Okanogan County Fires Interagency Burned Area Emergency Response Team September 2015

Okanogan County Fires

Interagency BAER Final Summary Report State, Private, and Other Non-Federal Lands

Contributors: See page 12 for Interagency BAER Team List

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Contents Disclaimer...... 4 Introduction ...... 4 Burned Area Descriptions ...... 5 Fire Descriptions ...... 5 Watershed Number(s) ...... 7 Total Acres Burned ...... 7 Vegetation Types ...... 7 Dominant Soils ...... 7 Geologic Types ...... 8 Miles of Stream Channels by Order or Class ...... 8 Transportation System ...... 8 Watershed Condition ...... 8 Hydrologic Design Factors ...... 9 Summary of Analysis ...... 10 Critical Values/Resources and Threats ...... 10 Emergency Treatment Objectives: ...... 12 Skill Represented on Burned-Area Survey Team ...... 12 Treatment Narrative ...... 13 Road Protection ...... 13 Homes and Individual Structures ...... 14 Stream Channel Stabilization ...... 14 Dams and Irrigation Systems ...... 14 Cultural/Heritage Resource ...... 15 Non-Structural Treatments ...... 15 Land Treatments ...... 16 Aerial Seeding ...... 16 Mulching ...... 16 Slash Spreading ...... 16 Emergency Stabilization Treatments and Source of Funds ...... 17

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Long-Term Recommendations ...... 18 Wildlife ...... 20 Roads and Trail Treatments: ...... 20 Protection/Safety Treatments: ...... 20 Cultural Resources: ...... 20 References ...... 22 Appendices ...... 22 Appendix 2. Okanogan Complex Fire Soil Burn Severity Maps ...... 23

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Disclaimer

The purpose of this study and report is to identify post fire threats to human life, critical cultural & natural resources, and infrastructure.

Observations in the report are based upon satellite imagery, on the ground evaluations and computer modeling at the sub-watershed level. Site specific or individual parcel information is not available for the smaller acreages.

Treatments recommended in this report are to reduce the runoff and erosion damage to life, property and natural resources. They are based on proven practices developed by the USDA Forest Service and can be found in the Burned Area Emergency Response Catalog (BAERCAT). Recommendations were chosen based on soil erosion reduction, long-term effectiveness, cost-benefit ratio, and site specific implementation probability. There may, however, be alternative site specific solutions available to protect values at risk which may better fit the landowner’s goals and management of their property. The landowner is not bound to implement any treatments, but must evaluate the risks and their decisions accordingly.

This report will be utilized to request funding for emergency stabilization and long-term recovery and restoration.

Introduction

Given the size and severity of these fires on Washington State and private lands, the Okanogan Conservation District worked with the Washington State Conservation Commission to assemble the Interagency Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team to assess potential post-fire threats to life and property and evaluate soil burn severity.

This report summarizes fire and potential post-fire effects to critical values {e.g. human life and property (roads, buildings, water systems, etc.), and degradation of natural resource (soil productivity and hydrologic function), municipal, domestic, agricultural water supplies, habitat for federally listed species under the Endangered Species Act, and cultural resources} within or in close proximity to burned lands.

This rapid evaluation was conducted to determine if these critical values are at risk due to imminent post-fire threats and recommend emergency stabilization and long-term restoration actions that can be taken to minimize unacceptable impacts resulting from the multiple Okanogan county fires that burned private property, lands managed by the Washington Department of Natural Resources, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Nation, Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Forest Service.

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Please also see:

 Final Engineering Report – Contains details culverts, and roads at risk; gives cost estimates for each item as well as recommendations for reducing risk.  Final Soils Report – Contains details on soils, plants, weeds, treatment areas and erosion modeling.  Final Hydrology Report – Contains details on hydrologic modeling inputs and outputs for pre- vs. post-fire peak flows and impacts to values at risk  Final Cultural Resources Report – contains details on cultural resource evaluations.  Final Fish and Wildlife Report – contains details on fish and wildlife within fire perimeter and affected by downstream flows.

Burned Area Descriptions

Soil related resources assessed here and select ancillary issues include a characterization of their inherent properties and a general description of how they were affected by the fire.

Fire Descriptions 2015 has been one of the driest years on record and July the hottest month on record worldwide, combined with windy conditions

The Okanogan County wildfires started on August 13th and 14th from 5 lightning strikes and other human causes and burned over 520,018 acres in within the Okanogan and Methow Valley’s, and Ferry Counties. Hot weather, windy conditions, and dry fuel moistures coupled with mountainous terrain combined to create high intensity fire behavior. Several towns were threatened and approximately 200 homes and structures were consumed and critical infrastructure destroyed. The fires burned over 520,000 acres on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Bureau of Land Management, Washington Department of Natural Resources, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and private lands.

Okanogan Complex (Lime Belt Fire):

A. Fire Name: Lime Belt B. Fire Number: PNJ1M4-1502 C. State: Washington D. County: Okanogan E. Fire Incident Job Code: WA-NES-001203 F. Date Fire Started: Friday, August 14th, 2015 G. Date Fire Contained: Est. September 30, 2015 H. Suppression Cost: $44.5 Million as of September 19, 2015 I. Acres: 133,142

Twisp Block Fire:

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A. Fire Name: Twisp River B. Fire Number: PNJ2BB C. State: Washington D. County: Okanogan E. Fire Incident Job Code WA-NEW001351 F. Date Fire Started: August 19, 2015 G. Date Fire Contained: Est. September 30, 2015 H. Suppression Cost: See Okanogan Complex I. Acres: 11,222

Nine Mile Fire:

A. Fire Name: Nine Mile B. Fire Number: PNJ1JE C. State: Washington D. County: Okanogan E. Fire Incident Job Code:WA-NES-1147 F. Date Fire Started: Thursday, August 13th, 2015 G. Date Fire Contained: Added to Okanogan Complex as of August 17, 2015 H. Suppression Cost: See Okanogan Complex I. Acres: 4,720

Tunk Block Fire

A. Fire Name: Tunk Block B. Fire Number: PNJ16A C. State: Washington D. County: Okanogan E. Fire Incident Job Code: WA-NES-001219 F. Date Fir e Started: Friday, August 14th, 2015 G. Date Fire Contained: Est. September 30, 2015 H. Suppression Cost: N/A I. Acres: 167,840

North Star Fire:

A. Fire Name: Okanogan Complex B. Fire Number: PAJ1kG C. State: Washington D. County: Okanogan E. Fire Incident Job Code: WA-COA-00157 F. Date Fire Started: Thursday, August 13th, 2015 G. Date Fire Contained: Est. October 15, 2015 H. Suppression Cost: N/A I. Acres: 218,138

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Watershed Number(s) HUC – 12 (Hydrologic Unit Code) also called Subwatershed or 6th level hydrologic units

Total Acres Burned Table 1. Total Acres Burned by Land Ownership

Sum of Acres by Agency Sum of Acres Percent

FEDERAL 61,986 13% PRIVATE 135,911 29% STATE 72,410 16% TRIBAL 195,573 42%

Vegetation Types Range areas are mostly shrub steppe composed of blue bunch wheatgrass/antelope bitterbrush on all aspects at lower elevations and on south aspects transitioning to forest communities.

Forested areas are composed of Ponderosa Pine and grass/shrub understory and mixed conifer types of Ponderosa Pine and Douglas fir with an understory of grass, forbs and shrubs.

Dominant Soils Dominant soils within the burn area are well drained and have a xeric (dry) soil moisture regime and mesic (warm) and frigid soil temperature regimes. Mesic soils are present at lower elevations, and support shrub/steppe plant communities; where forested they occupy south and some west aspects and support Ponderosa pine/grass and shrub vegetation. Frigid, forested soils are on north and east aspects and support mixed conifer (Douglas fir and Ponderosa pine) and forb/shrub understory vegetation.

Soils on the terraces, ground moraines, foothills and mountains consist of medium to very coarse textures of granitic colluvium and residuum and outwash and till derived from mixed sources; but dominantly granitic in origin. Thick deposits of till and outwash overlie bedrock composed of granite, schist and metasedimentary rock. In areas where the till mantle has thinned; soils have developed in residuum and colluvium derived mainly from igneous (intrusive), metamorphic and some metasedimentary rock. The surface of the soils are influenced and mantled with volcanic ash from air fall events from various sources (dominantly from Mt. Mazama). Generally, the surface textures are medium and coarse and have moderate and high infiltration. Subsoil textures range from medium to very coarse and have moderate to very rapid permeability. In subsoils in which a dense layer is present, permeability is restricted. Surface and subsurface rock fragment content ranges from 0 to over 65 percent and range in size of gravel, cobbles and stones. Many areas within the burn area have rock outcrop, cobbles, stones and boulders on the soil surface.

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Soil depth ranges from less than 20 inches to greater than 60 inches to restrictive layers. Dominant restrictive layers are unweathered (hard) and weathered (soft) bedrock generally granitic in origin and dense (compacted), non-cemented subsoil layers formed in till parent materials. Dominant soils are Haploxerolls, Inceptisols and Andisols and are represented by the Conconully, Kartar and Parmenter soil series respectively.

The erosion hazard within the fire perimeter varies by soil type. Their texture, structure, rock content, permeability, and slope are principle factors in their susceptibility to surface erosion. Item C under “Watershed Condition” displays the proportion of relative erosion hazard on the non-federal lands within the fire (USDA 2008, USDA 2010).

Geologic Types “The bedrock geology of the basin is composed primarily of granitic, andesitic, metamorphosed sedimentary and basaltic rocks. These rocks form a complex arrangement of geologic terrains which are, in places, highly fractured, folded and faulted. During the last large scale glaciation, more than 10,000 years ago, the entire Okanogan drainage was overridden by the Okanogan Lobe of the Cordilleran ice sheet. As the glacier melted it deposited sequences of silt, sand, gravel, and cobbles. These sequences of unconsolidated materials are generally present as valley fill and along walls as terraces. More recently modern rivers have scoured the bedrock and glacial deposits and redeposited them as additional sand and gravel terraces and plains. A review of well logs, and previous reports indicates that the valley fill and terrace deposits may be more than 500 feet thick in areas” (DOE, 1995).

Miles of Stream Channels by Order or Class A total of 2,508 miles of intermittent stream channels are present within the fire perimeters (Nine Mile- 12.39 miles, Lime Belt-667.67 miles, Northstar-795.52 miles, Tunk Block-976.46 miles, Twisp River-56.64 miles). Perennial stream channels total 789 miles (Nine Mile-7.08 miles, Lime Belt-139.88 miles, Northstar-310.59 miles, Tunk Block-314.56 miles, Twisp River-17.19 miles).

Transportation System Roads: approximately 551 miles (this includes state, county, and private roads)

Watershed Condition

Soil Burn Severity:

Fire effects to soil resources are often identified by Soil Burn Severity (SBS). There are typically 3 severity categories assessed, and their arrangement and distribution mapped within the wildfire perimeter. The categories identified on non-federal, non-tribal lands within the Carlton Fire that were observed can be defined as follows:

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 High soil burn severity: About 4% of the non-federal, non-tribal lands in the fire were determined to be in the high soil burn severity category. The canopy and understory were consumed and the litter layer was only partially consumed. The most severely burned slopes occur where pre-fire vegetation density and fuels accumulations were highest, within the Carlton fire these were typically on steep north-facing aspects and at the heads of watersheds. Even under these conditions, soil structure was intact and unconsumed fine roots were present within the upper 4 inches of the mineral soil surface.  Moderate soil burn severity: About 16% of the non-federal lands in the fire were determined to be in the moderate soil burn severity category. In range areas with moderate soil burn severity the vegetation was consumed. Soil structure was intact and unconsumed fine roots were present within the upper 4 inches of the mineral soil surface.  Low soil burn severity: The majority 70% of Forest and rangeland soils were determined to be in the low soil burn severity category. These burned over soils exhibited good surface structure, contain intact fine roots and organic matter, partially intact litter and duff layers, and are often already exhibiting recovery as grasses and forbes are visibly sprouting.

Water-Repellent Soil (Acres):

36,981 acres

Erosion Potential:

Forested: 46.4 tons/acre Rangelands: 30.8 tons/acre

Hydrologic Design Factors

Estimated Vegetative Recovery Period (Years): 2 to 5 in most areas

Equivalent Design Recurrence Interval (years): 25 years

Design Storm Duration (hours): 24 hour & 1 hour

Design Storm Magnitude (inches): See Table 2

% Increase in Post-Fire Flows: See Table 2

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Table 2. Percent increase in modeled peak flows for 1 hour and 24 hour storms

Percent Increase in Post- vs. Modeled Storm Depth Pre-Fire Peak Flow

Modeled Drainage 1hr Storm 24hr Storm 1hr 24hr Rock Creek abv Loup Loup Creek 0.75 2.5 885% 264% Upper Loup Loup Creek 0.75 2.5 752% 253% Little Loup Loup Creek 0.75 2.5 4271% 489% Loup Loup Creek @ Mallot 0.75 2.5 301% Johnson Creek 0.75 1.8 137% Lower Bonaparte Creek 0.75 2.1 364% Chewiliken Creek 0.75 2.25 535% 293% Upper Tunk Creek 0.75 2.4 859% 356% Twisp - Woods Canyon 0.75 2.7 6772% 478% Twisp - Meyer Creek 0.75 2.7 2136% 437% Unamed Trib to Fish Lake 0.75 2.5 978% 305% Unamed Trib to Tonasket Cr 0.75 2.4 199% 150% Unamed Trib to Conconully Lake 0.8 2.5 910% 178%

Summary of Analysis

Critical Values/Resources and Threats The following table summarizes related risk to various critical values in watersheds affected by post- burn conditions of the Carpenter Road Fire. For each critical value such as property, cultural heritage, natural resource, and human life and safety, there is a specific local structure or feature identified as a “Value at Risk” or VAR. For each VAR, a specific threat is described and the overall risk is rated from “Low to “Very High”. The complete list of VARs with their risk ratings is included in the Engineering Assessment of Critical Values Report, along with site-specific preferred and minimum treatment recommendations and preliminary cost estimates for the high and very high rated VARs. A summary of VARs is presented in Table 3.

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Table 3. Summary of Engineering-Related Values, Threats and Risks

Critical Value at Drainage Area with Value Threat Risk Value Risk Life, Highways Johnson Creek at US Hwy 97 Culvert (US Hwy 97) and bridge High Safety Upper Loup Loup Creek at SR 20 (SR20) at risk of blocking, and overtopping and erosion by Property flood or debris flow. Secondary Twisp River – Meyers Creek Road, Twisp River Road culverts or bridges at risk High Roads Road and Woods Creek Road of blocking, overtopping and to Coulee Creek – Fish Lake Road erosion by flood or debris flow. Very Johnson Creek – Edwards Ave. High Lower Loup Loup – White Road Rd and Bawlf Road Salmon Creek – Woodward Road and Salmon Creek Road Upper Loup Loup – Rock Creek Road Pine Creek – Pine Creek Road Bonaparte Creek – Five Mile Road, Bonaparte Ave. Chiwiliken Creek – Hardy Road Tunk Creek – Tunk Creek Road Lower Lost Creek – Aeneas Valley Road Life, Homes, Twisp River homes and driveways Homes, driveways and High Safety Driveways Conconully shoreline homes outbuildings located in to and and Johnson Creek homes in Riverside floodplains and/or alluvial fans Very Property Outbuildings at risk of flooding and debris High Lower Loup Loup Creek homes and driveways flows from runoff from burned Pine Creek farm crossings and barn watersheds. Salmon Creek homes Upper Loup Loup Creek homes and driveways Bonaparte Creek homes Chiwiliken Creek homes and driveways Life, Dams Tallant Creek/Leader Lake Dam Face of Leader Lake Dam at Very Safety risk of erosion and failure by High and elevated runoff from Pleasant Property Valley Irrigation District (PVID) canal Property Irrigation Twisp River – Twisp River Road Irrigation Irrigation diversion headworks High Diversion Canal and canals at risk of erosion Canals Lower Loup Loup Creek – PVID Canal and filling by flooding and Upper Loup Loup Creek- PVID Canal debris flows Property Utility Lines Salmon Creek – buried phone line on Buried roadside phone lines at High Woodward Road risk of destruction by erosion/blowout of road crossing during flood or debris

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Critical Value at Drainage Area with Value Threat Risk Value Risk flows Property Recreation Coulee Creek – WDFW Fish Lake Recreation Parking lot, pit toilet and High and Wildlife Area infrastructure on alluvial fan at Area Parking risk of destruction by flooding or debris flows Property Municipal Bonaparte Creek downstream of Hwy 97. Tonasket WWTP, fruit packing High Infrastructure plants and sports field at risk of damage from flooding or debris flow Property Railroad Bonaparte Creek railroad bridge Railroad bridges at risk of High Bridges Chiwiliken Creek railroad bridge damage from flooding or debris flows.

Emergency Treatment Objectives: The objectives of the burned area emergency rehabilitation are to:

 Reduce threats to safety and property on state highways and county and private roads by stabilizing road fill and drainage conveyances at 20 sites to protect them against erosion by increased runoff and debris flows.  Reduce threats to safety by implementing “non-structural” treatments to warn the public of danger of flooding and debris flows, including warning signs at 9 locations, temporary road closures and public warning communication systems at four densely populated locations.  Reduce threats to safty and property by protecting up to 18 private or other individual structures from likely post-fire flood and debris flow damage.  Reduce threats to safety and downstream property by stabilizing stream channels at five locations.  Reduce threats to safety and property by constructing protective berms along the intake channel to Leader Lake.  Control expected invasion of noxious weeds within the area, especially along and adjacent to roads and dozer lines used by fire equipment and in existing populations withing the fire boundaries  Reduce sediment delivery into the Okanogan River  Reduce threats to property and natural resources (listed fish habitat and water used for domestic and agriculture) from increased runoff, debris flows, and mobilization of already deposited debris from previous debris flows into structures by installing flow deflection berms (protective berms).

Skill Represented on Burned-Area Survey Team Team Leaders Contact Information:

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Leslie Michel, Okanogan Conservation District: [email protected] 509.422.0588 x106 Katherine Rowden, National Weather Service: [email protected] 509.544.0110 x228

Team Members: Soils: Eric Choker, Soil Scientist, Spokane Conservation District Leslie Michel, Soil Scientist, Okanogan Conservation District Hydrology: Spencer Higgins, Service Hydrologist, National Weather Service Katherine Rowden, Service Hydrologist, National Weather Service Adam Price, P.E., Hydraulics Engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Engineers: Adam Price, Engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Tom Slocum, Engineer, Skagit Conservation District Forestry/Range: Guy Gifford, Landowner Assistance Forester, Washington Department of Natural Resources James Weatherford, Resource Specialist, Thurston Conservation District Fish/Wildlife Biologists: Connie Iten, Fish and Wildlife Biologist, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Keith Kistler Fish Biologist, Colville Confederated Tribe Cultural Resources: Mark Amara, Archeologist, Cascadia Conservation District Kim Lancaster, Archeologist, Cascadia Conservation District GIS Support: Andrew Phay, GIS, Whatcom Conservation District Mindy Widell, Natural Resource Technician, Okanogan Conservation District Communications: Daryl Downing, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Craig Nelson, District Manager, Okanogan Conservation District Treatment Narrative

Road Protection Purpose of Treatment: Reduce threats to safety and property on state highways and county and private roads by stabilizing road fill and drainage conveyances to protect them against erosion by increased runoff and debris flows.

General Description: Treat road shoulders and drainage conveyances with downslope armoring, ditch armoring and rocked dips

Location: One site on Hwy 20 above Tonasket, 19 other sites on county and private roads listed in presented in Table 2 of the Engineering Assessment and Treatment Evaluation Report (Okanogan Conservation District, September 2015).

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Design/Construction Specifications: Current WSDOT Standard Specifications for Road, Bridge and Municipal Construction. Use corresponding USFS and/or WDNR forest road construction specifications for unpaved rural roads.

Homes and Individual Structures Purpose of Treatment:. Provide low cost and simple treatments to protect homes and other individual structures that are located at the bottoms of drainage basins from risk of damage from flooding and debris flows..

General Description: Typical treatments include constructing earth berms or “ecology” block barriers on the upslope side of houses, barns, parking lots and other development to divert flows around the structures

Locationof Treatment Sites: Eighteen individual sites were identified where protective berms or barriers are recommended. Locations of the sites and the recommended treatments are presented in Table 2 of the Engineering Report.

Design/Construction Specifications. Conceptual designs for each of the recommended treatment sites are presented in Table 2 of the Engineering Report.

Stream Channel Stabilization Purpose of Treatment:. Protect downstream infrastructure, priority fish habitat, and other values from impacts of excessive erosion caused by elevated flood flows in creeks and rivers.

General Description: Cost effective treatments include placing log grade stabilizers across the channel and heavily planting channel sides and banks with fast-growing vegetation to stabilize the soil

Location of Treatment Sites: Five individual sites were identified where stream channel stabilization is recommended. Locations of the sites and the recommended treatments are presented in Table 2 of the Engineering Report.

Design/Construction Specifications. Conceptual designs for each of the recommended treatment sites are presented in Table 2 of the Engineering Report. Refer to WDFW’s Aquatic Habitat Restoration Guidelines and NRCS’ relevant practice standards for streambank stabilization.

Dams and Irrigation Systems Purpose of Treatment:. Evaluate the risk of damage to large water impoundments and take low cost actions to protect them from risk of erosion and dam failure in the event of elevated flood flows..

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General Description: Conduct engineering inspections of the integrity of earthen dams and spillway capacity and plan corrective measures as warranted. Construct earth bems along the banks of the inlet channel to Leader Lake to protect against uncontrolled overtopping of the channel during flood events.

Location of Treatment Sites: Potential risks were identifed at WDFW’s Sasse Reservoir and at the Leader Lake dam.

Design/Construction Specifications. Engineering inspections should follow WDOE’s Dam Safety Program technical requirements. A conceptual design for protecting the Leader Lake inlet channel is presented in Table 2 of the Engineering Report.

Cultural/Heritage Resource Purpose of Treatment: Update existing documentation on previously recorded cultural resources within fire perimeters and evaluate impacts to sites that may affect listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).

General Description: Sites impacted by wildfire, wildfire suppression activities, and those at risk from indirect fire affects, i.e., flooding, debris flow, and hazard trees require updated documentation and National Register evaluation. Updated site forms should be submitted to appropriate State and Tribal officials (SHPO/THPO) to seek concurrence and/or comments on NRHP eligibility recommendations.

Non-Structural Treatments Purpose of Treatment:. Implement low cost and simple, non-structural actions to warn and protect the public from elevated risk of flooding and debris flows from severely impacted drainage basins..

General Description: Typical actions include posting warning signs and coordinating community emergency warning procedures at densely-populated areas that are at elevated risk of flooding or debris flows. Forest roads or low-use rural roads located downslope or downstream of severely burned watersheds can be temporarily closed when high rainfall/funoff events are anticipated. More permanent non-structural measures that are recommended for densely- populated locations are presented in Long Term Recommendations, below.

Location of Treatment Sites: A well-organized communication program to provide emergency warnings is particularly recommended for residents of houses along the shore of upper Conconully Reservoir, along Bonaparte Creek in Tonasket, along Johnson Creek in Riverside and along lower Loup Loup Creek in Malott. Temporary road closures may be warranted in several watersheds, with the Loup Loup Canyon and Rock Creek roads uphill of the PVID diversion structure being a particularly high priority.

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Design/Construction Specifications. Typical warnings consist of fixed road signs and portable electronic variable message signs. Use of instant social network messaging techniques can also be considered. Temporary road closure techniques include placing highway safety barrels or other temporary barriers across roads.

Land Treatments

Aerial Seeding Purpose of Treatment: Aerial seeding provides vegetative soil cover to reduces soil loss to wind and water erosion. Seeding is most effective after second and third year of growth.

Location (Suitable) Sites: a. Areas of high and moderate burn severity b. Slopes between 25 and 55% c. Sparsely forested areas

Mulching Purpose of Treatment: Mulching provides immediate ground cover and soil protection from wind and water erosion. Mulching can slow peak flows to downstream by absorbing rainfall and allowing water repellents soils to breakdown. Mulching can be applied by aerially or by hand, and can be made from a variety of materials such as wood, straw, or fiber.

Location (Suitable) Sites: d. Areas of high and moderate burn severity e. Slopes between 25 and 55% f. Areas that do not receive high winds g. Weed-free certified straw much should be used

Slash Spreading Purpose of Treatment: Slash spreading provides some soil cover though does not meet all objectives to reducing soil erosion in post fire burns. Slash spreading is typically done using mechanized equipment such as hydroax or mastication which will provide cover more quickly than handheld methods.

Location (Suitable) Sites: a. Areas of high and moderate burn severity b. Areas burned but with available slash material onsite c. Soils with high erosion-hazard rating d. Topography can accommodate machinery

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Emergency Stabilization Treatments and Source of Funds The following table summarizes conceptual level cost estimates for the emergency treatments that are identified in the preceding section. The basis for the cost estimates for the engineering treatments is presented in Appendix 2 of the Engineering Report.

Table 4. Cost Estimates for Emergency Treatments

Number Unit of Line Items Units Cost Units BAER $ A. Land Treatments Noxious Weed Treatment Acres Var. 85,205 $1,547,591 Aerial Seeding Acres $110 4, 897 $538,670 Mulching Acres $950 3,242 $3,079,900 Hand Seeding (Dozerlines) Acres $113.40 3,344.5 $379,266 Subtotal Land Treatments $5,545,427 B. Channel Treatments Sites 5 $59,800 C. Road Protection Treatments - State Highways Sites 1 $6,600 County and Private Roads Sites 19 $185,100 Subtotal Highways and Roads $191,700 D. Houses and other Structures Sites 18 $170,600 E. Dam Stabilization Sites $20,000 2 $40,000 F. Non-Structural Actions - Road signs Sites 9 $18,600 Portable Variable Message Signs Sites $17, 000 4 $68,000 Enhanced public communication TBD TBD Temporary road closures TBD TBD Subtotal Non-structural $86,600 G. Other (Specify) - H. Monitoring - Cultural/Heritage Resources Each - I. Totals $6,094,127

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Long-Term Recommendations Six large-scale engineering values at risk were identified as top priorities for more extensive evaluation and treatment because emergency post-wildfire stabilization and protection treatments could be used to leverage rehabilitation or correction of existing deficiencies. The six potential projects are listed in the following table and described in detail in Section 4.2.6 of the Engineering Report. Details of construction quantities and costs for key components of the conceptual designs are included in the engineering documentation in the project files.

Table 5. Summary of Recommended Large-scale Rehabilitation Projects

Rehabilitation Project Project Description of Proposed Treatments Conceptual Site ID# Cost Estimate

Tonasket flood risk KR116 In depth engineering study of flood risk and options $50,000 study for relocating up to 15 houses along East 7th St. and Bonaparte Ave. out of the Bonaparte Creek floodway. Riverside flood risk KR115 In depth engineering study of flood risk and options $40,000 study for relocating houses near the Edwards Ave. bridge out of the Johnson Creek floodway Malott flood risk study KR233 In depth engineering study of flood risk and options $50,000 for relocating houses out of the Loup Loup Creek floodway S. F. Pine Creek farm KR104 Consolidate farm crossings and replace undersized $58,000 access bridge culverts with a prefabricated bridge. Salmon Creek Road KK210 Either do bioengineered bank stabilization of the $220,000 - stabilization eroding creek bank or relocate 600 LF of the road $280,000 away from the creek. PVID Irrigation Canal 1009 Either pipe the highest risk reaches of the Loup $220,000 - Loup Creek canal, or discontinue it and compensate $1.4M by improving conservation efficiencies by piping the Sweat Creek and Little Loup Loup Creek diversions. TOTAL $648,000 to $1.9M

Six large-scale engineering VARs were identified as top priorities for more extensive evaluation and treatment because emergency post-wildfire stabilization and protection treatments could be used to leverage rehabilitation or correction of existing deficiencies.

 Tonasket Flood Risk Survey: In depth engineering study of flood risk and options for relocating up to 15 houses along East 7th St. and Bonaparte Ave. out of the Bonaparte Creek floodway.

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 Riverside Flood Risk Survey: In depth engineering study of flood risk and options for relocating houses near the Edwards Ave. bridge out of the Johnson Creek floodway  Malott Flood Risk Survey: In depth engineering study of flood risk and options for relocating houses out of the Loup Loup Creek floodway:  South Fork Pine Creek Farm Access Bridge: Consolidate farm crossings and replace undersized culverts with a prefabricated bridge. Two farm crossings on the Tim Jensen property have undersized culverts that obstruct flow in Pine Creek downstream of a tributary from a intensely burned watershed. Okanogan County has stabilized the county road shoulder at this location with concrete blocks, which currently are sliding into the creek. Consolidating the two crossings into one, replacing the culverts with a fully-spanning prefabricated steel bridge, and doing bioengineered stabilization of the creek banks would be a cost-effective treatment not only to protect the farm buildings and county road from possible future floods but for an obvious existing deficiency.  Salmon Creek Road Stabilization: Either do bioengineered bank stabilization of the eroding creek bank or relocate 600 LF of the road away from the creek. Salmon Creek cuts into the shoulder of Salmon Creek Road at this location and the road prism is currently at significant risk of being undermined. A recommended rehabilitation project is to either stabilize the creek bank with a log revetment and other bioengineered techniques, or to purchase part of the privately-owned pasture west of the road and relocate about 600 lineal feet of the road away from the creek. Conceptual cost estimates of $225,000 and $280,000 were developed for the bank stabilization and road relocation options, respectively.  Pleasant Valley Irrigation District Irrigation Canal: Either pipe the highest risk reaches of the Loup Loup Creek canal, or discontinue it and compensate by improving conservation efficiencies by piping the Sweat Creek and Little Loup Loup Creek diversions. The PVID irrigation diversion structure, headworks and unlined diversion ditch off of Loup Loup Canyon Road is identified as being at “very high” risk of damage from flooding and debris flows. A conceptual design for constructing a soil berm to divert debris flows around the headworks and to bury 2,500 lineal feet of the diversion ditch into a 3-foot diameter pipe is presented in the engineering documentation in the project files. The conceptual cost estimate for this treatment is about $220,000.  A more far-reaching and effective rehabilitation that has been proposed by the Confederated Colville Tribe’s natural resources staff is to discontinue the Loup Loup diversion and to bury the entire length of the remaining canal from Sweat Creek to Leader Lake in a 3-foot diameter pipe. The reduction in wastage of water that would be realized by piping the ditch would compensate for discontinuing the Loup Loup Creek diversion, and the resulting water savings would be trusted to in-stream flow to support the recovery of ESA-listed steelhead populations in Loup Loup Creek.

Motorized Access/Major Highways

Twisp River Road and Meyer’s Creek Road

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Values rated very high risk resulting from severe burn within draws upslope of the Twisp River Road and severe burn on the east side of Meyer’s Creek Road. Flooding and/or debris flow has potential to impact access to 10-12 homes on the Twisp River Road and approximately 5 homes on Meyer’s Creek Road.

Wildlife  Monitor fire burned slopes for sediment delivery to streams. Implement measures, such as contour felling, to retard downslope movement.  Repair livestock exclusion fences to meet riparian management objectives.  Replace undersized culverts and bridges to handle excessive overland flow and sediment; culverts on fish-bearing streams should be designed for upstream fish passage and to allow bedload and wood material to move downstream without blocking or plugging the culvert.  In areas of burn severity of moderate or high, incorporate slash on the floodplain surface to create surface roughness to impede sediment delivery.

