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Sage Creek Watershed Environmental Assessment June 7, 2016

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Sage Creek Watershed Environmental Assessment June 7, 2016 United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Environmental Assessment DOI-BLM-MT-B050-2016-0008-EA Sage Creek Watershed Environmental Assessment June 7, 2016 Mayberry and Sage Creek Allotments, July 2015 U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Dillon Field Office 1005 Selway Drive Dillon, Montana 59725 Phone: (406) 683-8000 Fax: (406) 683-8066 Table of Contents List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. ii List of Figures ............................................................................................................................... iii 1.0 Purpose of and Need for the Proposed Action....... ............................................................1 1.1 Introduction and Background ........................................................................................1 1.2 Purpose and Need... ....................................................................................................2 1.3 Issues..... ......................................................................................................................5 1.4 Scope of this Environmental Analysis – Scope, Plan Conformance, Critical Elements, and Issues.... .............................................................................................13 1.5 Decisions to be Made...... ..........................................................................................15 1.6 Applicable Legal and Regulatory Requirements..... .................................................15 1.7 Coordination Requirements........ ..............................................................................16 2.0 Description of Alternatives.................................................................................................17 2.1 Process Used to Formulate Alternatives ...................................................................17 2.2 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Further Analysis...............................17 2.3 Description of Alternatives .......................................................................................20 2.3.1 Features Common to All Alternatives, Including the No Action ................................... 20 2.3.2 Description of Alternative A - No Action ......................................................................... 24 2.3.3 Features Common to All Action Alternatives ........................................................26 2.3.4 Description of Alternative B ................................................................................31 2.3.5 Description of Alternative C ................................................................................42 2.4 Summary Comparison of Alternative Actions ..........................................................47 3.0 Affected Environment ........................................................................................................52 3.1 General Setting..........................................................................................................52 3.2 Description of Affected Key Issues/Resource Concerns ..........................................53 3.2.1 Issue #1: Riparian, Wetland, and Aquatic Habitat ..........................................53 3.2.2 Issue #2: Upland and Sagebrush Steppe Habitat ...........................................63 3.2.3 Issue #3: Recreation and Travel Management ................................................69 3.2.4 Resource Concern #1: Special Status Species Habitat ...................................69 3.2.5 Resource Concern #2: Forest, Woodland and Priority Species Habitat……79 3.2.6 Resource Concern #3: Noxious and Invasive Species……………...………81 3.2.7 Resource Concern #4: Wilderness Characteristics and Wilderness Study Area ................................................................................................................82 3.2.8 Resource Concern #5: Socioeconomics .........................................................84 3.2.9 Resource Concern #6: Cultural and Paleontological Resources ....................86 3.2.10 Resource Concern #7: Visual Resources Management ...............................86 3.3 Description of Relevant Non-Affected Resources ....................................................87 3.3.1 Air Quality ......................................................................................................87 3.3.2 Climate Change ...............................................................................................87 i 4.0 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................................90 4.1 Introduction ...............................................................................................................90 4.2 Predicted Effects of Alternatives ..............................................................................91 4.2.1 Predicted Effects Common to All Alternatives, Including the No Action .................. 91 4.2.2 Predicted Effects of Alternative A-No Action ............................................................ 97 4.2.3 Predicted Effects Common to All Action Alternatives ............................................. 100 4.2.4 Predicted Effects of Action Alternatives B and C by Grazing Allotment ................. 113 4.2.5 Predicted Effects of Aspen Protection/Restoration Treatment .................................. 126 4.2.6 Predicted Effects of Recreation and Travel Management Alternatives B and C ...... 130 4.2.7 Comparative Effects for All Alternatives by Issue or Resource Concern ................. 131 4.3 Cumulative Effects for All Alternatives .................................................................142 5.0 List of Preparers - Consultation/Coordination ..............................................................154 5.1 List of Preparers ......................................................................................................154 5.2 Consultation/Coordination ......................................................................................154 5.3 Glossary of Terms ...................................................................................................155 5.4 References ...............................................................................................................159 Appendices Appendix A- Sage Creek Watershed Maps #1-14……………………………………..170 Appendix B- Sage Creek Watershed Monitoring Plan...………………………………171 Appendix C- Sage Creek Watershed Biological Evaluation for Special Status Fish and Wildlife Species………………………………………………………………………...172 Appendix D- Sage Creek Watershed Biological Evaluation for Special Status Plants..173 Appendix E- Dominant Native Grasses in Sage Creek Watershed……………………174 Tables 1.1 Determination of Standards by Allotment .................................................................................3 1.2 Critical Elements of the Human Environment .........................................................................14 2.1. Livestock Grazing Allocations and Management Within the Sage Creek Watershed ...........25 2.2 Current Authorized Use for Armstead Mountain and Gallagher Mountain AMP...................33 2.3 Proposed Authorized Use for Armstead Mountain and Gallagher Mountain AMP ................33 2.4 Current Authorized Use for Bull Heifer Creek Allotment.......................................................34 2.5 Proposed Authorized Use for Bull Heifer Creek Allotment ....................................................34 2.6 Current Authorized Use for Dell Allotment ............................................................................34 2.7 Proposed Authorized Use for Dell Allotment ..........................................................................35 2.8 Current Authorized Use for Huntsman Allotment ...................................................................35 2.9 Proposed Authorized Use for Huntsman Allotment ................................................................35 2.10 Current Authorized Use for Knox Allotment ........................................................................36 2.11 Proposed Authorized Use for Knox Allotment ......................................................................36 2.12 Proposed Authorized Use for Knox Allotment ......................................................................36 2.13 Current Authorized Use for Mayberry Allotment .................................................................37 2.14 Proposed Authorized Use for Mayberry Allotment ...............................................................37 2.15 Current Authorized Use for Red Butte Allotment .................................................................37 ii 2.16 Proposed Authorized Use for Red Butte Allotment ..............................................................37 2.17 Current Authorized Use for Red Butte SE Allotment ...........................................................38 2.18 Proposed Authorized Use for Red Butte SE Allotment .........................................................38 2.19 Current Authorized Use for Sage Creek Allotment ...............................................................39 2.20 Proposed Authorized Use for Sage Creek Allotment ............................................................39 2.21 Current Authorized Use for Tallent Allotment ......................................................................40 2.22 Proposed Authorized Use
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