F ALL 5 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN In association with: EDAW, Inc. 753 Davis Street San Francisco, CA 94111 Bureau of Reclamation And Snake River Area Office Pacific Northwest Region Minidoka Project Boise Idaho April 1995 United States Department ofthe Interior BUREAU OF RECLAMATION Pacific Northwesr Region 1150 North Curtis Road Boise, Idaho 83706-1234 IN REPLY REFER TO, PN-5314 ENV-3.00 fiB 2 7 1995 Ladies and Gentlemen: Enclosed for your use is a copy of the Bureau of Reclamation American Falls Resource Management Plan. The plan is the result of a process of formulating and evaluating several alternatives for management of Bureau of Reclamation lands around American Falls Reservoir and along the Snake River downstream from American Falls Dam. A Finding of No Significant Impact and Final Environmental Assessment was completed in September 1994. We wish to thank all of those who participated in the public involvement activities and in particular members of the Citizen/Agency Forum who helped identify problems and needs and develop goal statements. If you have questions or would like additional copies of the plan, please write to: Karl Wirkus Deputy Area Manager Bureau of Reclamation Snake River Area Office-East 1359 Hansen Avenue Burley, Idaho 83318-1821 or telephone (208) 678-0461 Ext. 15. Sincerely, Eileen R. Salenik Study Manager Enclosure Environment",1 Assessment AMERICAN F ALL S o N T A A o o I D E v A u T GREAT SALT U.KE Regional Location Map Acronyms and Abbreviations ACHP Advisory Council on Historic Preservation AFRMP American Falls Resource Management Plan AIRFA American Indian Religious Freedom Act AMP Access Management Plan ARPA Archeological Resources Protection Act AUM Animal unit-month BIA Bureau of Indian Affairs BLM Bureau of Land Management BOD Biological oxygen demand CAR Coordination Act Report CERCLA Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act CFR Code of Federal Regulations cfs Cubic feet per second CRMP Cultural Resources Management Plan DDE Breakdown product of the pesticide DDT DO Dissolved oxygen EA Environmental assessment EPA Environmental Protection Agency ESA Endangered Species Act FHNHL Fort Hall National Historic Landmark FONSI Finding of No Significant Impact GIS Geographic information system GMP Grazing Management Plan IDEQ Idaho Department of Environmental Quality IDFG Idaho Department of Fish and Game IDOT Idaho Department of Transportation IDPR Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation IPC Idaho Power Company kV Kilovolts mgll Milligrams per liter MNWR Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge MSL Mean sea level NAGPRA Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act NAWQA National Water Quality Assessment NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NHPA National Historic Preservation Act OHV Off-highway vehicles PCB Polychorobiphenyl RV Recreation vehicle SCORP State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan SCS Soil Conservation Service-renamed Natural Resources Conservation Service SHPO State Historic Preservation Officer SRMA Special recreation management area SWMA Sterling Wildlife Management Area TCP Traditional cultural properties USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service USGS Geological Survey WMP Wildlife Management Plan Table of Contents Table of Contents Chapter 1-Introduction ORGANIZATION OF THE DOCUMENT . 1-1 POLICY ................................................. 1-2 PURPOSE OF PLAN . .. 1-2 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT ..................................... 1-2 AGENCY COORDINATION . .. 1-4 SCOPE ................................................. 1-5 PROJECT HISTORY ......................................... 1-6 Chapter 2-Existing Conditions PROJECT FACILITIES AND GENERAL OPERATION ................... 2-1 General Reservoir System . 2-1 American Falls Dam and Reservoir ............................ 2-2 Water Supply .......................................... 2-4 Water Quality . 2-5 Contaminants ...................................... 2-5 Dissolved Oxygen . 2-5 Water Temperature .................................. 2-6 Sources and Potential Sources of Contaminants ................. 2-6 Portneuf River . 2-6 Eastern Michaud Flats Superfund Site . 2-7 National Water Quality Assessment Study ..................... 2-7 Lands ............................................... 2-8 Snake River Downstream From American Falls ..................... 2-8 CLIMATE ............................................... 2-9 TOPOGRAPHY .... 2-9 Geology ............................................ 2-10 Soils ............................................... 2-10 NATURAL RESOURCES ..................................... 2-11 Vegetation . .. 2-11 Sagebrush-Grassland ................................ 2-11 Juniper Woodland . .. 2-12 Wetlands (Including Riparian and Emergent) . .. 2-12 Agricultural Crops . .. 2-13 Pest Species. .. 