Roads and Trail Treatments: Road and trail treatments are intended to protect infrastructure against large water flows and associated impacts. Common post-fire road and trail failures occur when a culvert under the highway, road or private driveway becomes clogged with debris and sediment flowing down a draw, water backs up and overtops the road, and the scouring force of water flowing down the downslope side of the road prism washes out the soil. If enough erosion occurs, the entire road prism will wash out. Another common road failure situation is flood water eroding a deep gully along road ditches on the uphill side of steep road sections, which can undermine the pavement and eventually erode a gully across the road.

Protection/Safety Treatments: Treatments are used to protect life, safety, and critical natural and cultural resources include flood-warning systems, warning signs, barriers, facility safety work, enforcement protection, and hazard removal.

Cultural Resources: Six previously documented sites require updated site documentation, including:  One rock shelter site located along Coulee Creek in the Scotch Creek Basin  One historic homestead located near the mouth of Coulee Creek  One historic homestead site located in Tunk Valley  Two cabin sites located in Tunk Valley  One historic mining site located in the southwest portion of the Limebelt Fire, on the west side of Loup Loup Creek

The rock shelter site is potentially at risk for debris flows that could erode buried cultural deposits. Fire that burned through the homestead located at the north end of Coulee Creek and the homestead located on the south side of Tunk Creek consumed all ground cover within the vicinity of the site. During Final Summary Report Page 20 of 27

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field inspection new features were observed that likely contribute to the NRHP eligibility of the site. Increased potential for debris flows has the potential to negatively affect each site. The two cabin sites located north of Tunk Creek were consumed by fire, which has destroyed elements that had the potential to contribute to the NRHP eligibility of each site. One feature was lost to fire at the historic mining site located on the slope west of Loup Loup Creek and elements not previously documented were noted.

Three new cultural resource sites were identified during the BAER field visits. These sites include a historic mining feature, one historic homestead, and one historic irrigation feature. The sites are all located in areas that were impacted by low to moderate or high intensity wildfire and are susceptible to indirect fire effects including damage from hazard trees and flooding/debris flows. The historic mining feature and historic irrigation feature exhibit/possess construction elements that meet the requirements for inclusion on the NRHP. Both sites have a “High” risk rank based on probability of consequences resulting from wildfire effects and major consequences from loss of the value. The historic homestead site is located on the north edge of a perennial tributary to Tunk Creek. The site is at risk of flooding/debris flows that would have the potential to destroy the site.

As a result of this assessment it is recommended that the previously documented sites located within the 2015 Okanogan County Wildfire perimeters and the 3 sites identified as a result of this project be fully documented including updating existing site forms/completing new site forms and reevaluating/evaluating sites for listing on the NRHP. Data recovery should involve site visitation by a professional archaeologist. Updated/new site forms should be submitted to the appropriate State and Tribal officials (SHPO/THPO) to seek concurrence and/or comment on NRHP eligibility recommendations.

Ground disturbing activity recommended as a result of the Okanogan County Interagency BAER assessment, outside the scope of the cultural resources assessment, need to take into account the Governor’s Executive Order O5-05 and Section 106 (if Federal funding is involved) in regards to cultural resources compliance. Projects that have the potential to result in ground disturbing activity need to go through the cultural resources review process with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation Tribal Historic Preservation Office (THPO). Ground disturbing activities proposed during team meetings include but are not limited to road drainage improvements, private crossings, point protections, installation of road and campground signs, impoundment and dam stabilization, and home stabilization.

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References

Watershed, Soil, Air Management. USDA. Forest Service. 0625 1801—SDTDC December 2006. http://www.fs.fed.us/eng/pubs/pdf/BAERCAT/lo_res/06251801L.pdf

Robichaud, P.R.; Elliot, W.J.; Pierson, F.B.; Hall, D.E.; Moffet, C.A. 2006. Erosion Risk Management Tool (ERMiT) Ver.2006.01.18 [Online at http://forest.moscowfsl.wsu.edu/fswepp/ ]. Moscow, ID: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station [accessed 5 June 2006].

USDA. 2010. Soil Survey of Okanongan County Area, Washington. Natural Resources Conservation Service. Available online at: http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/. Current data accessed September 7, 2014.

USDA. 2008. Soil Survey of Okanogan National Forest Area, Washington. Natural Resources Conservation Service. Accessible online at: http://soils.usda.gov/survey/printed_surveys/.. Current data accessed September 7, 2014.

USDA. 2006. Land Resource Regions and Major Land Resource Areas of the United States, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Basin. U.S. Department of Agriculture Handbook 296. Natural Resources Conservation Service. Available online at: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs142p2_050898.pdf. Current data accessed September 14, 2014.

Appendices

Appendix 1. Treatment Maps

Appendix 2. Soil Burn Severity Maps

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Appendix 2. Okanogan Complex Fire Soil Burn Severity Maps

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Carpenter Road Fire Interagency Burned Area Emergency Response Team October 2015

Okanogan County Fires

Interagency BAER Engineering Resources Report

State, Private, and Other Non-Federal Lands

Contributors: Tom Slocum; PE, Northwest Region Engineer, Washington State Conservation Commission

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Contents Introduction ...... 2 Resource Assessment ...... 2 Geographic Area ...... 2 Methods ...... 4 Findings & Recommendations ...... 6 Engineering Values at Risk ...... 6 Recommended Treatment Design Approach ...... 8 Road /Utility Line Treatments ...... 9 Protecting Structures ...... 10 Channel Treatments ...... 10 Non-structural Treatments ...... 11 Large Scale and Rehabilitation Projects ...... 11 Recommended Treatments ...... 11 Road protection ...... 12 Protection of Structures ...... 12 Channel Stabilization...... 13 Dams and Irrigation Systems ...... 14 Non Structural Treatments ...... 15 Large Scale Projects/Rehabilitation ...... 15 Aggregate Cost Estimates for Recommended Treatments ...... 18 Limitations ...... 18 APPENDICES ...... 19 Appendix 1: Threats and Risk Assessment Matrix ...... 20 Appendix 2: Explanation of Risk Categories ...... 27 Appendix 3: List of Recommended Treatments and Recommended Costs...... 28

Report prepared by: Tom Slocum, PE Washington Conservation Districts Northwest Region Engineer

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Introduction This report documents the methodology, observations and conclusions of a field reconnaissance and assessment of infrastructure and property located on state and private lands in watersheds that were impacted by the Okanogan Complex Fire of August and September, 2015. The purpose of the study is to identify infrastructure and property that is likely at risk of damage from flooding and debris flows associated with post-fire storm runoff from burned watersheds. These “Values at Risk” (VARs) included private, county, and state-owned roads and highways; residential, commercial and farm structures; wells, dams and surface water impoundments; utility lines, irrigation water infrastructure and on-farm irrigation systems; and other significant infrastructure. For the purposes of this report, these types of VARs are collectively referred to as “engineering values at risk.” From September 13th to 18th, 2015, a field investigation and assessment of infrastructure and property was conducted on state and private lands located in watersheds affected by the Okanogan Complex Fire. After completing the field investigation, a conceptual-level engineering assessment was conducted to identify basic civil engineering treatments that could be implemented for protecting high priority engineering VARs from flood damage during the immediate and intermediate-term timeframe. Conceptual-level engineering designs and cost estimates were the developed for each of the engineering VARs that were identified as being at either “very high” or “high” risk, based upon the U.S. Forest Service’s Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) standard risk assessment protocol. This report provides a summary of the issues, methods, observations, and recommendations identified during this study.

Resource Assessment Geographic Area For the purposes of this study, the field investigations and engineering evaluations were organized geographically according to the watersheds within the Methow and Okanogan River Basins where the various fires of the Okanogan Complex Fire significantly impacted state and privately owned land1. For the most part, the geographic boundaries are consistent with the federal government’s “Hydrologic Unit Code” (HUC) boundaries. These watersheds are listed in Table 1.

1 This study did not assess federal land and land belonging to the Confederated Colville Tribes that were burned by the fires. Engineering Report Page 2 of 36

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Table 1. Watersheds with State and Private Lands Impacted by Okanogan Complex Fire

Fire Name Watershed Assessed Comments

Twisp River Fire Twisp River Lime Belt Fire Conconully Coulee Creek Johnson Creek Lower Loup Loup Creek Includes Little Loup Loup Creek Pine Creek Salmon Creek Tallant Creek Upper Loup Loup Creek Includes Rock Creek Upper Sinhalekin Creek Tunk Block Fire Bonaparte Creek Chiwiliken Creek Peony Creek Upper and Lower Tunk Creek Nine Mile Fire Nine Mile Creek Tonasket Creek North Star Fire Lower Lost Creek Lower West Fork Sandpoil River

Figure 1 on the following page shows the spatial location of each of these watersheds.

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Figure 1: Watersheds affected by fires Methods From September 13th to 18th, 2015, a field investigation and assessment of infrastructure and property was conducted on state and private lands located in watersheds affected by the Okanogan Complex Fire. The purpose of the field investigation was to identify infrastructure and property that is likely at risk of damage from flooding and debris flows associated with post-fire storm runoff from burned watersheds. These “Values at Risk” (VARs) included private, county, and state-owned roads and highways; residential, commercial and farm structures; wells, dams and surface water impoundments; utility lines, irrigation water infrastructure and on-farm irrigation systems; and other significant infrastructure. For the purposes of this report, these types of VARs are collectively referred to as “engineering values at risk.” The engineering VARs were identified by means of drive-by field surveys by assessment team members and review of available aerial photographs and wildfire burn intensity GIS plots. Drive-by surveys

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Okanogan County Fires Interagency Burned Area Emergency Response Team September 2015 included an in-field assessment of topographic and fire intensity conditions to form an initial impression of the likelihood that the various values would be at risk from post-fire flood damage. In watersheds where the project engineer participated in the field survey, the engineer identified potential treatments for reducing the damage risk and completed rough field measurements on which to base subsequent conceptual designs and cost estimates. For watersheds that the project engineer did not personally visit, the engineer relied on field notes and photographs made by other team members to evaluate the risk to engineering values and to develop the conceptual designs and cost estimates. All field teams recorded the GPS coordinates and field observations of each of the sites that were visited in the project’s central GIS database, which allowed team members to access all field data in a uniform format. It is important to note that the field investigation and assessment work was based on rapid assessment techniques of drive-by “windshield” observations, brief site visits, and review of aerial photographs and other GIS data. It is understood that this approach may not have comprehensively identified the full range of values at risk from further effects of the recent wildfires, but it is believed to represent the typical conditions found in the affected watersheds. It is also important to note that the identification and assessment of engineering VARs was conducted concurrently with identification and assessment of other types of values that were affected by the wildfires, including fish and wildlife habitat, range land, cultural resources, and others. In many situations, the recommended engineering treatments are intended to protect these other values as well. The field teams identified a total of 73 sites that contained significant engineering VARs. Some of these sites contained multiple individual VARs. For example, one section of road has several culverts that have a high likelihood of clogging and being blown out by debris flows. A few of the sites contained both engineering VARs and natural resources VARs, particularly fish habitat, which also would be impacted by excessive runoff and sediment from flood flows and erosion. Each of the sites is listed in the study’s master “Threats and Risk Assessment Matrix,” which is included in Appendix 1 to this report. GPS locations, field notes, and photographs for each site are contained in the master GIS database. Each of the engineering values was evaluated and assigned a relative level of risk based on the standard risk assessment protocol developed by the US Forest Service for its Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) planning on national forest lands. The risk assessment protocol involves a case-by-case evaluation of two factors. First, a rating is assigned for the potential likelihood that the particular engineering value at risk would be damaged by elevated flood and sediment flows from burned areas. The ratings are “very likely,” “likely,” “possible” and “unlikely.” Second, a rating is assigned for the relative magnitude of the consequence if the particular engineering value is damaged or destroyed by flood or debris flow. The magnitude ratings are “major,” “moderate” and “minor.” Application of the two sets of ratings produces an overall risk rating for each VAR according to the matrix in Table 2 below.

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Table 2: Risk Assessment Matrix

Magnitude of Consequence Probability of Consequence Major Moderate Minor Very Likely very high very high low Likely very high high low Possible high intermediate low Unlikely intermediate low very low

An explanation of the probability and magnitude of consequence factors is included in Appendix 2 of this report. For those VARs that were identified as being at “very high” or “high” risk, basic civil engineering treatments were identified for protecting them from damage from fire-related flooding or debris flows during the immediate and intermediate-term timeframe. Conceptual-level engineering designs and cost estimates were then developed for each of these engineering VARs. Detailed lists of the VARs, conceptual treatment designs and conceptual cost estimates are presented in the report’s appendices.

Findings & Recommendations Engineering Values at Risk The field teams identified a total of 73 sites that contained significant engineering VARs shown in Table 3. For the purposes of this study, engineering VARs that rated “very high” or “high” were carried through for development of site-specific treatment recommendations. Recommendations for “intermediate” and “low” VARs may be developed at a later date if desired by the affected individual property owners. The “very high” and “high” VARs are described below, organized by the watershed in which they are located. Photographs of selected representative VARs are included in the Recommended Treatments section. Table 3: “Very High” and “High” Engineering Values at Risk

Watershed Site ID Risk Values at Risk Number Twisp River Fire Twisp River CI107 Very High Meyer's Creek Road and Twisp River Road Twisp River CI1085 Very High Twisp River Road and irrigation canal Twisp River EC003 Very High House and outbuildings on alluvial fan, Twisp River Road Twisp River High Private driveway and Woods Creek Road Twisp River CI110 High House, barn and well in a draw

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Lime Belt Fire Conconully KR111 High Five lakeside houses on an alluvial fan below a burned draw Conconully KR112 High Seven lakeside houses on an alluvial fan below a burned draw Coulee Creek KR109 High Fish habitat and water quality below an eroding dump site Coulee Creek KR106 High Culverts and Fish Lake Road Coulee Creek KR110 High WDFW parking lot and pit toilet on an active alluvial fan Johnson Creek KR114b High Highway 97 Johnson Creek KR115 High Houses in floodplain near Edwards Ave. Lower Loup Loup KR229 Very high Bawlf Road house and barns on Little Loup Loup Creek alluvial fan Lower Loup Loup KR232a Very high Driveway bridge (access to multiple lots) Lower Loup Loup KR233 Very high Multiple structures and driveway/road crossings in floodway of Loup Loup Creek Lower Loup Loup KR216 High Bawlf Road and irrigation canal Lower Loup Loup KR217 High Hwy 20 Lower Loup Loup KR227 High House and White Rock Road culvert Lower Loup Loup KR230 High Irrigation diversion canal and access road Lower Loup Loup KR232b High House in floodplain of Loup Loup Creek Pine Creek K104 High Two farm crossings, barn and Pine Creek Road Salmon Creek KK207 High Woodward Road, culvert crossing and buried phone line Salmon Creek KK209 High House and barns on an alluvial fan below a burned draw Salmon Creek KK210 High Salmon Creek Road erosion, sediment impact to creek Tallant Creek KK215 Very High Erosion of face of Leader Lake dam Upper Loup Loup CI113 Very high Two houses and private driveway bridge in creek floodway Upper Loup Loup KR225 Very high Irrigation canal diversion headworks Upper Loup Loup 1009 High Irrigation canal and Loup Loup Canyon Road Upper Loup Loup KK226 Very high Hwy 20 crossing Upper Loup Loup KR222 Very high Rock Lake Road and 5' diameter culvert Upper Loup Loup KR215, Very high Rock Creek Road and drainage infrastructure etc. Tunk Block Fire Bonaparte Creek TS004 High Sediment delivery to downstream fish habitat, erosion of Twin Springs Road crossing Bonaparte Creek TS006 High Five Mile Road access and sediment delivery to downstream fish habitat Bonaparte Creek KR116 High Approximately 15 residences and the Bonaparte Avenue Bridge in

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the creek floodplain in Tonasket

Bonaparte Creek KR117 High House and garage at head of alluvial fan Bonaparte Creek 1002 High Tonasket below US 97: sports field, fruit packing plant, RR bridge and access road to wastewater treatment plant Bonaparte Creek KR118 Intermediat Hwy 20 road shoulder at mouth of draw, barn in creek floodway e Chewiliken Creek KR025 Very high Hardy Road culverts and a house at the confluence of Chewiliken Creek and a side draw Chewiliken Creek KR122 Very high Timber railroad bridge Chewiliken Creek KR022 High House and outbuildings on McLaughlin Canyon Road downslope of undersized road culvert Chewiliken Creek KR020 High House and outbuildings on Wilson Draw Road Lower Tunk Creek KR1007 Very high Access road to house sites and WDFW wildlife area Lower Tunk Creek SH002 Very high Access to upper Tunk Creek Road at risk of washout due to road erosion at an undersized culvert Nine Mile Fire None No “very high” or “high” VARs were identified for this fire North Star Fire Lower Lost Creek TS002 Very high Aeneas Valley Road bridge and access to SR 21 at risk of washout from debris flow down Lost Creek

Recommended Treatment Design Approach Conceptual level engineering designs were developed based on estimated quantities of materials needed to provide emergency stabilization and basic protection against flooding to the effected VARs. For most of the VARs identified in this report, the quantities were estimated based on either on-site field measurements by the engineer or the engineer’s review of other team members’ field observations. In some cases where team members’ field observations were insufficient, quantities were based on review of “Google Earth” aerial photos. In all cases, the estimates reflect the engineer’s best professional judgment based on experience with similar work. Conceptual level cost estimates were then developed from unit costs for labor and materials that in the engineer’s experience reflect typical costs for engineering design and construction of similar scale projects by local civil engineering consultants and general contractors working in rural areas of Washington State. Spreadsheets were developed for applying the typical unit costs to the various quantities of materials for each type of treatment. Finally, a contingency factor of 25 percent was added to the cost estimates to account for the preliminary nature of the design data. The spreadsheets that were used for the conceptual design and cost estimating effort are included in the project files. It is important to recognize that the purpose of the conceptual design effort is to provide planning- level cost estimates for the various basic treatments that are proposed. Before any of the treatments is

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Okanogan County Fires Interagency Burned Area Emergency Response Team September 2015 undertaken, a qualified engineer and/or experienced general contractor must visit the treatment sites and make his or her own field measurements and verify that the design assumptions in this report are appropriate. The basic design approach for each of the treatments is to protect the existing condition of the particular VAR from flood or debris flow damage, but not to upgrade it in any way. Rather than proposing large-scale civil engineering works to try to control floods or debris flows, the design approach is simply to provide a cost-effective level of protection to the particular VAR. Because of the weather-dependent nature of flooding and debris flows, it is uncertain whether any of the treatments will actually turn out to be necessary. The low cost, low-tech nature of the proposed treatment designs is believed to appropriately reflect this uncertainty. The following describes the general types of treatments proposed in this study.

Road /Utility Line Treatments The catastrophic blowout of SR 153 at Leecher Creek during the flood that followed the 2014 Carlton Complex Fire is an extreme example of a common road failure situation during post-wildfire flood events. The culvert under a highway, road, or private driveway becomes clogged with debris and sediment flowing down a draw, water backs up and overtops the road, and the scouring force of water flowing down the downslope side of the road prism washes out the soil. If enough erosion occurs, the entire road prism will wash out. Another common road failure situation occurs when flood water erodes a deep gully along road ditches on the uphill side of steep road sections, which can undermine the pavement and eventually erode a gully across the road. In both cases, buried or overhead utility lines placed next to the road can wash out as well. For the purposes of this report, five basic treatments are proposed to protect roads from these two kinds of road failure at locations where severe flooding and debris flows are likely to occur.

 Monitoring and maintenance of culverts. The road owner should monitor culvert crossings for accumulation of sediment and debris that could clog the culvert inlet and remove them.

 Downslope armoring. Armor the downslope side of the road prism around a culvert outlet. Extend the armoring several feet down the drainage channel below the culvert outlet to form a scour apron. For the purposes of the cost estimating in this report, it is assumed that downslope armoring will consist of an 18-inch-thick layer of 6-inch angular rock.

 Ditch armoring. Place a layer of 4-inch angular rock on the bottom and lower sides of road ditches on the uphill sides of steep sections of road that are likely to entrain flood flows. Continue the armoring downhill to a location where floodwater can safely cross the road, such as at a culvert or rocked dip.  Rocked dips (or “rolling dips”). Where a road crosses a highly erodible draw and there is either no culvert or a significantly undersized culvert, a rock-armored dip can be constructed to safely convey flood water and debris flows across the road. A typical rocked dip design involves

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placing a 12-inch-thick layer of 6-inch angular rock to form a shallow “V” across the entire road prism. The downslope/outlet of the dip should likewise be armored.  Warning signs. Signs warning the public of the potential for road washouts during rain events can be posted at locations where washouts are likely to occur.

Ditch Armoring along Highway 20 Warning sign along Beaver Creek Road following the 2014 wildfire and flooding following the 2014 wildfire and flooding

Road stabilization treatments can be implemented in conjunction with soil and channel stabilization practices in highly erodible drainages upslope of the roads.

Protecting Structures Physical barriers can be placed on the uphill side of houses, barns, irrigation infrastructure, and other structures to protect them from flood and debris flows. Typically, the barriers are aligned obliquely to the fall line to deflect the flow away from the structure, rather than trying to block it outright. Common inexpensive barriers are compacted soil berms or concrete “ecology blocks” or “Jersey barriers.” For the purpose of developing the cost estimates in this report, a typical small soil berm with dimensions 9 feet wide at the base, 18 inches at the top and 30 inches high, with the surface treated by hydro- seeding, is assumed. Larger berm cross sections can be used as warranted if very high debris flows are anticipated.

Channel Treatments In severely burned watersheds where regrowth of vegetation is anticipated to take years, treatment of unstable creek channels to reduce impacts of erosion may be warranted. It may be cost-effective to treat reaches of creeks or draws that are immediately upstream of high value fish habitat, roads, bridges, or other infrastructure to protect these important VARs. Basic channel treatment methods that are recommended in this report are the following:

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 Log grade stabilizers. Large logs can be anchored perpendicular to the flow across the channel of a creek or bottom of a draw to dissipate flow velocity and trap sediment and debris. For the purpose of the cost estimates in this report, it is assumed that 10-foot long logs are placed at 50-foot spacing and anchored with sturdy posts of log pilings driven with either a small excavator or hand-held post-hole driver.  Planting with fast growing vegetation. Planting the sides of channels or draws with densely- spaced, fast-growing native shrubs such as willows can be effective at stabilizing soils. The plants typically need one or two growing seasons to establish adequate roots. For more immediate slope protection, plantings can be combined with broad scale grass seeding of severely burned slopes and use of bio-stabilization treatments like jute matting or staked coir rolls.

Non-structural Treatments Several non-structural treatments could be effective in protecting high risk VARs.

 Public information and emergency communication. For relatively densely settled areas of watersheds that are at high or very high risk of flooding and debris flows, these treatments could include public information campaigns, warning signs, and other emergency warning communication systems in the event of anticipated flooding events.  Temporary road closures. Forest roads or low-use rural roads located downslope or downstream of severely burned watersheds could be temporarily closed when high rainfall/high runoff events are anticipated.  Relocation of structures from high-risk floodways. In parts of Tonasket, Riverside, and Malott where houses and other structures are located in the creek floodway, Okanogan County could consider applying for state funding for a voluntary property buy-out and relocation program. Completion of a detailed hydrologic and hydraulic engineering study to comprehensively assess the risk of flooding to these areas would be necessary for planning such efforts.

Large Scale and Rehabilitation Projects The field study identified a small number of important VARs that may warrant more in-depth evaluation to identify and design larger-scale protection treatments. In some of these cases, it would be more cost- effective to upgrade, relocate, or rehabilitate the infrastructure than to continually protect and/or repair it after each flood event. The design for near-term protection and repair should weigh the present cost of continual treatments against the cost of more permanent and effective actions. Individual VARs that were identified in this study that could be cost-effectively rehabilitated are discussed in the following section.

Recommended Treatments A comprehensive list of recommended treatments and their associated estimated costs is included in Appendix 3. The following sections summarize the proposed treatments by the general project type

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(e.g. road treatments, protection of structures, etc.). Photographs illustrate typical engineering VARs for which these treatments are intended.

Road protection Twenty nine sites were identified where emergency stabilization of highways, roads, or private driveways is recommended to protect them from likely post-fire flood and debris flow damage. The aggregate cost for designing and constructing the treatments is estimated to be $210,000 (Table 4). Table 4. Summary of Recommended Road Treatments

Treatment Description Number Proposed Aggregate Cost Downslope Armoring 13 $104,700 Ditch Armoring 3 $17,900 Rocked Dips 4 $69,100 Warning Signs 9 $18,600 TOTAL 29 $210,300

Damaged culverts, Loup Loup Canyon Road Culvert at Risk, McLaughlin Canyon Road

Protection of Structures Eighteen sites were identified where either soil berms or concrete block barriers are recommended to protect houses or other individual structures from likely post-fire flood and debris flow damage. The aggregate cost for designing and constructing the treatments is estimated to be approximately $170,600 (Table 5). Table 5. Summary of Recommended Treatments for Protecting Structures

Treatment Description Number Proposed Aggregate Cost Soil berms 14 $120,800

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Concrete block barriers 4 $49,800 TOTAL 18 $170,600

Parking lot and pit toilet on alluvial fan at Houses on floodplain of Johnson Creek WDFW Fish Lake recreation area

Channel Stabilization Five sites were identified where channel stabilization is recommended to protect roads and other VARs from likely post-fire flood and debris flow damage. The aggregate cost for designing and constructing the treatments is estimated to be approximately $59,800 (Table 6). Table 6. Summary of Recommended Channel Stabilization Treatments

Treatment Description No. Proposed Aggregate Cost

Log grade stabilizers 2 $46,800

Vegetation planting 3 $13,000

TOTAL 5 $59,800

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Unstable channel above Fish Lake Road Unstable channel above Twin Springs Road

Dams and Irrigation Systems Two large surface impoundments and a large irrigation diversion and canal system were identified as VARs. The Sasse Reservoir along Stalder Road in Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife’s (WDFW) Sinhalekin Wildlife Area was determined to be at “intermediate” risk because it is believed that it is unlikely that a large enough flood or debris flow could be generated from the relatively small watershed upstream of the reservoir to warrant a higher risk. It is recommended that WDFW inspect the earth fill dam at Sasse Reservoir to ensure that it has a properly sized spillway and monitor it over the next few years for excessive sediment accumulation. Leader Lake, on the other hand, was identified as being at “very high” risk of damage from flooding. In particular, it is considered likely that flood flows in the Pleasant Valley Irrigation District (PVID) irrigation canal could overtop the outlet of the canal, cross the dam access road, and flow down the face of the earthen dam. Because of this, construction of a soil berm is recommended along the lowermost reach of the canal to prevent overtopping. The cost estimate for this minimal level of treatment is $3,300. The Leader Lake reservoir is regulated by the Washington Department of Ecology’s (Ecology) dam safety rules (WAC 173-175-510) and, reportedly, Ecology has already contacted PVID about hiring an engineering consultant to conduct a detailed assessment of the situation. A discussion of emergency stabilization and/or rehabilitation recommendations for PIVD’s irrigation diversion structures and canal is included in the Large Scale Projects/Rehabilitation section below.

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Sasse Reservoir Leader Lake Dam with the outlet of the PVID canal in the background

Non Structural Treatments As-discussed in the Recommended Treatment Design Approach section above, it is recommended that various non-structural treatments be considered to protect public safety and high risk VARs in the event that flooding events are anticipated. A well-organized communication program to provide emergency warnings is particularly recommended for residents of houses along the shore of upper Conconully Reservoir, along Bonaparte Creek in Tonasket, along Johnson Creek in Riverside, and along lower Loup Loup Creek in Malott. Temporary road closures may be warranted in several watersheds, with the Loup Loup Canyon and Rock Creek roads uphill of the PVID diversion structure being of particularly high priority. Larger-scale, non-structural treatments, such as relocating houses that are at high risk of flood damage from floodways are discussed in the next section.

Large Scale Projects/Rehabilitation Six large-scale engineering VARs were identified as top priorities for more extensive evaluation and treatment because emergency post-wildfire stabilization and protection treatments could be used to leverage rehabilitation or correction of existing deficiencies. The six potential projects are listed in Table 7 and in the complete list of recommended treatments in Appendix 3. Three are described in more detail below. Details of construction quantities and costs for key components of the conceptual designs are included in the engineering documentation in the project files. Table 7. Summary of Recommended Large-scale Rehabilitation Projects

Rehabilitation Project Description of Proposed Treatments Conceptual Cost Project Site ID Estimate Number Tonasket flood risk KR116 In-depth engineering study of flood risk and $50,000 study options for relocating up to 15 houses along

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East 7th Street and Bonaparte Avenue out of the Bonaparte Creek floodway Riverside flood risk KR115 In-depth engineering study of flood risk and $40,000 study options for relocating houses near the Edwards Ave bridge out of the Johnson Creek floodway Malott flood risk KR233 In-depth engineering study of flood risk and $50,000 study options for relocating houses out of the Loup Loup Creek floodway S F Pine Creek farm KR104 Consolidate farm crossings and replace $58,000 access bridge undersized culverts with a prefabricated bridge Salmon Creek Road KK210 Either implement bioengineered bank $220,000 - stabilization stabilization of the eroding creek bank or $280,000 relocate 600 linear feet of the road away from the creek PVID Irrigation Canal 1009 Either pipe the highest risk reaches of the Loup $220,000 - $1.4M Loup Creek canal, or discontinue it and compensate by improving conservation efficiencies by piping the Sweat Creek and Little Loup Loup Creek diversions TOTAL $648,000 to $1.9M

SF Pine Creek Farm Crossing Two farm crossings on the Tim Jensen property have undersized culverts that obstruct flow in Pine Creek downstream of a tributary from an intensely burned watershed. Okanogan County has stabilized the county road shoulder at this location with concrete blocks, although these are currently sliding into the creek. Consolidating the two crossings into one, replacing the culverts with a fully-spanning prefabricated steel bridge, and implementing bioengineered stabilization of the creek banks would be a cost-effective treatment not only to protect the farm buildings and county road from possible future floods but also to address an obvious existing deficiency.

Salmon Creek Road Stabilization Salmon Creek cuts into the shoulder of Salmon Creek Road at this location and the road prism is currently at significant risk of being undermined. A recommended rehabilitation project is to either stabilize the creek bank with a log revetment and other bioengineered techniques, or to purchase part of the privately-owned pasture west of the road and relocate about 600 lineal feet (LF) of the road away from the creek. Conceptual cost estimates of $225,000 and $280,000 were developed for the bank stabilization and road relocation options, respectively.

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SF Pine Creek Road farm crossing Salmon Creek Road stabilization

PVID Diversion and Canal The PVID irrigation diversion structure, headworks, and unlined diversion ditch off of Loup Loup Canyon Road are identified as being at “very high” risk of damage from flooding and debris flows. A conceptual design for constructing a soil berm to divert debris flows around the headworks and to bury 2,500 lineal feet of the diversion ditch into a 3-foot diameter pipe is presented in the engineering documentation in the project files. The conceptual cost estimate for this treatment is about $220,000. A more far-reaching and effective rehabilitation that has been proposed by the Confederated Colville Tribe’s natural resources staff is to discontinue the Loup Loup diversion and to bury the entire length of the remaining canal from Sweat Creek to Leader Lake in a 3-foot diameter pipe. The reduction in wastage of water that would be realized by piping the ditch would compensate for discontinuing the Loup Loup Creek diversion and the resulting water savings would be trusted to in-stream flow to support the recovery of ESA-listed steelhead populations in Loup Loup Creek.

