Suiattle Watershed Analysis
Chapter 3 - Findings, Synthesis, and Recommendations Table of Contents
Chapter 3 - Findings, Synthesis, and Recommendations ...... i Introduction ...... 1 Aquatic Ecosystem Findings ...... 1 Water Quality, Hillslope Processes, and Hydrology ...... 1 Aquatic Habitat and Fish Species...... 4 Terrestrial Ecosystem Findings...... 5 Vegetation...... 5 Air Quality ...... 7 Wildlife...... 7 Human Use Findings ...... 9 Timber Management and Special Forest Products...... 9 Road Infrastructure ...... 10 Communities...... 12 Recreation...... 12 Skagit Wild and Scenic River...... 14 Heritage...... 15 Synthesis and Recommendations...... 15 Aquatic Ecosystem ...... 16 Terrestrial Ecosystem...... 18 Human Uses...... 20 Chapter 3 Figures
Figure 3-1 Aquatic Areas of Concern 24 Figure 3-2 Wildlife Areas of Concern 25 Figure 3 Vegetation Areas of Concern 26 Figure 3-4 Recreational Areas of Concern 27
Chapter 3 - Table of Contents
Suiattle Watershed Analysis
Introduction Synthesis is the process the watershed analysis team used to identify and evaluate links between the physical and biological functions, processes and uses in the analysis area. Synthesis considers all domains (aquatic, wildlife, vegetation, and recreation) and identifies where overlaps and conflicts occur so that the analysis team can discover opportunities and resource constraints in the watershed. Synthesis was conducted by having each resource area identify areas of concern and findings discovered through the assessment. These concerns and findings were then displayed on a working map so that overlaps, interactions, and potential conflicts could be identified and discussed as a group. This chapter lists the major findings by resource area and then presents the recommendations developed by assessing opportunities and needs in light of resource constraints and management goals for the analysis area. Aquatic Ecosystem Findings
Water Quality, Hillslope Processes, and Hydrology Findings • The lower Suiattle River valley and mouths of tributary streams were covered with very fine clay deposited in lakes (lacustrine) caused by ice dams that blocked the Skagit and Sauk Rivers during the last glaciation. As the glaciers on Glacier Peak receded, coarse glacial outwash material was deposited over the lacustrine clay. These strata develop unique soil structural and textural characteristics that influence soil drainage properties and produce unstable hillslopes and river terraces. This is clearly evident where Road 26 traverses the high Suiattle River terrace. The road surface is irregular and in some areas the face of the terrace is actively failing.
• Glaciers also filled in hillslope hollows with glacial drift material. These hollows are also very unstable. Glacial drift is common within the inner gorges in Grade/Big, Buck, Downey, and Sulphur Creeks. Drift is less common in Straight, Lime, Miners and Milk Creeks.
• Glacier Peak eruptions generated dozens of lahars (mudflows) that inundated the valley floor. These lahar deposits infilled valleys and covered the lacustrine and glacial outwash deposits. Subsequent erosion by streams results in steep inner gorges at the mouths of smaller streams and deep terraces along the mainstem Suiattle River. The inner gorge slopes and terraces are prone to failure due to the high and variable pore pressures caused by the layered coarse and fine deposits. A characteristic chronic river terrace failure is near MP 6 on Road 26.
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• Erosion of lahar deposits on Glacier Peak by Chocolate Creek causes flushes of fine sediment during the summer months. Often the quantity of sediment is sufficient to make the lower Suiattle, Sauk and Skagit Rivers very turbid, and may inhibit fish spawning and foraging. These sediments deposit in slow and backwater areas where it reduces the quality of aquatic habitat. Therefore, clear water, low gradient tributaries are important for providing high value refugia for salmonids during these turbid times.
• The Straight Creek fault runs through Straight Creek and captures the Suiattle River from Straight Creek to Big Creek. The Suiattle River has downcut more at the fault and has exposed and destabilized lacustrine sediment deposits.
• S8 soils (known to be prone to mass wasting) are common throughout the area mapped within the lower Suiattle River watershed, and cause major maintenance problems for roads. S8 soils were not mapped in the Glacier Peak Wilderness area, but do exist.
• Recent glacial retreat has exposed large areas of bedrock in the upper Suiattle River watershed. Extensive rock outcrop and talus slopes, a high proportion of steep slopes, and a high stream density result in rapid (flashy) runoff. But snow avalanching has diminished.
• A low amount of the prominent rain-on-snow zone and large area within the highland precipitation zone make this watershed less prone to rain-on-snow floods. The October 2003 flood was not a typical rain-on-snow event because a snow pack had not developed. Melt from the highland zone and glaciers contributed to the record flood peaks of the 2003 flood.
• The current vegetation disturbance for the analysis area is very low. Most subwatersheds have a low vegetation disturbance level, with the exception of the Lower Suiattle/Tenas Creek subwatershed that contains a high proportion of private land. The highest disturbance levels for the analysis area were from large, stand replacing fires around 1300, 1508, and 1701. A large area of the Suiattle valley, from Lime Creek downstream, burned in 1834. Rain- on-snow effects from timber harvest and roads were greatest in the 1970s and 1980s in Grade, Tenas, Conrad, and All Creeks, and the mainstem below Downey Creek.
