United States Department of Aquatics Specialist Agriculture Forest Report Service Four Forest Restoration Initiative Flagstaff Ranger District, Coconino National Forest, Coconino County, Arizona. Williams and Tusayan Ranger District, Kaibab National Forest Mogollon and Red Rock Ranger Districts – small acreages included Date: October 26, 2011 Revision Date: September 4, 2014 October 29, 2014 Prepared by: Michael R. Childs, Forest Fisheries Biologist Signature: /s/ Michael R. Childs 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 4 Methodology .......................................................................................................................................... 4 Regulatory Requirements ....................................................................................................................... 4 Purpose and Need ....................................................................................................................................... 6 Existing and Desired Conditions ............................................................................................................... 6 Forest Structure and Spatial Pattern ....................................................................................................... 6 Forest Structure – Old Growth................................................................................................................ 9 Forest Health – Insect and Disease ....................................................................................................... 11 Vegetation Diversity and Composition ................................................................................................. 13 Forest Resiliency .................................................................................................................................. 17 Soil Productivity and Watershed Function............................................................................................ 18 Roads and Unauthorized Routes ........................................................................................................... 22 Decision Framework............................................................................................................................. 23 Other Planning Efforts .......................................................................................................................... 23 Relationship to the Forest Plans ........................................................................................................... 23 Management Direction ......................................................................................................................... 23 Alternatives Considered in Detail ............................................................................................................ 28 Alternative A ........................................................................................................................................ 28 Alternative B ........................................................................................................................................ 28 Alternative C ........................................................................................................................................ 28 Alternative D ........................................................................................................................................ 28 Alternative E ......................................................................................................................................... 28 Actions Common to Alternatives (B–E) .................................................................................................. 29 Alternative B – Proposed Action .............................................................................................................. 36 Amendment 1 (Coconino) .................................................................................................................... 36 Amendment 2 (Coconino) .................................................................................................................... 36 Amendment 3 (Coconino) .................................................................................................................... 37 Alternative C – Preferred Alternative ..................................................................................................... 38 Amendment 1 (Coconino) .................................................................................................................... 39 Amendment 2 (Coconino) .................................................................................................................... 39 Amendment 3 (Coconino) .................................................................................................................... 39 Alternative D ............................................................................................................................................. 41 Amendment 1 (Coconino) .................................................................................................................... 42 Amendment 2 (Coconino) .................................................................................................................... 42 Amendment 3 (Coconino) .................................................................................................................... 42 Alternative E.............................................................................................................................................. 44 Affected Environment............................................................................................................................... 49 Restoration Units and Subunits ............................................................................................................ 49 Special Status Fish Species’ Natural History and Occurrence.............................................................. 54 Threatened and Endangered Species .................................................................................................... 56 Candidate Species ................................................................................................................................. 58 Forest Service Sensitive Species .......................................................................................................... 59 Management Indicator Species............................................................................................................. 62 Environmental Consequences .................................................................................................................. 68 Units of Measure .................................................................................................................................. 68 2 General Direct Effects of Vegetation Management and Prescribed Fire (Common to Alternatives B-E) .............................................................................................................................................................. 73 General Indirect Effects of Vegetation Management and Prescribed Fire (Common to Alternatives B- E) .......................................................................................................................................................... 73 General Direct and Indirect Effects of Wildfire (Common to Alternatives B-E) ................................. 74 Direct and Indirect Effects of Spring Restoration (Common to Alternatives B-E) .............................. 74 Direct and Indirect Effects of Stream Restoration (Common to Alternatives B-E) ............................. 76 Direct and Indirect Effects of Road Restoration and Decommissioning (Common to Alternatives B-E) .............................................................................................................................................................. 77 Direct and Indirect Effects of Dust Abatement (Common to Alternatives B-E) .................................. 78 Resource Protection Measures ................................................................................................................. 79 Cumulative Effects .................................................................................................................................... 86 Effects of Forest Plan Amendments on Aquatic Species and Habitat .................................................. 98 Effects of Alternatives on Aquatic Habitat ............................................................................................. 99 Species Effects ......................................................................................................................................... 112 Threatened, Endangered, and Candidate Species ............................................................................... 112 Candidate Species ............................................................................................................................... 119 Forest Sensitive Species ..................................................................................................................... 125 Roundtail Chub (Gila robusta) ..........................................................................................................