Rowell Creek/Mill Creek/Rickreall Creek/Luckiamute River Watershed Analysis Marys Peak Resource Area Salem District, Bureau of Land Management 1717 Fabry Road Salem, OR 97306 503-375-5646 September 1998 Core Team Members Gary Licata Team Leader & Amy Haynes Riparian Specialist Wildlife Biologist Dick Bergen Road Engineer Tom Tomczyk Soil Scientist & Ron Exeter Botanist Fire/Fuel Specialist Effie Frazier Fisheries Biologist Gary Humbard Human Resources Patrick Hawe Hydrologist Specialist Support Team Members Phil Sjoding GIS Analyst Jack Delaini Writer/Editor Clark Tiecke Initial Team Leader Kathy Barry U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Diane Morris Silviculturist LSRA Representative Warren Tausch AMA Coordinator David Haney GIS Support Bill Power Erosional Processes Mark Koski GIS Support Brad Keller Natural Resources Staff Bob Saunders Natural Resources Staff Administrator Administrator ________________________ ____________ John Bacho Date Marys Peak Resource Area Manager The analysis portion of this project was conducted from summer 1997 through spring 1998. A first iteration of this document was completed in September 1998. The analysis generally follows the federal guide for watershed analysis (Version. 2.2, August 95) although some modifications were made, such as combining chapters to reduce redundancies. This is a document which is still evolving and will be updated as new information becomes available. The data in this document were the best available, although in some cases there were little relevant data available. Management opportunities for this analysis area must be considered in light of the checkerboard land ownership pattern of BLM- administered land; cooperative programs with adjacent ownerships are necessary to achieve optimum results in restoration opportunities. No warranty is made as to the accuracy, reliability or completeness of the data or maps contained herein. TABLE OF CONTENTS Title Page Preface ........................................................................... iii (List of) Maps ....................................................................... v (List of) Tables ..................................................................... vii (List of) Figures ................................................................... viii Acronyms ......................................................................... ix Executive Summary ............................................................... ES-1 Chapter I: Characterization .......................................................... C-1 Location & Size ............................................................. C-1 Land Tenure ................................................................ C-1 Land Use Allocations ......................................................... C-5 Landscape Relationships ...................................................... C-9 Dominant Features and Processes .............................................. C-13 Chapter II: Issues & Key Questions ................................................ I&KQ-1 Chapter III: Reference & Current Conditions ....................................... R&CC-1 Land Tenure ........................................................... R&CC-1 Soils ................................................................. R&CC-2 Hydrology ............................................................. R&CC-6 Vegetation ........................................................... R&CC-14 Fire & Forest Uplands ............................................ R&CC-14 Riparian Reserves ............................................... R&CC-18 Stream Channels ....................................................... R&CC-24 Water Quality ......................................................... R&CC-28 Species & Habitats ..................................................... R&CC-37 Plant Habitat ................................................... R&CC-37 Plant Species ................................................... R&CC-41 Fish Habitat .................................................... R&CC-42 Fish Species .................................................... R&CC-49 Wildlife Habitat ................................................. R&CC-52 Wildlife Species ................................................. R&CC-54 Human Uses .......................................................... R&CC-58 Commodity Forest Products ........................................ R&CC-58 Transportation Management ....................................... R&CC-63 Recreation ..................................................... R&CC-67 Chapter IV: Synthesis/Interpretation, & Management Recommendations ................. SI&MR-1 Land Tenure ........................................................... SI&MR-1 Soils ................................................................. SI&MR-2 Hydrology, Stream Channels & Water Quality ................................ SI&MR-5 Vegetation ............................................................ SI&MR-8 Fire & Forest Uplands ............................................. SI&MR-8 Riparian Reserves ............................................... SI&MR-10 Species & Habitats ..................................................... SI&MR-12 Plants ......................................................... SI&MR-12 Fish ........................................................... SI&MR-13 Wildlife ........................................................ SI&MR-16 Human Uses .......................................................... SI&MR-20 Commodity Forest Products ........................................ SI&MR-20 Transportation .................................................. SI&MR-21 Recreation ..................................................... SI&MR-22 IDT Management Recommendations ....................................... SI&MR-23 References ....................................................................... R-1 Appendices (List of) Appendices ......................................................... A-1 Appendix I. Seral Stage vs. Ownership ........................................ A-2 Appendix II. Rural Interface Areas ............................................ A-5 Appendix III. Erosional Processes ............................................. A-7 Appendix IV. Natural Fire Processes ........................................... A-9 Appendix V. Riparian Reserve Project Design: Factors to Consider ................. A-11 Appendix VI. Special Status Species Summary and Table for Terrestrial Wildlife in the Marys Peak Resource Area ................................ A-13 Appendix VII. Appropriate Silvicultural Management Activities .................... A-22 Appendix VIII. Transportation Definitions ...................................... A-32 Appendix IX. Road Project Recommendations .................................. A-33 Appendix X. Road Stream Crossing Projects Criteria ............................. A-37 Map (11" X 17") Packet ........................................................... M-1 Preface The Northwest Forest Plan (NFP) is a regional ecosystem management plan which was initiated in 1994 by federal land management agencies. The plan requires that watershed analyses be completed on all federal lands within the range of the northern spotted owl. Watershed analysis provides the foundation-laying data structure needed to support the ecosystem management objectives described in the NFP. It also enhances the agencies’ abilities to move away from species and site-specific management, and towards systems management. Although watershed analysis is not a decision-making process, the results of a watershed analysis establish the context for subsequent decision-making processes, including planning, project development, and regulatory compliance. Most NFP watershed analyses focus on one fifth-field watershed and the subwatersheds located within it. This watershed analysis, however, will focus on seven subwatersheds located within the following four fifth- field watersheds (listed from N to S): the South Yamhill River, Mill Creek, Rickreall Creek, and the Luckiamute River. All of the lands, both federal and private, contained within the four adjacent fifth-field watersheds will be referred to as the “megawatershed area” (See Map 1, p. C-2); the seven conterminous subwatersheds, which contain 96% of the BLM lands within the megawatershed, will be collectively referred to as the “analysis area” (See Map 2, p. C-3). Where appropriate, specific watersheds or subwatersheds will be referenced if actions, their impacts, or other issues warrant a more detailed approach. The primary reasons for combining four fifth-field watersheds into one analysis are (1) the small amount of federal ownership, primarily Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands, and (2) the fragmented nature of this ownership. It was also felt that the ecology and issues within the upland forest environment associated with these watersheds are not significantly different to justify separate analyses. If pivotal differences surface during the course of this analysis, then it may be necessary in future analyses to further subdivide this boundary. This analysis is tiered to the following documents (for full citations, see “References”): 1. Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement on Management of Habitat for Late- successional and Old-growth Forest Related Species within the Range of the Northern Spotted Owl, Vols. I and II. (The Northwest Forest Plan). (USDA-USDI 1994b) 2. Salem District Record of Decision and Resource Management