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• Clearcut harvesting occurred up to the 1980s included cutting up to the stream banks in areas of the lower watershed. This affected the river terraces along the Suiattle mainstem and tributaries such as All, Conrad, Grade, Big, Straight, Circle, and a number of small, unnamed channels. While much of the rest of the analysis area has mature trees lining the channels for shade, bank stability, and large wood recruitment, these other areas are missing some of these attributes. (The lower potion of the Suiattle River has had timber harvest into the 1990’s, and there are active sales in the 2000’s on private lands. Only portions of the following streams -- All Cr., Conrad, Grade, Big, Straight, Circle, etc. had trees cut to the stream.
• Only seven percent of the streams are two percent gradient or less. The best spawning and rearing fish habitat is in the low gradient streams. One third of streams two percent gradient or less are also Stream Class 1. Forty-three percent are Class 1 or 2 streams. While the percentage is small, there are still 67 miles of valuable habitat represented by the Class I and 2 streams two percent gradient or less. These stream reaches are also in the portion of the watersheds where forest management has occurred.
• Where non-forest or shrub vegetation coincides with highly erosive soils, there is heightened concern for streambank erosion. There are approximately 125 miles of stream channel in the Suiattle analysis area where this situation occurs. Most of these miles are in the Miners Creek and Suiattle River Headwaters subwatersheds, where streams have cut through the volcanic ash depositions. There are another 21 miles of erosive soils and sapling vegetation, most of which is in Circle and Big Creeks and the Lower Suiattle River/Tenas Creek subwatersheds.
• Road failures are a concern. Unstable, steep slopes and avalanche chutes adjacent to roads increase the probability of debris plugging road drainage features and resulting in road failure. Roads constructed on inner gorge landforms are at especially high risk of failure resulting in debris flows with high coarse sediment delivery directly to streams.
• Roads are not being maintained to standards due to a lack of funding. Road failures add to the coarse sediment load and impact those valuable, short reaches of clear water tributary streams that are important to fish. Failures also prevent or impair user access.
• Concentrating water from roads and harvesting could aggravate slides/failures. Hillslope failures generally have enough energy to pass through the riparian areas and enter the channel network.
• Other than sediment, there are no known water quality problems. There is no impaired water quality listing requiring a TMDL on the proposed 2002/2004 Water Quality Assessment prepared by the Washington State Department of Ecology.
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Trends • Climate changes could result in more intense winter precipitation events with less snow cover to protect erosive soils. Floods like those of October 2003, involving higher elevation snow and ice melt, may become more commonplace.
• Retreat of glaciers is expected to continue. This will result in reduced summer flows and potentially warmer summer stream temperatures.
• Funding for road maintenance is not expected to increase and will likely decrease. Reductions in road maintenance will accelerate road surface erosion and the potential for cut and fillslope erosion and slope failure (landslide).
Aquatic Habitat and Fish Species Findings • Of six recognized Skagit River Chinook salmon populations, all but the Suiattle population is considered depressed. The Suiattle population was upgraded from depressed status in 1992 to healthy in 2003. Chinook spawning takes place in the mainstem Suiattle and the first mile or two in Big, Straight, Tenas, Circle, Buck, Downey, Lime, Sulphur, and Milk Creeks.
• Native char extend up the Suiattle to about RM 40, including Milk, Vista and Dusty Creeks, while chinook, coho and pink salmon, steelhead, and cutthroat trout have been observed at RM 24 and 32.
• Coho production in the Suiattle River is estimated to contribute 10-15 percent of the overall coho production of the Skagit River.
• The Forest and Skagit River System Cooperative have identified several high and medium priority fish blockages (culverts) within the Suiattle River. High priority sites are:
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Rd. 2511, MP 0.15 at All Creek Rd. 27, MP 3.76 at Straight Creek Rd. 25, MP 3.04 at Straight Creek Tributary Rd. 25, MP 4.9 at Marsh (Swamp) Creek Rd. 2540, MP 0.15 at Marsh (Swamp) Creek Suiattle Slough Fishway • Various assessments (Smith 2003 and Doyle 1999a) show that although the Suiattle River provides relatively high quality aquatics habitat, several parameters affect and limit spawning and rearing. These include high bedload sediment and mobile streambed, as well as riparian conditions that limit large wood recruitment. These factors limit spawning gravel quality and channel processes of bank erosion.
• Because of the high turbidity of the Suiattle River mainstem, off-channel habitat along the floodplain, and clear-water tributaries, provide valuable habitat.
• There are three distinct areas of recent channel aggradation/deposition along the mainstem Suiattle River: just upstream of Captain Creek, downstream of Buck Creek, and upstream of Road 25 bridge.
Trends • Natural turbidity and streambed instability will continue to limit what otherwise is good quality habitat in the mainstem Suiattle. Tributaries and off-channel areas provide critical habitat in the analysis area, and some of these areas are still threatened by erosion/mass failure and floodplain modification associated with roads.
• Fish passage barrier culverts are expected to be replaced, re-opening valuable habitat areas.
• Fish, bull trout in particular, may become more stressed if stream temperatures rise. Terrestrial Ecosystem Findings
Vegetation Findings • The unusually dry climate, cold air drainage from Glacier Peak, fire and harvest history, volcanic activity, and great vertical relief combine to produce a great variety of habitat types in the watershed, particularly considering its location on the north end of the Forest. This includes seven different Vegetation Zones, large blocks of old growth forest, stands of lodgepole pine, and other dry site species not usually found on the north end of the Forest.
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• The number of documented “species of concern” is not high when compared with other watersheds, but reflects the amount of past survey effort rather than presence or absence of suitable habitat. There is abundant suitable habitat in the watershed for species of concern, most of which is in the late successional forests.
