BLACK HILLS NATIONAL FOREST FOREST-WIDE TRAVEL ANALYSIS REPORT September 2007 1019 North 5 th Street Custer, SD 57730-7239 Phone 605-673-9200 FAX 605-673-9350 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or familial status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotapes, etc.) should contact the USDA’s TARGET Center at 202/720-2600 (voice or TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14 th & Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202/720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity employer. TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page BACKGROUND ........................................................................................................................VII PROCESS ..............................................................................................................................VII PRODUCTS ............................................................................................................................VIII STEP 1: SETTING UP THE ANALYSIS....................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Objectives of the Analysis ................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Scale of the Analysis............................................................................................ 1-1 1.3 Interdisciplinary Team Members and Participants .............................................. 1-1 1.4 Identification of Information Sources.................................................................. 1-2 1.5 Status of Current Data.......................................................................................... 1-2 1.6 Analysis plan........................................................................................................ 1-3 STEP 2: DESCRIBING THE SITUATION ................................................................... 2-1 2.1 General Setting..................................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 Existing Transportation System........................................................................... 2-1 2.2.1 General Description ................................................................................. 2-1 2.2.2 Regional Connectivity ............................................................................. 2-3 2.2.3 Forest Roads.............................................................................................2-3 2.2.4 Forest Road Density................................................................................. 2-5 2.2.5 Forest Service Trails ................................................................................ 2-5 2.2.6 Travel Management Objectives and Standards........................................2-6 2.2.7 Use Patterns .............................................................................................2-8 2.2.8 National Forest System Roads and Trails Budget ...................................2-8 2.2.9 Scenic Byways......................................................................................... 2-8 2.3 Physical Environment.......................................................................................... 2-9 2.3.1 Geographic Features ................................................................................ 2-9 2.3.2 Climate.....................................................................................................2-9 2.3.3 Soil Conditions.......................................................................................2-10 2.3.4 Surface Water.........................................................................................2-10 2.4 Biological Environment..................................................................................... 2-11 2.5 Social, Cultural, Economic, and Political Environment .................................... 2-12 2.5.1 Historic Use ...........................................................................................2-12 2.5.2 Economic Characteristics.......................................................................2-13 2.5.3 Private Land Development ....................................................................2-13 2.6 Roadless Areas................................................................................................... 2-13 2.6.1 Ecological Characteristics...................................................................... 2-14 2.6.2 Social and Cultural Values.....................................................................2-15 STEP 3: IDENTIFYING ISSUES.................................................................................... 3-1 3.1 Identifying Issues................................................................................................. 3-1 3.1.1 Solitude ....................................................................................................3-2 3.1.2 Air Quality ...............................................................................................3-2 3.1.3 Managing Livestock................................................................................. 3-2 Black Hills National Forest i Forest-Wide Travel Analysis Report 3.1.4 Signing.....................................................................................................3-2 3.1.5 Environmental Health.............................................................................. 3-2 3.1.6 Wildlife Habitat .......................................................................................3-3 3.1.7 Recreational Opportunities ...................................................................... 3-3 3.1.8 Law Enforcement..................................................................................... 3-3 3.1.9 User Conflict............................................................................................3-3 3.1.10 Managing Roads and Trails .....................................................................3-3 3.1.11 Budget......................................................................................................3-4 3.1.12 Safety .......................................................................................................3-4 3.1.13 Economic Stability................................................................................... 3-4 3.1.14 Private Land and the Urban Interface ......................................................3-4 3.1.15 Botanical Resources................................................................................. 3-4 STEP 4: ASSESSING BENEFITS, PROBLEMS, AND RISKS................................... 4-1 4.1 Method................................................................................................................. 4-1 4.2 Aquatics ............................................................................................................... 4-1 4.2.1 Affects on Surface and Subsurface Hydrology........................................4-2 4.2.2 Affects on Surface Erosion...................................................................... 4-2 4.2.3 Mass Wasting...........................................................................................4-3 4.2.4 Influence on Stream Channel and Water Quality ....................................4-4 4.2.5 Affects on Water Uses ............................................................................. 4-5 4.2.6 Affects on Wetlands................................................................................. 4-5 4.2.7 Affects on Physical Channel Dynamics...................................................4-6 4.2.8 Affects on Aquatic Organisms.................................................................4-6 4.2.9 Introduction of Non-Native Species ........................................................4-7 4.2.10 Affects on Unique Species....................................................................... 4-7 4.3 Terrestrial Wildlife............................................................................................... 4-8 4.3.1 Affects on Habitat.................................................................................... 4-8 4.3.2 Affects of Human Activities....................................................................4-9 4.3.3 Direct and Indirect Affects on Species ..................................................4-10 4.4 Ecosystem Functions ......................................................................................... 4-12 4.5 Botany................................................................................................................ 4-13 4.5.1 Affects on Habitat.................................................................................. 4-13 4.5.2 Affects of Human Activities..................................................................4-14 4.5.3 Affects on Riparian Vegetation .............................................................4-14 4.5.4 Affects on Unique Communities ...........................................................4-16 4.6 Economics.......................................................................................................... 4-17 4.7 Commodity Production.....................................................................................