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PVID Loup Loup Creek diversion PVID irrigation canal

Aggregate Cost Estimates for Recommended Treatments For each of the “very high” and “high” VARs, conceptual engineering designs and cost estimates were developed for implementing basic treatments that are believed to be cost effective for reducing the risk of flood damage over the immediate to near-term future. The proposed treatments were grouped into categories and aggregate cost estimates developed as shown in Table 8. Table 8. Number of Projects and Aggregate Cost Estimates by Treatment Types

Treatment Type Number of Projects Aggregate Cost Road Stabilization 29 $210,300 Protection of Structures 18 $170,600 Channel Stabilization 5 $59,800 Dams 1 $3,300 Large scale rehabilitation projects 6 $648,000 to $1.9M

Limitations The observations and recommendations in this draft report are based on windshield level field reconnaissance, review of available maps, aerial photos, interviews with landowners, and the engineer’s experience with similar projects, particularly with observations of flood damage following the 2014 Carlton Complex wildfire. The field observations of VARs, assessment of relative level of risk and the

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Okanogan County Fires Interagency Burned Area Emergency Response Team September 2015 development of conceptual treatment designs were conducted in a very limited timeframe; the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the results of this study reflect the time limitations. APPENDICES

Appendix 1: Threats and Risk Assessment Matrix

Appendix 2: Explanation of Risk and Magnitude

Appendix 3: List of Recommended Treatments and Estimate Costs

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Appendix 1: Threats and Risk Assessment Matrix

Probability Magnitude Ranked Fire Watershed ID Values at Risk of Damage of Risk Rating Assessment Comments Risk Rating or loss Consequence Aerial photo research indicates low risk to structures and roads below burned areas in the Patterson North Star Peony Creek 1001 Homes, access roads Creek watershed. Train trestle, local Access road to sewage access to sewage treatment plant. Other treatment plant, businesses. Fruit packing Tunk businesses, sheds. Recreation fields. Block Bonaparte Creek 1002 recreation. Possible Major High Train Trestle. 2. High Tunk Creek road and local access road at risk. Reinforcing rr ties in road burned away. Sole access to Tunk burned home site. DFW Block Tunk Creek - Lower 1007 Roads, bridge Very Likely Major Very High access site. 1. Very High House and county House in floodplain and S. 3. Lime Belt Pine Creek 1008 road Unlikely Major Intermediate Pine Creek Road culvert Intermediate Upper Loup Loup & Rock Lime Belt Creek 1009 Canal, road Likely Moderate High Canal runs along road. 2. High Timber bridge over Lost Creek in Aeneas Valley. Sole access to a very large area (100 km^2) with a few homes. North Star Lost Creek CI002 Bridge, Access Likely Major Very High High intensity burn upstream 1. Very High Undersized bridge on unstable fill. Decking already Tunk Bridge, sediment burnt. Bridge material could Block Bonaparte Creek CI009 loading Unlikely Moderate Low be released into stream. 4. Low

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Twisp not bad burn overall. A few severe draws. 10-12 homes/access routes could be impacted. Meyer's Creek (CI105, CI106, CI107) severe on east side. Potential to lose ingress/egress for ~5 home Twisp Meye's Creek Road on Meyer's Creek Road. Also River Twisp River CI107 and Twisp River Road Very Likely Major Very High threatening Twisp River Road 1. Very High Woods Canyon. Road system at high risk. Steep slopes. Many undersized/misplaced Twisp Twisp River Road and culverts. High risk to access River Twisp River CI1085 irrigation canal Very Likely Major Very High and Twisp River Road. 1. Very High

Twisp Private driveway and River Twisp River CI1085 Woods Creek Road Likely Moderate High roads across unstable draw 2. High Dam Failure, Aspen Twisp Lake Dam, DNR Elbow Coulee, Burnt culvert in River Twisp River CI109 access roads below. Unlikely Moderate Low face of Aspen Lake Dam. 4. Low A few homes, outbuildings. Twisp House, barn and well Moderate-severe burn. Dozer River Twisp River CI110 in a draw Possible Major High cut line crosses flow path. 2. High Upper Loup Loup & Rock Houses on both side of Lime Belt Creek CI113 Homes Likely Major Very High stream. Private bridge 1. Very High Rock Creek outlet. Severe Upper Loup Loup & Rock water repellency at 3" depth. Lime Belt Creek KR222 Road Very Likely Moderate Very High Plugged culvert. 1. Very High Homeowner built diversion Twisp Home, Twisp River that may not withstand flows. River Twisp River EC003 Road Likely Major Very High Long drainage. 1. Very High Riparian area burned hot, Tunk culvert under road could 3. Block Bonaparte Creek JW008 Local access road. Unlikely Major Intermediate block easily. Intermediate (KK204-KK206) Ruby Grade Lime Belt Salmon Creek KK204 Road Likely Minor Low Road. Severe road erosion 4. Low

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already observed. Burnt above. Woodward Road at risk of Lime Belt Salmon Creek KK207 Local access road. Possible Major High blowout. 2. High Home at the mouth of a draw Lime Belt Salmon Creek KK209 Home Possible Major High on alluvial fan. 2. High Salmon Creek Road could Lime Belt Salmon Creek KK210 Road Possible Major High wash out, major rural road 2. High Undersized culvert on private Lime Belt Johnson Creek KK212 Driveway Possible Minor Low driveway 4. Low Sediment off slope into Lime Belt Johnson Creek KK213 Fish habitat Likely Minor Low steelhead habitat 4. Low Sediment off slope into Lime Belt Johnson Creek KK214 Fish habitat Likely Minor Low steelhead habitat 4. Low Potential for failure of dam at Leader Lake. Affected area would involve homes, irrigation and infrastructure inclduing Hwy 20. Inflow is from a canal which could fail (but is already being worked on) Direct runoff area did not appear to be badly burned. Canal failure could affect culverts in road above dam which could eventually Lime Belt Tallant Creek KK215 Dam Failure Likely Major Very High spread to dam. 1. Very High Bawlf Road at risk of damage from culvert plugging during Lime Belt Little Loup Loup (Lower) KK216 Road Likely Moderate High debris flows 2. High Little Loup Loup crossing Hwy 20. Some storage space Lime Belt Little Loup Loup (Lower) KK217 Hwy 20 Possible Major High available if culvert backs up. 2. High 3. Nine Mile Nine Mile - Tonasket Creek KR011 Home Possible Moderate Intermediate Home on fairly high ground. Intermediate Nine Mile Nine Mile - Tonasket Creek KR015 Local Access Possible Moderate Intermediate Creek takes a sharp turn at 3.

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local access road. Intermediate Tunk Private road and Potential reduced access to 3. Block Chewiliken KR017 bridge Possible Moderate Intermediate one house. Intermediate Tunk 3. Block Chewiliken KR018 Local access road. Possible Moderate Intermediate Small culvert with little cover. Intermediate Tunk 3. Block Chewiliken KR019 Local access road. Possible Moderate Intermediate Undsersized culvert Intermediate Possible NRCS site. House at Tunk outlet to basin. Hard to Block Chewiliken KR020 Home Possible Major High determine risk 2. High Tunk 12" culvert discharging to free Block Chewiliken KR022 Road, home Possible Major High jet over erosive bank. 2. High Tunk Partially plugged 18" culvert 3. Block Chewiliken KR024 Road Possible Moderate Intermediate on McGloughlin Canyon Road Intermediate Evidence of recent flash flood. Oversized culverts, clean rock Tunk in streambed at bottom of Block Chewiliken KR025 Road Likely Major Very High Chiwiliken Creek 1. Very High Power Transmission Power line crosses over a 3. Lime Belt Chewiliken KR026 Line. Unlikely Major Intermediate draw. Intermediate Erosion of Hagood Road and 3. Lime Belt Pine Creek KR102 Road and culvert Possible Moderate Intermediate culvert Intermediate Erosion of Hagood Road and 3. Lime Belt Pine Creek KR103 Road and culvert Possible Moderate Intermediate culvert Intermediate Undersized culverts on private farm crossing; Road, private crossing flooding would damage S. Lime Belt Pine Creek KR104 and barn Possible Major High Pine Creek Road and a barn. 2. High Irrigation DFW irrigation wheel lines in Lime Belt Coulee Creek KR105 infrastructure Possible Minor Low pasture below burned slope. 4. Low Culvert failure/road blowout Lime Belt Coulee Creek KR106 Fish Lake Road Possible Major High on county road 2. High Dam Failure, Pond, 3. Lime Belt Coulee Creek KR107 roads, fish lake Unlikely Major Intermediate Sasse Reservoir Intermediate Lime Belt Coulee Creek KR108 Stalder Road Likely Minor Low Road blowout at draw below 4. Low

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Sasse Reservoir Garbage dump at old Lime Belt Coulee Creek KR109 Fish habitat Possible Major High homesite along creek. 2. High DFW recreation area with Lime Belt Coulee Creek KR110 Recreation area Likely Moderate High parking lot and pit toilet. 2. High 5 homes at risk. Challenging Lime Belt Conconully KR111 Homes, Road Possible Major High to protect all at once. 2. High 5 homes at risk. Challenging Lime Belt Conconully KR112 Home, road Possible Major High to protect all at once. 2. High 3. Lime Belt Johnson Creek KR114a Stream Gage Possible Moderate Intermediate USGS and WSDOT gages. Intermediate Lime Belt Johnson Creek KR114b Highway 97 Possible Major High 5' Culvert under Hwy 97 2. High Edwards Avenue, houses in Lime Belt Johnson Creek KR115 Homes Possible Major High the flood plain. 2. High Multiple homes along creek in Tonasket. 7th Street Bridge Tunk Homes, trailers, also at risk. Fruit package Block Bonaparte Creek KR116 bridges, urban area Possible Major High sheds. Culvert to sewage 2. High Home built on alluvial fan. Could be protected from moderate flow with diversion Tunk dam. Protecting this home Block Bonaparte Creek KR117 House, outbuilding Possible Major High could funnel flow into town. 2. High Potential for runoff onto Tunk Highway 20. Less burn 3. Block Bonaparte Creek KR118 Highway 20, Barn. Unlikely Major Intermediate farther up basin. Home Intermediate Tunk Barn on creek. Re-contact 3. Block Bonaparte Creek KR118 Outbuilding Possible Moderate Intermediate homeowner? Intermediate Tunk Large log wedged against Block Chiwiliken KR122 RR Trestle Likely Major Very High trestle in a dry wash. 1. Very High Well-sized bridge immediately Lime Belt Chiwiliken KR122 Bridge Possible Minor Low DS of RR Trestle. 4. Low Severe burn area. Multiple culvert blowouts highly likely. Upper Loup Loup & Rock Recreation access Rock Creek Road at high risk. Lime Belt Creek KR215 road, fish habitat. Very Likely Moderate Very High Sediment will go into Loup 1. Very High

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Loup.

Upper Loup Loup & Rock Lime Belt Creek KR222 Recreation Possible Minor Low Pit toilet. Picnic shelter. 4. Low Pit toilet on alluvial fan. Upper Loup Loup & Rock Undersized culvert is already 3. Lime Belt Creek KR224 Road, Recreation Possible Moderate Intermediate entirely plugged. Intermediate Creek routed through a pipe. Will fail. Crosses irrigation diversion. Failure of creek Upper Loup Loup & Rock Irrigation would likely impact diversion Lime Belt Creek KR225 infrastructure, road Very Likely Major Very High canal also. 1. Very High Upper Loup Loup & Rock Upper Loup Loup crossing Lime Belt Creek KR226 Hwy 20 Likely Major Very High Hwy 20 1. Very High Possible failure of White Rock Road. Single ingress to Home, Outbuilding, multiple homes. Home at Lime Belt Little Loup Loup (Lower) KR227 Road Possible Major High KR227 directly threatened 2. High Culvert at Buzzard Lake Road 3. Lime Belt Little Loup Loup (Lower) KR228 Road Possible Moderate Intermediate could plug. Intermediate House and outbuilding at risk Lime Belt Little Loup Loup (Lower) KR229 House, Outbuilding Likely Major Very High of flooding/debris flows 1. Very High Diversion and Access Loup Loup Creek Diversion Lime Belt Little Loup Loup (Lower) KR230 road Likely Moderate High and Access road 2. High Bridge serves private lots and a CCT lot. Alternate egress Lime Belt Little Loup Loup (Lower) KR232a Driveway bridge Likely Moderate High available. 2. High House in alluvial fan at Lime Belt Little Loup Loup (Lower) KR232b House Likely Major Very High terminus of Loup Loup. 1. Very High Homes in flood plain along Loup loup creek. Multiple Lime Belt Little Loup Loup (Lower) KR233 Homes Likely Major Very High private bridges 1. Very High Upper Loup Loup & Rock 3. Lime Belt Creek KR234 Road Possible Moderate Intermediate Newer large box culvert Intermediate Upper Loup Loup & Rock 3. Lime Belt Creek KR235 Road Possible Moderate Intermediate Newer large box culvert Intermediate

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Un-culverted along Pockets of severe burn, 3. Nine Mile Nine Mile - Tonasket Creek Multiple Nine-Mile Road Possible Moderate Intermediate mostly moderate-low burn. Intermediate Undersized culverts on Tunk Road. Very likely that access will be reduced to many homes on Tunk road. NRCS Tunk may examine valley for Block Tunk Creek - Upper SH002 Access many homes. Very Likely Major Very High possible home washouts. 1. Very High Tunk Homeowner below burned 3. Block Tunk Creek - Upper SH005 Home Unlikely Major Intermediate slope Intermediate Steelhead habitat in lower part of Bonaparte Creek. Moderate burn on steep slopes along highway 20, potential for burn runoff into Tunk stream, minor consequence Block Bonaparte Creek TS004 Fish habitat Likely Moderate High to resident fish 2. High Poorly designed private road Tunk with culverts omitted. Likely Block Bonaparte Creek TS006 Local Access Likely Moderate High local access 2. High

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Appendix 2: Explanation of Risk Categories

Probability of Damage or Loss: Use the following as a framework to estimate the relative probability that damage or loss would occur within one to three years (depending on the resource): Very likely – nearly certain occurrence (>90%) Likely – likely occurrence (>50% to < 90%) Possible – possible occurrence (>10% to <50%) Unlikely – unlikely occurrence (<10%)

Magnitude of Consequences: Major – Loss of life or injury to humans; substantial property damage; irreversible damage to critical natural or cultural resources. Moderate – Injury or illness to humans; moderate property damage; damage to critical natural or cultural resources resulting in considerable or long term effects. Minor – Property damage is limited in economic value and/or to few investments; damage to natural or cultural resources resulting in minimal, recoverable or localized effects.

Risk Ratings Very High and High Risk – These are Unacceptable risk levels. Treatments should be considered. Intermediate Risk – This could be Unacceptable if human life or safety is the critical value. Treatments may be needed. Low and Very Low Risk – These are NOT Unacceptable risk levels. Treatments are rarely justified.

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Appendix 3: List of Recommended Treatments and Recommended Costs Drainage Name or Site ID Estimated HUC # Risk Values at Risk Proposed Treatment Design Quantities Cost

Twisp River Fire Armor downslope side of driveways and 15 LF (7 cy) of berm or 3 Meyer's Creek Road at bottom of draw. Soil Twisp Very Meyer's Creek Road ecology blocks, CI107 berm or ecology blocks downhill of outlet to $8,100 River High and Twisp River Road 100'x5'x18" of riprap (46 Twisp River Road to deflect debris flow SE tons) away from house.

Berm or ecology blocks between Twisp River Twisp Very Twisp River Road and 50 LF of berm (24 cy) or 10 CI1085 Road and canal to disperse debris flow and $4,000 River High irrigation canal ecology blocks reduce gullying through the irrigation canal. House and Soil berms on uphill sides of buildings, rock 200 LF of berms (97 cy), Twisp Very outbuildings on EC003 armoring on downslope of Twisp River Road at 50'x8'x18" of riprap (36 $13,200 River High alluvial fan, Twisp culvert outlet. tons) River Road 30'x6'x18" of riprap at Twisp Private driveway and Armor downslope side of driveway and road at High each location (16 tons $8,300 River Woods Creek Road culvert outlets (2 locations) total) Obliterate and reseed dozer line, re-grade Twisp House, barn and well 500 LF of regrading and CI110 High topography to restore natural drainage pattern $9,400 River in a draw seeding in the draw

Lime Belt Fire Five lakeside houses on an alluvial fan No practical engineering treatment identified. Conconully KR111 High below a burned draw Advise owners of flood risks. Two warning signs $1,800

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Seven lakeside houses Homeowners can protect uphill sides of houses 300 LF (146) of berm or on an alluvial fan with soil berms or ecology blocks. Advise them 60 ecology blocks and 2 Conconully KR112 High below a burned draw of flood risks. warning signs $13,000

Clean up 0.25 acre dump Fish habitat and water Remove debris from dump site. Biostabilize the site, biostablize 500 Lf of Coulee quality below an arroyo slopes with willows, native grass and channel, including 1 ac. of Creek KR109 High eroding dump site log grade stabilizers. planting, $40,000

Flood warning signs. Monitor culvert inlets for 30'X10'X18" of riprap (30 Coulee Culverts and Fish Lake sediment accumulation. Armor ditch and tons), 100 LF of ditch (12 Creek KR106 High Road downslope road shoulder at culvert outlet. tons), two signs $12,000 100 LF (49 cy) of soil berm, WDFW parking lot and Flood warning signs, soil berm at crest of 20'x8'x18" (15 tons) of Coulee pit toilet on an active parking lot opposite the toilet, armor riprap at culvert outlet. 2 Creek KR110 High alluvial fan downslope road shoulder at culvert outlet. signs. $9,600

Culvert crossing of Johnson Creek seems adequate, but monitor for debris and sediment Johnson accumulation at the concrete inlet weir and Creek KR114b High Highway 97 trash rack. Monitor Monitor

Communicate flood warning with signs and Engineering public meetings. Do an engineering study to study = evaluate level of risk. Place ecology blocks or Engineering study. $50,000. supersacks between creek bank and properties Assume 500 LF of ecology Initial ecology at greatest risk. Consider long term program block flood barriers and blocks and Johnson Houses in floodplain of buying out and demolishing properties at warning signs for initial signs = Creek KR115 High near Edwards Ave. risk. planning purposes. $12,000.

Bawlf Road house and Lower Very barns on Little LL Crk Soil berm or ecology blocks on uphill side of 50 LF (24 cy) of berm or Loup Loup KR229 high alluvial fan the upper barn to deflect debris flow 10 ecology blocks $4,000

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Driveway bridge Lower Very (access to multiple Monitor upstream channel for debris and Loup Loup KR232a high lots) sediment. Advise residents of flood risk. 2 warning signs $1,800

Estimated 14 structures and 5 road/driveway structures at risk within Malott. Complete Multiple structures more detailed assessment. Work with willing To be determined per and driveway/road landowners to construct soil berms and/or results of assessment and Lower Very crossings in floodway setback structures from floodway. Advise desires of individual estim. Loup Loup KR233 high of Loup Loup Creek residents of flood risk. property owners. $250,000

Lower Bawlf Road and Monitor debris in channel and armor the 30'X8'X18" of riprap (22 Loup Loup KR216 High irrigation canal downslope road shoulder at the culvert outlet. tons) $4,800

Culvert crossing of Little LL Creek seems Lower adequate, but monitor for debris and sediment Loup Loup KR217 High Hwy 20 accumulation at inlet Monitor Monitor

Construct soil berm on the uphill side of house 100 LF (49 cy) of soil berm, Lower House and White Rock to deflect debris flow. Armor downslope road 30'x5'x18" (15 tons) of Loup Loup KR227 High Road culvert shoulder at the culvert outlet. riprap at culvert outlet $7,300 Short term: Construct a rocked dip in the access road to allow debris flow to pass over. 20'x10' rock dip (12 tons Lower Irrigation diversion Long term: convert irrigation canal to a buried rock); Length of ditch Loup Loup KR230 High canal and access road. pipeline. piping to be determined. $4,100 Lower House in floodplain of Construct earth berm on uphill side of house to 250 LF (122 cy) of soil Loup Loup KR232b High Loup Loup Creek deflect debris flow. berm $11,100

Remove two undersized culvert crossings and 25'x12' steel bridge, Two farm crossings, replace them with one prefab bridge. remove 60 cy of fill, barn and Pine Creek Biostabilize creek banks and county road biostablize 0.25 acres of Pine Creek K104 High Road shoulder bank slopes. $58,200

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Flood warning signs. Monitor culvert inlet for Woodward Road, sediment and debris accumulation. Armor Two signs, 25x4' of riprap Salmon culvert crossing and downslope road shoulder and creek bed at (9 tons) at outlet, stablize Creek KK207 High buried phone line. culvert outlet. Stabilize the draw with seeding. 0.1 acres with planting $6,600 House and barns on Salmon an alluvial fan below a Construct soil berm on uphill side of house to Creek KK209 High burned draw. deflect debris flow. 200 LF (97 cy) of soil berm $9,400 estimate $280,000 Salmon Creek Road Two options: relocate the road section at risk Estimate either 600 Lf of (road) or Salmon erosion, sediment away from the creek, or do bioengineered road relocation of 250 LF $225,000 Creek KK210 High Impact to creek. bank stabilization. of bank stabilization (bank stabil.)

Construct soil berm at the end of the irrigation canal to prevent debris flow towards dam face. Tallant Very Erosion of face of Long term: convert open canal to a buried Creek KK215 High Leader Lake dam pipeline. 30 LF of soil berm (15 cy) $3,300

Two houses and private driveway Construct soil berms on upstream sides of Upper Very bridge in creek houses to deflect debris flows; monitor bridge Loup Loup CI113 high floodway. for sediment and debris accumulation. Two, 80 LF soil berms. $9,900 Option 1: construct soil berm on uphill side of LL Canyon Road. Option 2: demolish Option 1: headworks and improve efficiency of $11,100, Upper Very Irrigation canal diversions at Sweat and Little Loup Loup Option 2: Loup Loup KR225 high diversion headworks creeks. 250 LF (122cy) of soil berm $8,000

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Option 1: Install about 2,500 LF of 3' diameter pipeline. Option 2: Fill about 9900 LF of open canal and restore natural Option 1: topography and about vegetation. Do an $210,000. Irrigation canal and Option 1: convert at-risk sections of the canal engineering design for Option 2: Upper Loup Loup Canyon to buried pipeline. Option 2: this reach of the piping the remainder of $1.4M (CCT Loup Loup 1009 High Road canal, then piping the remaining reaches. the canal. estimate) Existing Hwy 20 culvert appears to be Upper Very adequate. Monitor and remove sediment and Loup Loup KK226 high Hwy 20 crossing debris as needed. Monitor and maintain.

Protect the uphill slopes with techniques such Coordinate with soil as seeding and cross felling. Consider placing treatments. Assess log grade stablizers in creek channel. Remove upstream channel for Upper Very Rock Lake Road and 5' accumulated sediment and debris from designing log grade Loup Loup KR222 high diam. culvert culvert. stabilizers. TBD

At least 6 sites identified (KK201-KR216) where culverts and the road prism is at risk of erosion. Protection techniques could include armoring downslope road shoulders and culvert outlets, replacing culverts with rocked Estimate $15K dips, rock armoring of ditches, and installing for log grade stabilizers in drainage channels. Also Coordinate with soil engineering Rock Creek Road and install flood warning signs. Consider treatments. Do a detailed design and Upper KR215, Very drainage temporarily closing the road during wet engineering assessment to $60K to $80K Loup Loup etc. high infrastructure weather. design road treatments. for treatments

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Tunk Block Fire Treat approx. 400 LF of Sediment delivery to erosion gully immediately downstream fish upstream of Twin Springs habitat, erosion of Road crossing. Includes 5 Bonaparte Twin Springs Road Reduce severe gulley erosion with slope acres of helicopter slope Creek TS004 High crossing. seeding and log grade stabilizers seeding. $16,800 Five Mile Road access and sediment delivery Construct rock armored dips at two locations Bonaparte to downstream fish where gullying already exists on downslope of Creek TS006 High habitat road. Two, 30'x15' rock dips $12,100

Communicate flood warning with signs and Engineering study. Engineering public meetings. Do an engineering study to Assume 1000 LF of study = Approx. 15 residences evaluate level of risk. Place ecology blocks or ecology block flood $50,000. and the Bonaparate supersacks between creek bank and properties barriers and warning signs Initial ecology Ave. bridge in the at greatest risk. Consider long term program on right (E. 7th St.) blocks and Bonaparte creek floodplain in of buying out and demolishing properties at floodway for initial signs = Creek KR116 High Tonasket. risk. planning purposes. $25,000.

Could construct a soil berm to deflect debris flow, but problematic because it would Bonaparte House and garage at concentrate the flow and impact downstream 250 LF of soil berm (122 Creek KR117 High head of alluvial fan properties. cy) $11,500

Tonasket below US 97: Do an engineerning study to evaluate level of sports field, fruit risk and identify cost effective treatments. Can packing plant, RR combine with scope of study upstream of US Engineering study. Bonaparte bridge and access road 97. Communicate flood warning with signs, Assume warning signs for Creek 1002 High to WWTP. etc. initial planning purposes. TBD Shoulder and Bonaparte pavement of SR 20 Rocked ditch on uphill side of road leading 300 LF of rocked ditch (36 Creek KR118 Intermed below a draw down to natural swale tons) $6,600

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Hardy Road culverts Construct a soil berm around the upstream and a house at the side of residential property. Evaluate the confluence of driveway for erosion risk. Armor the 500 LF of soil berm (243 Very Chiwiliken Creek and a downslope side of the Hardy Road culvert cy), 50'x10'x18" of riprap Chiwiliken KR025 high side draw outlets. (46 tons). $30,500

Railroad company is responsible for removing Very accumulated sediment and debris to maintain Chiwiliken KR122 high Timber railroad bridge channel flow capacity Monitor and maintain House and outbuildings on McLaughlin Canyon Road downslope of Construct a soil berm upslope of the house and undersized road along fenceline to deflect debris flow down the 350 LF of soil berm (170 Chiwiliken KR022 High culvert road in the event that the culvert gets blocked. cy) $14,800

House and Construct asoil berm around the house outbuildings on opposite the confluence of Chiwiliken Creek 300 LF of soil berm (146 Chiwiliken KR020 High Wilson Draw Road. and Wilson Draw to deflect debris flows. cy) $13,200

Lower Access road to house Timber road revetment was destroyed by fire. Tunk Very sites and WDFW Replace with an armored road dip to prevent 40'x20' rocked dip (50 Creek KR1007 high wildlife area. road washout during high flow. tons) $12,800 Access to upper Tunk Creek Road at risk of Lower washout due to road Flood warning signs. Monitor culvert inlets for Tunk Very erosion at an sediment and debris accumulation. Armor 50'X10'X18" of riprap (46 Creek SH002 high undersized culvert. downslope road shoulder at culvert outlet. tons), two signs $10,100

Nine Mile Fire (none)

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North Star Fire

Aeneas Valley Road Install flood warning signs. Monitor and bridge and access to remove accumulated debris and sediment SR 21 at risk of from channel in coordination with slope Lower Lost Very washout from debris stability efforts in the Lost Creek watershed. Creek TS002 high flow down Lost Creek No other practical treatments identified. Two warning signs $1,800

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Okanogan County Fires

Interagency BAER Hydrology Report

State, Private, and Other Non-Federal Lands

Contributors: Katherine Rowden, Service Hydrologist, National Weather Service, Spokane, WA Spencer Higginson, Service Hydrologist, National Weather Service, Medford, OR Adam Price, P.E., Hydraulic Engineer, U.S. Corps of Engineers, Seattle District

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Contents Introduction ...... 4 Objectives ...... 4 Threats ...... 4 Initial Concerns/Values ...... 4 Resource Assessment ...... 5 Background ...... 5 Climate ...... 5 Water Quality and Hydrology ...... 5 Watershed Response ...... 11 Methods ...... 12 Findings and Recommendations ...... 13 Values and Values-at-Risk ...... 14 Emergency Determinations – Hazards, Threats, and Critical Values/Resources at Risk ...... 15 Threats to Human Life and Safety ...... 15 Property ...... 16 Critical Natural Resources ...... 16 Point Protection at Homes ...... 16 Road Treatments and Storm Conveyance System Monitoring ...... 16 Early Warning Rain Gage Network, Flood Preparedness, & Weather Education ...... 17 Channel Capacity & Debris Dam Monitoring ...... 18 Summary and Recommendations ...... 18 References ...... 20 Figures

Figure 1. Twisp River Fire Modeled Watersheds ...... 7 Figure 2. Tunk Block Fire Modeled Watersheds ...... 8 Figure 3. Lime Belt Fire Modeled Watersheds ...... 9 Figure 4. Nine Mile Fire Modeled Watersheds ...... 10 Figure 5. Example Warning Sign for Travelers ...... 17

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Tables

Table 1. Modeled Watersheds and Burned Acreage ...... 5 Table 2. Hydrologic changes induced by wildfire ...... 11 Table 3. Wildcat5 Results for 25 year storms ...... 13

Acknowledgements

Background information provided by Mark Dallon, Hydrologist, USFS was key in compiling this hydrology report and we are grateful for his assistance.

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Introduction Objectives  Assess and describe changes to watershed processes resulting from the fire, particularly those that impact soil and hydrologic functions which may pose substantial threats to critical values including human life and safety, property, and natural and cultural resources.

 Identify values at risk within the burned area and downstream of the fire.  Develop treatment recommendations intended to mitigate threats to values at risk. The purpose of this burned area assessment is to determine if the fire resulted in emergency watershed conditions on state and private lands. Emergency watershed conditions are based on impacts to soil- hydrologic processes and functions which can increase the potential and/or frequency for floods, debris flows, and snow avalanches and impair water quality beneficial uses designated for the water bodies within and downstream of the fire area. If emergency watershed conditions are present, specific hazards that can result in potential threats to values and resources at risk within or downstream of the burned area are identified. For the values and resources identified, emergency stabilization treatments can be implemented as funding allows, with the intent of minimizing impacts to those values. The Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team recommended emergency stabilization treatments cannot mitigate 100 percent of the hazards associated with wildfire effects.

Threats  Increased hill-slope runoff and sediment delivery

 Debris flows  Dam failure

Initial Concerns/Values  Life and safety within and downstream of the fire

 Infrastructure- roads, dams, homes and outbuildings

 Hydrologic function and soil productivity on state and private lands  Water quality degradation Negative impacts to critical and endangered species

 Cultural resources

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Resource Assessment Background The fire burned from elevations around 900 ft along the Okanogan River from Tonasket to Okanogan, to around 5000 feet and above in several drainages (Loup Loup Creek, Salmon Creek, Tunk Creek, and Chewiliken Creek). The highest non-federal land within the fire perimeter is located in the Rock Creek drainage, a tributary of Loup Loup Creek, on the east facing slopes of Buck Mountain at around 6000 feet. A wide range of vegetation types, soil types, slopes, and land uses are included within the fire perimeters.

Climate Climate within the fire perimeters is typical of eastern Washington. Precipitation ranges from 10” annually at lower elevations in the Okanogan Valley, 15”-18” in the Okanogan Highlands (Tunk Block, Nine Mile and North Star Fires), to around 30” in the higher terrain east of the Okanogan River near Conconully. Precipitation is highly seasonal with over half the total annual amount typically falling as snow during the winter months. That fraction increases at higher elevations. Summer is generally much drier and precipitation typically results from localized thunderstorms that tend to be shorter in duration, higher in intensity, and smaller in size. Winter precipitation is primarily from large frontal systems that tend to be lower in intensity, longer in duration, and larger in geographic extent. Lower elevations within the fire area are susceptible to rain on snow events during late fall or early spring.