• The habitat trend, given the land allocations, is toward increasing amounts of late successional forest. Plant habitat connectivity is generally good with the exception of Conrad, Straight, Black and Circle Creeks on the south side of the Suiattle where past harvests occurred.
• Noxious weeds occur at a level consistent with other areas on the Forest, and coincide with human-caused disturbances or areas, such as roadsides and rock sources.
• All Vegetation Zones are generally within their natural range of variability, although the ranges tend to be very wide. The amount and pattern of early, mid, and late seral stands reflects harvest history, land allocations, and fire history. In terms of staying within the NRV, the low amount of late seral in the Western Hemlock Zone is of most concern.
• Fire has been the most important natural disturbance agent, and the fire history of this watershed is very complex. Fire is important for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem function. Fire suppression is suspected to have contributed to a decline in the amount of burned acreage in the watershed. A fire management plan could address fire’s role within the drainage and provide recommendations to manage fire in a more historic role in the watershed. Trends • The habitat trend is towards increasing amounts of late successional forest given the land allocations. In terms of staying within the NRV, the amount of late seral in the Western Hemlock Zone is of most concern.
• Habitat connectivity is generally good and should improve over time. The occurrence and location of future harvests could change this.
• Most noxious weed populations will increase or remain stable at best, depending on the species involved and the treatment applied.
• Fire suppression efforts have reduced the important role of fire in maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem function.
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Air Quality Findings • Three quarters of the Suiattle watershed is within the Glacier Peak Wilderness, which is considered a Class I area for air quality protection.
• Visibility is a value primarily protected in the Glacier Peak Wilderness and is rated somewhere between the excellent visibility at Ross Lake and the more impaired visibility at Snoqualmie Pass. Trends • The sources of visibility impairment include pollutants from automobiles, combustion sources, coal/oil-fired powered plants, smoke, pollen, dust, etc. from the Puget Sound population and industrial centers as well as local sources. The number of these types of sources is expected to increase. Impairment may increase if the amount of pollutants increase.
Wildlife Findings • Stand Year of Origin maps show a predominance of mature and old-growth habitats in the drainage. This provides large areas of suitable interior forest habitat for spotted owl, pine marten, and pileated woodpeckers.
• Connectivity of old-growth habitat is high due to the extent of the Glacier Peak Wilderness and Late-Successional Reserves in this and adjoining watersheds.
• Glaciers, avalanche chutes, alpine meadows, and varying vegetation naturally fragment habitat in much of the drainage, especially at the higher elevations of the watershed. Stand fragmentation in the lower elevations is mostly from root rot pockets, wind and fire disturbances, and also timber harvest and roads. The current distribution of habitat types provides diverse habitat for a variety of wildlife species.
• Due to the Glacier Peak Wilderness area, there are large blocks of grizzly bear core habitat within theGreen Mountain Bear Management Unit (BMU) and the Suiattle BMU. The portion of the Prairie BMU in the watershed (which includes non-FS timberlands near the Sauk and Suiattle River confluence) is well roaded and has a low amount of core habitat (less than 50%).
• The high mountain peaks offer unique parkland and alpine habitats, including high quality mountain goat habitat. Past hunting activities and human presence from activities such as hiking and climbing could potentially displace mountain goats, especially on the smaller peaks.
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• Rat Trap Pass is thought to be one of the travel corridors for species moving between the Suiattle River and White Chuck River drainages. The pass area is also a likely travel route for species moving between White Chuck Mountain and the ridge system leading to Glacier Peak.
• Species suspected of being most influenced by human use in the Suiattle are those that are or were hunted or trapped in the recent past, such as grizzly bear, marten, and mountain goat. Other species that are associated with lower-elevation old-forest habitat, such as spotted owl and marbled murrelet, have been impacted by habitat loss and fragmentation from timber harvest and road construction. Most of the harvest activity has occurred in the lower portion of the drainage, primarily through clearcut harvesting. Most human influences on wildlife occur seasonally along roads and trails. Road 26 and the trails it accesses are used heavily from May through October.
• The limiting factors for northern spotted owl use of the Suiattle drainage may include increasing competition from barred owls more so than reduction of nesting habitat since over 80% of the watershed is in older forests. The drainage is also a training route for military jets from Whidbey Island, so there are high levels of background noise from low flying jets. The watershed also is located at the northern edge of the spotted owl range.
• Potential limiting factors for marbled murrelet include the distance from saltwater habitat and the reduction of low-elevation old-growth nesting habitat from timber harvest. The Suiattle River drainage is a drier portion of the Forest (Ecozones 9-11) as is evident by the presence of both white pine and lodgepole pine and the drainage supports more frequent fires. This may contribute to younger forest stands without the branch structure for nesting murrelets. Approximately 10 percent of the watershed is within the 40-mile Zone 1 area, with only approximately 4,023 acres of suitable nesting habitat. The large majority of the watershed is in Zone II (40 to 55 miles from salt water), and is less likely to have murrelet use.
• Overall, the watershed provides relatively high amounts of habitat for key species of concern because of the large amount of the watershed without significant human activity or manipulation. Trends • Over time, the amount of mature and old-forest habitat and interior forest area should increase through maturation of second-growth stands in LSR. Fire is expected to continue to play a role in stand age diversity, while disease, wind, and floods will provide for localized impacts to the forest stands.
