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Wenaha-Tucannon Air Quality Report Wilderness ID: 129 Wilderness Name: Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness

Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness Air Quality Report National Forest: State: OR, WA Counties: Asotin, , Garfield, Wallowa General Location: South East , North East Acres: 176,557

Thursday, May 17, 2012 Page 1 of 4 Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness Air Quality Report Wilderness ID: 129 Wilderness Name: Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness

Wilderness Categories Information Specific to this Wilderness Year Established 1978 Establishment Notes Endangered American Wilderness Act of 1978 Designation Clean Air Act Class 2 Administrative Umatilla National Forest Unique Landscape Features This Wilderness is a maze of deep, sheer-walled that cut into what was once a flat and expansive plateau at the northernmost reach of the Blue Mountains located in Northeast Oregon and Southeast Washington. The plateau has since eroded into long ridge tops and wide, forest-covered mesas that now stand as much as 2,000 feet above the drainages. Following ridges will often bring you to a bluff line that fall away vertically into a of drainages. Much of the 's water runs south into Oregon's Wild and Scenic , although some of it slips north into Washington's . Ponderosa pine dominates the lower drainages, then defers to a forest of lodgepole pine above about 4,500 feet, with some larch, fir, and spruce. Subalpine fir reigns supreme at the highest elevations, with native grasses and forbs covering the ground. Elevation ranges from nearly 2,000 feet at the Wenaha River to Oregon which is the tallest point of this vast wilderness at 6,401 feet. Rocky Mountain thrive in this area, which seasonally attracts more hunters than hikers. Rattlesnakes love the area, too, and you may see mule , white- tailed deer, black bears, , , , and hares. You might even be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of Big Horned sheep. Lakebed Geology Sensitivity High Lakebed Geology Composition andesite dacite diorite phylite (98%), amphibolite hornfels paragneiss undifferentiated metamorphic roc (2%), GC 1+2 (98%), GC 1+2+3 (98%), GC 4+5+6 (2%) Visitor Use Not reported in the database. Mean Annual Not reported in the database. Elevation Range 574 - 1943 (meters) Mean Max Aug Temp Not reported in the database. Mean Min Dec Temp Not reported in the database. Lake Acres Not reported in the database. Pond Acres 4 Lake Count Not reported in the database. Pond Count 12 TES Flora , Bolandra oregana, macrocarpus var. maculosus, Carex backii, , Linanthus pungens, Ranunculus populago TES Wildlife Not reported in the database. TES Fish Not reported in the database. Ozone Sensitive Plants Blue elderberry, Ninebark, Ponderosa pine, Red alder, Scoulers willow, Snowberry, Thinleaf , Western wormwood Air Quality Sensitive Lichens Not reported in the database. Cultural Resources Not reported in the database. Status/Trends: Acid Deposition: Not reported in the database.

Thursday, May 17, 2012 Page 2 of 4 Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness Air Quality Report Wilderness ID: 129 Wilderness Name: Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness

Wilderness Categories Information Specific to this Wilderness Status/Trends: Nutrient Not reported in the database. Enrichment: Status/Trends: Ozone Impacts: Not reported in the database.

AQRV's Fauna Fauna Priority: Medium Fauna Receptor: Fish Fauna Indicator: Concentration of methyl Fauna Trends: Not reported in the database. Fauna Actions: Collect resident fish and sample for mercury. Also collect water quality samples at the same time. Flora Flora Priority: High Flora Receptor: Lichens Flora Indicator: Changes in community composition Flora Trends: Not reported in the database. Flora Priority 2: High Flora Receptor 2: Lichens Flora Indicator 2: Concentrations of N, S, P, Cd, Cr, Pb, Hg, Ni, Ti, V and Zn Flora Trends 2: Not reported in the database. Flora Priority 3: High Flora Receptor 3: Ozone Flora Indicator 3: Visible injury on ozone-sensitive plants Flora Trends 3: Not reported in the database. Flora Actions: Need three additional lichen plots to achieve the 1 plot/20,000 acre desired spatial density. Repeat visits to lichen plots once every 10 years. Consider while on-site, surveying vegetation for ozone injury. Visibility Visibility Priority: Medium Visibility Receptor: Scenic Views Visibility Indicator: Regional haze Visibility Trends: Not reported in the database. Visibility Actions Nearest IMPROVE monitoring site is Starkey (STAR1). Water Water Priority: Medium Water Receptor: Water Chemistry Water Indicator: ANC Water Trends: Not reported in the database. Water Priority 2: Medium Water Receptor 2: Water Chemistry

Thursday, May 17, 2012 Page 3 of 4 Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness Air Quality Report Wilderness ID: 129 Wilderness Name: Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness

Water Indicator 2: DIN: TP Water Trends 2: Not reported in the database. Water Priority 3: Low Water Receptor 3: Diatoms Water Indicator 3: Community Composition Water Trends 3: Not reported in the database. Water Actions: Consider collecting a water quality sample for anions, cations, and nutrients. Challenge Points Fauna Challenge Points: Not reported in the database. Flora Challenge Points: 4 Total Plots: 6 Desired Plots: 9 Additional Plots Needed: 3 Data Type: Baseline Round 1 Visits: 0 Round 2 Visits: 6 Baseline %: 68 Trends %: 0 Visibility Challenge Points: Not reported in the database. Water Challenge Points: Not reported in the database.

Thursday, May 17, 2012 Page 4 of 4