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Ashland Watershed Trails Management Project Environmental Assessment

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Ashland Watershed Trails Management Project Environmental Assessment ASHLAND WATERSHED TRAILS MANAGEMENT PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ,.- ~ '-'; .. , , ".. ...:.. '.- Ashland Ranger District .. .. Rogue River National Forest Jackson County, Oregon June 2000 .' ASHLAND WATERSHED TRAILS MANAGEMENT PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Ashland Ranger District Rogue River National Forest June 2000 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. PURPOSE AND NEED FOR THE PROPOSED ACTION •..•••••.••••••.•••••.•••.••.•••. 1-1 A. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................... ~ ................................ 1-1 B. PURPOSE. AND NEED FOR THE PROPOSED ACTION ....................................... 1-3 . ;.i,j;:,:. i"i,;Ji!j.<~~·);,L,~tG~::;RRQPOSEl);:A1CTION- DESCRIPTION ... :......................... _ .•.....................•." ..... ,~i •••• ~~;,J~,: •. :.1, ;.;';»'i.ii.:i';;.<.:,,,>, D. MANAGEMENT DIRECTION ........................................................... u •••••••••••••••••••• I-4 1. Rogue River National Forest Plan........................................................................ .1-6 2. Northwest Forest Plan ........................................................................................... 1-7 3. Agreements Between the Forest Service and the City of Ashland ....................... 1-8 4. National Recreation Agenda ................................................................................. 1-9 5. Ecosystem Management........................................................................................ 1-9 6. Documents Tiered to and Incorporated by Reference......................................... I-I0 E. DECISION TO BE MADE ....................................................................................... 1-10 F. SCOPING AND ISSUES .......................................................................................... 1-10 II. ALTERNATIVES, INCLUDING THE PROPOSED ACTION ••••••••.•••••••••••••••• II-1 A. INTROD'UCTION ..................................................................................................... 11-1 B. ALTERNATIVES .AND ACTIONS CONSIDERED BUT ELIMINATED FROM DETAILED STUDY .................................................................................... 11-1 1. Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Study............................ II-I 2. Actions Con~idered but Eliminated from Detailed Study ................................... II-I C. ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED IN DETAIL. ..................................................... 11-2 1. Assumptions Common to All Alternatives ......................................................... 11-2 2. The No-Action Alternative.................................................................................. 11-3 3. The Action Alternatives ...................................................................................... 11-5 . 4. Mitigation Measures, Management Requirements, and Monitoring................. II-II III. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES .......................................................... 111-1 ~.'" .i" , ...... f A. EFFECTS OF IMPLEMENTATION: RELEVANT ISSUES ............................. :~.III-I B. OTHER EFFECTS ................................................................................................. 111-32 IV. CONSULTATION WITH OTHERS ........................... _.................................... IV-I ASHLAND WATERSHED TRAILS MANAGEMENT PROJECT E·NVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Ashland Ranger District Rogue River National Forest June 2000 I. PURPOSE AND NEED FOR THE PROPOSED ACTION A. INTRODUCTION The Ashland Ranger District of the Rogue River National Forest proposes to implement the Ashland Watershed Trails Management project. The Ashland Watershed Trails Management Project would manage access to existing recreation facilities, provide additional recreation opportunities, and would manage the recreation use type for existing and proposed facilities. The purpose of this Environmental Assessment (EA) is to summarize the analysis that has taken place to estimate the site-speCific,~ffects of implementing the proposed action. This environmental analysis process examined a proposal to manage current recreation use and to provide additional recreation opportunities within the Ashland Watershed and adjacent areas. This environmental analysis process focused on the resolution of site-specific issues that were identified to be associated with the implementation of the proposed action, and provided a basis for the analysis of the applicable direct, indirect, and cumulative effects. The Ashland Watershed Trails Management Environmental Assessment provides the Responsible Official with the pertinent information regarding the environmental impacts of implementing the proposed action, displaYing and comparing alternatives, defining the objectives and issues and providing a clear basis for an informed decision. This EA also ensures that the policies and goals of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) are infused into the planning and analysis of the proposed Federal actions herein described. This EA documents the management requirements, mitigation measures, and constraints necessary to protect the environment. Environmental Assessment I-I Ashland Watershed Trails Management Project Vicinity Map rY, 'q) -r. - I Oregon o If' D D D Q Ii' 0 ~ a cPO naif'" L-!