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• Desire for recreation use will continue to increase with continued population growth in the Puget Sound area. This will result in management challenges to balance responsibilities for both protecting wildlife habitat and providing recreational activities. This situation will be most relevant for mountain goat and grizzly bear habitat management, as well as bald eagle concerns along the river system. Human Use Findings
Timber Management and Special Forest Products Findings • Many of the stands in the matrix, Late Successional Reserve, riparian areas, and inventoried roadless areas are overstocked, making them more susceptible to insects, disease, and potentially fire. Some of the access roads into these areas are being eliminated (decommissioned) and could preclude future management of these stands.
• There are approximately 5,580 acres (includes Riparian Reserves) of overstocked stands in Late Successional Reserve, less than 80 years of age, that may benefit from commercial or non-commercial thinning. These areas are predominantly south of the Suiattle River and west of Downey Creek. These are also among the most fragmented of areas in the watershed.
• The most commonly sought Special Forest Products (SFP) available in the watershed include moss, tree seedling transplants, mushrooms, Christmas trees, posts, firewood and conifer boughs. We do not know the real availability of Special Forest Products or what level of harvest is sustainable.
• Commercial permits are limited to some transplants, boughs and seed cones. Personal use permits cover most all Special Forest Products available. Illegal gathering and removal of Special Forest Products without a permit is a common occurrence. Trends • Overstocked stands will continue to decline in growth, vigor and health, making them more susceptible to wind, insect, disease and fire disturbances.
• Road elimination will limit access for future timber management options, as well as for other objectives.
• Demand for Special Forest Products will continue, and probably increase in the next few years.
• Theft will continue and will increase as the value of products increases.
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Road Infrastructure Findings • There are about 138 miles of National Forest road within the Suiattle Watershed with about 69 miles at an operational level of 3-5 (suitable for passenger cars), 49 miles of level 2 road (high clearance vehicles), and 20 miles of level 1 road (closed, storage). There are about 60 miles of private, state, and county roads within the watershed.
• The following are suggested changes to the roads analysis database:
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Road 25 segment 0.5 to 5.3 miles should be changed from low to moderate for recreation access and segment 5.3 to 13 should be changed to an operational level of 1 since it was closed as part of the Road 25 repair decision in 1993. Road 2500017 should be changed from office to admin under Admin Access data. Road 2511 segment 1.2 to 1.9 should be changed from low to high concern for wildlife. Road 2515000: No identified need for a Maintenance Objective Level of 2, road is currently closed and should be changed to Objective Level of 1. Road 2520 should be changed from low to moderate for aquatic concern. Road 2540: There is more to the road than 1.2 miles, need to check on rest of road. Road 25400012 needs to be reevaluated for aquatic concern. Road 2550 needs to be changed from Meadow to Lime Creek Road. Road 26 segment 10 to 23 miles needs to be changed to high need for recreation access. Road into the east side of Buck Creek where the old campground is not in the INFRA database and needs to be added. Road 2600017 should be changed from low to moderate for recreation access. Road 2640 segment 0 to 3.7 miles should be changed from high to moderate for recreation access. Road 2640 segment 4.8 to 10 miles should be reevaluated for aquatic concerns. Road 2642 should be changed from high to moderate for recreation access. Roads 2642016 and 2642025 should be reevaluated for wildlife concern. Road 2642080, 2650, and 2660 (0 to 7.2 segment) should be changed from low to moderate for recreation access. Road 2650 should be changed from low to moderate for aquatic concerns. Road 2660 segment 7.2 to 12 miles needs to have the mileage checked. Road 2660014 needs to be changed from low to moderate for recreation access. Road 2661 (both segments) needs to be changed from low to moderate for aquatic concern. Road 2670 should be changed to Doe Creek instead of Buck Creek. Road 2680 needs to be low for LSR and matrix access, high for recreation and heritage access, and high for aquatic and heritage concerns. Road 2703 needs to be changed from low to high for aquatic concern and reevaluated for wildlife concern. • Road 26 has had several ERFO sites over the last thirty years. Interaction between the road and the river will continue where the road encroaches on terraces in close proximity to the river, the floodplain or river channel.
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• Roads that are known to be chronic problems (plugging culverts, too few cross drains/culverts, slumping roadway) are: 2510, 2640, 2642, 2660, 2661, 2680, and 2703.
• Road access is desired to potential LSR thinning stands. Trends • With current maintenance, road drainage failures will increase and slope failures and slides on steep, unstable slopes will increase, increasing sediment delivery to the stream network.
• Funding for road maintenance will probably continue to decrease.
Communities Findings • Timber harvest reduction on National Forest lands has directly affected the economy and businesses in Darrington. Hampton Mill, having bought Summit Timber Company, obtains most of its timber from state and private lands.
• An increasing recreational presence generates income to the town from tourism. Trends • Darrington will continue to try to increase tourism revenue to diversify the economy.
• Increasing recreation use on the National Forest should increase tourist traffic through Darrington.
Recreation Wilderness Findings • Congressionally designated wilderness makes up 74.5% of the analysis area.
• Primary wilderness use is on the Pacific Crest Trail. Use begins in spring and steadily increases, as upper elevations become snow free. Flooding in October 2003 has reduced access to portions of the Pacific Crest Trail.
• Five land-based guides operate in the Suiattle drainage, providing backpacking trips. They will not be operating in this area for the next few years because of the loss of road access and sections of trails, and will be displaced to other districts and forests.