2-13 Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive Plants ................. 2-13 Table of Contents Fish 2-13 Game Fish ..................................... 2-14 Nongame Fish ................................... 2-15 Senslive't' Spe. cles................................... 2-15 Wildlife ........................................... 2-15 Shorebirds . 2-16 Waterfowl and Other Aquatic Birds ...................... 2-16 Raptors .............. : ........................ 2-17 Other Birds . 2-18 Mammals ...................................... 2-18 Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive Species of Wildlife ............. 2-19 Endangered and Threatened Species ...................... 2-19 Candidate Species . 2-21 Idaho Species of Special Concern . 2-22 VISUAL RESOURCES'...................................... 2-24 PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCES ............................. 2-25 CULTURAL RESOURCES ................................... 2-26 Inventories . 2-27 Archeological and Prehistoric Resources . 2-28 Historic Resources . 2-30 Native American Traditional and Sacred Resources ................. 2-30 DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE ................................... 2-31 Historical and Projected Population Growth . 2-31 - Economic Profile . 2-33 INFRASTRUCTURE ....................................... 2-34 Roads and Access ..................................... 2-34 Traffic Volumes ...................................... 2-36 Public Utilities and Services ............................... 2-36 Electric Power . 2-36 Potable Water ................................... 2-37 Sewage ....................................... 2-37 Solid Waste ..................................... 2-37 Fire Protection . 2-38 Law Enforcement ................................. 2-38 MANAGEMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES ...................... 2-39 Reclamation Lands . 2-39 Leases and Agreements . 2-39 Agriculture and Grazing . 2-40 Wildlife ................................... 2-41 Recreation ................................. 2-42 Mining ................................... 2-42 Easements ...................................... 2-42 Other Reclamation Lands . 2-43 11 Table of Contents Surrounding Lands . .. 2-43 Sterling Wildlife Management Area ....................... 2-44 Cedar Fields Special Recreation Management Area . .. 2-45 Minerals Management . .. 2-46 Shoreline Erosion . .. 2-46 Fish Resource Management . .. 2-49 Reservoir Trout ................................... 2-49 River Trout . .. 2-50 Other Game Fish Species . .. 2-50 Commercial Fishery. .. 2-51 Wildlife Management .................................... 2-51 Recreation . .. 2-53 User Base . .. 2-54 Recreation Activity ................................. 2-54 Developed Recreation Facilities on the Reservoir ............... 2-55 Seagull Bay Yacht Club . .. 2-55 Willow Bay Recreation Area ... .. 2-56 American Falls Dam Visitors Center/Day Use Area ......... 2-57 Sportsman's Park . .. 2-58 Undeveloped Recreation Areas at the Reservoir ........ .. 2-58 Recreation Areas Upstream from the Reservoir ................ 2-59 Snake River Downstream From Aplerican Falls Dam . .. 2-60 Massacre Rocks State Park ................ .. 2-61 River Access Points ............................ 2-62 Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge . .. 2-63 Chapter 3-Constraints, Opportunities, and Issues CLIMATE ............................................... 3-1 TOPOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY . 3-2 HYDROLOGY AND RESERVOIR OPERATION ....................... 3-3 VEGETATION ............................................. 3-3 FISH AND WILDLIFE ....................................... 3-4 LAND USES .............................................. 3-5 RECREATION . 3-7 CULTURAL RESOURCES ..................................... 3-8 PUBLIC PLANNING ISSUES ................................... 3-9 iii Table of Contents Chapter 4-Resource Management Plan for the Reservoir GENERAL REQUIREMENTS AND POLICY .......................... 4-2 GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND ACTIONS ............................ 4-3 Natural And Cultural Resources ............................... 4-3 Goal -- Promdte Optimal Use Of Water Resources And Protect Water Rights . 4-3 Objectives ................................... 4-3 Actions ..................................... 4-3 Goal -- Protect And Improve Water Quality ................... 4-4 Objectives ................................... 4-4 Actions . 4-4 Goal -- Coptrol Erosion And Siltation . 4-5 Objectives ................................... 4-5 Actions ..................................... 4-5 Goal -- Protect And Enhance Important Vegetation, Fish, And Wildlife Habitat Values . 4-6 Objectives (Vegetation And Wildlife) ................... 4-6 Objectives (Fishery) ............................. 4-6 Actions ..................................... 4-6 Goal -- Protect And Enhance Visual