TABLE OF CONTENTS ACRONYMS USED............................................................................................................................VII EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................X SOME IMPORTANT FINDINGS ................................................................................................................. XI SOME IMPORTANT RECOMMENDATIONS................................................................................................ XII 1. CHARACTERIZATION ...................................................................................................................1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ ...................................... 1 CORE TOPICS ................................................................................................ ......................................... 1 WATERSHED ANALYSIS ORGANIZATION.................................................................................................. 2 WATERSHED HIERARCHY ....................................................................................................................... 2 LAND OWNERSHIP................................................................................................ .................................. 4 LANDSCAPE STRATIFICATIONS................................................................................................................ 4 WATERSHED GEOLOGY .......................................................................................................................... 8 Bedrock and Surficial Geology .........................................................................................................8 Lithology ........................................................................................................................................10 Mining............................................................................................................................................11 Geomorphic Processes....................................................................................................................11 Landslides ......................................................................................................................................12 Slumps and Earthflows....................................................................................................................12 Debris Slides and Debris Avalanches..............................................................................................13 Debris Flows ..................................................................................................................................13 HYDROLOGY................................................................................................ ........................................ 13 STREAM CHANNELS ............................................................................................................................. 17 WATER QUALITY ................................................................................................ ................................. 17 Beneficial Uses...............................................................................................................................18 Critical Water Quality Parameters .................................................................................................18 VEGETATION, DISTURBANCE AND SOILS ............................................................................................... 18 Vegetation ......................................................................................................................................18 Landunit Stratification....................................................................................................................19 Plant Associations ..........................................................................................................................22 Fire and Other Disturbances ..........................................................................................................23 Soils ...............................................................................................................................................26 TERRESTRIAL SPECIES AND HABITAT .................................................................................................... 26 Threatened and Endangered Species ..............................................................................................26 Survey and Manage Species............................................................................................................27 Unique Habitats .............................................................................................................................28 Noxious Weeds ...............................................................................................................................28 AQUATIC SPECIES AND HABITAT........................................................................................................... 31 HUMAN USES ................................................................................................ ....................................... 33 Allocations .....................................................................................................................................33 Timber Production..........................................................................................................................41 Roads .............................................................................................................................................41 Mining............................................................................................................................................41 Recreation......................................................................................................................................41 2. ISSUES & KEY QUESTIONS.........................................................................................................47 SHARPS CREEK WATERSHED ANALYSIS................................................................................................. 47 Issue #1: Erosional Processes......................................................................................................47 Issue #2: Hydrology.....................................................................................................................47 Issue #3: Stream Channel ............................................................................................................48 i Issue #4: Water Quality ...............................................................................................................48 Issue #5: Vegetation, Soils and Disturbance by Fire ....................................................................48 Issue #6: Threatened, Endangered (T&E) and Sensitive Plant and Animal Species ......................49 Issue #7: Wildlife Habitat and Connectivity.................................................................................49 Issue #8: Aquatic Habitat & Species............................................................................................50 Issue #9: Late Successional Reserves...........................................................................................50 Issue #10: Roadless Area...............................................................................................................51 Issue #11: Timber Management .....................................................................................................51 Issue #12: Roads............................................................................................................................51 Issue #13: Minerals Management ..................................................................................................52 3. CURRENT AND REFERENCE CONDITIONS.............................................................................53 EROSIONAL PROCESSES ........................................................................................................................ 53 Geomorphic Processes....................................................................................................................54 Weathered/Altered Volcanic Rock Units .........................................................................................54 Earthflow Terrain ...........................................................................................................................54 Landslides ......................................................................................................................................55 Debris Flows and Disturbance Patterns..........................................................................................59 HYDROLOGY................................................................................................ ........................................ 60 STREAM CHANNELS AND RIPARIAN....................................................................................................... 63 WATER QUALITY ................................................................................................ ................................. 66 VEGETATION, SOILS AND DISTURBANCE ..............................................................................................