• There is a Forest moratorium on issuing new outfitter and guide permits until an outfitter guide and resource needs analysis is conducted.
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Trail Findings • The watershed contains 123 miles of trail. Of the three difficulty levels, over 75 percent are more difficult, 23 percent are easiest and less than three percent are difficult. Over 90 percent of the trails are designated stock trails and 90 percent are within the Glacier Peak Wilderness Area.
• The Suiattle River drainage contains 26.9 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail National Scenic Trail (PCT).
• Prior to the flood event of October 2003, approximately 24 miles of trail were in need of reconstruction. This include portions of the Pacific Crest, Huckleberry Mtn., Buck Creek, Green Mtn., Miner’s Ridge, Sulphur Mtn., Canyon Creek and Miner’s Cabin Trails.
• Repairs needed due to the October 2003 flood include the Suiattle River Trail, Suiattle River bridge on the Milk Creek Trail, Vista Creek bridge, Milk Creek Bridge and Skyline Bridge on the PCT, relocation of approximately 2.0 miles of the PCT and repairs to approximately 2.0 miles of tread along the PCT.
• Due to the extensive nature of the flood damage within the Suiattle and adjacent watersheds, repairs may take up to 10 years to complete. The expected timeframe for other trail reconstruction would therefore be extended by 10 years.
• The Downey Creek Trail was funded for reconstruction and a contract awarded in 2003 and will not start until 2005 or until Road 26 is repaired. The Circle Peak Trail was also funded for reconstruction and a contract awarded in 2003, but will not be started until the White Chuck Road is repaired. Repair of flood damage to the PCT and other trails is scheduled for 2005- 2010. Dispersed Use Findings • Recreational uses in the analysis area include lake fishing, hunting, berry picking, mushrooming, cross-country skiing, scenic driving, camping, hiking, climbing, backpacking, and horseback riding.
• Dispersed campers use spur roads and old skid trails along the valley bottom and the old Downey Creek Campground. Developed Recreation Findings • Buck Creek and Sulfur Creek Campgrounds are under the Forest concessionaire agreement with Recreation Resource Management. Buck Creek campground has 25 campsites and Sulfur Creek has 20 campsites. The October 2003 flood removed 3 tables, 1 stove, 1 tent pad, and some road surfacing at the Sulphur Creek campground.
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• Suiattle Guard Station is a part of the cabin rental program and was rented out 89 days in 2003. The Green Mtn. and Miners Ridge Lookouts and the Green Mountain Horse Pasture provide unique recreation opportunities and administrative support.
• The Suiattle Guard Station, Green Mountain Lookout and Miners Ridge Lookout are on the National Register of Historic Places and the Green Mountain Horse Pasture Barn is eligible. Trends • Wilderness use will continue to present challenges to protect resources while providing for increased demand due to decreasing funds for wilderness management. There will be an increase in the need for use of helicopter for trail repairs, search and rescues, and fire.
• The Forest trail budget continues to decline while other revenue sources for trails, such as the Northwest Forest Pass, state, federal, and private grants, seem to be increasing. The existing level of trail maintenance is expected to continue. The current trail system is not adequate to meet future recreational needs.
• The October 2003 floods will require expensive bridge replacements and trail reconstruction. The Suiattle Trail is a major portal to the Pacific Crest Trail and other hikes and use will be displaced to other areas until trail repairs are completed.
• Demand for recreation on National Forest System lands is expected to increase.
• Funding is expected to be inadequate for proper maintenance and monitoring of historic recreation sites. They will continue to deteriorate over time. .
Skagit Wild and Scenic River Findings • The outstandingly remarkable values include fishery and wildlife resources and scenic quality.
• The free-flowing characteristics remain unaltered since the river was designated. The Suiattle River remains free from development other than roads and a campground.
• Scenic values were diminished following extensive timber harvest on Suiattle Mountain in the late 1980s, but these units have greened up considerably.
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• Carrying capacity for recreation use on the river is set at 4600 user days for both the upper and lower segments. The eight permitted outfitters record about 500 user days in a typical year. There is an estimated 200 private boat user days per year on the lower segment.
• The boat launch site at the Boundary Bridge is inaccessible due to the washout of the bridge approach in October 2003 flood. Good launch sites are limited along the river because of the high terrace. Trends • With the October 2003 flood event, the Suiattle River has become full of logjams, and navigation by rafts and kayaks is not possible and is likely to remain so for several years.
• Recreation use on the river will greatly decrease due to the logjams and lack of launch sites.
Heritage Findings • There was ancestral use by the Sauk-Suiattle Tribe for fishing, gathering, and hunting.
• The Sauk-Suiattle Tribe has two cemetery sites under special use permit on National Forest System lands, the Suiattle Cemetery and the Tenas Creek Cemetery. Trends • The Sauk-Suiattle Tribe will continue to work on the transfer of ownership of these lands. Synthesis and Recommendations Team members were asked to identify areas of use and resource concern within the Suiattle watershed. Figure 3-1 Aquatic Areas of Concern, Figure 3- 2 Wildlife Areas of Concern, Figure 3-3 Vegetation Areas of Concern, and Figure 3-4 Recreational Areas of Concern show generalized areas of the main resource uses or concerns. They do not capture all of the concerns and findings of the analysis. These general maps are not for specific management use without on-site validation of the conditions represented by the polygons. These maps and the synthesis of the findings led to the development of recommendations. The greatest challenge to management of resources in the Suiattle watershed is meeting the level of need with reducing budgets. Increases in recreation demand will require a clear strategy for managing appropriate recreation opportunities and constraining inappropriate use.