Water Quality and Hydrology The fires occurred within 22 sub-watersheds, some of which (South Fork Salmon Creek, Lost Creek, and Lower West Fork Sanpoil) include almost no land within the fire perimeter on private or state land. Table 1 shows the modeled sub-watersheds and acreages burned. The sub-watersheds that were modeled and their pour point model location identifications (locations where the drainage basin outlets are modeled) are displayed in Figures 1-4 which also include the burn severity map.

Table 1. Modeled Watersheds and Burned Acreage

Acres by Watershed

Modeled Watershed Low Moderate High % Moderate / (Pour Point Map ID) Total Unburned Burn Burn Burn High Burn Rock Creek above Loup Loup Creek (1) 4,951 84 1,056 2,731 1,080 77% Upper Loup Loup Creek (2) 13,623 558 5,297 5,406 2,362 57% Little Loup Loup Creek (3) 4,480 259 1,356 2,363 502 64% Loup Loup Creek @ Mallot (4) 23,067 964 8,767 9,887 3,449 58% Johnson Creek (5) 20,640 2,366 15,661 2,552 61 13% Lower Bonaparte Creek (6) 14,065 8,810 2,410 2,536 309 20% Chewiliken Creek (7) 12,983 3,165 5,358 3,681 779 34% Upper Tunk Creek (8) 18,503 1,055 6,953 8,580 1,915 57%

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Twisp - Woods Canyon (9) 564 0 314 221 29 44% Twisp - Myer Creek (10) 1,131 15 418 572 126 62% Unnamed Trib to Fish Lake (11) 3,558 208 1,448 1,866 36 53% Unnamed Trib to Tonasket (12) 2,083 1,542 312 229 0 11% Unnamed Trib to Conconully Lake (13) 882 32 444 368 38 46%

A Burned Area Reflectance Classification (BARC) map, created at the Forest Service Remote Sensing Applications Center, was used as a starting point in determining soil burn severity. The BARC imagery depicts the “intensity” of above ground fire effects (Hudak et al 2004). Field data collected by the BAER team is then used to determine the relationship between fire intensity and the effects to the soil. Following data collection and interpretation, the BARC map is then adjusted and becomes the soil burn severity map. This map is then used to predict the post fire changes in erosion, sedimentation, and runoff. Because there was no BARC map for the Nine Mile Fire, visual field observations were used to create an approximated burn severity map that was utilized for modeling, but is not shown in these figures.

Values at risk in and below the burned areas were identified during several days of field assessment and a list was developed, although it should not be considered a complete list of all values potentially at risk. Hazards due to the fire that could now threaten these values include hill-slope erosion, flooding, and debris flows. The changes to soil and hydrologic functions and processes that can generate threatening hazards are assessed by evaluating soil burn severity, erosion potential, and watershed (i.e. hydrologic) response.

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Figure 1. Twisp River Fire Modeled Watersheds

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Figure 2. Tunk Block Fire Modeled Watersheds

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Figure 3. Lime Belt Fire Modeled Watersheds

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Figure 4. Nine Mile Fire Modeled Watersheds

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Watershed Response The changes that wildfire can inflict in a watershed can greatly change its hydrologic response. Several key watershed processes can be significantly altered by wildfire. High temperatures can cause water repellency in soils and consume plant canopy, surface plants and litter, and structure-enhancing organics within soil. Changes in soil moisture, structure, and infiltration can accelerate surface runoff, erosion, sediment transport, and deposition. Intense rainfall and some soil and terrain conditions can contribute to overland runoff and in-channel debris flows. Mineralization of organic matter, interruption of root uptake, and loss of shade can further impact water quality by increasing stream temperatures and nutrient concentrations. Where wildfires are unnaturally large and severe, negative effects on the watershed are likely.

In this region, snowmelt runoff typically generates the highest peak flow in unburned watersheds. On smaller watersheds with large percentages of moderate and high soil burn severity, peak flows can be generated by high intensity rainfall from thunderstorms.

Expected watershed responses include: an initial flush of ash with the first storm events that may allow debris (trees, rocks, etc.) to mobilize easily and move downstream; flash flood events during moderate to high intensity thunderstorms with increased peak flows; rill and gully erosion on slopes in drainages with moderate and high burn severity; and sediment and debris deposition in channels, floodplains, behind road fills, and on alluvial fans. The risk will gradually be reduced over time as vegetation is reestablished and provides ground cover, improves soil stability, and increases surface roughness.

Debris flows are also a possible watershed response and are particularly hazardous due to the force and velocity with which they can travel. USGS landslide researchers verified that debris flow events occurred in the 2014 Carlton Complex post-fire floods. It should be noted that post-fire flash flood events, including those in the Carlton Complex in 2013, that are not debris flows can also carry significant quantities of boulders, trees, sediment and other debris, inflict significant damage to property and

Table 2. Hydrologic changes induced by wildfire

Hydrologic Process Type of Change Specific effects Rainfall Interception Reduced Moisture storage reduced Greater runoff in small storms Increased water yield

Litter storage of water Reduced Less water stored Overland flow increased Transpiration Temporarily Eliminated Stream flow increased Soil moisture increased Infiltration Reduced Overland flow increased Stream flow increased Stream flow Changed Increased in most ecosystems

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Past events have shown that basins in this region have the potential to produce damaging flash floods and debris flows in basins with moderate to high burn severity. Several drainages in the 2014 Carlton Complex flooded during thunderstorms before the fire was completely contained. Additionally, the summer of 2015 saw two more flash floods within the Carlton Complex perimeter. While some of the flooding was caused by high intensity rainfall from thunderstorms, many drainages had flooding or small mudslides after receiving only moderate intensity rainfall. None of the flood-inducing rainfall events were unusual or rare. Due to the topography and soil characteristics in the area, even low severity burned areas may respond to the rain events. This is a product of the lack of surface vegetation on steep slopes that allows runoff to concentrate quickly during even moderate rain events and produce damaging floods in small drainages, especially where homes and infrastructure limit the capacity of the drainages to safely accommodate larger flows safely. There was no significant snowmelt runoff or rain- on-snow event during the following winter (2014-2015).

In addition to property damage to homes, outbuildings, and private property from post-fire floods, historical flash floods in Okanogan County have led to loss of life, injury, and near-miss events for motorists caught up in the floods on state highways and county roads. Examples include Highway 153 at Cow Creek in 1970’s and 1990’s, Highway 20 at Frazer Creek in 2014, and Loomis-Oroville Road in 2006.

It is reasonable to expect that watersheds affected by the 2015 fires with significant areas of moderate to high burn severity and similar terrain can produce floods that will impact infrastructure and private property that are in the path of the flood or near the floodplain.

Methods To refine and validate field estimates of watershed response, 13 drainages within the fire perimeter were selected for analysis (refer to Figures 1-4). These pour points were selected based on locations relative to areas of high and moderate soil burn severity and/or values downslope. Although intense, short-duration rainfall is the biggest risk, the timing of this assessment comes at the tail end of thunderstorm season for the area. In addition to a 25-year, 1-hour, short duration storm, a 25-year, 24- hour, long duration frontal type precipitation event was also modeled, as that is potentially the first risk that will be faced by the burned areas as the winter precipitation season of 2015 – 2016 approaches. Flood and erosion risk from the short duration, intense thunderstorm rainfall events will continue to be a risk in 2016 and beyond.

Data from the soil burn severity map was used to estimate peak flow using Wildcat5: for 25-yr 24-hr storm, 11 selected drainages were modeled; for the 25-yr, 1-hr storm, 12 selected drainages were modeled. Wildcat5 estimates peak flow and runoff volume from modeled storms at the outlet of the modeled drainage. Because thunderstorms only occur on a small localized scale (less than 5mi2), smaller basins with significant values at risk at the outlet were modeled using the 1-hr storm. Two of the larger basins that have population centers downstream, Loup Loup Creek and Johnson Creek, were modeled only using the 25-yr, 24-hr storm. Wildcat5 results are shown in Table 4.

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Findings and Recommendations Only a small portion of the Bonaparte Creek watershed burned a few miles upstream of the mouth of the creek. The greatest risk to the downstream values, including the structures in the floodplain in Tonasket, is from a summer thunderstorm event over the burned area. In order to model this post- vs. pre-fire flow relative increase from a 1-hr thunderstorm event, this area was modeled using only a portion of the watershed, which is called “Lower Bonaparte Creek.” This approach was used because base flows from the entire Bonaparte Creek watershed during the summer thunderstorm season would be an insignificant flow contribution relative to the peak flow from post-fire thunderstorm over the burned area. Additionally, due to time constraints, the larger watershed could not be accurately modeled for such a storm event.

Due to the nature of the emergency response rapid assessment effort, no model calibration has been completed, so results are not intended to represent estimates of absolute values for flow. Rather, they are useful when used to estimate the relative percent change in expected flows. Input to the models included drainage characteristics, inherent soil conditions, changed soil conditions due to the fire, and precipitation.

The storm depths for the 25-year recurrence 1-hour and 24-hour storms were determined per NOAA Atlas 2 methodology and are shown in Table 4. For the 1-hour thunderstorm, the Arkell-Richards storm distribution was used. For the 24-hour storm, an SCS Type 1A storm distribution was used. The model estimates storm runoff only, not base flow. The first few storm events after the fire can also carry a significant volume of ash, sediment, and debris. The percent increase in flow volumes in the table do not account for the additional volume contribution from those materials: i.e., the percent increase in post- fire flow volumes are not based on bulked flows.

While there are ponds and some small dams throughout the burn area, no dam breach modeling was conducted. The risk associated with possible additional dam breaches is being addressed through dam safety inspections and recommendations from the Washington State Department of Ecology Dam Safety Office and many resources are available on their website.

Table 3. Wildcat5 Results for 25 year storms

% Increase in Post- vs. Modeled Storm Depth Pre-Fire peak flow

Map Pour Modeled Drainage Point ID 1hr Storm 24hr Storm 1hr 24hr Rock Creek above Loup Loup Creek 1 0.75 2.5 885% 264% Upper Loup Loup Creek 2 0.75 2.5 752% 253% Little Loup Loup Creek 3 0.75 2.5 4,271% 489% Loup Loup Creek @ Mallot 4 0.75 2.5 301% Johnson Creek 5 0.75 1.8 137%

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Lower Bonaparte Creek 6 0.75 2.1 364% Chewiliken Creek 7 0.75 2.25 535% 293% Upper Tunk Creek 8 0.75 2.4 859% 356% Twisp - Woods Canyon 9 0.75 2.7 6,772% 478% Twisp - Meyer Creek 10 0.75 2.7 2,136% 437% Unamed Trib to Fish Lake 11 0.75 2.5 978% 305% Unamed Trib to Tonasket Cr 12 0.75 2.4 199% 150% Unamed Trib to Conconully Lake 13 0.8 2.5 910% 178%

Results from the Wildcat5 modeling for a 25-year, 1 hour storm confirmed field findings that several drainages are now particularly prone to increased flow events. For state and private lands, all the evidence (model results, sub-watershed mod/high soil burn severity summary, sub-watershed topography, previous responses in the region in Carlton Complex perimeter) suggests that the areas of highest likelihood of watershed response and/or with important values at risk appear to be:

Rock Creek Unnamed tributaries to Lake Conconully Loup Loup Creek (above & below Little Loup Tributaries of the Methow River: Black Canyon Loup) Creek, McFarland Canyon, & Squaw Creek Little Loup Loup Creek Tributaries to Twisp River Chewiliken Creek Unnamed Tributary to Coulee Creek All of these drainages have increased risk from runoff generated on burned hill-slopes. Risks to downstream values vary and depend on the location of the values specific to each drainage and value. Each of these drainages has several values on state and private land. This determination highlights areas of concern, but does not exclude other areas from consideration for emergency treatments. Due to time limitations in the BAER process, not all subwatersheds were modeled; other drainages also have the potential to respond to precipitation events.

Portions of Black Canyon, Squaw Creek and McFarland Creek were burned in 2014 in the Carlton Complex. Based on the USFS BAER report, the State and Private land values assessment, and the USFS Debris Flow modeling, it is already known that these basins are at high risk of damaging post-fire floods and debris flows. Additional land in these basins burned on USFS land in the Chelan Reach Fire this year, so it can be assumed that the risk levels and recommended point protection at homes and roads and Highway 153 is the same or higher than last year.

Values and Values-at-Risk Critical values as defined by BAER include human life and safety, property, natural resources, and cultural resources. Following field reconnaissance, the BAER team created an extensive list of values from all resource areas that could potentially be threatened by post fire effects. That list included those defined by BAER as critical values, as well as numerous other values. Values related specifically to hydrologic resources were identified and include:

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 Hydrologic Function  Soil Productivity

 Water Quality These values were identified and analyzed with respect to their location relative to threats identified during the threat assessment. Those most at risk are identified for emergency treatment. Values specific to hydrologic resources include hydrologic function, soil productivity, and water quality. Hydrologic function was determined to be at risk from degradation below areas where significant flooding could downcut and scour channels. Soil productivity was determined to be at risk from slope erosion, rilling, and removal of soil from slopes. Water quality was determined to be at risk from sediment deposition and increase in turbidity in fish habitat.

Emergency Determinations – Hazards, Threats, and Critical Values/Resources at Risk

Threats to Human Life and Safety Based on the analysis, several drainages were identified that have high potential for increased erosion and runoff in relation to this value. Flooding and debris from steep drainages can deliver material and water very quickly. Homes, driveways, and roads downslope are at risk from these events. Sites identified as particularly at risk include:

 Bonaparte Creek – access roads in the burned area, homes and outbuildings along the creek below the fire and in the floodplain in Tonasket  Chewiliken Creek – County road where side drainages cross and private homes and access roads along Chewiliken Creek and below some small tributaries  Tunk Creek – County road where side drainages cross  Small Tributaries above Conconully Lake - several homes and Sinlahekin Road  Rock Creek – DNR access road in several locations and county road at mouth of Rock Creek  Upper Loup Loup – Homes, county road, irrigation canal, inlet and conveyance structure that carries a tributary under the county road and over the canal, private access roads, potential impacts to Highway 20  Little Loup Loup - Homes, county road, private access roads, potential impacts to Highway 20  Loup Loup Creek at Malott – structures on the alluvial fan of Loup Loup and potential flood impacts to structures in the floodplain through Malott  Black Canyon Creek, McFarland Creek & Squaw Creek – homes in the flood plain in these drainages (identified in 2014 assessments) and Highway 153

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Property In addition to the threat to life and safety at homes listed above, an obvious threat to property exists at the same sites. For roads, even minor runoff that does not pose a threat to life and safety can cause extensive damage and create additional problems to homes and resources that would not occur if the road did not exist. Water systems, wells, stock developments, and out buildings are also at risk due to increased flows during a large storm event.

Critical Natural Resources

Hydrologic Function This value was determined to be at risk due to threats from debris flows and significant increase in flows. In particular, sections of Rock Creek, Loup Loup Creek above Little Loup Loup Creek, and Little Loup Loup Creek have been identified as likely areas to have debris flows and subsequent loss or degradation of hydrologic function. Risk associated with this hazard for this value was determined to be high. Some areas are suggested for hill-slope treatment in large areas of high burn severity where slopes allow and/or where practicable. See the Soils report for additional details.

Water Quality (related to critical or suitable fish habitat) This value was determined to be at risk in Lower Loup Loup Creek, lower Tunk Creek, and lower Bonaparte Creek for Upper Columbia River steelhead habitat. Some areas are suggested for hill-slope treatment in large areas of high burn severity where slopes allow to protect these and other values at risk. See the Soils and Fish & Wildlife reports for additional details.

Point Protection at Homes The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) program is used to assist homeowners in implementing practices to reduce flood and debris flow risk. The Washington State Conservation Commission has requested that the NRCS utilize the EWP program to identify homes most at risk from this threat and work with homeowners to implement treatments. This work is critical to protecting lives and safety and is the most important emergency treatment. Field work completed by the BAER team catalogued homes that were noted to be at potential risk. These notes were passed on to the NRCS, although with the very limited time frame the field work was conducted in, it should not be assumed that every home at risk was catalogued by the BAER team.

It is important to also note that there may be sites where homes were destroyed in the fire that if rebuilt or replaced by temporary housing before the slopes heal, may be at risk. These sites are not currently addressed by the NRCS EWP program nor were they logged by the BAER team. The recommended treatment for those agencies and jurisdictions that work with these homeowners is to encourage them to contact the Okanogan Conservation District for assistance in assessing risk.

Road Treatments and Storm Conveyance System Monitoring Road improvements (road drainage improvement, slope hardening, culvert removal, and culvert upsizing) are recommended at numerous locations to reduce road damage and the exacerbation of floods due to road flooding issues. Additionally, making sure best practices for ditch and culvert cleaning

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and maintenance are being followed is critical to ensure that capacity to pass higher flows is not lost by debris or sediment accumulation in road systems’ stormwater conveyance infrastructure. It is also recommended that crews conduct pre- and/or post-storm patrols to look at potential problem spots for plugged culverts or clogged ditches. The Engineering report summarizes additional recommended treatments for roads.

Due to the numerous private, county, and state roads that have drainage crossings at risk from damaging debris flows and floods, there is a substantial risk to travelers in the area for the next several years. It is recommended that warning signs be installed at key locations to alert travelers to the risk. Figure 5 has an example of a warning sign that has been used in other areas. Another recommendation is electronic road signs that could be updated with current messaging, such as for flood watches, or flood warnings.

Figure 5. Example Warning Sign for Travelers

Early Warning Rain Gage Network, Flood Preparedness, & Weather Education Because flash floods from burned areas can initiate with a short duration of intense rainfall (less than 20 minutes), and because much of the affected area is poorly sampled by radar due to distance and terrain issues, it is recommended that a network of frequently-reporting, early warning rain gages be deployed. This real-time rainfall information can then be used by the National Weather Service to detect potential flash floods and issue Flash Flood Warnings, which would then activate the Emergency Alert Service (EAS) over media outlets and NOAA Weather Radio as well as the newer Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) that are received by newer smart phones. The rain gages can also be utilized by local emergency responders and residents to maintain situational awareness during storms.

The Washington State Department of Ecology has already undertaken the task of implementing this recommendation and, as of the writing of this report, siting and permitting work has begun to install several gages, which will be in addition to the 14 gages the Department of Ecology placed in Okanogan County after the Carlton Complex in 2014 that are still in use. Recommended gage locations were

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selected based on radar coverage, burn severity, values at risk, and typical storm development and patterns in the area.

Because flash floods from burned areas can initiate with a short duration of intense rainfall (less than 20 minutes), it is recommended that outreach is conducted to educate residents in and below the burned areas on the new risk of post-fire flash flooding. Those that live in areas at risk of flash flooding should prepare in advance for what to do in the event of a flood and how they will monitor weather forecasts and receive flood outlooks, watches, and warnings. Stevens County emergency management officials, the National Weather Service, and FEMA can provide information and education to those in the affected areas. Additionally, it is recommended that residents talk to their insurance agents and investigate flood insurance options through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), as most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, and post-fire flash flooding can impact those that may have never experienced flooding at their residence.

Channel Capacity & Debris Dam Monitoring Another hazard with the burn area is within the rivers and creeks themselves. Two areas of particular concern are aggradation and debris dams. Aggradation within river and creek channels reduces their capacity to carry water out of the drainage. With reduced capacity, flood risk increases. When a river or creek channel begins to collect debris, there is the potential for the formation of a debris dam. These are formed when debris (logs, branches, rocks, sediment, etc.) becomes lodged within the channel and creates a backwater effect. The debris build-up will continue to grow until the amount of water impounded behind the debris dam causes the dam to fail. When this occurs, the likelihood of damaging flooding is very high.

The potential for aggradation and debris dams is certainly highest during heavy rain events, but debris dams are especially dangerous because they can give way even on good-weather days when people are not expecting a flood risk. There is not a lot that can be done to prevent aggradation or debris dams. The proposed treatment is to monitor river and stream channels and, when debris begins to collect within the channel, remove it to prevent a blockage of the channel.

Summary and Recommendations Wildfires result in increased runoff and sediment yield commensurate with soil burn severity. Minor precipitation could now produce runoff that would not have occurred previously, and moderate or major precipitation could produce extreme runoff events, particularly in small steep drainages.

Areas on state and private lands that have the highest potential for dangerous flooding and debris flow effects resulting from the fire include Rock Creek, Loup Loup Creek above Little Loup Loup, Little Loup Loup Creek, Rock Creek, Chewiliken Creek, lower Bonaparte Creek, Black Canyon, McFarland Creek, and Squaw Creek. Other drainages are susceptible to runoff and increased flows and are likely to see flooding, floatable debris, and sediment that could pose a threat to safety, property, and natural resources within and immediately adjacent to the channel. Coarse material (boulders, cobbles) from

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steep headwater sites is not likely to extend far downstream but there may be some increased sediment loads, turbidity, and floating debris delivered to the Methow and Okanogan Rivers.

Some sites are recommended for possible hill-slope treatment in areas above values at risk, where there are significant areas of high and moderate burn severity and where slopes allow. In some areas with excessively steep slopes, or where slope treatment or upstream engineering solutions are impractical, point protection treatments can be used to mitigate risk to downstream values. Numerous treatment recommendations are included in other resource reports to protect homes, roads, and cultural resources.

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References Hudak, Andrew T.; Peter R. Robichaud, Jeffery B. Evans, Jess Clark, Keith Lannom, Penelope Morgan, and Carter Stone. 2004. Field validation of Burned Area Reflectance Classification (BARC) products for post fire assessment. In: Remote sensing for field users: proceedings of the Tenth Forest Service Remote Sensing Applications Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah, April 5-9, 2004, [CD-ROM]. Bethesda, Md.: American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing: 13 p.

Neary, D.G., K.C. Ryan, and L.E. DeBano (Eds). 2004. Effects of wildfire on soils and watershed processes. General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-42, Volume 4. Fort Collins, CO: USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station.

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Okanogan County Fires

Interagency BAER Soils Resource Report State, Private, and Other Non-Federal Lands

Contributors: Eric Choker, Soil Scientist, Washington State Conservation Commission, Spokane Conservation District Guy Gifford, Landowner Assistance Forester, Washington Department of Natural Resources Leslie Michel, Soil Scientist, Washington State Conservation Commission, Okanogan Conservation District James Weatherford, Resource Specialist, Washington State Conservation Commission, Thurston Conservation District

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Contents Introduction ...... 4 Resource Assessment ...... 4 Geology and Soils ...... 4 Soil Burn Severity ...... 6 Potential Physical, Chemical, and Biological Fire Effects on Soil Resources ...... 9 Burning of Duff, Litter, and Soils ...... 10 Vegetation ...... 11 Invasive Species ...... 11 Rangeland Resources ...... 13 Forest Resources ...... 14 Low Intensity Burn ...... 15 Moderate Intensity Burn ...... 15 High Intensity Burn ...... 16 Findings and Recommendations ...... 16 Risks to Values ...... 16 Emergency Treatments Design Approach ...... 16 Soils ...... 17 Vegetation ...... 17 Location / Suitable Sites ...... 18 Design/Construction Specifications ...... 18 Seeding ...... 18 Noxious/Invasive Weed Control ...... 19 Estimated Costs of Emergency Treatments ...... 21 Rangeland Management to Protect Long-Term Soil Productivity and Grazing Resources ...... 23 Long-Term Forest Treatments ...... 25 References ...... 28 Appendices ...... 29 Treatment Maps ...... 30 ...... 39 Appendix 3. Development of Cost Estimates for Seeding and Weed Control Treatments ...... 40

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Appendix 4. Miles of Rangeland Fencing by Area ...... 45

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Introduction

This report summarizes fire and potential post-fire effects to soil resources, and includes concerns relative to invasive plants, range lands, and forest resources. It focuses on state and private lands which comprise about 208,811 acres. The assessment of fire effects to soil, vegetation, and rangeland resources was conducted by a multi-jurisdiction team of soil and range resource specialists.

The objectives of this report are to:

 Evaluate the effects of the fire on soil resources  Identify critical soil resource values at high risk of irreversible damage  Identify both emergency and long-term treatments that could rehabilitate or protect soil resources from irreversible damage

Resource Assessment

Soil related resources assessed here and select ancillary issues include a characterization of their inherent properties and a general description of how they were affected by the fire.

Geology and Soils The burned area lies in the Columbia Intermountain Province within the Columbia plateau and on the eastern slope of the Cascade Mountains. The Cascade Mountains, Eastern Slope, is a transitional area between the Cascade Mountains to the west and the lower lying Columbia Basalt Plateau to the south and east. It has some of the landforms typical of both the mountains and plateau. The mountainous areas consist mainly of Pre-Cretaceous metamorphic rocks cut by younger igneous intrusives mantled with thick surficial deposits of Pleistocene aged drift and till deposits from the Okanogan Lobe of the Cordilleran Ice Sheet (USDA, 2006; USDA, 2008). Major landforms include terraces, moraines, foothills and mountains. Valley bottoms and riverine systems with their associated floodplains are dominated by quaternary alluvium.

Dominant soils within the burn area are well drained and have a xeric (dry) soil moisture regime and mesic (warm) and frigid soil temperature regimes. Mesic soils are present at lower elevations, and support shrub/steppe plant communities; where forested they occupy south and some west aspects and support ponderosa pine/grass and shrub vegetation. Frigid, forested soils are on north and east aspects and support mixed conifer (Douglas fir and ponderosa pine) and forb/shrub understory vegetation.

Soils on the terraces, ground moraines, foothills and mountains consist of medium to very coarse textures of granitic colluvium and residuum and outwash and till derived from mixed sources; but dominantly granitic in origin. Thick deposits of till and outwash overlie bedrock composed of granite, schist and metasedimentary rock. In areas where the till mantle has thinned; soils have developed in residuum and colluvium derived mainly from igneous (intrusive), metamorphic and some metasedimentary rock. The surface of the soils are influenced and mantled with volcanic ash from air

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fall events from various sources (dominantly from Mt. Mazama). Generally, the surface textures are medium and coarse and have moderate and high infiltration. Subsoil textures range from medium to coarse and have slow to moderate permeability. In subsoils in which a dense layer is present, permeability is very slow to restricted. Surface and subsurface rock fragment content ranges from 0 to over 65 percent and range in size from gravel and cobbles to stones. Many areas within the burn area have rock outcrop, cobbles, stones, and boulders on the soil surface.

The dominant soils within the Okanogan Fire are mostly loams, sandy loams, and silt loams with gravelly, extremely gravelly, stony texture modifiers, indicating high natural infiltration rates and high rock content in many areas. These soils range from shallow to deep and some have restrictive layers. Dominant restrictive layers are unweathered (hard) and weathered (soft) bedrock, generally granitic in origin and dense (compacted), non-cemented subsoil layers formed in till parent materials, reflecting a wide range of soil productivity and soil hydrologic groups. Specific dominant soils include the Conconully, Lithic Haploxerepts – Conconully, Manley, Nevine, soil series respectively (these soils collectively comprising > 83,874 acres). Rock outcrop, Rubble land is also common and dominant in several map units. It is not technically soil; it does not generally produce sediment, but commonly produces runoff which may erode adjacent slopes below.

There are 593 soil series and 593 soil map units in total in the Okanogan Complex Fire, which differ by dominant component and slope phase (Table 1). The major hydrologic soil groups within the fire are hydrologic groups A, B, and D, which are deep to shallow soils with moderate to rapid runoff rates. Hydrologic soil groups are groupings based on the premise that soils found within a climatic region that are similar in depth to a restrictive layer or water table, transmission rate of water, texture, structure, and degree of swelling when saturated, will have similar runoff responses. The classes are based on the following factors: 1) intake and transmission of water under conditions of maximum yearly wetness, i.e. thoroughly wet, 2) soil not frozen, 3) bare soil surface, and 4) maximum swelling of expansive clays (if applicable). The slope of the soil surface is not considered when assigning hydrologic soil groups. There are 4 hydrologic soil groups:

 Group A —Soils with low runoff potential when thoroughly wet  Group B —Soils with moderately low runoff potential when thoroughly wet  Group C —Soils with moderately high runoff potential when thoroughly wet  Group D —Soils with high runoff potential when thoroughly wet

The group C and D soils present higher risks for runoff and erosion in a post-fire environment.

Table 1. Major soil types and select properties/ interpretations in the Okanogan complex Fire

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Table 2. Soil Erosion Hazard Rating

Soil Erosion LOCAL PRIVATE (acres) STATE TRIBAL Grand Total Hazard (acres) (acres) (acres) (acres)

Slight 336 36,739 16,478 150 53,703

Moderate 183 39,786 32,229 211 72,409

Severe 69 15,602 21,304 5 36,981

Not rated** 78 2,236 1,195 19 3,529

Grand Total 666 94,363 71,207 386 166,621

**Not rated due to non-soil components (miscellaneous land types) such as: rock outcrop, riverwash, rubble land, badland, and water.

Numerous representative soil textures/hillslope iterations were modeled using Erosion Risk Management Tool (ERMiT) by the Rocky Mountain Research branch of the Forest Service (Robichaud et al., 2006). The model is based on the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) technology to model erosion on burned and recovering forests, range, and chaparral lands with/without mitigation treatments. Mitigation treatments include no treatment, seeding, straw mulch, straw wattles, and contour-felled logs. ERMiT also uses local climate data for modeling. Note that estimates are based upon soil series within the fire perimeter only; unburned watershed area outside the fire perimeter was not modeled. There are also unburned/very low soil burn severity acres within the fire perimeter. ERMiT does not produce output for this condition, as it was not part of the original empirical research data that went into building the model.

For this fire, we reported erosion estimates that represent only accelerated erosion as a result of the fire in Low to High soils burn severity classes. A total erosion modeling was not performed on unburned /very low burn areas. For rapid assessment purposes, this is considered adequate and preferable. For an interpretive visual, 1,000 tons of sediment volume would fill about 120 standard 10-yard dump trucks. It should be noted that ERMiT models sheet and rill erosion only, not gully or mass-wasting processes. Estimates of hillslope re-deposition are based upon vertical profile of individual hillslopes using soil texture, gravel percentage in the soil, slope length, and soil burn severity.

These estimates are used for comparative purposes when applying for emergency funding. For non- federal lands, erosion rates were estimated to be:

 Forest lands: Average = 46.4 tons/acre, Maximum = 49.7 tons/acre  Rangelands: Average = 30.8 tons/acre, Maximum = 55.4 tons/acre Soil Burn Severity Fire effects to soil resources are often identified by soil burn severity. There are typically 3 severity categories assessed and their arrangement and distribution are mapped within the wildfire perimeter.

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The categories identified on non-federal, non-tribal lands within the Okanogan Complex Fire that were observed can be defined as follows:

 High soil burn severity: About 37 % of the non-federal, non-tribal lands in the fire were determined to be in the high soil burn severity category. The canopy and understory were consumed and the litter layer was only partially consumed. The most severely burned slopes occur where pre-fire vegetation density and fuels accumulations were highest. Within the Okanogan fire these were typically on steep north-facing aspects and at the heads of watersheds. Even under these conditions, soil structure was intact and unconsumed fine roots were present within the upper 4 inches of the mineral soil surface.

 Moderate soil burn severity: About 37 % of the non-federal lands in the fire were determined to be in the moderate soil burn severity category. In range areas with moderate soil burn severity the vegetation was consumed. Soil structure was intact and unconsumed fine roots were present within the upper 4 inches of the mineral soil surface.

 Low soil burn severity: About 26% of forest and rangeland soils were determined to be in the low soil burn severity category. These burned-over soils exhibited good surface structure, contain intact fine roots and organic matter, partially intact litter and duff layers, and are often already exhibiting recovery as grasses and forbes are visibly sprouting.

