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Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests

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Deschutes & Ochoco National Forests United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service January 2004 SUMMARY Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement Deep Vegetation Management Project Paulina Ranger District, Ochoco National Forest Crook and Wheeler Counties, Oregon The U.S. Department of Agriculture prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, 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, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5694 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Deep Vegetation Management Project Final Enviornmental Impact Statement Crook and Wheeler Counties, Oregon Lead Agency: USDA, Forest Service Responsible Official: Larry Timchak, Forest Supervisor Ochoco National Forest 3160 NE Third Street PO Box 490 Prineville, OR 97754 (541) 416-6500 For more information, contact: Mike Lawrence, District Ranger, or Lori Blackburn, Project Team Leader Paulina Ranger District 7803 Beaver Creek Road Paulina, OR 97751 (541) 477-6900 Abstract: This Final Supplement to the Environmental Impact Statement F(SEIS) has been prepared in response to the need to manage vegetation in the Deep Creek Watershed in a manner that improves vegetative diversity, reduces the current fire hazard, improves the amount of shade producing vegetation and large woody material for streams, and reduces sedimentation from roads. The FSEIS presents and analyzes four alternatives and discusses the short and long-term environmental effects of each alternative. Alternative C, with an emphasis on improving landscape-level health, resiliency, and diversity of upland forests and riparian communities, while improving water quality conditions, is the preferred alternative. The key issues studied in this FSEIS are impacts to water quality and fish habitat, vegetative diversity, and fire hazard and fuels. Additional issues that are analyzed are based upon public and agency comments received during the scoping process. Notice: The SEIS Interdisciplinary Team analyzed information acquired during the review of the Draft SEIS, and updated information is contained in this Final SEIS. Summaries of all substantive comments, as well as responses to those comments, are included in Appendix C of this Final SEIS. Deep Vegetation Management Project Summary of Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement Contents Introduction ____________________________________________________ 2 The Purpose and Need ___________________________________________ 2 The Proposed Action _____________________________________________ 5 The Issues______________________________________________________ 5 The Alternatives _________________________________________________ 6 Alternatives Considered But Not Given Detailed Study _________________ 8 The Preferred Alternative _________________________________________ 9 Comparison of the Effects of the Alternatives ________________________ 9 Mitigation Measures_____________________________________________ 15 Monitoring_____________________________________________________ 15 S-1 Deep Vegetation Management Project Summary of Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement Summary Introduction The Paulina Ranger District-Ochoco National Forest proposes to improve forest conditions by moving the upland forests closer to historic conditions, promoting the development of LOS, reducing stand densities and reducing the risk of fire. The District also proposes to improve riparian conditions and water quality through restoration and enhancement projects in riparian and meadow systems and reduction of sedimentation from existing roads. The project area coincides with the Deep Creek Watershed, located in Crook and Wheeler Counties, Central Oregon (see Figure S-1 Project Location). The project area encompasses approximately 54,546 acres of National Forest System lands, and 822 acres of private land. A Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision were issued in September 2001 for the Deep project. That decision was withdrawn. In order to incorporate additional information on the effects of the proposed alternatives and to provide for an additional public comment period, the Forest Supervisor decided to prepare a Supplemental EIS. Based on comments received on the Draft SEIS, numerous corrections and clarifications were made to the Final SEIS. This Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement assesses three action alternatives for meeting the project goals. Alternative C, with an emphasis on addressing watershed concerns while improving forest conditions, is the preferred Alternative. The Purpose and Need The need for the proposed action is based on information and conclusions regarding forest and watershed conditions described in the Deep Creek Watershed Analysis. This assessment indicates that a number of vegetation conditions are outside the range of historic variability. The Deep Creek Water Quality Restoration Plan and the Deep Creek Roads Analysis provide more information on the existing situation in the watershed and recommendations for improving riparian conditions and water quality. These watershed- scale assessments show a connection between the road network, stream and riparian network, and the vegetation. The purpose of the proposed action is to: Move the landscape-level diversity of vegetation and associated wildlife habitat closer to the Historic Range of Variability (HRV) in terms of species composition, stand density, and structure. Increase the amount of single strata late and old structure (LOS) stands and move the amount of LOS closer to the HRV. Reduce the forest’s susceptibility to moderate and high severity fires by reducing fuels levels, lowering stand densities, and re-introducing fire into the watershed. Reduce the forest’s susceptibility to insects, diseases, and wildfires by reducing stocking levels. S-2 Deep Vegetation Management Project Summary of Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement Enhance vegetative conditions in the aspen, riparian, upland shrub, and meadow communities. Improve water quality and enhance the vegetation aspect of aquatic/riparian areas to provide for long-term sustainability of resident and anadromous fisheries by reducing stream temperatures and lowering sedimentation. The need for the proposed action is demonstrated by the following conditions and trends: Forest vegetation is outside the historic range of variability for 57% of the seral/structural stages in the watershed. The development of multi-strata stands and increases in late seral species composition has altered the overall appearance and condition of the landscape. The exclusion of fire as a natural disturbance mechanism and past harvest practices have contributed to these changes. LOS Structural Distribution Figure S-2. There is 25000 currently a large HRV Ave. deficiency in the 20000 amount of single-strata Current LOS stands. The 15000 existing LOS is predominately multi- 10000 strata, which is above the HRV. 5000 0 Single-stratum Multi-stratum Larger areas of the forest are susceptible to stand replacing wildfire where the potential for effects to resources would be outside natural ranges. The amount and arrangement of fuels on nearly 75% of the forested area in the watershed are classified as a medium to high hazard to wildfire. Increased stocking levels, ladder fuels, and fire intolerant species are the result of fire exclusion. Relative Fire Hazard Figure S-3. Nearly 75% High of the forested 24% landscape is currently rated as medium to high hazard. Fire hazard is Medium the combination of 50% vegetation type, fuel arrangement, fuel abundance, and location that leads to a relative Low threat of wildfire ignition, 26% spread, and difficulty to control. S-3 Deep Vegetation Management Project Summary of Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement Larger areas of the forest are susceptible to insects and diseases. Also as a result of the exclusion of fire, increases in stand density in the watershed have led to 36% of the forested lands to be rated as high priority for density reduction due to the potential for competition-related mortality and mortality due to insects or disease. The risk of stand replacement fire is also higher in these areas because of the density of stems and crowns. Stand Treatment Priority Figure S-4. Approximately Priority 36 % of the forested stands 4 Priority are at densities in the upper third of their site potential. 33% 1 36% These stands are at an elevated risk of competition-related mortality, increased insect activity, and disease impacts. These are Priority considered Priority 1 for Priority 3 treatment needs. 2 7% 24% Aspen, riparian, upland shrub, and meadow communities have gradually declined over time. These plant communities were once more abundant across the watershed. Fire suppression, conifer encroachment, changes to the hydrologic patterns, and browsing and grazing have contributed to this trend. These components of the watershed are important to the restoration of forest conditions and water quality, and provide habitat to a host of wildlife species.
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