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The MBS Forest Plan proposed a number of use increases and improvements. Some improvements were implemented and others have not due to budget constraints. The October 2003 floods destroyed a number of improvements. Maintenance of the road and trail system must occur even under a custodial management scenario. Additional resource damage will occur without active maintenance of facilities. Active management of the use is also needed to prevent deterioration of resources and the recreation experience. The following recommendations are offered based on the needs of the resources in the watershed; finding the financial means to implement the recommendations will be a challenge.
Aquatic Ecosystem Water Quality, Hillslope Processes, and Hydrology Erosion and mass wasting are a major concern with regard to roads. While much of the analysis area is unroaded, where forest management has occurred, localized road densities are relatively high. Because of the landscape of the Suiattle River, roads are often located either on steep, unstable slopes that also cross avalanche paths, or on river terraces or floodplains that are vulnerable to river erosion. A lack of adequate maintenance on these roads increases the risk of drainage failure. Sediment from road erosion and mass failures travels through the Riparian Reserves. Coarse sediment deposits in the channels and disrupts the equilibrium between sediment load and discharge in the Suiattle mainstem. Important aquatic habitat is degraded by sediment deposition and increased channel mobility. In return, stream channel erosion and migration can cause failure of mudflow terraces crossed by roads. The October 2003, and other recent floods, caused channel migrations along much of the Suiattle River that washed out sections of Roads 25 and 26. These floods demonstrate how volatile the floodplain is for roads.
Recommendations • Develop a strategy to stabilize roads to meet requirements of the MOA with the Department of Ecology (stabilized) and reduce maintenance needs. Include Roads Analysis and access travel management (ATM), and local knowledge to prioritize roads for upgrading and decommissioning.
• Validate high-risk soils during project development. Keep roads out of inner gorge locations when possible. When opportunities arise, relocate roads away from unstable soils, the top of inner gorges, and river terrace locations close to the river.
• Relocate roads in floodplains and on near-river terrace locations to minimize damage to infrastructure and eliminate impacts to aquatic habitat associated with maintaining roads in these high risk areas.
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Aquatic Habitat and Fish The steep, highly erodible landscape of the Suiattle River watershed results in a dynamic stream system that contains a diversity of habitats. Limited quality habitat exists in the steep upper reaches of all channels, but extensive habitat has been created within the Suiaatle River mainstem and the lower reaches of the main tributaries. The high sediment load of the main river from glacial processes means that side channel and off-channel habitats, and clear water tributary habitat, is of tremendous value to the Suiattle fishery, especially the anadromous fish populations. Much of the side channel habitat in tributary streams has been damaged by coarse sediment deposition in the lower reaches. Downcutting of the Suiattle River into the lahar terrace has disconnected side channel habitats in the valley floodplain. Roads pose the greatest current management concern because of the risk of coarse sediment from road failures and disruption of floodplain processes in order to retain road locations along the river. Fish passage barriers at road crossings are being treated; the remaining problem sites generally block small amounts of habitat. .
Recommendations • Continue upgrading, storm-proofing, and maintaining roads (stabilized under the MOA with Ecology) to eliminate elevated levels of sediment from entering the stream network. Decommission roads no longer needed. Where possible, relocate roads, parking areas, and recreation facilities out of floodplains.
• Develop a close partnership between fisheries and recreation to implement a public education and awareness program concerning overuse impacts in the wilderness and at dispersed camping sites along the river. Work through public awareness and outreach programs to reduce poaching and encourage self-policing by the public. Explore opportunities to combine education with increased enforcement.
• Explore opportunities to restore and/or enhance side channel habitats. First protect these areas from road sediment impacts. Allow for unimpeded floodplain processes as much as possible to promote side channel development.
• Field validate fish passage and habitat information relating to barriers identified in the Fish Passage Through Culverts inventory and the Skagit River System Cooperative and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife inventories. Fix passage problems as prioritized. Utilize all available partnership opportunities to complete this.
• Collect water temperatures in streams that may be used by bull trout to determine if management activities are influencing this habitat attribute.
Chapter 3 – Findings, Synthesis, and Recommendations, Page 17 Suiattle Watershed Analysis
Terrestrial Ecosystem Vegetation Natural disturbances, such as fire, are key to maintaining ecosystem function and processes which affect the distribution of seral stages in the analysis area. The current distribution is within the Range of Natural Variability (RNV). Timber harvest has had the most affect within the western hemlock zone, but not to the point of moving that vegetation zone outside of the RNV. The distribution of forest types and seral stages in the Suiattle is most influenced by fire, microclimate and elevation. Currently there is no fire management plan for the area. Noxious weeds are present in the watershed, and there is a concern about their spread. Noxious weed spread could occur by vehicle or use of contaminated fill, but also occurs via wind borne seeds. A forest-wide noxious weed EA is addressing the problem and treatment of the weeds.
Recommendation • Complete a fire management plan, which would include allowing fire as a natural disturbance.