One factor evaluated in an effort to define the extent of high soil burn severity was water repellency, or a measure of soil hydrophobicity. Slight to moderate soil hydrophobicity (water repellency) occurred in both moderate and high soil burn severity within both forest and rangeland. Strong (persistent) water repellency was observed in some moderate and high soil burn severities. Where observed, the water repellent layer generally occurred at the soil surface directly below the ash layer and partially consumed litter layer within 0.5 to 1.0 inch from the soil surface. Water repellent surfaces were also observed in some unburned areas. The majority of field observations indicated weak (low) repellency at the soil surface and to depths of 4 inches. Based on data collected in the field, the following was used to develop the following ratings:

 High soil burn severity areas averaged 21% strong water repellency.  Moderate soil burn severity areas averaged 14% moderate water repellency.  Low soil burn severity areas and unburned areas had 10% water repellency.

Percentage was calculated using field data points where water repellency was severe for two or more inches within the soil. In areas classified as moderate this percentage was calculated using a combination of depths of moderate severity for greater than 1.5” and strongly repellent to a greater than 1”. Low SBS areas were moderately or strongly repellent to 1”.

Water-repellent soils (weak, moderate, and strong repellency combined) are estimated to comprise about 8,075 acres of the total non-federal burned areas. They are mostly located on the steep upper

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slopes of the Upper Loup Loup, Lower Loup Loup, and Green Lake-Salmon Creek drainages. Reduction in infiltration is estimated to be 2 to 7% of observed samples in the moderate and high soil burn severity burn areas. Infiltration was not reduced in the low burn severity areas, which characterizes the majority of the non-federal lands in the Okanogan County fires.

Table 3: - Soil Burn Severity by Watershed/ Sub-Watershed (Includes Federal and Tribal lands).

% Total Unburned Moderate Fire/HUC12 Acres / Low Low Moderate High + High 9 Mile 1308 2218 893 Ninemile Creek 30,197 192 666 305 3% Tonasket Creek 38,684 1,116 1,552 589 6% Lime Belt 12,302 79,619 34,388 6,348 Alkali Lake-Okanogan River 13,998 329 2,181 2,605 398 21% Coulee Creek 19,713 760 10,334 4,559 159 24% Green Lake-Salmon Creek 20,704 1,747 10,444 3,586 866 22% Johnson Creek 25,150 2,366 15,661 2,552 61 10% Lower Loup Loup Creek 14,593 202 1,981 2,843 631 24% North Fork Salmon Creek 34,504 295 2,354 903 81 3% Pine Creek 28,995 1,185 7,900 3,557 68 13% South Fork Beaver Creek 17,535 276 1,158 1,494 517 11% South Fork Salmon Creek 13,995 946 1,870 669 582 9% Summit Creek 11,239 145 1,545 1,673 438 19% Swipkin Canyon-Okanogan River 47,827 652 5,847 480 3 1% Tallant Creek-Okanogan River 39,169 1,504 8,624 2,722 70 7% Upper Loup Loup Creek 15,292 558 5,297 5,407 2,362 51% Upper Sinlahekin Creek 26,537 1,326 4,360 1,291 87 5% Whitestone Coulee-Okanogan River 38,341 9 63 46 23 0% Northstar 32,316 65,242 81,745 30,002 Coyote Creek 18,710 5 44 44 0% Gold Creek 30,478 2,709 6,942 14,207 6,611 68% Golden Harvest Creek 11,063 1,116 699 697 147 8% Louie Creek-Sanpoil River 20,472 110 161 147 3 1% Lower Lost Creek 25,474 4,759 8,906 6,103 4,611 42% Lower Nespelem River 21,841 24 132 107 0% Lower West Fork Sanpoil River 25,105 4,131 7,710 9,041 3,568 50% Middle Nespelem River 18,619 1,198 3,706 5,947 1,548 40% Mill Creek 18,864 1,885 6,090 6,635 1,507 43% North Nanamkin Creek-Sanpoil River 41,323 3,693 6,588 6,998 1,315 20% Scatter Creek-Sanpoil River 31,313 1,912 2,437 2,928 532 11%

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Stepstone Creek 12,607 611 2,327 5,490 3,920 75% Thirteenmile Creek-Sanpoil River 18,779 824 751 505 68 3% Twentyone Mile Creek-Sanpoil River 25,065 3,178 2,864 1,674 105 7% Upper Little Nespelem River 20,408 1,631 3,800 5,844 690 32% Upper Lost Creek 34,697 785 2,980 4,328 830 15% Upper Nespelem River 15,187 985 3,222 6,823 3,693 69% Upper Omak Creeek 28,401 1,100 3,776 2,815 402 11% Upper West Fork Sanpoil River 36,305 1,647 2,095 1,412 450 5% West Fork Granite Creek 21,948 15 12 1 0 0% Tunk Block 15,782 79,986 57,340 8,920 Aeneas Creek 16,856 104 231 185 44 1% Alkali Lake-Okanogan River 13,998 424 2,520 1,156 50 9% Chewiliken Creek 16,889 1,541 7,454 4,613 949 33% Kartar Creek 30,853 366 1,338 625 39 2% Lower Bonaparte Creek 33,121 591 5,901 4,324 365 14% Lower Omak Creek 34,387 2,296 14,735 11,153 959 35% Lower Tunk Creek 10,889 733 5,946 3,529 427 36% Middle Omak Creek 27,931 468 3,758 6,304 1,366 27% Omak Lake 34,228 1,753 3,122 709 4 2% Peony Creek 20,139 438 1,219 996 439 7% Swipkin Canyon-Okanogan River 47,827 2,008 5,850 4,402 1,278 12% Tamarack Spring 10,114 535 5,834 3,361 272 36% Upper Lost Creek 34,697 293 426 260 71 1% Upper Omak Creeek 28,401 198 1,377 1,371 387 6% Upper Tunk Creek 24,926 1,053 6,952 8,583 1,916 42% Wanacut Creek 13,145 783 6,699 4,887 351 40% Whitestone Coulee-Okanogan River 38,341 2,198 6,625 882 3 2% Twisp River 1,549 5,873 3,411 395 Little Bridge Creek 15,599 646 699 90 5 1% Lower Twisp River 28,601 761 4,698 3,092 381 12% Thompson Creek-Methow River 28,469 142 475 228 9 1% *These are all the HUC12's that were affected by the fires. Some were assessed by other BAER teams.

Note that acreage is based upon imagery as of the 09/15 /2015 and the fire perimeter as of 09/17/2015.

Potential Physical, Chemical, and Biological Fire Effects on Soil Resources Fire effects on soil productivity range from beneficial to damaging, depending on fire severity, soil type, and site history (Neary et al., 2005). Adverse fire effects increase as burn severity increases and the effects are often proportional to the amount of surface litter and soil organic matter consumed. The sensitivity of soils to fire effects is influenced by soil texture, soil moisture, organic matter content, rock content, soil depth, depth of surface layer, and erosion potential. Important and sensitive soil layers

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include soils formed under range vegetation. Ponderosa/grass and shrub sites have soils with thicker, humified layers compared to the soils formed under a mixed conifer vegetation type. Pre-fire soils in forested areas have important thick litter and duff layers protecting the mineral soil surface. Soils with a thick volcanic ash mantle have properties and qualities that are important for soil productivity. Loss of these layers due to erosion can reduce soil productivity and can contribute to sedimentation.

Physical Effects:

 Loss of litter layer, soil, and soil organic matter  Loss of soil structure  Hydrophobicity (formation of water repellent layer)  In extreme cases, destruction of clay minerals

Chemical Effects:

 Increase in pH  Loss of cation exchange capacity  Loss of nutrients by volatilization, in fly ash, or by leaching  Increase plant available N (ammonia) under low severity burns  Oxidation reactions from extremely severe burning can discolor the surface soil  Potential for increased release of heavy metals in contaminated soils

Biological Effects:

 Direct mortality of soil micro and macro organisms and loss of their habitat with soil heating

Burning of Duff, Litter, and Soils Severe burning of the litter, duff, and soil affects soil cover, infiltration, soil micro and macro organisms, and nutrients:

 Loss of effective ground cover leaves soil susceptible to erosion especially in soils formed in decomposed granitic materials

 Mortality of some soil organisms and combustion of surface soil organic matter

 Volatilization or release and increased mobility of some soil nutrients

 Debris movement and dry ravel may increase when small organic debris dams are burned out

 Increased water repellent (hydrophobic) soil limits water infiltration. Surface hydrophobicity significantly increases accelerated runoff and erosion. Additionally, when a hydrophobic layer forms below a surface layer, the risk of the surface layer “slicking off” is increased.

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Vegetation Within the fire area there are two dominant cover types, forestland and rangeland. The two eco-types co-mingle across much of the area, creating a mosaic of vegetative and habitat types. Forest lands comprise about 26% of the non-federal lands and are made up of several conifer associations. The lower elevations are dominated by dry site ponderosa pine plant communities with a bunchgrass/shrub understory. Mid-elevations are transition zones where ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir plant communities are dominant. The upper-most elevations are comprised of dry site mixed conifer plant communities, which were comprised of various mixes of ponderosa pine Pinus ponderosa, Douglas-fir Pseudotsuga menziesii, lodgepole pine Pinus Contorta, and Western larch Larix occidentalis, depending on the slope aspect.

About 12% of the forested cover types are considered to have been burned at a high intensity. Fire intensity on about 41% of the forest was considered to be moderate, and the remaining 47% was considered to be low intensity or unburned.

Rangelands comprise an estimated 62% of the non-federal lands in the fire. They can be characterized as shrub-steppe cover types dominated by blue-bunch wheatgrass and antelope bitterbrush plant communities. They transition into the forest cover types, extending upwards with elevation depending primarily on aspect. Reestablishment of the antelope bitterbrush on the shrub-steppe plant community will likely be prolonged where older stands were consumed.

High-fire intensity occurred across about 1% of the rangelands. Moderate burn intensity covered an estimated 28%, and low intensity burn occurred across 62%.

Another important cover type that occurs in the area is riparian creek bottom lands and hollows that are dominated by mature quaking aspen/cottonwood stands. Although there is no mapped inventory, these areas provide crucial wildlife habitat; many of these were burned over and short-term mortality is high.

Invasive Species The burn condition on the state and private lands varied in severity. The majority, 61%, of the affected land was listed in the low burned severity category, compared to 34% moderately burned severity, and 5% high burn severity. The focus is to treat soils that are in the high and moderate burn severity where soil erosion may affect critical values and soil productivity and loss of vegetation may promote invasion of noxious weeds and other invasive species.

High soil burn severity areas within the Okanogan Complex Fire areas are subject to spread of noxious weed communities and invasive species. Many of the noxious weed and invasive species have the potential to severely impact native plant communities during post fire recovery. The treatments are designed to protect sensitive native plant communities and supplement remaining native seed banks that promote native plant community recovery, as well as reduce the potential for invasion of noxious weeds into areas disturbed by fire suppression activities and into all burn severity areas.

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Table 4. Invasive Weed species known to occur in and near the Station Fire area

Scientific Name Common Name Class Seed Viability (yrs)

Bromus tectorum Cheat grass naturalized 2-5

Verbascum thapsus Common mullein naturalized >100

Linaria dalmatica ssp. Dalmatian toadflax B 10 dalmatica

Centaurea diffusa Diffuse knapweed B 12 Centaurea stoebe Spotted knapweed B 8

Linaria vulgaris Yellow toadflax B 4

Cynoglossum officinale Houndstongue B 2

Lepidium draba Hoary cress C 3

Euphorbia esula Leafy spurge B 7

Cirsium arvense Canadian thistle C 22

Carduus nutans Musk thistle B 7

Onopordum acanthium Scotch thistle B 7

Well-known pathways of weed spread, such as roads, trails, and drainages, occur within the fire area. In addition, the area receives frequent strong winds which are capable of spreading weed seeds and high levels of use by the public who inadvertently act as vectors for noxious weed spread. Dozer lines, hand lines, roads, and previously infested areas within the fire zone, encompassing approximately 524,449 acres of state, federal, and private land are at increased risk. The newly burned soil is vulnerable to rapid establishment of noxious weeds and invasive, non-native plants. Add to this the presence of 152.6 miles of new dozer lines and 26.7 miles of hand lines, both areas of soil disturbance, and it is clear that without prompt action, the potential for an explosion of invasive weeds on high and moderately burned soils, along with the dozer and hand lines is extremely high.

The Washington State Noxious Weed List is managed by the State Weed Control Board. It contains all of the Statewide Class A, B, and C noxious weeds.

Class A weeds are of very limited distribution in Washington State and are in a category of mandatory eradication of the entire plant.

Class B weeds are more widespread, but need consideration and require control to stop seed production.

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Class C weeds are fairly widespread and not considered feasible to require eradication. However, it does not mean the species doesn’t warrant severe concern and eradication action at the local scale.

Washington State Weed Board: http://www.nwcb.wa.gov/

Okanogan County Weed board: http://www.okanogancounty.org/nw/

Rangeland Resources The rangeland and grazeable woodland areas burned were mostly in shrub/bunchgrass (jointed species), mixed conifer/sod-forming grasses (non-jointed species), and aspen ecotypes. The intensity of the burn varied from low to high, forming a mosaic burn pattern with some areas unburned. The high intensity burned areas showed extremely high mortality of conifer, broadleaf tree species, shrubs and all grass and forb species. The moderate burn killed much of the conifer and broadleaf tree species and above ground shrub growth while leaving some root crowns of the shrubs and grasses alive. Much of the low burn intensity areas occurred in rangeland and open canopy woodlands with a shrub and grass/forb vegetative component. Shrub stubs remained and live root crowns of bunch grasses along with some forbs were observable.

Rangeland ecotypes within the Okanogan Complex Fire are shown in Table 5.

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Table 5. Rangeland Ecotypes found within the Okanogan Complex Fire

Common Name Botanical Name

Bitterbrush/Bluebunch Wheatgrass Shrub Herbaceous Vegetation Purshia tridentata/Pseudoroegneria spicata

Sagebrush/Bluebunch Wheatgrass Shrub Herbaceous Vegetation Artemisia tridentata/Pseudoroegneria spicata

Ponderosa Pine/Pinegrass Grazeable Woodland Pinus ponderosa/Calamagrostis rubescens

Ponderosa Pine/Bitterbrush Grazeable Woodland Pinus ponderosa/Purshia tridentata

Mixed Conifer/Pinegrass Grazeable Woodland Mixed Conifer/Calamagrostis rubescens

Pole Pine thickets Pinus Contorta

The fire burned over many miles of perimeter/boundary and interior fences of federal, state, and private land. Much of it was destroyed or damaged beyond repair, as were many water developments. A comprehensive inventory of these developments has not been compiled.

Forest Resources This section is focused on long term restoration of trees over the landscape. Immediate actions on forest recovery are not needed but the sooner a landowner starts the process the faster the trees will recover.

The lower elevation forests where a majority of the 2015 fires burned has a long history of wildfire. These forests have adapted to a frequent fire regime. While fire historically was of lower intensity, there was also moderate and high intense fires intermingled with these lower intensity fires. This variety of events created a mosaic of forest types across the landscape.

A mosaic forest produced from different intensity burns can be very beneficial in a forest ecosystem. A forest ecosystem changes over time through a process called succession. A large forest will have numerous stages of succession, including early, mid, and late succession stages. Through each of these stages, different plant communities will dominate the forest area. Each stage of succession will have a different look and a different benefit to the forest community. One change that will be noticed is a change in wildlife species present, as each species may depend on a specific stage of forest succession to survive. Following a wildfire, an early succession forest will have lots of dead trees, new grasses and shrubs growing under the dead trees. Cavity nesting birds will thrive in this environment as well as animal species that enjoy browsing on grasses and shrubs. These animal species could be wildlife or domestic species. Areas that burned at low intensity will stay in their current succession stage and continue to a late succession stage until a moderate or intense burn starts the process of succession at the beginning again.

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How the forests recover after this wildfire season is affected by the intensity of the wildfire and the capabilities of the land to respond to the wildfire. Table 6 lists the intensity of the wildfire burn on state and private forest lands.

Table 6: Acres Burned on State and Private Lands

Forest Lands Forest Lands Intensity Acres Burned % Burned

Low intensity 24,281 47.5%

Moderate 20,369 40% intensity

High intensity 6,426 12.5%

Total 51,067

Low Intensity Burn In these areas, the trees will have a high chance of survival and tree mortality is expected to be low. The characteristics of these areas are:

 Where bunch grasses were present before the fire, greater than 30% crown roots are alive and grasses should grow back.  Shrubs leaves will be dead but remain on the plants.  Between 0 – 50% of coniferous tree crowns will be scorched.  Ground cover will have a mixture of live vegetation, litter, duff, and bare ground present.

Moderate Intensity Burn In these areas the trees will have a mixed chance of survival. A majority of the trees will not survive the effects of the fire but a certain percentage will. A typical tree that survives will be thick bark trees such as ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, and Western larch. They will generally have 50% or less crown scorch. Due to the reduced crowns in the surviving trees, the trees will be under extra stress. Additional tree mortality will be expected over the next several years due to this stress. This mortality will often be caused by bark beetle’s seeking out these stressed trees. The characteristics of these areas are:

 Where bunch grasses where present before the fire, less than 30% crown roots are alive and only limited grasses will grow back.  Shrubs will be missing leaves and small twigs or just staubs remaining.  Conifer tree crowns will have scorch between 50% - 100%, but typically the needles will be brown and still attached to the trees.

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 Ground cover will be a mixture of litter, duff, and bare ground. Some live vegetation may be present.

High Intensity Burn All trees will be dead in high intensity burn areas. The characteristics of these areas are:

 Where bunch grasses are present, less than 30% crown roots are alive and no to very limited grasses will grow back.  Shrubs will just have the stubs remaining.  Conifer tree crowns will generally be black, with no to little needles present.  Ground cover will include some blackened litter and duff, but most of the area will be bare ground.

Findings and Recommendations

The multi-agency BAER team undertook a comprehensive exercise to identify critical values at risk. Native or naturalized plant communities at risk of invasion by invasive or noxious weeds were identified as critical values where the magnitude of consequence is likely to be major. Soil productivity was also identified to be a resource likely at high risk. Treatments to address these values include both emergency measures and longer term actions. Longer term actions address critical soil values, however the magnitude of consequences to Soil is moderate and less likely.

Treatments and rehabilitation actions were identified and developed using examples and guidance provided in the Burned Area Emergency Response Treatments Catalog (Napper, 2006). Digital copies can be located on the internet at: http://www.fs.fed.us/eng/pubs/pdf/BAERCAT/lo_res/06251801L.pdf Risks to Values The findings of the BAER team are based on assessments conducted September 8 through September 18, 2015. Two major issues were identified: (1) the potential for weeds to spread at a faster rate from existing infestations as a result of the fire, and (2) the risk of new invasive species introduction as a result of fire suppression activities. These introductions could come from heavy equipment, vehicles, fire engines, base camps, firefighting crews. Areas of special concern are along dozer and hand lines. In addition, post-fire operations can be an additional seed source of noxious weeds. There are a total of 1,379 miles of completed dozer lines and 26.6 miles of completed hand lines. Additionally, 64,056 acres of moderate and 8,898 high intensity burn area is at high risk for noxious and invasive plant infestation.

Emergency Treatments Design Approach Goals for treatment are to stabilize soils and minimize the spread of noxious weeds while native vegetation is becoming reestablished. Treatment areas are shown on Treatment Areas Maps in Appendix 1.

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Soils Treatment areas for soil stabilization applications were selected based on several criteria:

 Values at risk lower in watershed  High soil burn severity areas prone to erosion and slow regeneration  Areas on slopes of 20% - 50% were chosen for mulching for greatest effectiveness

Recommendations were selected using the BAERCAT. It should be noted that these are recommendations and other approaches may be used to meet objectives based on the priorities of the individual landowners. See Appendix 1 for suggested locations of treatment areas.

Since the Twisp Block treatment areas are located on Forest Service Land, no treatments are recommended for this area.

Treatments are generally recommended in blocks for ease of aerial application of seed and mulching. If seed or mulch is applied by hand, four-wheeler, drill, or by other means, the applicator should target areas of highest soil burn severity and does not necessarily need to follow block lines.

Other areas of high soil burn severity above a critical value may be considered for treatment, though they may not be individually identified as critical areas for treatment in this report.

Vegetation Wildfire causes disturbance that provides a receptive opportunity for the spread of noxious weeds & invasive species. The potential for noxious weed invasion, competition, and modification of native plant communities is present. Noxious weeds and non-native species introduction and spread are of concern in the Okanogan National Forest because of the potential effect on the area’s natural biodiversity in the scrublands and forested lands. Treatment is necessary to reduce establishment and control the spread of noxious weeds and invasive species. Native communities in both the rangeland and forest land are susceptible to competition from the following: diffuse knapweed, Dalmatian and yellow toadflax, Cheatgrass, hounds tongue, Musk & Scotch thistle, mullein, and leafy spurge. Additional species are identified on lists found in the local area.

It is necessary to conduct noxious weed detection surveys to evaluate the potential for spread from existing populations and from the activities associated with fire suppression. The following actions are recommended to reduce the risk of irreversible damage to native vegetation from noxious weed and invasive species likely to spread in the burn area:

 Conduct weed detection surveys to identify and treat newly discovered infestations adjacent to existing weed infestations.

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 Conduct weed detection surveys and treat newly discovered infestations along dozer & hand lines and inside and around noted polygons of high and moderate burn severity and intensity that are designated for reseeding.

 Treat areas with herbicides, mechanical, and cultural practices using Integrated Pest Management (IPM) methodology.

 Seed dozer lines with native seed and discourage repeated ground disturbance and further weed spread from ORV recreation and other activities.

Fireline maps in Appendix 5 shows the locations of the dozer lines and other fire lines in relation to the burn area. As of September 10, 2015, there was a total of 1,379.6 miles of completed dozer lines adjacent to or near the fire perimeter. All dozer lines should be considered contaminated with weed seeds.

Location / Suitable Sites The proposed treatments are designed for dozer and hand lines on state land (only) that were untreated and where noxious weed pressure on native plant communities is expected to be high. In addition, the BAER Team proposed sites to enhance soil productivity to lessen soil loss down slope and lower possible future mass flow events in reaches that may affect critical values (personal property and infrastructure) in or near proposed seeding sites.

Design/Construction Specifications

Seeding Seeding disturbed areas helps control noxious weeds and prevent weed spread. It also provides a secondary long-term benefit of soil stabilization.

Native seed mix is recommended on dozer/hand lines and identified polygons. Seeding is to occur in areas identified by field survey, unidentified moderate to severe burn severity/intensity, and susceptible or known infestation areas. Use seed mix and seed rate recommended by Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) or Okanogan Conservation District. Apply seed mix in accordance with NRCS Conservation Practice Standard Code 342, Critical Area Planting. Seed mix is to be applied to dozer lines by seed drill, broadcast by hand, or 4-wheeler, as appropriate, at the full recommended rate shown in maps in the appendix.

 Seed mix will be applied to large or inaccessible polygons identified by aerial application.  Seeding should occur in late fall or early winter to facilitate early establishment and take advantage of fall rains.  Application can be broadcast or aerial dropped directly on snow surface.  Seed mix rate determined using NRCS Conservation Practice Standard Code 342, Critical Area Planting, as a guide and consult.

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 Treatments include 3,344.5 acres of dozer lines, 9.65 acres of hand lines, and 46,058 acres of identified polygons within the high burn severity areas. Areas in these polygons are subject to high probability of noxious weed intrusion. (See treatment area maps in Appendix 1 for locations.)

Noxious/Invasive Weed Control Treatment alternatives for the control of noxious weed and invasive species include the following:

 Emergency Treatment  No Action  Chemical Treatment (four- wheeler with boom, hand, or aerial application)  Prevention – noxious weeds and invasive species (chemical application, hand pulling, seeding)  Erosion Control and Soil Health (hand seeding, broadcast seeding, aerial seeding, mulching)  Mechanical – noxious weeds and invasive species (mowing, hand removal)  Biological – noxious weeds (species specific)

The BAER team recommends chemical treatment (spraying with herbicide) of noxious weeds and invasive species along with cultural treatments. A field survey is needed to determine sites along roadsides and in and near selected polygons.

Noxious weed and invasive plant treatments shall be site-specific as recommended by a qualified specialist. They include mechanical, cultural, chemical, or biological control methods. The focus is not on eradication in this situation, but rather control and management until native species are sufficiently reestablished. The recommended treatments may reduce the impacts and incidence of future infestations. Integrated Pest Management treatment methods should be employed for noxious weed control; one such approach is to promote plant competition through nutrient management for desired species along with biological controls following chemical control methods. Treatment methods considered include:

 Chemical treatment  Mechanical treatment  Biological treatment  Cultural treatment

Chemical Chemical application for noxious weeds and invasive plants is dependent on the size of infestations and site conditions, including the existing plant community. Timing is critical. A qualified licensed pesticide consultant/applicator should always be consulted for recommendations and/or applications.

The addition of sulfate solution in the tank-mix with herbicide and surfactant/adjuvant promotes uptake by the undesirable plants, increasing efficacy of the herbicide. Additionally, the sulfate provides a readily

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available soluble nutrient source for desirable plants. Thus, more rapid establishment of desirable plants may be accomplished.

Mechanical Mechanical Control treatment disrupts weed growth. Mechanical weed control is the oldest method used. Treatments often used are tillage, hoeing, hand pulling, and mowing.

Tillage works by disturbing the root system by dislodging or cutting the root system resulting in desiccation of the plant. Tillage easily controls small weeds and is most effective in hot, dry environments. However, tillage is difficult in range conditions and destroys soil structure, and therefore should not be used on dry fragile soils. Additionally, it prolongs the soil disturbance, and does not help establishment of desirable species. Wide-scale tillage is NOT recommended in post-fire situations on range soils. Hand tillage with the use of a hoe or other such garden implement is marginal, but acceptable.

Mowing is another treatment that reduces annual weed growth. Like tillage it must be performed numerous times. However, mowing will not prevent seed production as the plants tend to flower again closer to the ground. This has been often noted with spotted and diffuse knapweed; the knapweed plant will adjust to the level of the mowing and go to seed at the lower level.

Biological Control Biological control is the use of living organisms to suppress weed populations to an acceptable level. The insects used are natural enemies of the targeted species that come from the weed's native ecosystem. The use of biological controls impacts its targeted species in two ways:

 Direct Impact - destroys vital plant tissues and functions  Indirect Impact - increases stress on the targeted species to reduce the plants ability to compete with desirable plants.

The use of bio-controls may take several years to become established at sufficient level to make an impact on the target species. Using multiple treatments such as chemical application outside a known boundary in conjunction with other pest management strategies is often used to contain pests within a target area.

Cultural Weed Control Cultural weed control treatments used with other treatments provide sound practices for land use in a variety of settings. The planting of desirable, competitive vegetation, use of goats or other browsing livestock, along with good grazing management are known methods of cultural weed control treatments.

The planting of cereal grains, grasses, forbes, or combinations there-of that compete for sunlight, water, and soil nutrients with weeds is another well-known and effective strategy. Cereal grains, such as winter wheat or sterile grain hybrids will establish well in a matter of weeks to help stabilize soil and provide

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competition to winter annual invasive species, e.g. cheat grass (Bromus tectorum), as well as summer annuals. Rapid establishment is vital to success, providing the best chance to resist noxious weed and intrusive species invasions.

Disturbed sites, roadways, and fence lines are most susceptible and often are where infestations occur first. Infestations frequently start when seeds are brought in by vehicles or when soil disturbance occurs from equipment operations.

Note: not all treatments are intended for noxious weed or invasive plant eradication.

For more information consult the local Soil and Water Conservation District.

Estimated Costs of Emergency Treatments Estimated costs for aerial seeding all sensitive areas, dozer lines only, hand lines only, and weed control and shown below. See Appendix 3 for a detailed breakdown of these cost estimates.

Cost estimates are based on a general area seeding recommendation based on overall range condition, known plant communities, density/diversity, etc. Site specific recommendations and assessments by qualified range specialists are highly recommended.

Seed disturbed areas such as fire lines and roads, and severely burned areas at full rate as described in the NRCS planting guide. Less severely burned areas may be seeded according to site specific recommendations based on technical assessments plant density, plant community diversity, and production potential by a qualified range specialist. See Appendix 2 for NRCS recommended seeding rates.

Aerial Seeding all Sensitive Areas Costs for aerial seeding to occur on all moderate and high soil severity areas where the risk of invasion of noxious and invasive weed species is high in shown in Table 7. This seeding would be performed the first year with secondary long-term benefits.

Table 7. Cost Estimates for Aerial Seeding for all Weed Sensitive Areas

Item Rate Acres of Application Total Cost Aerial application $21.00 per acre 8,898 $186,858 Seed mix ($6.60/lb*) $92.40 per acre 8,898 $822,175 Total aerial seeding cost $113.40 per acre 8,898 $1,009,033 *Pending species availability and pricing. Seed mix prices provided by local company Ag Tech, Okanogan, Washington.

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Dozer Line Seeding Treatment Cost estimates for treating dozer lines only by aerial application are shown in Table 8. Application could alternatively be completed by hand broadcast and four-wheeler. However, these costs are difficult to estimate as labor and equipment costs will vary greatly by comprehensive rate per individual and equipment, terrain, agency/organization, etc., and therefore will be unreliable at this level. Estimates for labor and equipment must be made at the site-specific level. The acreage of dozer lines is based on a 20-foot width and 1,379.6 miles of line, totaling 3,344.5 acres.

Table 8. Cost Estimates for Aerial Seeding for all Dozer Lines

Item Rate Acres of Application Total Cost Aerial application $21.00 per acre 3,344.5 $70,234.5 Seed mix ($6.60/lb*) $92.40 per acre 3,344.5 $309,031.8 Total aerial seeding cost $113.40 per acre 3,344.5 $379,266.30 *Pending species availability and pricing. Seed mix prices provided by local company Ag Tech, Okanogan, Washington.

Hand Line Seeding Treatment Hand line seeding would be completed by hand broadcast in the first year. Since labor costs will vary greatly by comprehensive rate per individual, terrain, agency/organization, etc., they therefore will be unreliable at this level. The acreage of hand lines is based on a 3-foot width and 26.8 miles of line, totaling 9.65 acres.

Table 9. Cost Estimates for Aerial Seeding for all Hand Lines

Item Rate Acres of Application Total Cost Seed mix cost ($6.60/lb*) $92.40 per acre 9.65.5 $891.6 *Pending species availability and pricing. Seed mix prices provided by local company Ag Tech, Okanogan, Washington.

Weed Control Longer term treatments for weed control involve field surveys to monitor for invasive weeds and rapid response, evaluation, and maintenance of threatened areas. This program is expected to be a 2-year practice. It is expected that these activities would be undertaken by the Okanogan County Noxious Weed Control Board. Table 10 provides cost estimates for labor for monitoring and applying seeding and chemicals for treatment areas as well as the cost of the chemicals. Acreage needing chemical treatments is estimated to be 1500 acres. Seed costs have been accounted for in the cost estimates above.

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Table 10. Cost Estimates for 2-Year Monitoring and Response

Item Cost Estimate Chemical and Seeding Labor* 1 Supervisor (1.5 Months) $5,500 4 Technicians (3 Months) $6,500 2 Vehicle Rentals (3 Months) $9,500 2 Lease (4-Wheeler) $9,500 Equipment $1,700 Incidentals $1,500 Total Cost per year $31,200 Total Cost for 2 years $62,400 Cost of Chemicals** Chemical costs per year $48,000 Total Cost for 2 years $96,000 Cost Estimate for 2-Year Program Total Cost for 2 years $158,400 *Estimated until field survey occurs **$32/acre at 1500 acres

Rangeland Management to Protect Long-Term Soil Productivity and Grazing Resources All pastures will need a period of rest to allow for growth and establishment of forage species. There are areas within the fire perimeter that did not burn or burned at very low intensity but due to the location of these areas it is recommended that they be rested also. This practice will also allow for elevated weed management and control in those areas where it will be beneficial. Livestock grazing should be managed on a site-specific basis, depending on unburned infrastructure and usability.

