Aquatic Resource Report
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
United States Department of Agriculture Aquatic Resource Report Forest Service September 2019 Foothills Landscape Project Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests Dawson, Fannin, Gilmer, Habersham, Lumpkin, Murray, Rabun, and White Counties, Georgia For Information Contact: David Vinson, Zone Wildlife Biologist Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests, Chattooga River Ranger District 9975 Highway 441S, Lakemont, GA 30552 706-754-6221 [email protected] In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720- 2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.htm l and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: [email protected]. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. Table of Contents Aquatic Resource Report ..................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1 Methodology ................................................................................................................................... 2 Species Identified for Analysis ...................................................................................................... 3 Species Analyzed in Detail .................................................................................................................... 3 Endangered Species Act (ESA) – Threatened, Endangered, or Proposed Species ................................ 3 Designated Critical Habitat .................................................................................................................... 3 *High Priority species in the State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) (GaDNR 2015) .............................. 5 Regional Forester Sensitive Species ...................................................................................................... 5 *High Priority species in the SWAP (GaDNR 2015) ............................................................................ 6 Management Indicator Species (MIS) ................................................................................................... 6 Locally Rare Species (LR) ..................................................................................................................... 6 Other Species of Public Interest ............................................................................................................. 7 Sources of information ........................................................................................................................... 7 Project Design Features ......................................................................................................................... 7 Analysis Indicators ................................................................................................................................ 7 Measures ................................................................................................................................................ 8 Assumptions........................................................................................................................................... 8 Spatial and Temporal Bounding of Analysis Area ................................................................................ 8 Affected Environment ................................................................................................................... 9 Rare Aquatic Fauna ..................................................................................................................... 12 Freshwater Mussels .............................................................................................................................. 12 Fish……............................................................................................................................................... 13 Amphibians .......................................................................................................................................... 14 Aquatic Insects ..................................................................................................................................... 15 Other Species of Concern .................................................................................................................... 15 Brook Trout and Non-Native Trout ................................................................................................. 15 Environmental Consequences ..................................................................................................... 16 Federally-Listed Species ...................................................................................................................... 16 i Alternative 1 – No Action .................................................................................................................... 16 Direct and Indirect Effects ............................................................................................................... 16 Critical Habitat (CH) and Primary Constituent Elements (PCEs) ................................................... 16 Cumulative Effects .......................................................................................................................... 17 Determination of Effects .................................................................................................................. 18 Alternative 2 – Proposed Action .......................................................................................................... 19 Direct Effects ................................................................................................................................... 19 Indirect Effects................................................................................................................................. 24 Critical Habitat (CH) and Primary Constituent Elements (PCEs) ................................................... 27 Cumulative Effects .......................................................................................................................... 28 Determination of Effects .................................................................................................................. 29 Compliance with Law, Regulation, Policy, and the Forest Plan ..................................................... 30 Literature Cited .................................................................................................................................. 31 Appendix A – Table of Proposed Activities ......................................................................................... AP1 Appendix B - Past, Present, and Reasonably Foreseeable Activities................................................. AP7 Appendix C – Aquatic Species Evaluated .......................................................................................... AP24 List of Tables Table 1 Federally-Listed Aquatic Species and Critical Habitat Units Analyzed in Detail for the Foothills Landscape Project ................................................................................................................................. 4 Table 2. Aquatic Regional Forester Sensitive Species Analyzed in Detail for the Foothills Landscape Project ................................................................................................................................................... 5 Table 3. Cumulative Effect on Aquatic Measures ...................................................................................... 18 Table 4 Alternative 2 Activities Potentially Affecting Riparian Corridor (100 Feet of Perennial and Intermittent Streams) .......................................................................................................................... 20 Table 5 Cumulative Effect on Aquatic Measures