• Complete an inventory of noxious weed sites. Prioritize and treat infestations. Wildlife Older forests cover much of the watershed. Interactions between recreation users and wildlife are increasing and may influence use of the area by certain species. High levels of human use, and improper disposal of trash and human waste may result in negative interactions between wildlife and recreationists. Areas that are most sensitive to human/wildlife interactions include the alpine meadows, rivers, high mountain lakes, as well as habitat interfaces with roads, trails and campgrounds. Maintaining options for grizzly bear recovery is a large responsibility for managers in the North Cascades and within the Suiattle drainage. Current management to maintain secure habitat is to ensure “no net loss of core habitat.” This means that an increase in trail use from “low”(<20 parties per week) to high trail use (more than 20 parties per week) would be considered a reduction in core habitat or security acres, and a corresponding decrease in trail or road use/access within the same bear management unit would be needed to result in “no net loss of core habitat”. The upper portion of the watershed is largely designated as wilderness. The potential for recovery and maintenance of Threatened and Endangered species and their habitat (specifically, the northern spotted owl) is dependant upon overall distribution of the owl within and beyond the analysis area.
Chapter 3 – Findings, Synthesis, and Recommendations, Page 18 Suiattle Watershed Analysis
Recommendation • Develop management actions to promote desired habitat conditions for species of concern. For consideration: (1) increase core grizzly habitat in the Prairie BMU through road decommissioning where feasible; and (2) work with the Grizzly Bear Interagency Group in recognizing that the Prairie BMU has high human use areas that may not be optimal for bear habitat management. Due to the small size of the Prairie BMU, consider the option of combining Prairie BMU with neighboring BMUs to the east.
• Evaluate the lower portion of the drainage for pre-commercial and commercial thinning opportunities in LSR stands for spotted owl and marbled murrelet. Consider stands less than 80 years old to promote late- successional and old-growth forest habitat structure and diversity, and dispersal habitat to neighboring LSRs to the west.
• Develop a fire management plan for the Glacier Peak wilderness area (and LSR lands as appropriate) to allow wildfire to play its role in the ecosystem under appropriate conditions (i.e. prescribed natural fire). Wildfire serves an important ecosystem function in creating, enhancing, or maintaining habitat for species such as grizzly bear, mountain goat, and white-tailed ptarmigan.
• Evaluate the road system desired for administrative and recreational purposes, and decommission roads that could provide for habitat for species sensitive to human disturbances. Decommission approximately the last 2-3 miles of the Prairie Mountain Road 2510 (T32N, R10E, Sec. 24, and T32N, R11E, Sections 19 and 30) to implement mitigation called for in the Black Diamond Timber Sale for road construction into mountain goat habitat. This road segment is located entirely in LSR allocation. It begins in the Suiattle watershed and then crosses into the White Chuck watershed as it straddles the ridgeline.
• Coordinate management with recreation and fire programs to improve opportunities to maintain and enhance wildlife habitat. Promote management for potential foraging and denning habitat for grizzly bear and to provide additional protection for high-use/important mountain goat summer and winter range, kidding areas, and movement corridors.
• Use information from goat studies scheduled from 2002 to 2006 to update Forest Plan management areas or standards and guidelines for activities in goat habitat. Continue coordination with cooperating agencies and tribes on goat management in the Suiattle, especially in relation to the Gamma goat herd.
• Continue to coordinate with land managers along the Skagit River to provide bald eagle night roosts, staging areas, and foraging opportunities for wintering bald eagles.
Chapter 3 – Findings, Synthesis, and Recommendations, Page 19 Suiattle Watershed Analysis
• Develop relations with cooperating agencies and tribes for management of sensitive species and other management indicator species. This includes review of management opportunities with deer and elk, of interest to the Sauk-Suiattle Tribe.
• Encourage riparian management that provides for increasing beaver populations, and diversity in the riparian areas of songbirds, bats, and waterfowl such as the harlequin duck. Consider riparian management for encouraging development of large diameter trees of desired species such as western red cedar. Air Quality The Glacier Peak Wilderness is a Class I area for air quality protection and visibility has some impairment.
Recommendation • Visibility monitoring should continue at Ross Lake and Snoqualmie Pass to track conditions and to identify sources of visibility impairing pollutants near Glacier Peak Wilderness.
• The Forest should continue to work proactively with the Washington Department of Ecology to protect visibility in and near Glacier Peak Wilderness through their pollution permit program.
• Fire planning should include analysis of potential visibility impacts and human health impacts, especially in the case of utilization of fire for something other than ecosystem management in natural stands.
Human Uses The Forest Service is the largest provider of recreation in the local area, when compared to the Washington Department of Natural Resources and National Park Service. Timber Management and Special Forest Products Several areas in the watershed have the potential for timber management. Much of the timber can be accessed from existing roads, but several sites will require road construction or helicopter access. Road construction will require careful consideration of the slope conditions and drainage design and potential impacts to recreation and other resources.
Recommendations • Conduct an inventory of the availability of special forest products. Assess the sustainability of these products under a utilization program. Propose a program to offer these products.
Chapter 3 – Findings, Synthesis, and Recommendations, Page 20 Suiattle Watershed Analysis
• Inventory and prioritize stands for pre-commercial (30 years or less in age) and commercial (40 to 80 years old) thinning within the Late Successional Reserves and Matrix areas.