After the second year of rest (2017), assessment, and successful evaluation, grazing should be deferred until the end of soft dough stage following the critical period for bunchgrasses and could resume during dormant season of the third year (2018). The NRCS Range Technical Note 34, Grazing Management Guidelines (November 2009), is recommended for grazing guidelines and strategies. Implementation of NRCS Conservation Practice Standard Code 528A, Prescribed Grazing, will also be highly desirable for range/pasture harvest management.

These practice specifications should be monitored each year and documented to track progress toward meeting the desired conditions required to return to livestock grazing. If more site-specific specifications are developed for the individual pastures, they will be monitored in the accordance with

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the Operations and Maintenance (O&M) section of the Practice Specification to ensure they are being implemented properly.

Variables to work with in grazing management include:

 Time/timing of grazing periods  Season of use (when)  Duration or length of grazing periods (how long)  Intensity of grazing (how much) – utilization and residual  Frequency of grazing periods (how often)  Space/Area of landscape  Animal Numbers – stock density, class of livestock, wildlife  Rest/Recovery Periods

Prescribed Grazing is managing the harvest of plants by grazing animals, both livestock and wildlife. Prescribed Grazing is very much a learning tool: Plan the grazing  manage the grazing  monitor and evaluate the results  adjust the grazing plan (adaptive management).

To manage land and natural resources effectively, it is recommended to measure the changes that occur, evaluate the results, and revise activities, as needed, to move toward desired outcomes. If you don’t measure carefully, you can’t manage effectively. What to monitor depends upon resources available, goals and objectives, and action items set out in the conservation plan.

Long-Term/Effectiveness Monitoring and Short-Term Monitoring: A combination of short-term and long- term monitoring should be utilized whenever possible. Long-term monitoring focused on the objectives is used to generate a “trend record” while short-term monitoring is used to establish an “annual-use record” keeping track of the management applied each year and the effects of that management.

A representative key area of each vegetative type/key species burned in the fire should be chosen. An appropriate assessment for these communities should be conducted in the second year and then yearly until normal grazing can be resumed. Designated monitoring areas (DMA) in riparian zones should be established to measure the impacts of the fire on vegetative communities and monitor the condition and health of streams.

The burned area, now lacking desired vegetation that would normally compete with noxious weeds, is vulnerable to expansion of existing noxious weed sources and other invasive species (e.g., cheat grass). Even in the low intensity burned areas, it will still take at least one growing season (Summer 2016) until native vegetation can reestablish and compete with existing unburned noxious weed populations.

Noxious weed monitoring should be conducted annually, to include known infestations and to record new or enlarged infestations or new species that may have been introduced during suppression and rehab activities. This will target areas within and adjacent to the burned areas, concentrating on disturbed areas such as fire lines and roads. Treatments will be conducted to reduce or prevent further

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spread of invasive and noxious weed species. All dozer and hand lines within the burn area will be seeded and then monitored to document recovery needs.

After a discussion with forest and district specialists, it was decided that the standards for rehabilitation was applicable to the entire fire area and the entire area should be rested for the required two years. Where wildfire has burned within an allotment, burned areas should be evaluated to determine if rest from livestock grazing is necessary for recovery of desired vegetation conditions and related biophysical resources. When sagebrush cover types are determined to need rest from livestock grazing following a wildfire, areas should be rested for a minimum of two growing seasons. Evaluate whether additional rest is needed after two growing seasons. Base this determination on the following factors: a) the ecological status of the sagebrush community prior to the wildfire, b) length of time the shrub steppe community had a density or canopy closure greater than 15 percent prior to the wildfire, c) the severity and intensity of the fire, and d) the amount, diversity and recovery of forbs, grasses, and palatable shrubs that are present after 2 years of rest in relation to desired conditions.

The dominate communities within the rangelands are bitterbrush/sagebrush/bunchgrass. In areas other than shrub steppe cover types, such as ponderosa pine/ mixed conifer/pinegrass and aspen communities, appropriate rest period should be determined. Base this determination on the following factors: soil conditions; and the amount, diversity, and recovery of forbs, grasses, and palatable shrubs that are present after 2 years of rest.

Pasture infrastructure that was damaged or destroyed in the fire will need to be repaired to implement grazing management strategies. Many miles of fencing will have to be replaced and salvage of damaged fence material conducted. A high percentage of fencing along pasture boundaries of the burn area will need prompt replacement to keep livestock from trespassing onto the burned area and before residual grazing strategies can resume. It is very important to reestablish control of livestock and carrying capacity at an optimum, sustainable level to provide a proper recovery timeframe. Replacement of interior fence will be very important for the maintenance and recovery of rangeland quality, production, and habitat conservation. See Appendix 4 for a list of miles of rangeland fencing by area.

Long-Term Forest Treatments Forests can recover in two different ways, through natural processes or by seedling planting. The appropriate method to choose will depend on landowner goals and the cost / benefit of the treatment method being successful.

Natural Process In the hot, dry forests of North Central Washington, natural regeneration takes a combination of the right weather over a number of years and trees producing seed. This happens intermittently over time which can result in the slow process of forest reestablishment. While this process may be slow, it is how forests naturally recover after wildfire.

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Seedling planting Planting of trees will ensure faster recovery of the forest but will only have a high chance of success in limited forest types. This is due to the hot, dry nature of most of the forests in the area. Seedling planting has the best chance to be successful in a more mesic site.

For treatments and recovery the forest was grouped into three broad forest types.

 Ponderosa pine forest  Douglas fir forest with grass and /or bitterbrush understory  Douglas fir forest with shrub understory or grand fir forest

Treatment options are recommended based on soil burn severity and forest type.

Low intensity burn areas, all forest types Natural Process recommended: Due to the low intensity of the burn, most trees and plant communities are still alive. While some mortality may happen in these areas, they will be small in scope.

Moderate and high intensity burn area in the ponderosa pine forest and Douglas fir forest with grass and / or bitterbrush understory Natural Process recommended: These areas are considered dry and hot and historically trees regenerated naturally when there was adequate seed and moisture at the same time. This does not happen on a regular basis and it may result in an extended time for trees to naturally reestablish themselves. While tree planting could be done, it is not recommend because of these harsh conditions which will result in a low survival rate of trees planted.

Moderate and high intensity burn area in Douglas fir forest with shrub understory or Grand fir forest. Natural process or seedling planting: In Douglas fir forests with a shrub understory or grand fir forests, natural or seedling planting can be used depending on landowner objectives. This vegetation type can be a challenge to have a successful tree planting and a good review of the site should be udertaken to increase the success with planting.

Natural regeneration will most likely be successful when there is a minimum of 7 – 8 desirable trees left per acre. Seedling planting can be used with a natural regeneration method to fill in voids where there is not adequate seed trees to regenerate the forest.

Tree planting recommendation: Occasionally, tree planting is recommended to reach an adequate stocking level. From a planning perspective it is recommended to use 300 trees per acre. Each landscape may need a higher or lower amount and should be evaluated before purchasing trees. Using a mixture of ponderosa pine and Douglas fir is recommended. A typical mix of 50% of each species is a good starting point but should be adjusted given site specific conditions. Due to the dry and hot nature

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of the Douglas fir forest, ponderosa pine will have a higher survival rate than Douglas fir. Other conifer species may be considered for these areas after a site specific evaluation.

Table X. Recommended treatment options based on burn intensity and forest type.

Forest Type Low intensity burn Moderate intensity burn High intensity burn

Ponderosa pine forest Natural process Natural process Natural Process

Douglas fir forest with grass and/or bitterbrush Natural process Natural process Natural Process understory

Douglas fir forest with Artificial or natural Artificial or natural shrub understory or Natural process process process Grand fir forest

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References

Napper, Carolyn. 2006. Burned Area Emergency Response Treatments Catalog. San Dimas Technology & Development Center San Dimas, California. National Technology & Development Program. Watershed, Soil, Air Management. USDA. Forest Service. 0625 1801—SDTDC December 2006. http://www.fs.fed.us/eng/pubs/pdf/BAERCAT/lo_res/06251801L.pdf

Robichaud, P.R.; Elliot, W.J.; Pierson, F.B.; Hall, D.E.; Moffet, C.A. 2006. Erosion Risk Management Tool (ERMiT) Ver.2006.01.18 [Online at .]. Moscow, ID: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station [accessed 5 June 2006].

USDA. 2010. Soil Survey of Okanogan County Area, Washington. Natural Resources Conservation Service. Available online at: http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/ Current data accessed September 7, 2014.

USDA. 2008. Soil Survey of Okanogan National Forest Area, Washington. Natural Resources Conservation Service. Accessible online at: http://soils.usda.gov/survey/printed_surveys/. Current data accessed September 7, 2014.

USDA. 2006. Land Resource Regions and Major Land Resource Areas of the United States, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Basin. U.S. Department of Agriculture Handbook 296. Natural Resources Conservation Service. Available online at: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs142p2_050898.pdf Current data accessed September 14, 2014.

Napper, Carolyn. 2006. Burned Area Emergency Response Treatments Catalog. San Dimas Technology & Development Center San Dimas, California. National Technology & Development Program. Watershed, Soil, Air Management. USDA. Forest Service. 0625 1801—SDTDC December 2006. http://www.fs.fed.us/eng/pubs/pdf/BAERCAT/lo_res/06251801L.pdf

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Appendices

Appendix 1. Okanogan Fire Treatment Areas Maps

Appendix 2. NRCS Post Fire Seeding Erosion & Weed Control Seeding Rates and Mixes

Appendix 3. Development of Cost Estimates for Seeding and Weed Control Treatments

Appendix 4. Miles of Rangeland Fencing by Area

Appendix 5. Dozer and Hand lines by Fire

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Treatment Maps

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Appendix 3. Development of Cost Estimates for Seeding and Weed Control Treatments Aerial Seeding

 Seeding to occur on moderate and severe soil severity and intensity burned areas where the risk of invasion from noxious weeds and invasive species is high

 secondary long term benefit of soil stabilization and soil health

 Seeding Areas- Noxious weed and invasive species

 Emergency Treatment: Performed 1st year with secondary long term benefits

 Application (Aerial, rotary wing aircraft): $21.00 /ac *

*Ryan McDonald, North Wind Helicopters, Chelan WA

 Seed Mix: rate (14lbs/ac) $6.60 lb ($92.40/ac)

 Estimated Cost for Aerial Seeding” (Aircraft + seed cost) $113.40/ac

Seed mix prices provided by Rainier Seeds, Davenport, Washington *(Pending species availability & pricing)

9 Mile 879 High 879 PRIVATE 794 STATE 84 Lime Belt 4,841 High 4,841 PRIVATE 1,298 STATE 3,543 Northstar 290 High 290 PRIVATE 290 Tunk Block 2,699 High 2,699 PRIVATE 1,888 STATE 811 Twisp River 188 High 188 PRIVATE 36 STATE 153 Grand Total 8,898

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Total Acres 8,898 ac Estimated Total Cost $1,009,033

 Estimated Cost for Seed $822,175

 Estimated cost for seeding, Aerial 3,344.5ac X $113.40 $1,009,033

Dozer Line Seeding Treatment

 Emergency Treatment 1st Year

 Application: (hand broadcast and four-wheeler)

Estimate for seed only; labor and equipment costs will vary greatly by comprehensive rate per individual and equipment, terrain, agency/organization, etc., and therefore will be unreliable at this level. Estimates for labor and equipment must be made at the site-specific level.

**See Field Survey Monitoring and Rapid Response for labor & equipment costs

 Dozer line (20’) width (2.424 ac per mile) 1,379.6 mi Approx 3,344.5 acres

 Seed Mix: (14 lbs/ac) $6.60/lb ($92.40/ac)

 Estimated Cost for Seed $309,031.80

 Estimated cost for seeding, Aerial 3,344.5ac X $113.40 $379,266.30

 *(Pending species availability and pricing)

 **See Field Survey Monitoring and Rapid Response for labor & equipment costs

Hand Line Seeding Treatment

 Emergency Treatment 1st year

 Application: (Hand Broadcast)

 Hand line (3’) width (0.36 ac per mile) Approx 9.65 acres

 Seed Mix: (14 lbs/ac) $6.60/lb ($92.40 /ac)

 Estimated Cost for Seed $891.66

 Seed mix prices provided by local company Ag Tech, Okanogan, Washington

 *(Pending species availability and pricing)

 **See Field Survey Monitoring and Rapid Response for labor & equipment costs

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Emergency Treatment- Weed Control

9 Mile 3,055 High 879 PRIVATE 794 STATE 84 Moderate 2,176 PRIVATE 1,813 STATE 363 Lime Belt 34,651 High 4,841 PRIVATE 1,298 STATE 3,543 Moderate 29,810 PRIVATE 14,243 STATE 15,566 Northstar 2,339 High 290 PRIVATE 290 Moderate 2,049 PRIVATE 2,036 STATE 12 Tunk Block 30,450 High 2,699 PRIVATE 1,888 STATE 811 Moderate 27,751 PRIVATE 21,002 STATE 6,750 Twisp River 2,458 High 188 PRIVATE 36 STATE 153 Moderate 2,270 PRIVATE 377 STATE 1,893 Grand Total 72,953

Emergency Treatment- Weed Control on Dozer Lines (20’) width

 State and Private Land: 1,379.6 miles 3,344.5 ac

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 No Action None

 Chemical application for noxious and invasive weed control

Field Survey for detection and rapid response to identify sites and treatment

 Dozer/hand fire lines

 Roads

 Moderate to severe burn areas

Long-Term Treatments

Long Term- Soil Stabilization, Prevention seeding to occur in order to out compete noxious weeds & invasive species and erosion control

Long Term Treatments-

Chemical application

Field Survey for monitoring and treatment

Note: Water bars should be addressed by fire suppression repair not BAER considerations water bar installation on all slopes greater than 15% with 150’.

Field Survey- Monitoring and Rapid Response, Evaluation & Maintenance:

To be conducted by the Okanogan County Noxious Weed Control Board

Chemical & Seeding Labor

1 Supervisor (1.5 Months) $5,500

4 Technicians (3 Months) $6,500

2 Vehicle Rentals (3 Months) $9,500

2 Lease (4-Wheeler) $9,500

Equipment $1,700

Incidentals $1,500

*Estimated Cost * (2 year practice) Emergency $31,200.00/1 yr

*Kept in house or contracted out* Long Term $31,200.00/2 yr

Total $62,400

Chemical Treatments-

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Emergency Treatment 1st year with secondary long term benefits

Chemical Applications and Estimations

Application: Chemical Application **Estimated 1500 ac

Chemicals: $32.00 /ac

*Estimated Cost for 1500 ac Chemical Application (2 year practice)

Emergency $48,000 1 yr

Long Term $48,000 2 yr

Total $96,000

**Estimated until Field Survey & Rapid Response Team survey occurs

***See Field Survey Monitoring & Rapid Response for labor & equipment costs

Seeding Rates:

Forested Land: (see addendum) NRCS Seed Planting Guide

Rangeland: (see addendum) NRCS Seed Planting Guide

**Contact local source seed supplier for native mixes

This is a general area seeding recommendation based on overall range condition, known plant communities, density/diversity, etc. Site specific recommendations and assessments by qualified range specialists are highly recommended.

Seed disturbed areas such as fire lines and roads, and severely burned areas at full rate as described in the NRCS planting guide. Less severely burned areas may be seeded according to site specific recommendations based on technical assessments plant density, plant community diversity, and production potential by a qualified range specialist.

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Appendix 4. Miles of Rangeland Fencing by Area Miles of Rangeland Fencing by Area

9 Mile 3,055 High 879 PRIVATE 794 Inkaneep Creek-Okanogan River 794 STATE 84 Inkaneep Creek-Okanogan River 84 Moderate 2,176 PRIVATE 1,813 Inkaneep Creek-Okanogan River 1,813 STATE 363 Inkaneep Creek-Okanogan River 363 Lime Belt 34,651 High 4,841 PRIVATE 1,298 Loup Loup Creek-Okanogan River 718 Salmon Creek 112 Scotch Creek-Okanogan River 445 Sinlahekin Creek 0 Tunk Creek-Okanogan River 23 STATE 3,543 Loup Loup Creek-Okanogan River 2,690 Middle Methow River 12 Salmon Creek 551 Scotch Creek-Okanogan River 208 Sinlahekin Creek 82 Moderate 29,810 PRIVATE 14,243 Loup Loup Creek-Okanogan River 4,193 Salmon Creek 1,642 Scotch Creek-Okanogan River 8,275 Sinlahekin Creek 89 Tunk Creek-Okanogan River 44 STATE 15,566 Loup Loup Creek-Okanogan River 7,845 Middle Methow River 30 Salmon Creek 1,769 Scotch Creek-Okanogan River 4,866 Sinlahekin Creek 1,054 Tunk Creek-Okanogan River 2

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Northstar 2,339 High 290 PRIVATE 290 Nespelem River 247 West Fork Sanpoil River 44 Moderate 2,049 PRIVATE 2,036 Nespelem River 1,731 West Fork Sanpoil River 305 STATE 12 West Fork Sanpoil River 12 Tunk Block 30,450 High 2,699 PRIVATE 1,888 Bonaparte Creek 327 Omak Creek 34 Scotch Creek-Okanogan River 19 Tunk Creek-Okanogan River 1,501 West Fork Sanpoil River 7 STATE 811 Bonaparte Creek 12 Omak Creek 1 Scotch Creek-Okanogan River 568 Tunk Creek-Okanogan River 230 Moderate 27,751 PRIVATE 21,002 Bonaparte Creek 3,843 Omak Creek 1,923 Scotch Creek-Okanogan River 1,036 Tunk Creek-Okanogan River 14,187 West Fork Sanpoil River 13 STATE 6,750 Bonaparte Creek 280 Omak Creek 30 Scotch Creek-Okanogan River 3,097 Tunk Creek-Okanogan River 3,335 West Fork Sanpoil River 8 Twisp River 2,458 High 188 PRIVATE 36 Twisp River 36 STATE 153

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Middle Methow River 9 Twisp River 143 Moderate 2,270 PRIVATE 377 Middle Methow River 12 Twisp River 364 STATE 1,893 Middle Methow River 176 Twisp River 1,718 Grand Total 72,953

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Okanogan County Fires

Interagency BAER Fish & Wildlife Report

State, Private, and Other Non-Federal Lands

Contributors: Keith Kistler, Fish & Wildlife Biologist, Colville Confederated Tribes Constance Iten, Fish & Wildlife Biologist, Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife

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Contents Contents ...... 2 Introduction ...... 4 Resource Assessment ...... 4 Fish ...... 4 Fish Species & General Life Histories ...... 4 Wildlife ...... 7 Priority Habitats ...... 7 Priority Species ...... 8 Findings and Recommendations ...... 11 Twisp River Fire ...... 11 Background Information ...... 11 Factors Affecting Habitat Conditions before the Fire ...... 11 Pertinent Issues Due to the Fire ...... 12 Recommendations ...... 12 Ninemile Fire ...... 13 Background Information ...... 13 Factors affecting habitat conditions before the fire ...... 14 Pertinent issues due to the fire ...... 14 Recommendations ...... 14 Tunk Block Fire ...... 15 Background Information ...... 15 Factors affecting habitat conditions before the fire ...... 16 Pertinent issues due to the fire ...... 17 Recommendations ...... 17 Lime Belt Fire ...... 22 Background Information ...... 22 Factors affecting habitat conditions before the fire ...... 23 Pertinent issues due to fire ...... 24 Recommendations ...... 25 North Star Fire ...... 29

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Background Information ...... 29 Factors affecting habitat conditions before the fire ...... 29 Pertinent issues due to the fire ...... 30 Recommendations ...... 30 References ...... 31

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Introduction The Okanogan County fires started on August 13, 2015 with the North Star Fire and the Ninemile Fire, followed on August 14, 2015 with three lightning-caused fires (Lime Belt, Tunk, and Beaver Lake) and then the Twisp Fire on August 19, 2015. These fires burned over 520,000 acres, of which over 300,000 acres were in state or private ownership. Hot weather, windy conditions, and dry fuel coupled with mountainous terrain combined to create high intensity fire behavior and, as a result, critical habitat for fish and wildlife was compromised or lost.

This report focuses on non-federal lands affected by the fire (303,612 acres) and summarizes potential effects to fish and wildlife.

Resource Assessment Fish The Okanogan County fires affected three Endangered Species Act (ESA) listed fish stocks in the Twisp and Okanogan subbasins as well as several non-listed game fish, non-game fish and forage fish species. This report focuses on the acute fire effects and long-term, post-fire effects predicted for the ESA-listed stocks and important recreational game fishes.

The Twisp River supports runs of Upper Columbia River (UCR) spring Chinook salmon (endangered), UCR summer Steelhead (threatened) and Columbia River Bull Trout (threatened) and their designated “Critical Habitat.” Other species of interest include Coho salmon, summer Chinook, cutthroat trout, red band/rainbow trout, and Pacific lamprey. The Okanogan River supports populations of UCR steelhead (threatened) and their critical habitat as well as sockeye salmon, and summer Chinook salmon.

Fish Species & General Life Histories

Upper Columbia River Spring Chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) Species Legal Status: State: Candidate Federal: ESA-Listed Endangered

The Twisp River is designated as Critical Habitat for UCR spring Chinook.

General Life History: Spring Chinook adults begin returning from the ocean to the Twisp River from April through July. These fish commonly hold in freshwater tributaries until spawning occurs in the late summer, peaking in mid to late August. Juvenile spring Chinook emerge from redds in gravel substrate in February and March. After one year of rearing in freshwater (stream-type species) the fry begin to change into smolts as they prepare to migrate to the ocean during the spring of their second year of life. Most UCR spring Chinook return as adults after two or three years in the ocean.

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The majority of spring Chinook spawning in the Twisp River occurs upstream of the area affected by the fire, although a few redds are found in the reach from Little Bridge Creek to the mouth. Spring Chinook do not currently spawn or rear in the Okanogan River.

Upper Columbia River Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Species Legal Status: State: Candidate Federal: ESA-listed Threatened

The mainstem Twisp River, Okanogan River, lower Loup Loup Creek, Salmon Creek, lower Tunk Creek, lower Bonaparte Creek, and lower Ninemile Creek are all designated as critical habitat for UCR steelhead.

General Life History: Adult steelhead return to the Columbia River in the late summer and early fall then often hold for long periods of time in mainstem Columbia reservoirs or low in tributaries like the Methow until they move to spawning grounds in April and May the following year. Spawning typically occurs in the late spring. Depending on water temperature, eggs will incubate in the gravel for around 30 days before fry emerge June through July. Juvenile steelhead generally spend one to three years rearing in freshwater before migrating to the ocean, but have been documented spending as many as seven years in freshwater before out-migrating.

Steelhead are generally classified as stream-type species which rear in the freshwater for a year or longer, making them susceptible to stress from increased turbidity and fine sediment. Steelhead spawn and rear in the Twisp River and tributaries of the Okanogan River. The Okanogan River main-stem has spawning adults and out-migrating juveniles.

Bull Trout (Salvelinus confluentus) Species Legal Status: State: Candidate Federal: ESA-listed threatened

General Life History: Bull trout in the Upper Columbia basin exhibit both resident and migratory life- history strategies; resident bull trout complete their entire life cycle in their natal stream, on the other hand migratory bull trout migrate to larger systems to rear. Bull trout typically spawn in the fall in cold, clean, low-gradient headwater streams with loose, clean gravel. Throughout all life stages, bull trout are found in streams where water temperatures remain below 15°C and have complex forms of cover, including large woody debris, undercut banks, boulders, and pools. Migratory bull trout spawn in tributary streams where juvenile fish rear one to four years before migrating to either a lake (adfluvial form) or larger river (fluvial form). Migrating bull trout have been observed within spawning tributaries as early as the end of June; spawning occurs in mid-September to late October.

Bull trout spawn in the upper reaches of the Twisp River. Bull trout have not been found in the Okanogan watershed, although historically they may have occurred there.

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Pacific Lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) Species Legal Status: State: Monitor Federal: Species of Concern

General Life History: After spending one to three years in the marine environment, Pacific lamprey cease feeding and migrate to freshwater between February and June. They are thought to overwinter and remain in freshwater habitats for up to one year prior to spawning. Their preferred spawning habitat is similar to salmon; in freestone gravel-bottomed streams at the upstream end of riffles located above suitable larval rearing habitat. Spawning occurs March through July depending upon location within the range. Ammocoetes drift downstream to areas of low velocity and fine substrates where they burrow, grow, and live as filter feeders for 2 to 7 years and feed primarily on algae. Ammocoetes are mobile and can move in and out of sediments and into the main water column. Several generations and age classes may congregate in high densities that form colonies.

Metamorphosis to macropthalmia (juvenile phase) occurs gradually as they develop eyes and teeth and become free swimming. Out-migration of juveniles to the Pacific Ocean occurs between late fall and early spring.

Pacific lamprey ammocoetes are found in the Twisp River in fine sediments, while adults hold around large rocks, bedrock, and crevices prior to spawning. Lamprey have been found in the Okanogan but the extent of distribution is unknown.

Other Fish Species of Concern:

Summer Chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and sockeye (Oncorhynchus nerka) exhibit an ocean-type life history strategy, out-migrating to the ocean during the first year of life. They are not considered at risk of extinction in the near future. Adult holding areas and spawning areas are found in reaches of the Twisp River affected by the fire as well as the main-stem Okanogan River.

Native Westslope Cutthroat (Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi) are found in the Twisp River, Salmon Creek, and the West Fork Sanpoil River.

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are found throughout the stream reaches affected by the fire.

Mountain whitefish, (Prosopium williamsoni) and pygmy whitefish (Prosopium coulterii) are found in the Twisp River, Okanogan River, and Leader Lake.

Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) are non-native species that support a sport fishery in Leader Lake and the Okanogan River.

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Eastern book trout (Salvelinus fontinalis), is a non-native species which was planted extensively in small streams and lakes for recreational fisheries on National Forest, state and private lands. They have been shown to compete vigorously with native resident salmonid populations for space and forage year- round. They are found in most of the fire-affected reaches.

Wildlife In addition to forested woodlands, three priority habitat types occur within the Okanogan County fire perimeters: shrub-steppe, riparian and aspen stands. These priority habitats support listed and priority species including sharp-tailed grouse, western grey squirrel, mule deer, and white-tailed deer.

The extent to which the wildfires have impacted priority habitats and species is a function of how much of the habitat types were lost, the return interval for recovery or restoration, and to what extent the priority species can adapt to a revised landscape.

Priority Habitats

Shrub-steppe Shrub-steppe priority habitat is a non-forested vegetation type consisting of one or more layers of perennial bunchgrasses and a conspicuous but discontinuous layer of shrubs. Although big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) is the most widespread shrub-steppe shrub, other dominant (or co-dominant) shrub species include antelope bitterbrush (Purshia tridentate), threetip sagebrush (A. tripartita), scabland sagebrush (A. rigida), and dwarf sagebrush (A. arbuscula). Dominant bunchgrasses include (but are not limited to) Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis), bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata), Sandberg bluegrass (Poa secunda), Thurber's needlegrass (Achnatherum thurberianum), and needle- and-thread (Hesperostipa comata). In areas with greater precipitation or on soils with higher moisture- holding capacity, shrub-steppe can also support a dense layer of forbs (i.e., broadleaf herbaceous flora). Shrub-steppe contains various habitat features, including diverse topography, riparian areas, and canyons. Another important component is habitat quality (i.e., the degree to which a tract resembles a site potential natural community), which may be influenced by soil condition and erosion; and the distribution, coverage, and vigor of native shrubs, forbs, and grasses. Sites with less disturbed soils often have a layer of algae, mosses, or lichens. At some more disturbed sites, non-natives such as cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) or crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum) may be co-dominant species.

Riparian Riparian priority habitat is the area adjacent to flowing or standing freshwater aquatic systems. Riparian habitat encompasses the area beginning at the ordinary high water mark and extends to the outer edge of the terrestrial landscape that is influenced by, or that directly influences, the aquatic ecosystem. In riparian systems, the vegetation, water tables, soils, microclimate, and wildlife inhabitants of terrestrial ecosystems are often influenced by perennial or intermittent water. Simultaneously, adjacent vegetation, nutrient and sediment loading, terrestrial wildlife, as well as organic and inorganic debris influence the biological and physical properties of the aquatic ecosystem. Riparian habitat includes the

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entire extent of the floodplain and riparian areas of wetlands that are directly connected to stream courses or other freshwater features.

Aspen Stands Aspen stand priority habitat consists of pure or mixed stands of aspen greater than 1 acre. Although many aspen stands burned throughout all the fires, they are generally expected to regenerate naturally.

Priority Species

Sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus) Sharp-tailed grouse depend on grass-dominated habitats intermixed with patches of deciduous trees and shrubs for food and cover throughout the year (Connelly et al. 1998). In Washington, sharp-tailed grouse were historically associated with shrub-steppe, steppe, and meadow-steppe (hereafter referred to collectively as shrub-steppe), riparian, and mountain shrub habitats (Daubenmire 1970, Zeigler 1979, Giesen and Connelly 1993, Schroeder et al. 2000). Sharp-tailed grouse habitat is characterized by a high diversity and quantity of shrubs including common chokecherry (Prunus virginiana), bittercherry (Prunus emarginata), water birch (Betula occidentalis), serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia), snowberry (Symphoricarpos spp.), hawthorn (Crataegus spp.), wild rose (Rosa spp.), quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides), big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata), three-tipped sagebrush (Artemisia tripartita), and antelope bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata) (Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife 1995). Herbaceous vegetation often includes bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata), Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis), arrowleaf balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata), lupine (Lupinus spp.), yellow salsify (Tragopogon dubius), milkvetch (Astragalus spp.), and yarrow (Achillea spp.) (Jones 1966, Zeigler 1979, Oedekoven 1985, Marks and Marks 1988, Meints 1991, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife 1995).

Breeding Display Grounds (Leks): During spring, males congregate on display sites (leks) to breed with females (Connelly et al. 1998). Leks are typically located on knolls and ridges with relatively sparse vegetation (Hart et al. 1952, Rogers 1969, Oedekoven 1985). Leks are typically surrounded by nesting habitat, often outward from the lek to a distance of about 2 km (1.2mi) (Marks and Marks 1988, Giesen and Connelly 1993). There is no evidence that lek habitat is limiting, especially because males have been observed displaying on a variety of sites that comprise a range of plant conditions (e.g., croplands, roads, and native rangelands grazed by livestock) (Hays et al. 1998).

Nesting and Brood Rearing: Sharp-tailed grouse are ground nesters, preferring relatively dense cover provided by clumps of shrubs, grasses and/or forbs (Ammann 1963, Hillman and Jackson 1973, Meints et al. 1992). Residual grasses and forbs from the previous year’s growth are particularly important for concealment and protection of nests and broods (Hart et al. 1952, Parker 1970, Zeigler 1979, Oedekoven 1985, Meints et al. 1992, Giesen and Connelly 1993, Hays et al. 1998).

