document and analysis is to expand on this earlier analysis by adding the lower elevation BLM land areas. It identifies the various ecosystem components in the lower elevation areas of the West Fork Illinois River fifth field watershed and their interactions at a landscape scale. The analysis looks at historical ecological components, current ecological components and trends. It makes recommendations for future management actions that could be implemented to reach recommended ecological conditions. As you read this document, it is important to keep in mind that the watershed analysis process is an iterative process. As new information becomes available, the watershed analysis will be updated. It is also important to keep in mind that this analysis document is not a decision document. Its recommendations are a point of departure for project specific planning and evaluation work. Some of the recommendations may conflict or contradict other recommendations. Project planning, which includes the preparation of environmental assessments and formal decision records as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), will take these conflicts into consideration. Project planning and land management actions would also be designed to meet the objectives and directives of the Medford District Resource Management Plan (RMP). This watershed analysis will thus be used as a tool in land management planning and project implementation within the West Fork Illinois River Watershed on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) administered lands. Although ecological information, discussions and recommendations are presented at the landscape scale largely irrespective of administrative ownership, please understand that the BLM will only be implementing management actions on the lands it administers. Preparation of this watershed analysis follows the format outlined in the draft federal watershed analysis guidelines in the document Ecosystem Analysis at the Watershed Scale: Federal Guide for Watershed Analysis (Version 2.2), 1995. If you have additional resource or social information that would contribute to our understanding of the ecological and social processes within the watershed, we would appreciate hearing about them. Abbie Jossie Field Manager Grants Pass Resource Area West Fork Illinois River Watershed Analysis Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS I. CHARACTERIZATION.......................................................................................................................................................4 A. PURPOSE........................................................................................................................................................................... 4 B. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................. 4 C. CLIMATE.......................................................................................................................................................................... 4 D. OWNERSHIP .................................................................................................................................................................... 5 E. REGULATORY CONSIDERATIONS ............................................................................................................................ 6 F. EROSION PROCESSES.................................................................................................................................................... 6 G. HYDROLOGY.................................................................................................................................................................... 8 H. WATER QUALITY.......................................................................................................................................................... 8 I. STREAM CHANNEL....................................................................................................................................................... 9 J. VEGETATION................................................................................................................................................................... 9 K. SPECIES AND HABITATS .......................................................................................................................................... 10 1. Terrestrial.................................................................................................................................................................... 10 2. Aquatic ....................................................................................................................................................................... 11 3. Fluvial Streams .......................................................................................................................................................... 12 L. FIRE.................................................................................................................................................................................. 12 M. AIR RESOURCES ........................................................................................................................................................... 14 N. HUMAN USES ............................................................................................................................................................... 14 II. KEY ISSUES .........................................................................................................................................................................16 A. FIRE.................................................................................................................................................................................. 17 B. ULTRAMAFIC/ SERPENTINE SOILS ........................................................................................................................ 17 C. WATER QUALITY AND QUANTITY....................................................................................................................... 17 D. FISHERIES VALUES...................................................................................................................................................... 18 E. BOTANICALVALUES ................................................................................................................................................. 18 F. SPECIALAREAS........................................................................................................................................................... 19 G. LATE-SUCCESSIONALFOREST CONNECTIVITY................................................................................................. 19 H. CULTURALAND HISTORIC SITES .......................................................................................................................... 19 III. CURRENT CONDITION..............................................................................................................................................20 A. PURPOSE......................................................................................................................................................................... 20 B. CLIMATE........................................................................................................................................................................ 20 C. SOILS ............................................................................................................................................................................... 20 1. Erosion Processes..................................................................................................................................................... 20 2. Road Densities .......................................................................................................................................................... 22 D. HYDROLOGY.................................................................................................................................................................. 22 E. WATER QUALITY/QUANTITY................................................................................................................................. 23 1. Water Temperature.................................................................................................................................................... 24 2. Water Clarity and Sediment..................................................................................................................................... 25 3. Stream Flow................................................................................................................................................................ 25 4. Domestic Water........................................................................................................................................................
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