Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge September 2008 Prepared by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge 27820 Southside Centennial Road Lima, MT 59739 406/276 3536 and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 6 Division of Refuge Planning PO Box 25486 DFC Lakewood, CO 80225 303/236 8145 Contents Abbreviations .................................................................................................................................................................. iii Summary ......................................................................................................................................................................... v 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Purpose and Need for the Plan ......................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Refuge System ........................................................................ 3 1.3 National and Regional Mandates ...................................................................................................................... 4 1.4 Refuge Contributions to National and Regional Plans ................................................................................. 4 1.5 Ecosystem Description and Threats ................................................................................................................ 8 1.6 Planning Process ................................................................................................................................................. 10 2 The Refuge ...................................................................................................................................................................... 13 2.1 Establishment, Acquisition, and Management History ................................................................................ 13 2.2 Vision and Goals .................................................................................................................................................. 20 3 Alternatives ................................................................................................................................................................... 29 3.1 Alternatives Development................................................................................................................................. 29 3.2 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated ........................................................................................................ 29 3.3 Elements Common to All Alternatives............................................................................................................. 30 3.4 Description of Alternatives ................................................................................................................................ 30 4 Affected Environment ..................................................................................................................................................... 63 4.1 Physical Environment ........................................................................................................................................ 63 4.2 Biological Resources ........................................................................................................................................... 72 4.3 Cultural Resources ............................................................................................................................................. 82 4.4 Special Management Areas ............................................................................................................................... 84 4.5 Visitor Services ................................................................................................................................................... 86 4.6 Socioeconomic Environment ............................................................................................................................. 87 4.7 Operations ............................................................................................................................................................ 88 5 Environmental Consequences ........................................................................................................................................ 91 5.1 Analysis Methods ................................................................................................................................................ 91 5.2 Effects Common to all Alternatives ................................................................................................................. 91 5.3 Description of Consequences by Resource...................................................................................................... 92 6 Implementation of the Proposed Action (Draft CCP) ..................................................................................................... 103 6.1 Proposed Goals, Objectives, and Strategies................................................................................................... 104 6.2 Personnel ............................................................................................................................................................. 124 6.3 Step-Down Management Plans ........................................................................................................................ 124 6.4 Partnership Opportunities ................................................................................................................................ 124 6.5 Monitoring and Evaluation ............................................................................................................................... 124 6.6 Plan Amendment and Revision ........................................................................................................................ 125 Glossary................................................................................................................................................................................................ 127 Appendices A Key Legislation and Policies ............................................................................................................................ 133 B List of Preparers, Consultation, and Coordinators ....................................................................................... 137 ii Draft CCP and EA,Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, MT C Public Involvement ............................................................................................................................................. 139 D Species List .......................................................................................................................................................... 141 E Draft Compatibility Determinations ................................................................................................................ 165 F Fire Management Program .............................................................................................................................. 183 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................................................... 187 Figures 1 Location of Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Montana ......................................................... 2 2 Physiographic areas of the United States ................................................................................................. 6 3 Upper Missouri, Yellowstone, and Upper Columbia rivers ecosystem map ........................................ 9 4 CCP and environmental analysis process steps ..................................................................................... 10 5 Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge approved acquisition boundary and acquired lands—refuge base map................................................................................................ 15 6 Conservation easements within the Centennial Valley ........................................................................... 19 7 Alternative A, current visitor service areas and facilities map ............................................................. 31 8 Hunting program boundaries proposed in alternative B ........................................................................ 34 9 Hunting program boundaries proposed in alternative C ........................................................................ 35 10 Hunting program boundaries proposed in alternative D ........................................................................ 37 11 Significant declines in annual, December, and January precipitation totals between 1948 and 2005 (Service data) .................................................................................... 64 12 Mean annual, March, and April air temperatures at Lakeview, Montana, between 1949 and 2005. Significant increases are shown for the months of March and April (Service data)....................................................................................................... 65 13 Representative flow rates for Red Rock, Odell,