Remaining areas of suitable habitat for sharp-tailed grouse in eastern Washington is relatively small and highly fragmented. Within the currently occupied range of sharp-tailed grouse, the degradation, removal, and fragmentation of winter habitat appears to be the most significant limiting factor (Hays et

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al. 1998). Specific management concerns include grazing, removal of native shrubs and trees in riparian and mountain shrub communities, urban development, orchard development, fire, and permanent flooding of historic wintering habitat by dams along the Columbia River system (Oedekoven 1985, Giesen 1987, Marks and Marks 1987, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife 1995, Connelly et al. 1998, Schroeder et al. 2000).

Western gray squirrel (Sciurus griseus) Western gray squirrel habitat is typically in transitional, conifer-dominated areas that merge with open patches of oak and other deciduous trees. Mature and large-seeded, mast-producing trees provide abundant food and sites for nest construction (Gregory 2005, Hamer et al. 2005, Linders 2000). In Washington, pine and oak are especially important for their ability to produce an abundance of large seeds. Seeds and nuts from other trees like hazelnut are also consumed. Trees greater than 38 cm (15 in) diameter at breast height (dbh) may be important for reproductive fitness, given larger trees offer greater amounts of food and cover, as reported for the closely related Abert’s squirrel (Sciurus aberti) (Dodd, et al. 1998, Dodd et al. 2003, Patton et al. 1985). Western gray squirrel habitat requires the presence of diverse foods such as nuts, seeds, and fungi. Higher quality habitat also has an interconnected canopy that can be used for arboreal travel (Gilman 1985, Gregory 2005, Hall 1980, Linders 2000, Ryan & Carey 1995a). Ground cover in high-quality habitat is fairly sparse as a result of the relatively dense overstory (Linders 2000, Ryan & Carey 1995b). In general, the best habitat contains all the features just described within a relatively small geographical area. Females appear to select habitat based on food production, while males may choose locations that maximize their access to females (Linders 2000). The best sites are occupied by adult females.

Western gray squirrel habitat patches range in size from individual trees to large forested stands. Forested stands used as habitat offer a long-term supply of seed and fungi, escape cover, and plentiful nest sites. Stands used as habitat typically have highly variable tree spacing. While suitable forested stands are critical, the presence of isolated, open-grown trees may provide a locally abundant source of seed (mast), secluded den sites for rearing young, or “stepping stones” used for travel across open expanses.

Western Gray Squirrels prefer stands consisting of clumps of trees that form a dense upper canopy intermingled within areas of lower canopy cover (Linders & Stinson 2007). Small canopy gaps are also characteristic of stands favored by squirrels. These qualities of western gray squirrel habitat helps to create the following features within a localized area: 1) an interconnected canopy for escape cover, nest concealment, and discrete access to nests; 2) thermal protection of nests; 3) sunlight for basking; 4) abundance of seeds close to canopy gaps; 5) fungal concentrations under closed forest canopies, and 6) “viewsheds” for predator avoidance. Small patchy stands may also limit the spread of fire, and could help in restoring past fire regimes.

Habitat connectivity (i.e., via corridors) is essential for accessing mates, juvenile dispersal, predator avoidance, or movement between habitat patches. Almost any habitat containing trees can provide connectivity. However, corridors are more likely to be used when they have an irregular or complex

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canopy structure and when they are composed of mature trees. These features provide additional habitat value, and may assist squirrels in moving between habitat patches. Given the linear character of riparian areas, these may serve as important movement corridors, especially where dry uplands support limited tree cover. For small stands to effectively function as habitat, they must connect with larger areas of forested habitat.

Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus hemionus) Mule deer require the juxtaposition of food, cover, and water. Cover is used by deer for both hiding and thermal regulation. Browse is the primary vegetation used by mule deer, except in spring when herbaceous materials are preferred. Summer and winter ranges are most often geographically separate areas (Wallmo 1981).

Mule deer on summer ranges are widely distributed, and studies by Myers (1990) in north central Washington indicate a typical summer range size of about 3.4 square miles. Patches of deciduous trees and shrubs, dense shrub patches, or timbered stands which are 800 – 1,600 feet across provide optimal cover (Thomas 1979). Forage is provided by interspersed openings of early successional stages containing shrubs and forbs. Shrubs increase from 38 percent of the diet in summer to 75% or more during winter (Schneegas and Bumstead 1977).

Winter ranges are more restrictive and may be only half the size of summer ranges. Studies by Myers (1990) show mule deer winter range in north central Washington cover about 2.1 square miles. North central Washington winter range occurs below 6,500 feet. In the Methow area, deer winter on south and southeast aspects below 6,000 feet. Elsewhere in upper central Washington, winter range occurs below 3,700 feet. Winter habitat is characterized by patches of timber and shrubs that are 800 – 1,600 feet across (Thomas 1979) interspersed with open areas. Preferred open habitat has about 30% of the ground covered with vegetation, of which about 60% is composed of important browse species (USFWS 1982). Cover and forage is considered optimal when at a 50:50 ratio (Loveless 1963).

Mule deer fawning habitat consists of low shrubs and small trees 2 – 6 feet tall on benches or slopes with less than 15% grade located within 600 feet of water (Thomas 1976). Forage is found within 1/3 of a mile and openings are used only when cover is available within 160 feet. Optimal tree canopy closure of cover patches used as fawning areas is 50 percent (Leckenby 1982). Human disturbance within 1 mile of occupied fawning habitat may eliminate use during the May 1 to June 30 season (Sachet 1988).

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus mochrourus) White-tailed deer occupy habitat from the lowest elevations to more than 6,500 feet, with concentrations in the lower elevations below 4,000 feet. White-tailed deer habitat includes riparian areas, mixed species woodlands, agricultural croplands, forests with multiple successional stages, burned-over shrub fields and short diversified slopes rather than long open slopes. Fields and open slopes are used but generally when thick shrub or tree cover is nearby.

Winter range is determined by a combination of factors: elevation, slope, aspect, snow depth, browse quantity and quality, presence of closed canopy mature forests (snow intercept cover), temperatures,

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and traditional deer movement patterns. Closed canopy mature forest along streams and at lower elevations is extremely important whitetail habitat as it is needed to provide cover during winters where snow depths exceed 18 inches. The quality and quantity of available winter range are the primary limiting factors for whitetail populations in Washington.

Findings and Recommendations Twisp River Fire

Background Information

Fish The Twisp River Basin has a total catchment area of 246 square miles. The mainstem Twisp River flows through a broad, glacier-carved valley down to approximately River Mile (RM) 10. Downstream of this point, the valley gradient is steeper as the stream has incised through glacial terraces. The Lower Twisp River supports populations of salmonids that are currently listed under the ESA, including spring Chinook salmon, summer steelhead, and bull trout. Other species documented as using the lower Twisp River at various life stages are: west slope cutthroat trout, mountain whitefish, rainbow trout, sockeye, non- native eastern brook trout, shorthead sculpin, torrent sculpin, and longnose dace. The Twisp River fire burned an area immediately to the north of the lower 10 miles of the river.

Wildlife The area encompassed by the Twisp River Fire perimeter includes three priority habitats including shrub-steppe, riparian, and aspen stands. The area also includes key winter range for mule deer and habitat for western grey squirrels.

Factors Affecting Habitat Conditions before the Fire

Fish Low instream flows and high water temperatures, low levels of large wood, low potential for future recruitment large wood, and development of riparian and floodplain areas have impaired channel migration, floodplain function, and riparian condition.

Wildlife Roads and development within low to mid-elevation ponderosa pine and mixed conifer stands limit habitat for western grey squirrels as well as impact the quantity and quality of riparian areas. Conversion of shrub-steppe to agriculture or development impairs use by and migration patterns of deer as well as other obligate shrub-steppe species.

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Pertinent Issues Due to the Fire

Fish There is a potential for sediment to reach the Twisp River from fire-scarred slopes and drainages where both the fire intensity and soil burn severity were high (Myers Creek and Woods Canyon). Excess sediment can cause an increase in water temperatures, reduce light penetration and plant growth, reduce populations of aquatic insects, affect the ability of fish to locate and capture prey by reducing visibility, adversely affect spawning substrate, and delay migration. Trout and other fish can die from the abrasive, gill clogging effects of suspended sediment. There is a small potential of fire retardant washed off homes adjacent to the Twisp River creating localized impacts in the river.

Wildlife Loss of mule deer winter range and fawning habitat will impact the deer population until adequate forage and cover is restored. Loss of nest and mast trees will impact western grey squirrels. Riparian areas that experienced high or moderate intensity burn will impact wildlife that is dependent on this habitat for at least one of their life requisites. Such species include salamanders, frogs, kingfishers, dippers, voles, beavers, otters, and neotropical migrant birds and others that use riparian areas as connectors and travel corridors. Loss of shrub-steppe will affect populations of obligate species.

Recommendations  Monitor fire burned slopes for sediment delivery to streams. Implement measures to stabilize soil to prevent or retard downslope movement.  Replant trees and shrubs if natural vegetation recruitment is delayed or unsuccessful.

 Educate homeowners on how to effectively clean homes with fire retardant to avoid washing it directly into the Twisp River or other water sources.  Re-seed shrub-steppe areas with native grasses, forbs and shrubs.

 Restore mule deer browse with a variety of palatable native shrub species (bitterbrush, chokecherry, serviceberry, elderberry, mock orange, ceanothus) for winter forage.

 Protect shrub plantings with sleeves or cages to minimize immediate herbivority by ungulates and rodents.  Aggressively control or prevent invasive/noxious vegetation from infesting disturbed sites.

 Create barriers and/or plant native woody vegetation to prevent fire lines or other disturbed sites from becoming unintended new motorized roads or trails.

 Avoid any additional tree canopy removal and retain large live ponderosa pine in areas occupied by western grey squirrels.  Re-plant areas for western grey squirrel habitat to promote future interlocking canopy crowns with planting spacing and include ponderosa pine. Refer to the 2007 WDFW Western Gray

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Squirrel Recovery Plan http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/00119/ for more information on restoring western grey squirrel habitat.

 For salvage logging in riparian areas, there should be no entry into the core zone (30’ from bankfull on either side of Type S, F, or Np streams). There should also be no entry into the inner zone (45’ from the core zone on streams less than 15’ BFW and 70’ from the core zone on streams more than 15’ BFW) unless a benefit to the riparian functions and values can be shown.

Lower Little Bridge Creek Burn intensity looking over Myer and Coal Creeks

Ninemile Fire

Background Information

Fish Tonasket Creek has a total watershed area of approximately 35,460 acres. Tonasket Creek enters the Okanogan River east of the city of Oroville, Washington at RM 77.8 of the Okanogan River. The main- stem channel of the creek is 14 miles long. A falls at RM 2.17 is the terminus of available habitat for anadromous fish, specifically ESA listed summer steelhead. Steelhead have been documented spawning and rearing in the lower part of the creek, although only the upper 0.6 miles of the available 2.17 miles stays consistently watered throughout the year. Thus rearing habitat for juvenile steelhead is limited to the 0.6 miles immediately below the falls. The area above the falls usually has year round flow and has populations of rainbow trout and eastern brook trout. The Ninemile Fire burned slopes above a small portion of upper Tonasket Creek.

Wildlife The area encompassed by the Ninemile Fire perimeter includes two priority habitats: shrub-steppe and riparian. The area also includes key winter range for white-tailed deer.

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Factors affecting habitat conditions before the fire

Fish Tonasket Creek is affected by low instream flows in the upper and lower portions of the stream during summer and winter. The creek has been channelized in the lower portion. Due to this channelization, the creek has been disconnected from the floodplain and potential ground water interaction. Large hydrologic events during the spring and fall have caused cobble bedload movement, depositing cobbles in the lower portion of the creek and causing the stream to avulse during these high run-off periods.

Wildlife Conversion of shrub-steppe to agriculture or development impairs use by and migration patterns of deer as well as other obligate shrub-steppe species.

Pertinent issues due to the fire

Fish There is the potential for sediment from slopes northeast of the drainage to reach Tonasket Creek from fire-scarred slopes. Excess sediment can cause an increase in water temperatures, reduce light penetration and plant growth, reduce populations of aquatic insects, affect the ability of fish to locate and capture prey by reducing visibility, adversely affect spawning substrate and delay migration. Trout and other fish can die from the abrasive, gill clogging effects of suspended sediment.

Wildlife Loss of white-tailed deer winter range will impact the deer population until adequate food and cover is restored. Riparian areas that experienced high or moderate intensity burn will impact wildlife that are dependent on them for at least one of their life requisites. Such species include salamanders, frogs, kingfishers, dippers, voles, beavers, otters, neotropical migrant birds, and other species that use riparian areas as connectors and travel corridors. Loss of shrub-steppe will affect populations of obligate species.

Recommendations  Monitor fire burned slopes for sediment delivery to streams. Implement measures to stabilize soil to prevent or retard downslope movement.

 Aggressively control or prevent invasive/noxious vegetation from infesting disturbed sites.  Replant trees and shrubs if natural vegetation recruitment is delayed or unsuccessful.

 If re-seeding shrub-steppe, use native grasses, forbs, and shrubs.  Restore white-tailed deer winter browse with a variety of palatable native shrub species (redstem ceanothus, evergreen ceanothus, serviceberry, rose, Oregon grape, chokecherry, willow, dogwood, snowberry) for winter forage.

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 Protect shrub plantings with sleeves or cages to minimize immediate herbivority by ungulates and rodents.

 Create barriers and/or plant native woody vegetation to prevent fire lines or other disturbed sites from becoming unintended new motorized roads or trails.  For salvage logging in riparian areas, there should be no entry into the core zone (30’ from bankfull on either side of Type S, F, or Np streams). There should also be no entry into the inner zone (45’ from the core zone on streams less than 15’ BFW and 70’ from the core zone on streams more than 15’ BFW) unless a benefit to the riparian functions and values can be shown.

Ninemile Fire high intensity/high Ninemile Fire south-facing slopes looking severity burned slope towards Chesaw Road and Tonasket Creek

Tunk Block Fire

Background Information

Fish Tunk Creek is a 3rd order tributary of the Okanogan River with a total watershed area of approximately 45,585 acres. The Tunk Creek mainstem is approximately 19 miles long. ESA listed summer steelhead access the lower portion of Tunk creek during the spring freshet and have been documented spawning and their offspring rearing in the lower reach, but a falls at river mile 0.75 precludes their access to the upper watershed. Resident rainbow trout and eastern brook trout are found in the stream above the falls to the headwaters.

Bonaparte Creek has a total watershed area of approximately 102,120 acres. The Bonaparte Watershed is oriented on an east-west axis. A significant 4th order tributary, it enters the Okanogan River in the city of Tonasket, Washington, at RM 56.7 of the Okanogan River. There are approximately 126 miles of stream channel in the sub-watershed. ESA listed summer steelhead spawn and rear in the lower mile of Bonaparte Creek below an impassable falls. Patterson, Cole, and Peony creeks are tributaries to

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Bonaparte Creek and flow into the mainstem of Bonaparte near the junction of the Aeneas Valley. Bonaparte Creek above the falls and the associated tributaries affected by the fire have resident populations of rainbow trout and eastern brook trout.

Chewiliken Creek is a second order Okanogan tributary that drains the eastern slopes of the Okanogan watershed in between Tunk Creek to the south, and Bonaparte Creek to the north. The mainstem of the creek is approximately 11 miles long, with a total of roughly 22 miles of stream channel within the sub watershed boundaries. The stream channels are intermittent and there are no resident fish documented within the basin.

The Tunk Block Fire burned Tunk Creek, Chewiliken Creek, and areas of Bonaparte Creek and its tributaries: Bannon Creek, Patterson Creek, Cole Creek, and Peony Creek.

Wildlife The areas encompassed by the Tunk Block Fire perimeter includes habitat for three priority species: sharp-tailed grouse, mule deer, and white-tailed deer. It also includes riparian, shrub-steppe, and aspen priority habitats. Much of these habitats experienced high or moderate intensity burns resulting in high and moderate soil burn severity.

Factors affecting habitat conditions before the fire

Fish Tunk Creek is affected by low instream flows in the upper and lower portions of the stream during summer and winter. Sediment delivery to the creek can be high due to road crossings and inadequate culverts that drain the hillsides. The floodplain has become disconnected in sections where agricultural fields and development have occurred. In-stream structure is lacking and the potential for large wood recruitment is low.

Bonaparte Creek is affected by low instream flows resulting from irrigation water withdrawals. The stream has been channelized in the lower mile, disconnecting it from its floodplain and reducing riparian cover. Instream structural complexity is lacking in places and large wood recruitment potential is low. Sediment delivery to the creek is high in places. Tributaries to Bonaparte Creek are channelized and development surrounds most of them. Bannon Creek is disconnected from Bonaparte Creek and drains into an irrigated field.

Intermittent stream flows in Chewiliken Creek preclude use by fish. Development in and around the stream channel can contribute sediment to the creek channel and could be transferred downstream to the Okanogan River when the stream does flow.

Wildlife Conversion of shrub-steppe to agriculture or development impairs use by and migration patterns of deer as well as other obligate shrub-steppe species. Quantity and quality of riparian habitat is limited by adjacent uses.

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Pertinent issues due to the fire

Fish In the Tunk Creek drainage, the fire burned with high intensity and high soil burn severity in the upper portion of the watershed and in areas of the lower portion of the watershed in the riparian areas. Riparian plants were totally consumed in some areas and the stream has been exposed to solar radiation where before it was shaded. A benefit could be large and small wood recruitment to the stream from fire-consumed vegetation. Sediment delivery to the creek is expected to be extreme, causing problems for resident fish and potential problems to summer steelhead in the lower one mile of the creek. Excess sediment can cause an increase in water temperatures, reduce light penetration and plant growth, reduce populations of aquatic insects, affect the ability of fish to locate and capture prey by reducing visibility, adversely affect spawning substrate, and delay migration. Trout and other fish can die from the abrasive, gill clogging effects of suspended sediment.

In Bonaparte Creek, sediment delivery to the lower five miles of the creek may occur due to fire-scarred slopes to the south of the creek. Potential for sediment to plug culverts in the lower one mile of the creek is possible, which could cause passage barriers and increase the possibility of channel disturbance that could result in stranding. Sediment flows may be high from the headwaters of Patterson, Cole, and Peony Creeks as they burned with high intensity. Excess sediment can cause an increase in water temperatures, reduce light penetration and plant growth, reduce populations of aquatic insects, affect the ability of fish to locate and capture prey by reducing visibility, adversely affect spawning substrate, and delay migration. Trout and other fish can die from the abrasive, gill clogging effects of suspended sediment.

Chewiliken creek could supply more sediment to the system from fire-scarred slopes but the fisheries impact would be limited to fish inhabiting the Okanogan River near the mouth of the creek and would be minimal.

Wildlife Loss of mule deer and white-tailed deer winter range will impact the deer populations until adequate food and cover is restored. Riparian areas that experienced high or moderate intensity burn will impact wildlife that is dependent on them for at least one of their life requisites. Such species include salamanders, frogs, kingfishers, dippers, voles, beavers, otters and neotropical migrant birds and those species that use riparian areas as connectors and travel corridors. Loss of shrub-steppe habitat will affect populations of obligate species particularly sharp-tailed grouse in the Tunk Creek watershed.

Recommendations

Tunk Creek  Monitor Tunk Creek for sediment delivery and wood debris recruitment.  Implement contour felling in the upper portion of Tunk Creek to abate sediment delivery from the headwaters.

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 Retain woody debris on the floodplain to help abate sediment delivery to the creek.  Re-plant riparian areas once some sediment moves through the system to help re-establish the most intensely burned areas.

 In areas of moderate or high burn severity, incorporate slash on the surface to create surface roughness to impede sediment delivery.

 Replace undersized culverts and bridges to handle excessive overland flow and sediment.  Replace road ditch culverts to handle more runoff capacity and reposition down slope sides of these culverts so they don’t hang above the surface causing excessive erosion.

 Repair livestock exclusion fences to meet riparian management objectives.  Re-seed upland slopes per prescriptions of the range and soils team.

 Aggressively control or prevent invasive/noxious vegetation from infesting disturbed sites.  Replant trees and shrubs if natural vegetation recruitment is delayed or unsuccessful.

 If re-seeding shrub-steppe, use native grasses, forbs, and shrubs.  Restore critical winter forage for sharp-tailed grouse by planting water birch, serviceberry, chokecherry, hawthorn, and quaking aspen in suitable habitat. Refer to the 2015 Guidelines of the Management of Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse Populations and their Habitat at: http://www.wafwa.org/workshops/sage_and_sharp-tailed_grouse/ and the 2012 WDFW Sharp- tailed Grouse Recovery Plan found at http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/00882/ for more information.  Restore mule deer browse with a variety of palatable native shrub species (bitterbrush, chokecherry, serviceberry, elderberry, mock orange, ceanothus) for winter forage.

 Restore white-tailed deer winter browse with a variety of palatable native shrub species (redstem ceanothus, evergreen ceanothus, serviceberry, rose, Oregon grape, chokecherry, willow, dogwood, snowberry) for winter forage.

 Protect shrub plantings with sleeves or cages to minimize immediate herbivority by ungulates and rodents.

 Create barriers and/or plant native woody vegetation to prevent fire lines or other disturbed sites from becoming unintended new motorized roads or trails.

 For salvage logging in riparian areas, there should be no entry into the core zone (30’ from bankfull on either side of Type S, F, or Np streams). There also should be no entry into the inner zone (45’ from the core zone on streams less than 15’ BFW and 70’ from the core zone on streams more than 15’ BFW) unless a benefit to the riparian functions and values can be shown.

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Lower Tunk Creek Riparian Area Riparian Area on North Side of Tunk Creek in T35N R27E S11, Hydrophobicity found to a Depth of 3 Inches

Upper Tunk Creek High Intensity/High Burn Severity

Bonaparte Creek  Monitor Bonaparte Creek for sediment delivery and wood debris recruitment.  Allow Bonaparte Creek to transport potential sediment flows from Patterson, Cole, and Peony Creek onto the Bonaparte Creek floodplain.  Implement contour felling in the headwaters of Patterson, Cole, and Peony Creek to abate sediment delivery from the headwaters.  If possible, manage the lower portion of Bonaparte Creek below the highway 97 culvert to enhance the limited floodplain area to allow for some sediment deposition.

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 Enlarge the culvert under the road that allows access to the Tonasket soccer and baseball fields to help transport sediment and to facilitate unimpeded fish passage.

 Monitor slopes off of Five Mile road for excessive runoff and new gully formation. Woody debris should be left on the slopes above the creek to help abate sediment movement. Install log erosion structures on heavily burned slopes.

 Repair livestock exclusion fences to meet riparian management objectives.

 Re-seed upland slopes as per prescription of the range and soils team.  Aggressively control or prevent invasive/noxious vegetation from infesting disturbed sites.

 Replant trees and shrubs if natural vegetation recruitment is delayed or unsuccessful.  If re-seeding shrub-steppe use native grasses, forbs, and shrubs.

 Restore mule deer browse with a variety of palatable native shrub species (bitterbrush, chokecherry, serviceberry, elderberry, mock orange, ceanothus) for winter forage.

 Protect shrub plantings with sleeves or cages to minimize immediate herbivority by ungulates and rodents.  Create barriers and/or plant native woody vegetation to prevent fire lines or other disturbed sites from becoming unintended new motorized roads or trails.

 For salvage logging in riparian areas, there should be no entry into the core zone (30’ from bankfull on either side of Type S, F, or Np streams). There should also be no entry into the inner zone (45’ from the core zone on streams less than 15’ BFW and 70’ from the core zone on streams more than 15’ BFW) unless a benefit to the riparian functions and values can be shown.

Bonaparte Creek South Slopes (Five Mile Rd Bonaparte Creek riparian area above falls above) High Intensity/Moderate Soil Burn (Five Mile Road slopes drain to here) Severity Moderate Intensity/Low Soil Burn Severity

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Bannon Creek moderate to high intensity/high severity

Chewiliken Creek  Monitor Chewiliken Creek for sediment delivery and wood debris recruitment.

 Monitor the mouth of the creek for debris dams that could get lodged under the railroad bridge and the road access bridge.

 Repair livestock exclusion fences to meet riparian management objectives. Re-seed upland slopes per prescription of the range and soils team.  Aggressively control or prevent invasive/noxious vegetation from infesting disturbed sites.

 Replant trees and shrubs if natural vegetation recruitment is delayed or unsuccessful.  If re-seeding shrub-steppe, use native grasses, forbs, and shrubs.

 Restore mule deer browse with a variety of palatable native shrub species (bitterbrush, chokecherry, serviceberry, elderberry, mock orange, ceanothus) for winter forage.  Protect shrub plantings with sleeves or cages to minimize immediate herbivority by ungulates and rodents.  Create barriers and/or plant native woody vegetation to prevent fire lines or other disturbed sites from becoming unintended new motorized roads or trails.

 For salvage logging in riparian areas, there should be no entry into the core zone (30’ from bankfull on either side of Type S, F, or Np streams). There should also be no entry into the inner zone (45’ from the core zone on streams less than 15’ BFW and 70’ from the core zone on streams more than 15’ BFW) unless a benefit to the riparian functions and values can be shown.

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Chewiliken Creek Valley Bottom Chewiliken Creek Outlet with Railroad Trestle High Intensity/Moderate Soil Burn Severity

Lime Belt Fire

Background Information

Fish The Lime Belt Fire burned areas of Loup Loup Creek drainage (which includes Summit Creek, Sweat Creek, Rock Creek, and Little Loup Loup Creek), Tallant Creek, Salmon Creek, Johnson Creek (which includes Scotch Creek), Sinlahekin Creek, and Pine Creek.

The Loup Loup Creek drainage consists of approximately 40,868 acres and enters the Okanogan River at approximately RM 16.9, draining an area of nearly 64 square miles. ESA listed summer steelhead inhabit the lower 2.2 miles below an impassable falls. Loup Loup Creek above the falls, Summit Creek, and Little Loup Loup Creek have resident populations of rainbow trout and eastern brook trout. Sweat Creek and Rock Creek have eastern brook trout populations.

Tallant Creek flows from the headwaters of Leader Lake, draining an area of 14.32 square miles and serves as an irrigation canal for downstream water users. The creek enters the Okanogan River at approximately RM 18.2. Eastern brook trout are the only species known to use the creek. Fish in Leader Lake include, but may not be limited to, mountain and pygmy whitefish, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, and bluegill.

Salmon Creek is a perennial tributary of the Okanogan River draining an area of approximately 168 square miles (107,520 acres). The Salmon Creek mainstem is approximately 42.5 miles in length, with three main tributaries, the North, West, and South forks which converge at Conconully, Washington. ESA listed summer steelhead are able to access approximately 15 miles of habitat in the mainstem Salmon Creek from the mouth to the base of Conconully Dam. Other fish species known to occupy habitat below Conconully Dam include rainbow trout, eastern brook trout, smallmouth bass, and

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sculpin. The stream currently goes mostly dry from the RM 4.3 to the mouth, except during steelhead migration and smolt outmigration (late March-early July).

Johnson Creek is a perennial tributary of the Okanogan River and drains approximately 70 square miles. Johnson Creek has a mainstem channel length of 7.9 miles and supports ESA listed summer steelhead. Other species known to occupy Johnson creek are rainbow trout, eastern brook trout, and potentially brown trout. Scotch creek has a stream length of approximately 4.3 miles and has rainbow trout and eastern brook trout.

The Sinlahekin Wildlife Area is located 2.5 miles south of Loomis, and encompasses 14,314 acres including 480 acres leased from Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR), 2,834 acres owned by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and 11,000 acres owned by WDFW. The Sinlahekin lies primarily within the Sinlahekin Valley, a north–south-running, deep, glaciated valley with sheer rock sidewalls rising from the valley floor, which ranges from about one-half to one mile wide. The property encompasses parts of both the Sinlahekin Creek and the Coulee Creek watersheds. Sinlahekin Creek is the major flowing water body, while Coulee Creek flows underground most of the year. There are five impoundments and several natural ponds. There are over 25 species of fish known to occupy the Sinlahekin, including eastern brook trout and rainbow trout.

Pine Creek is a perennial tributary that drains approximately 39 square miles. The creek drains to Booher Lake, never reaching the Okanogan River. There is no information on fish distribution in the Pine Creek drainage.

Wildlife The area encompassed by the Lime Belt Fire perimeter includes three priority habitats including shrub- steppe, riparian, and aspen stands. The area also includes key winter range for mule deer and white- tailed deer and critical habitat for sharp-tailed grouse.

Factors affecting habitat conditions before the fire Loup Loup Creek flow levels are affected by irrigation water withdrawals. Limited woody debris, wood recruitment, and riparian habitat exist in the lower one mile of the creek where it runs through the town of Malott.

Tallant Creek is used as an irrigation canal and has limited flow that reaches the Okanogan River.

Salmon Creek has limited flow that drains into to the Okanogan River. Flow levels and timing are altered water storage in the Conconully Reservoir. Currently, immigration and emigration into Salmon Creek is restricted to approximately 8 weeks each year. Streamflow during the non-irrigation season (October – March) is limited to precipitation events downstream of the reservoir and leakage from the toe of the Conconully Reservoir Dam. The non-irrigation season flow ranges from 1 to 3 cfs and likely reduces the amount of available rearing habitat for steelhead parr. Areas void of native riparian vegetation are present particularly in the lower reach. Structures that could create pool habitat, modify velocity in localized reaches, and develop down-welling sites are lacking. Adequate passage conditions in the

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lowermost reach are sometimes compromised by uncontrolled spill in the spring. Bank instability exists throughout the stream below the reservoir.

Irrigation water withdrawals affect instream flow in Johnson Creek. The lower portion of the creek has a high gradient and is confined by development and roads. Culverts along the stream channel serve as potential fish passage impediments. Sediment inputs can be artificially high and riparian areas and cover are reduced in some areas.

Conversion of shrub-steppe to agriculture or development impairs use by and migration patterns of deer as well as other obligate shrub-steppe species. Quantity and quality of riparian habitat is limited by adjacent land uses.

Pertinent issues due to fire Loup Loup Creek, Little Loup Loup Creek and Rock Creek all had portions of the watershed that burned with high intensity and high soil burn severity. Riparian plants were totally consumed in some areas and the streams have been exposed to solar radiation where before they were shaded. Large and small wood may be recruited to the streams from fire-consumed vegetation. An irrigation canal that supplies water from Loup Loup Creek, Sweat Creek, and Little Loup Creek may be compromised by debris flow and could cause localized runoff in areas that haven’t experienced such flows before. Sediment delivery to the Loup Loup drainage is expected to be very high causing problems for resident fish and potential problems to summer steelhead in the lower 2.2 miles of the creek. Excess sediment can cause an increase in water temperatures, reduce light penetration and plant growth, reduce populations of aquatic insects, affect the ability of fish to locate and capture prey by reducing visibility, adversely affect spawning substrate, and delay migration. Trout and other fish can die from the abrasive, gill clogging effects of suspended sediment.

Tallant Creek should function as it has in the past.

Salmon Creek burned in a mosaic pattern. The most severe burn was on the upper south west and north east facing slopes. The fire did burn in spots to the valley floor but the riparian areas are fully intact. Sediment delivery from the upper slopes is expected to increase but the effect to the stream and fisheries is expected to be minimal. Woody debris may be recruited to the stream channel from burn areas located closer to the creek.

Johnson Creek also burned in a mosaic pattern with very little high severity burn. The fire did burn in places to the edge of the stream in the portion of the watershed with irrigated lands. Livestock exclusion fences were compromised in some places near the stream channel. The lower portion of the creek below Green Acres Road and above Highway 97 burned in places with the most intensity and severity. In these areas along the Riverside Cutoff Road, the riparian vegetation was consumed completely and the hillsides south of the creek were consumed as well.