=> li'j]D a Rogue River National Fo'rest 1;: ! '," UlID Ashland Watershed Trails Planning Area . , Jacksonvil~ " -"",,' "'- ~. .;' ~~~:n~~angeristrict 0 ffice Envirorunental Assessment 1-2 Ashland Watershed Trails Management Project B. PURPOSE AND NEED FOR THE PROPOSED ACTION 1. Background The project area is located in an area that has been referred to as the "Forest at Ashland's Doorstep'" (Hess, 1986).· The--adjacency to the City of Ashland, and the urban/wildland interface.. facilitates easy access to the-area and has historically been used year round by a large number of local residents, tourists, and visitors. Uses occur in and adjacent to the project area on existing roads, and.system and non-system trails. Heavy uses (estimated at 16,000 annual visitors) include mountain biking, hiking, and jogging. Other uses include horseback ri~ing, hunting, recreational shooting/target practice, scenic driving, dog walking, Nordic skiing (when conditions allow), bird watching, and wildflower viewing. The areas closest to the city boundary are the most heavily used. located thOOughoui the project' area. Over the last two years, there has been an increase in ,. -, .: unauthorized trail construction by a small group of people who use the area for inountain biking. This unauthorized trail construction activity does not take into' consideration the need for protecting the multitude .,of resource values (i.e., rare plants and animals, geologipally unstabl~ areas, and erosive soils) occurring in the Watershed and surrounding areas. The use of mountain bikes and horses off of designated, trails (especi1illy on steep slopes and cut banks) is causing resource damage (ru~ng and erosion). With the. increasingnumber~ ofvi~itoiSto the ar~ ther~ is an increase in resource damage as well as conflicts among various ~~ tYPes (mQuntaml>ikes' versus horses on narrow steep trails). , • .. ,J' t \ "?!, t ~ f i;' J. i(j\'! ';. ' ': '" • ," Trail 'USerS ofthe Rogue Valley andAshlan,d~ffllIlunity ,sppnsored,meetings d~ fallQf 1997 and winter of 1998. The Forest Service was invited to attend these meetings to hear discussions concerning the community's desire for increased trail opportunities and ideas for addressing increased opportunities in the Ashland :Watershed and adjacent drainages. Attendance at these meetings averaged around 80 to 100 people. 2. Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action Currently, the recreation·facilities in the Ashland Wate~hed, and adjacent watersheds ofthe urbaDIwildlapd interfa~ ar~ are not,meeting the needs associated with'the level of recreation use in the projecl~ea. As ar~.sul~·resomcedatDage is occUrring. There is a neootoinerease trail .opportunities ,and associat~ trailhead facilities to better manage the ~ that is occurrj.ng in the project ar~. '1 - .• 'I.' Tne:Be~r Watershed Analysis (USDA 1995) and the Mt. Ashland Late-Su~cessl()nalR(js~rVe,,",;f,~;cth'~' Assessme1Jt (USDAc19Q6). complet~ in G9Q1pliance of the.Northwest Forest Plan identified a need.to ~IllPlei~ Access and.TraveIMan~gfmt~nt within the Ashland Creek W~tershedand adjacent watersheds (all tributaries to BearCreek). Recommendations \\tet'ebased on the need to protect, restore, and maintain water quality and quantity and Late-SucCessional Reserve function. The Bear Watershed Analysis and the Mt. Ashland Late-Successional Reserve Assessment are incorporated by reference to this EA. Environmental Assessment 1-3 Ashland Watershed Trails Management Project Additionally, work is needed to repair trails damaged by the 1997 flood. Although most of the repairs have been made for the purpose of public safety, additional maintenance is needed to maintain the trails and protect resources over the long term. The purpose of the Ashland Watershed Trails Management proposal is to respond to the community's desire for an increase in recreation trail and access opportunities, the Forest Service need to continue with maintenance of 1997 .flood damaged. trails, and the need to protect the City of Ashland's domestic water supply and Late::.SuccessionalReserve values. Increasing the miles of trail in the project area would respond to public needs and would help deter future unauthorized trail construction activities. By managing trail use and access
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