• Maintain access along roads into matrix and areas of LSR where treatments are most likely. Road Infrastructure Road maintenance is not adequate for many of the roads. While major failures have not occurred due to lack of maintenance, the hazards are increasing. The main roads are used mostly for access to trailheads and recreational driving and are in fairly good condition, even with a lack of maintenance. The exception is Road 27 over Rat Trap Pass. Rat Trap Pass is a major corridor for wildlife movement and also the route for loop driving between the Suiattle and Suiattle Rivers. The flood of October 2003 washed out access to the Rat Trap Pass on both ends, at the Suiattle Boundary Bridge Road 25 on the north end and on the Suiattle Road 23. Repairs at the flood damage sites have been proposed and are being analyzed. Suiattle Road 26 is in fairly good condition except for several sections of pavement in the first 9 miles where the pavement has been badly eroded, and ditchlines are in need of cleanout or re-establishment. There were also portions of Road 26 that were damaged during the October 2003 flood event. In the past the Suiattle River has flooded the road repeatedly and the risk of future damage is high, since the road is located on the lower floodplain and on the high mudflow terraces that are subject to impacts from channel erosion and migration. An earlier analysis (1992) for repair of Road 26 considered closing the road and building a trail to the existing trailhead. The decision was to maintain the road access to the current Suiattle Trailhead, due to the established campgrounds at Buck Cr. and Sulphur Creek, numerous trailheads and dispersed camping sites along the route.
Recommendations • Validate roads analysis findings and general management strategies through a more local access and travel management assessment.
• Use Roads Analysis and other road information to identify roads that can be decommissioned or put in storage to reduce the amount of annual road maintenance needed. Update the road analysis database, as outlined in Chapter 2 of this watershed analysis.
• Validate and prioritize fish passage problems at roads. Fix problems where needed.
Chapter 3 – Findings, Synthesis, and Recommendations, Page 21 Suiattle Watershed Analysis
Recreation Wilderness use is growing. Glacier Peak climbing, trail hiking and camping at high elevation lakes are creating resource impacts from denuded vegetation and human waste. Overuse can detract from the sense of isolation and solitude. This will remain a challenge for management of the Glacier Peak area. Outfitter guides are limited to certain days to allow for the general public to have a quieter experience. The Suiattle trail is a major route to the Pacific Crest Trail. It is unique because it traverses a lowland forest with large Douglas-fir remnants from the stand replacing fires of the 1700’s and 1800’s. The Suiattle trail is a stock trail that connects with numerous other trails, providing a variety of options for the recreating public from the Seattle, and greater Puget Sound area. The current trail system, damaged by the 2003 floods, does not meet current or future recreational demands and expectations. Extensive repair and/or relocation of the trail is needed. It is desirable to reroute the Circle, Crystal Creek and Meadow Mountain trails off the roads that are being maintained as roads in storage. Maintaining these roads as trails is very expensive and difficult. The road drainage is still in place and the full road prism must be maintained to keep the drainage structures properly functioning. Meadow Mountain Trail is currently accessible to stock and is designated as such. Crystal Creek Trail is not a stock trail, and not planned to be changed. Rat Trap Pass has a potential alternative trailhead and trail. The October 2003 floods destroyed or damaged a significant amount of trail and trail bridges. Climbing pressures on Glacier Peak are also noted in that people often times are not discarding waste properly and leave human feces exposed rather than buried or carried out. There is also a problem with the waste being transported in “blue bags” and then dumped into outhouses, which shortens the use of the outhouse by filling them up rapidly. The two developed campgrounds (Buck Cr. and Sulphur Cr.), the Suiattle Guard Station, and the Green Mtn. and Miners Ridge Lookouts provide important recreation opportunities and support. Damage occurred at the Sulphur Campground during the October 2003 flood and 3 tables, 1 stove, 1 tent pad, and some road surfacing were lost. Dispersed camping is occurring in riparian areas along the spur roads off the main roads. Education and law enforcement is needed for both public and employee safety.
Recommendations • Increase wilderness monitoring and education. There is an opportunity to reinforce and educate people on the proper disposal of human waste and garbage.
Chapter 3 – Findings, Synthesis, and Recommendations, Page 22 Suiattle Watershed Analysis
• Repair and/or relocate the trails damaged during the October 2003 flood event.
• The campgrounds, guard station, and lookouts should be repaired and maintained.
• Assess possible Circle Peak/Crystal Creek/ Meadow Mountain trail and trailhead relocations in light of resource concerns and seek partnerships to work on adequate funding.
• Restore and improve road access for passenger cars and large Recreational Vehicles to and within the Buck Creek and Sulphur Creek Campgrounds.
• Provide a better trailhead for stock use at the Suiattle Trailhead or nearby.
• Inventory dispersed sites and use and develop plan to control impacts. Skagit Wild and Scenic River The Suiattle River is a designated scenic portion of the Skagit Wild and Scenic River System. Free-flowing characteristics remain unaltered, and the Suiattle River remains free from development other than some road and campgrounds along it. Estimated recreational use on the river is far below the carrying capacity set in the River Management Plan.
Recommendations • Find and develop new boat launches.
• Consider implementing a public awareness program to reduce the inappropriate behaviors. Work with law enforcement to eliminate illegal activities. Heritage The Sauk-Suiattle Tribe has two cemetery sites, Suiattle Cemetery and Tenas Creek Cemetery, on National Forest land under special use permits. There have been discussions about the transfer of ownership of these lands to the Sauk-Suiattle Tribe. Historic buildings located in the watershed include the Suiattle Guard Station, Green Mountain Lookout and Miners Ridge Lookout and potentially the Green Mountain Barn.
Recommendation • Continue discussions with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Sauk-Suiattle Tribe about how to transfer ownership of the cemetery sites. Maintain and monitor condition of historic buildings.
Chapter 3 – Findings, Synthesis, and Recommendations, Page 23 s i s
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