The Sinlahekin area is well managed by the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). Any issues with fisheries resources would be handled by WDFW.

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Pine Creek burned mostly with low severity. Sediment may be delivered to the stream channels from fire-scarred slopes. The effect to fisheries resources would be minimal, although it is not known if fish do occur in the creek basin.

Wildlife Loss of mule deer and white-tailed deer winter range and fawning habitat will impact the deer populations until adequate forage and cover is restored. Riparian areas that experienced high or moderate intensity burn will impact wildlife that are dependent on these areas for at least one of their life requisites. Such species include salamanders, frogs, kingfishers, dippers, voles, beavers, otters and neotropical migrant birds, and other species that use riparian areas as connectors and travel corridors. Loss of shrub-steppe will affect populations of obligate species particularly sharp-tailed grouse in the Scotch Creek Wildlife Area.

Recommendations

Loup Loup Creek  Implement contour felling on slopes less than 60% to abate sediment delivery to streams.

 Retain woody debris on the floodplain to help abate sediment delivery to the streams.

 Replant riparian areas once some sediment moves through the system to help re-establish the most intensely burned areas unless adequate re-generation is evident.

 In areas of moderate or high burn severity, incorporate slash on the surface to create surface roughness to impede sediment delivery.

 Replace undersized culverts and bridges to handle excessive overland flow and sediment.

 Replace road ditch culverts to handle more runoff capacity and reposition down slope sides of these culverts so they don’t hang above the surface causing excessive erosion.

 Repair livestock exclusion fences to meet riparian management objectives.  Re-seed upland slopes per prescriptions of the range and soils team.

 Aggressively control or prevent invasive/noxious vegetation from infesting disturbed sites.  If re-seeding shrub-steppe use native grasses, forbs, and shrubs.

 Restore mule deer browse with a variety of palatable native shrub species (bitterbrush, chokecherry, serviceberry, elderberry, mock orange, ceanothus) for winter forage.  Restore white-tailed deer winter browse with a variety of palatable native shrub species (redstem ceanothus, evergreen ceanothus, serviceberry, rose, Oregon grape, chokecherry, willow, dogwood, snowberry) for winter forage.  Protect shrub plantings with sleeves or cages to minimize immediate herbivority by ungulates and rodents.

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 Create barriers and/or plant native woody vegetation to prevent fire lines or other disturbed sites from becoming unintended new motorized roads or trails.

 For salvage logging in riparian areas, there should be no entry into the core zone (30’ from bankfull on either side of Type S, F, or Np streams). There also should be no entry into the inner zone (45’ from the core zone on streams less than 15’ BFW and 70’ from the core zone on streams more than 15’ BFW) unless a benefit to the riparian functions and values can be shown.

Rock Creek Near Confluence with Loup East-Facing Slopes of Loup Loup Creek Loup Creek

West facing slopes of Loup Loup Creek Drainage

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Salmon Creek  Implement contour felling on slopes less than 60% to abate sediment delivery to streams.

 Retain woody debris on the floodplain to help abate sediment delivery to the streams.  Replant riparian areas once some sediment moves through the system to help re-establish the most intensely burned areas unless adequate re-generation is evident.

 Monitor the culvert at Woolloomooloo Creek for plugging and potential sediment delivery to Salmon Creek.

 Monitor private road bridges and culverts for capacity to handle excessive overland flow and sediment.

 Repair livestock exclusion fences to meet riparian management objectives.

 Re-seed upland slopes per prescriptions of the range and soils team.  Aggressively control or prevent invasive/noxious vegetation from infesting disturbed sites.

 Replant trees and shrubs if natural vegetation recruitment is delayed or unsuccessful.  If re-seeding shrub-steppe, use native grasses, forbs, and shrubs.

 Restore critical winter forage for sharp-tailed grouse by planting water birch, serviceberry, chokecherry, hawthorn, and quaking aspen in suitable habitat. Refer to the 2015 Guidelines of the Management of Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse Populations and their Habitat at: http://www.wafwa.org/workshops/sage_and_sharp-tailed_grouse/ and the 2012 WDFW Sharp- tailed Grouse Recovery Plan found at http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/00882/ for more information.

 Restore mule deer browse with a variety of palatable native shrub species (bitterbrush, chokecherry, serviceberry, elderberry, mock orange, ceanothus) for winter forage.

 Protect shrub plantings with sleeves or cages to minimize immediate herbivority by ungulates and rodents.  Create barriers and/or plant native woody vegetation to prevent fire lines or other disturbed sites from becoming unintended new motorized roads or trails.

 For salvage logging in riparian areas, there should be no entry into the core zone (30’ from bankfull on either side of Type S, F, or Np streams). There also should be no entry into the inner zone (45’ from the core zone on streams less than 15’ BFW and 70’ from the core zone on streams more than 15’ BFW) unless a benefit to the riparian functions and values can be shown.

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Upper Salmon Creek Fire-Scarred Slopes off of Arlington Ridge

Northeast Facing Slopes of Salmon Creek Showing High Intensity Burn near the Ridge Tops and Mosaic Burn on the Lower Slopes

Johnson Creek:  Replant areas upstream of Highway 97 and downstream of Green Acres Road where the riparian vegetation has been completely consumed.  Retain woody debris on the floodplain to help abate sediment delivery to the creek.

 Repair livestock exclusion fences to meet riparian management objectives.  Re-seed upland slopes per prescriptions of the range and soils team.

 Aggressively control or prevent invasive/noxious vegetation from infesting disturbed sites.  Create barriers and/or plant native woody vegetation to prevent fire lines or other disturbed sites from becoming unintended new motorized roads or trails.

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Johnson Creek Riparian Area near Highway 97 Northwest-Facing Slopes above Johnson Creek Below Green Acres Rd

North Star Fire

Background Information

Fish The West Fork Sanpoil River has a drainage area of 197,120 acres. Lost Creek, with a drainage area of approximately 60,000 acres, flows into the West Fork Sanpoil River near the eastern edge of Okanogan County. Most of these watersheds are on Colville Reservation and US Forest Service lands. The West Fork Sanpoil River has rainbow trout, westslope cutthroat trout, eastern brook trout, redside shiner, speckled dace, mottled sculpin and torrent sculpin. Lost Creek has rainbow trout and eastern brook trout.

Wildlife Within the areas of state and private lands in the North Star Fire perimeter there are two priority habitats, riparian and aspen stands, and two priority wildlife species, mule deer and white-tailed deer.

Factors affecting habitat conditions before the fire

Fish The West Fork Sanpoil River and Lost Creek have minimal impacts from conversion and development in the riparian corridor.

Wildlife Development and removal of riparian habitat may disrupt use as a travel corridor for some species.

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Pertinent issues due to the fire

Fish There is the potential for sediment delivery to Lost Creek from north and west-facing slopes within areas of high intensity burn. Excess sediment can cause an increase in water temperatures, reduce light penetration and plant growth, reduce populations of aquatic insects, affect the ability of fish to locate and capture prey by reducing visibility, adversely affect spawning substrate, and delay migration. Trout and other fish can die from the abrasive, gill clogging effects of suspended sediment.

Wildlife Riparian areas that experienced high or moderate intensity burn will impact wildlife that is dependent on them for at least one of their life requisites. Such species include salamanders, frogs, kingfishers, dippers, voles, beavers, otters, neotropical migrant birds, and other species that use riparian areas as connectors and travel corridors.

Recommendations  Monitor fire-burned slopes for sediment delivery to streams. Implement measures to stabilize soil to prevent or retard downslope movement.

 Aggressively control or prevent invasive/noxious vegetation from infesting disturbed sites.  Replant trees and shrubs if natural vegetation recruitment is delayed or unsuccessful.

 Restore white-tailed deer winter browse with a variety of palatable native shrub species (redstem ceanothus, evergreen ceanothus, serviceberry, rose, Oregon grape, chokecherry, willow, dogwood, snowberry) for winter forage.

 Restore mule deer browse with a variety of palatable native shrub species (bitterbrush, chokecherry, serviceberry, elderberry, mock orange, ceanothus) for winter forage.

 Protect shrub plantings with sleeves or cages to minimize immediate herbivority by ungulates and rodents.  Create barriers and/or plant native woody vegetation to prevent fire lines or other disturbed sites from becoming unintended new motorized roads or trails.

 For salvage logging in riparian areas, there should be no entry into the core zone (30’ from bankfull on either side of Type S, F, or Np streams). There should also be no entry into the inner zone (45’ from the core zone on streams less than 15’ BFW and 70’ from the core zone on streams more than 15’ BFW) unless a benefit to the riparian functions and values can be shown.

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References Ammann, G. A. 1963. Status and management of sharp-tailed grouse in Michigan. Journal of Wildlife Management 27:802-809.

Beechie, T. J. 2001. Empirical predictors of annual bed load travel distance, and implications for salmonid habitat restoration and protection. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 26:1025-1034

Bell, M. C. 1986. Fisheries handbook of engineering requirements and biological criteria. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of the Chief of Engineers, Fish Passage Development and Evaluation Program, Portland, Oregon.

Connelly, J. W., M. W. Gratson, and K. P. Reese. 1998. Sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus). Number 354 in A. Poole and F. Gill, editors. The birds of North America. Academy of National Science and American Ornithologists’ Union, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

Daubenmire, R. F. 1940. Plant succession due to overgrazing in the Agropyron bunchgrass prairie of southeastern Washington. Ecology 21:55-64.

Dodd, N. L., S. S. Rosenstock, C. R. Miller, and R. E. Schweinsburg. 1998. Tassel-eared squirrel population dynamics in Arizona: index techniques and relationships to habitat condition. Technical Report Number 27. Arizona Game and Fish, Department-Research Branch, Phoenix, Arizona, USA. Dodd, N. L., J. S. States, and S. S. Rosenstock. 2003. Tassel-eared squirrel population, habitat condition, and dietary relationships in north-central Arizona. Journal of Wildlife Management 67:622-633.

Giesen, K. M. and J. W. Connelly. 1993. Guidelines for management of Columbian sharp-tailed grouse habitats. Wildlife Society Bulletin 21:325-333.

Gilman, K. N. 1986. The western gray squirrel (Sciurus griseus), its summer home range, activity times, and habitat usage in northern California. M.S. Thesis. California State University, Sacramento, California, USA.

Gregory, S. C. 2005. Seasonal movements and nest site selection of the western gray squirrel (Sciurus griseus) in the Methow River watershed. M.S. Thesis, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.

Hall, D. J. 1980. Geysers wildlife investigations: western gray squirrels. Unpublished report. Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Department of Engineering Research, Number 420-79.132.

Hamer, T., N. Denis, and J. Harmon. 2005. Distribution and habitat characteristics of western gray squirrel nest sites in the Stehekin River Valley, North Cascades National Park. Report prepared for North Cascades National Park, Sedro Woolley, Washington, USA.

Hart, C. M., O. S. Lee, and J. B. Low. 1952. The sharp-tailed grouse in Utah: Its life history, status, and management. Project 37-R, number 3, Utah State Department of Fish and Game, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.

Hays, D. W., M. J. Tirhi, and D. W. Stinson. 1998. Washington State status report for the sharp-tailed

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grouse. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Olympia, Washington, USA.

Hillman, C. N., and W. W. Jackson. 1973. The sharp-tailed grouse in South Dakota. No. 3, G125 73 0001, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks, Pierre, South Dakota, USA.

Jones, R. E. 1966. Spring, summer, and fall foods of the Columbian sharp-tailed grouse in eastern Washington. Condor 68:536-540.

Lisle, T. E., and S. Hilton. 1992. The volume of fine sediment in pools: an index of sediment supply in gravel-bed streams. Water Resources Bulletin 28:371-383.

Myers, W. L., R. Naney, and K. Dixon. 1990. Seasonal movements and home range sizes of female mule deer in Northcentral Washington: A preliminary report. WA Dept of Wildlife, Olympia 38 pp.

Leckenby, D. A. 1984. Elk use and availability of forage and habitat components in the Blue Mountains, northeast Oregon, 1976-1982). Wildl. Res. Rep 14. Portland, OR, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildl. 40pp.

Linders, M. J. 2000. Spatial ecology of the western gray squirrel, (Sciurus griseus) in Washington: The interaction of season, habitat and home range. MS Thesis, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.

Linders, M. J. and D. W. Stinson. 2007. Western gray squirrel recovery plan. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Olympia, Washington, USA.

Loveless, C. M. 1963. Ecological characteristics of a selected mule deer winter range. PhD Thesis, Colo. State Univ., Fort Collins, 318 pp.

Marks, and Marks. 1988. Winter habitat use by Columbian sharp-tailed grouse in western Idaho. Journal of Wildlife Management 52:743-746.

Meints, D. R. 1991. Seasonal movements, habitat uses, and productivity of Columbian sharp-tailed grouse in southeastern Idaho. Thesis, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA.

Meints, D.R., J. W. Connelly, K. P. Reese, A. R. Sands, and T. P. Hemker. 1992. Habitat suitability index procedures for Columbian sharp-tailed grouse. Idaho Forest, Wildlife and Range Experiment Station, Bulletin 55.

Myers. W. L., R. Naney, and K. Dixon. 1990. Seasonal movements and home range sizes of female mule deer in Northcentral Washington: A preliminary report. WA Dept of Wildlife, Olympia, 38 pp.

Oedekoven, O. O. 1985 Columbian sharp-tailed grouse population distribution and habitat use in south central Wyoming. Thesis, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA.

Parker, T. L. 1970. On the ecology of sharp-tailed grouse in southeastern Idaho. Thesis, Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho, USA.

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Patton, D. R., R. L. Wadleigh, and H. G. Hudak. 1985. The effects of timber harvest on the Kaibab squirrel. Journal of Wildlife Management 49:14-19.

RTT (Regional Technical Team). 2014. A biological strategy to protect and restore salmonid habitat in the Upper Columbia Region. A Draft Report to the Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Board. From The Upper Columbia Regional Technical Team. 44 pages plus appendices.

Rogers, G. E. 1969. The sharp-tailed grouse in Colorado. Project W-37-R, Colorado Game, Fish, and Parks Division, Denver, Colorado, USA.

Ryan, L. A., and A. B. Carey. 1995a. Distribution and habitat of the western gray squirrel (Sciurus griseus) on Fort Lewis, Washington. Northwest Science 69:204-216.

Ryan, L. A., and A. B. Carey. 1995b. Biology and management of the western gray squirrel and Oregon white oak woodlands: with emphasis on the Puget Trough. USDA Forest Service, General Technical Report PNW-GTR-348, Portland, Oregon, USA.

Sachet, G. A. 1988. Wildlife evalutation processes for ORV, hiking, and horse back-country recreation use in Washington forests. WA Dept of Wildl. Olympia, 87 pp.

Schneegas, E. R. and R. S. Bumstead. 1977. Decline of western mule deer population: probable cause of tentative solution. Proc. Annu. Conf. West Assoc. State Game and Fish Comm. 57:218-237.

Schroeder, M., D. W. Hays, M. A. Murphy, and D. J. Pierce. 2000. Changes in the distribution and abundance of Columbian sharp-tailed grouse in Washington. Northwestern Naturalist 81:95-103.

Thomas, J. W., Ed. 1979. Wildlife Habitats in Managed Forests – The Blue Mountains of Oregon and Washington. USDSA For. Serv. Agric. Handbook No. 553. 512 pp.

US Fish & Wildlife Service. 1982. Mule Deer. Habitat Suitability Index Model. Draft. 15 pp.

Wallmo, O. C., Ed. 1981. Mule and Black-tailed deer of North America. Univ. of Neb. Press. 605 pp.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. 1995. Washington state management plan for Columbian sharp-tailed grouse. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Olympia, Washington, USA.

Zeigler, D. L. 1979. Distribution and status of the Columbian sharp-tailed grouse in Eastern Washington. Completion Report, Project W-70-R-18, Washington Department of Wildlife, Olympia, Washington, USA.

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Okanogan County Fires

Interagency BAER Cultural Resources Report State, Private, and Other Non-Federal, Non-Tribal Lands

Contributors: Mark Amara, Washington State Conservation Commission, Cascadia Conservation District Kim J. Lancaster, Washington State Conservation Commission, Cascadia Conservation District

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Contents Introduction ...... 3 Objectives ...... 3 Resource Assessment ...... 3 Areas of Potential Effect ...... 3 Potential Values at Risk ...... 4 Field Survey and Methodology ...... 5 Assumptions ...... 8 Resource Conditions Prior to the 2015 Okanogan Complex Fires ...... 8 Resource Conditions Following the 2015 Okanogan Complex Fires...... 8 Findings and Recommendations ...... 9 Resource Conditions Following the 2015 Okanogan Complex Fires...... 9 Recommended Long-Term Treatments and Monitoring ...... 10 References ...... 11

Tables

Table 1: Previously Documented Archaeological Sites Located on State and Private Lands Contained within the Lime Belt Fire Perimeter ...... 4

Table 2: Previously Documented Archaeological Sites Located on State and Private Lands within the Tunk Fire Perimeter ...... 5

Table 3: Previously Documented Archaeological Sites Located on State and Private Lands within the Twisp River Fire Perimeter ...... 5

Table 4: Eligible and Potentially Eligible Previously Documented Archaeological Sites Located within Low, Moderate, and High Burn Severity Areas Identified on State and Private Lands within the Lime Belt Fire Perimeter ...... 6

Table 5: Eligible and Potentially Eligible Previously Documented Archaeological Sites Located within Low, Moderate, and High Burn Severity Areas Identified on State and Private Lands within the Tunk Block Fire Perimeter ...... 7

Table 6: Eligible and Potentially Eligible Previously Documented Archaeological Sites Located within Low, Moderate, and High Burn Severity Areas Identified on State and Private Lands within the Twisp River Fire Perimeter ...... 7

Table 7: Existing Sites Needing Updated Documentation and New Sites Needing Initial Documentation .. 9

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Introduction The Nine Mile Fire (undetermined cause) started on August 13, 2015. Dry lightning on August 14, 2015 started wildfires in additional locations throughout Okanogan County affecting federal, tribal, state, and private lands. The lightning storms occurred during a period of prolonged dry, hot weather. Low relative humidity, high temperatures, and gusty winds fueled the fires, which burned over 465,529 acres between the Lime Belt Fire (132,653 acres), Nine Mile Fire (4,420 acres), North Star Fire (155,204 acres), Tunk Block Fire (162,025 acres), and the Twisp River Fire (11,227 acres). As part of the Okanogan County Interagency 2015 BAER (Burned Area Emergency Response) Team efforts, site condition assessments were conducted on previously documented cultural resources located on State and private land affected by the fires.

Cultural resources (historic properties) consist of non-renewable resources including archaeological sites, historic structures, and Traditional Cultural Properties (TCPs) such as traditional gathering and ceremonial areas. Sites of greatest concern include those that possess fire sensitive or combustible materials that are highly susceptible to direct effects of fire. Direct fire effects include destruction of tangible items by fire, obliteration caused by fire blackening, exfoliation of rock surfaces resulting from intense heat, and consumption of combustible materials. Indirect effects considered during assessment include sheet wash erosion, flooding and debris flows, increased site visibility resulting from destruction of vegetation, and threats to cultural structures and/or features associated with hazard trees. This report summarizes direct, indirect, and potential post-fire effects to cultural resources, and includes recommendations for mitigation of observed direct and indirect fire effects as well as potential post-fire risks to cultural resources.

Objectives  Identify previously documented cultural resources located on State and private lands within the Okanogan County wildfire areas of potential effect (APE).  Analyze direct and indirect effects and potential future effects of the fires to cultural resources.  Propose specific BAER treatments to prevent future damage to cultural resources determined “eligible” for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), per criteria in 36 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 60.4. Resource Assessment Areas of Potential Effect The APE includes:  fire affected areas located on state and private lands;  All areas of ground disturbance damaged by fire adjacent to or at cultural resources site locations;

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 Site locations where looting and vandalism will be increased due to increased visibility of sites because of the fire. Potential Values at Risk To ascertain potential values at risk located within the fire perimeters, a review of previously documented cultural resources was conducted through the Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (DAHP) online Washington Information System for Architectural and Archaeology Records Data (WISAARD) database. Previously documented cultural resources determined “eligible” for listing to the National Register and those listed as potentially eligible were identified as “potential values at risk.” No previously documented cultural resources were identified within State and private lands contained within the Nine Mile Fire or the North Star Fire. A total of 68 previously documented sites were identified within State and private lands contained within the Limebelt Fire perimeter (Table 1). One previously documented site, identified as potentially eligible for listing on the National Register, was identified on private lands contained within the Twisp River Fire perimeter (Table 2). Eight previously documented sites identified as eligible or potentially eligible for listing on the National Register were identified within State and private lands contained within the Tunk Block Fire perimeter (Table 3).

This initial review resulted in the identification of 83 previously documented archaeological sites located within the Okanogan County Fire perimeters. Of those 83 sites, 11 were identified within the DAHP database as “not eligible” for listing to the National Register and were subsequently eliminated from consideration.

Further investigation of identified eligible and potentially eligible cultural resources was conducted to identify values:

 with high potential for damage or destruction related to fire activity  that possess potential historic and/or research value  at risk from post-fire processes

Table 1: Previously Documented Archaeological Sites Located on State and Private Lands Contained within the Lime Belt Fire Perimeter

Land NRHP DETERMINATION Potential Values at Site Totals Ownership Eligible Potentially Eligible Not Eligible Risk

State 61 0 55 6 55

Private 10 0 7 3 7

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TOTALS 71 0 62 9 62

Table 2: Previously Documented Archaeological Sites Located on State and Private Lands within the Tunk Fire Perimeter

Land NRHP DETERMINATION Potential Values at Site Totals Ownership Eligible Potentially Eligible Not Eligible Risk

State 1 0 1 0 1

Private 10 1 7 2 8

TOTALS 11 1 8 2 9

Table 3: Previously Documented Archaeological Sites Located on State and Private Lands within the Twisp River Fire Perimeter

Land NRHP DETERMINATION Potential Values at Site Totals Ownership Eligible Potentially Eligible Not Eligible Risk

State 0 0 0 0 0

Private 1 0 1 0 1

TOTALS 1 0 1 0 1

Field Survey and Methodology To analyze burn severity within the fire perimeters, the 72 cultural resource sites identified as eligible or potentially eligible were plotted on a Burned Area Reflectance Classification (BARC) layer. The BARC layer displays burned soil severity which is an attribute that indicates which areas sustained high, moderate, and low impacts from the fire. Fifty-six sites were located on State lands and 16 sites were located on private lands. Sites located within high and moderate severity burn areas and/or sites deemed highly susceptible to fire effects were prioritized for assessment.

An examination of the BARC layer indicated that 18 sites were located within areas that experienced moderate to high burn severities (Tables 4-6). Sites identified within these areas include pre-contact sites, multi-component sites (pre-contact and historic components), and historic sites. An additional 10 sites, located in areas identified on the BARC as low burn severity, were included in planned site visits due to potential for fire impacts to susceptible elements present at each site.

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Field visits were conducted between September 11-14, 2015 by Cascadia Conservation District archaeologists and BAER team members, Kim J. Lancaster and Mark Amara. For each located site, post- fire assessment notes were completed. Post-fire assessment notes focused on visual evidence of burn severity including soil color; presence/absence and burn severity of duff; ground cover; shrubs and trees; alterations/loss of site elements; presence/absence/potential for erosion (i.e., sheet wash, wind erosion, rilling, gullying, flooding and/or debris flow); presence/absence of hazard trees; and evidence of visitation/vandalism.

Table 4: Eligible and Potentially Eligible Previously Documented Archaeological Sites Located within Low, Moderate, and High Burn Severity Areas Identified on State and Private Lands within the Lime Belt Fire Perimeter

LIME BELT FIRE STATE LAND

Burn Severity Site Type TOTALS Low Moderate High

Pre-contact 3 0 0 3

Historic 35 4 8 47

Multi-Component 0 1 0 1

TOTALS 38 5 8 51

LIME BELT FIRE PRIVATE LAND Burn Severity Site Type TOTALS Low Moderate High

Pre-contact 0 1 1 2

Historic 2 3 0 5

Multi-Component 0 0 0 0

TOTALS 2 4 1 7

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Table 5: Eligible and Potentially Eligible Previously Documented Archaeological Sites Located within Low, Moderate, and High Burn Severity Areas Identified on State and Private Lands within the Tunk Block Fire Perimeter

TUNK BLOCK FIRE STATE LAND

Burn Severity Site Type Totals Low Moderate High

Pre-contact 0 0 0 0

Historic 1 0 0 1

Multi-Component 0 0 0 0

TOTALS 1 0 0 1

TUNK BLOCK FIRE PRIVATE LAND

Burn Severity Site Type Totals Low Moderate High

Pre-contact 3 0 0 3

Historic 7 0 0 7

Multi-Component 0 0 0 0

TOTALS 10 0 0 10

Table 6: Eligible and Potentially Eligible Previously Documented Archaeological Sites Located within Low, Moderate, and High Burn Severity Areas Identified on State and Private Lands within the Twisp River Fire Perimeter

TWISP FIRE PRIVATE LAND

Burn Severity Site Type Totals Low Moderate High

Pre-contact 0 0 0 0

Historic 1 0 0 1

Multi-Component 0 0 0 0

TOTALS 1 0 0 1

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Site locations and features were updated using a hand held Garmin Monterra GPS and site photographs were taken using a Nikon CoolPix AW130. Observed changes to sites including loss of features and/or elements were documented and photographed. The lack of vegetation on a number of sites resulted in the documentation of features that had not been visible before the area burned. Furthermore, a number of new archaeological sites were identified while attempting to locate previously documented sites. New archaeological sites located within areas affected by fire and/or fire suppression activities were documented to current standards.

Assumptions An effort was made to inspect all sites identified within areas that experienced low, moderate, and high burn severity and sites located within post-fire affected areas. The limited time allowed for analysis, total area in which sites were located and problematic documentation on a percentage of the site forms led to a need to apply some generalized assumptions to the assessment of cultural resources identified within the 2015 Okanogan County fire areas. Values lacking combustible materials located within areas identified as low burn severity were assumed to have little risk from post-fire effects, while values with combustible materials located within burn perimeters were assumed to have been adversely affected by fire, which likely compromised elements that have the potential to contribute to the sites’ National Register eligibility. Assumptions incorporated into the assessment were based on previous BAER assessments carried out on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest (Smith 2012) and the 2014 Carlton Complex BAER Team (Lancaster 2014) evaluations in Okanogan County.

Resource Conditions Prior to the 2015 Okanogan Complex Fires Prior to the 2015 Okanogan County fires, cultural resources located on State and private lands were in a relatively static condition. Natural processes including structural decay and exposure to the elements slowly diminish archaeological site integrity over time, although surface and subsurface cultural features and deposits can retain integrity for long periods of time. The majority of prehistoric archaeological sites have been subjected to previous burn events, although fire suppression activity employed over the past century in forested areas on state and private lands may well have resulted in higher accumulations of fuel than what would have occurred historically. Historic sites have been impacted by varying degrees of structural decay based on length of time since abandonment, impacts from grazing and exposure, and, in part, location.

Resource Conditions Following the 2015 Okanogan Complex Fires The 2015 Okanogan County Wildfires burned over a large area that encompassed a range of environmental conditions. Sites located within the burn areas were located within the Okanogan River Valley in close proximity to the Okanogan River, in canyons and draws bisected by creeks with riparian zones bordered by meadows that give way to shrub-steppe above the canyon floor, on upland shrub- steppe benches, and within mixed conifer forests. Burn severity varied from one location to the next with higher burn severity noted in dense shrub-steppe and timbered regions. Ash accumulation was remarkable in areas, measuring up to 8 inches deep. No significant rilling, gullying, or flooding was noted within the examined areas over much of the burn area due to a lack of measurable rainfall in the month previous to the assessment. Vegetation along flowing creeks and in sub-irrigated areas exhibited

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regrowth of grasses, which contrasted sharply with burned vegetation in shrub-steppe areas and charred tree trunks in timbered areas that experienced moderate to high intensity burning.

Findings and Recommendations Resource Conditions Following the 2015 Okanogan Complex Fires As a result of this assessment it is recommended that the following sites be fully documented including updating existing site forms and reevaluating sites for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Date recovery should involve site visitation by a professional archaeologist to update existing documentation and evaluation of the site for National Register eligibility. Updated site forms should be submitted to appropriate State and Tribal officials (SHPO/THPO) to seek concurrence and/or comment on NRHP eligibility recommendations.

Sites requiring updated documentation were identified within the Lime belt and Tunk Block Fire perimeters (Table 7). Sites include one historic mining feature (45OK00861), two historic homesteads (45OK00997 and 45OK01422), and two historic structures (45OK02020 and 45OK02021). Three new sites were identified during site assessment of previously documented sites including one historic mining property, one historic irrigation feature with associated stacked rock features, and one historic homestead.

Table 7: Existing Sites Needing Updated Documentation and New Sites Needing Initial Documentation

RECOMMENDED SITE UPDATES

Site Number Site Type Site Name Legal Comments Historic Water 33/24/01 High to moderate intensity burn/loss of 45OK00861 Mining System feature/add new elements to existing form Historic Historic 35/27/13 High intensity burn/loss of elements/add new 45OK00997 Structure Homestead features to existing form Historic Schalow 35/25/22 Moderate to high intensity burn/loss of 45OK01422 Homestead Homestead elements/add new features to existing form 45OK02020 Historic Cabin Wilson #1 35/26/05 High intensity burn/loss of features 45OK002021 Historic Cabin Wilson #2 35/26/05 High intensity burn/loss of features NEW SITE DOCUMENTATION

Historic Sims 35/25/11 Homestead with three features and historic debris BAER 1 Homestead Homestead scatter Historic Scotch 35/25/3 Concrete and rock cistern located on the west side Irrigation Creek of the Scotch Creek Basin. Two stacked rock walls BAER 2 Cistern are present along the sides of a drainage directly west of the cistern. Historic China Wall 34/25/06 Massive stacked rock walls that formed the BAER 3 Mining foundation for the Arlington Mill, which was constructed in 1888.

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Additionally, ground disturbing activities recommended as a result of the BAER assessment, outside the scope of the cultural resources assessment, need to take into account the Governor’s Executive Order 05-05 in regards to cultural resource compliance. Projects that have the potential to result in ground disturbing activity need to go through the cultural review process with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation Tribal Historic Preservation Office (THPO). Ground disturbing activities proposed during team meetings include but are not limited to road drainage improvements, private crossings (bridges and culverts), point protections, installation of road and campground signs, impoundment and dam stabilization, and home stabilization.

Recommended Long-Term Treatments and Monitoring Forty-two previously documented sites identified within areas that experienced low intensity fire activity were not assessed. These sites consist largely of historic debris scatters, mining prospects, and rock features described as historic cairns. The cairn descriptions and site photographs indicate that this site type was limited to small rock piles typically located along a gravel road or field and likely represent road construction/maintenance activity of field clearing. Low intensity wildfire has little potential to impact this site type. With this said, each of these sites are potentially eligible or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places and may have been adversely effected by direct and indirect effects of the 2015 Okanogan County Wildfires. Therefore, a recommendation is being made for updating existing site documentation and evaluation of each site for National Register eligibility. Following these actions data should be submitted to appropriate officials (SHPO/THPO) for concurrence or comment.

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References Smith, Lindsey C. 2012 Central Washington Wildfires BAER Resource Report. On file at the Okanogan- Wenatchee National Forest, Supervisor’s Office, Wenatchee, Washington.

Lancaster, Kim J. 2014 Carlton Complex Wildfire BAER Cultural Resources Report. On file at the Okanogan Conservation District, Okanogan, Washington.

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