Environmental Assessment For Travel Management Project Responsible Agency: US Forest Service, Ouachita National Forest Responsible Official: Norman L. Wagoner, Forest Supervisor PO Box 1270 Hot Springs, AR 71902 For Further Information Contact: Lisa Cline, Forest NEPA Coordinator 501-321-5202 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 ...................................................................................................................... 1 PURPOSE OF AND NEED FOR THE PROPOSED ACTION ................................... 1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 1 Proposed Action ................................................................................................................ 1 Purpose of and Need for the Action ................................................................................ 6 Scope of This Environmental Analysis ........................................................................... 8 History of the Planning and Scoping Process ................................................................. 8 Significant Issues ............................................................................................................ 9 Non-significant Issues Eliminated From Further Study ................................................. 9 Effects Disclosed .......................................................................................................... 11 Decisions to Be Made ...................................................................................................... 11 CHAPTER 2 .................................................................................................................... 12 ALTERNATIVES INCLUDING THE PROPOSED ACTION ................................. 12 Alternative Design ........................................................................................................... 12 Technical Requirements................................................................................................ 12 Monitoring .................................................................................................................... 14 Alternatives Considered But Eliminated from Detailed Study .................................. 15 Alternatives Documented in Detail................................................................................ 15 Amendment to the Revised Forest Plan ........................................................................ 22 Other Past, Present, and Reasonably Foreseeable Future Actions ............................ 23 Summary Comparison All Alternatives........................................................................ 24 CHAPTER 3 .................................................................................................................... 29 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES .... 29 Recreation ........................................................................................................................ 29 Local Economy ................................................................................................................ 33 i Public Health and Safety ................................................................................................ 36 Transportation System ................................................................................................... 37 Heritage Program/Cultural Resources ......................................................................... 40 Soils................................................................................................................................... 42 Spread of Non-native Invasive Species ......................................................................... 47 Water Resources & Quality, Municipal Watersheds, Riparian Areas ...................... 48 Proposed, Endangered, Threatened, & Sensitive (PETS) Species ............................. 69 Habitat and Management Indicator Species (MIS) ................................................... 235 CHAPTER 4 .................................................................................................................. 268 PERSONS AND AGENCIES CONSULTED ............................................................. 268 CHAPTER 5 .................................................................................................................. 269 LITERATURE CITED ................................................................................................ 269 APPENDICES ............................................................................................................... 274 ii LISTING OF FIGURES & TABLES Figure 1. Ouachita National Forest vicinity map. ......................................................... 2 Proposed Action - Designated Road Use (Table 1.1) ..................................................... 3 Proposed Action - Designated Trail Use (Table 1.2) ...................................................... 3 Proposed Action - Open Roads to be Closed (Table 1.3) .............................................. 4 Proposed Action - Changes to the Current Transportation System (Table 1.4)......... 4 Proposed Action - Game Retrieval (Table 1.5) .............................................................. 5 Proposed Action - Camping Access (Table 1.6) ............................................................. 5 Figure 2. Damaged seep located adjacent to FS Road 31 and a dispersed campsite. 7 Priority Subwatersheds (Table 2.1) ............................................................................... 13 Wolf Pen Gap Subwatersheds (Table 2.2) .................................................................... 13 Arkansas Fatmucket Subwatersheds (Table 2.3) ......................................................... 14 Alternative A - Designated Road Use (Table 2.4) ........................................................ 16 Alternative A - Designated Trail Use (Table 2.5) ......................................................... 16 Alternative A - Game Retrieval (Table 2.6) ................................................................. 16 Alternative D - Designated Road Use (Table 2.7) ........................................................ 17 Alternative D - Designated Trail Use (Table 2.8) ......................................................... 17 Alternative D - Open Roads to be Closed (Table 2.9) .................................................. 17 Alternative D - Game Retrieval (Table 2.10) ............................................................... 17 Alternative E - Designated Road Use (Table 2.11) ...................................................... 18 Alternative E - Designated Trail Use (Table 2.12) ....................................................... 18 Alternative E - Open Roads to be Closed (Table 2.13) ................................................ 18 Alternative E - Game Retrieval (Table 2.14) ................................................................ 18 Alternative F - Designated Road Use (Table 2.15) ....................................................... 19 Alternative F - Designated Trail Use (Table 2.16) ....................................................... 19 Alternative F - Open Roads to be Closed (Table 2.17) ................................................ 19 Alternative F - Game Retrieval (Table 2.18) ................................................................ 19 Alternative G - Designated Road Use (Table 2.19) ...................................................... 20 Alternative G - Designated Trail Use (Table 2.20) ...................................................... 20 Alternative G - Open Roads to be Closed (Table 2.21) ............................................... 20 Alternative G - Game Retrieval (Table 2.22) ............................................................... 20 iii Alternative H - Designated Road Use (Table 2.23) ...................................................... 21 Alternative H - Designated Trail Use (Table 2.24) ...................................................... 21 Alternative H - Open Roads to be Closed (Table 2.25) ............................................... 21 Alternative H - Game Retrieval (Table 2.26) ............................................................... 21 Seasonal Use Route Exceptions (Table 2.27) ................................................................ 22 Comparison of Resulting Transportation System by Alternative (Table 2.28) ........ 24 Comparison of Transportation System Change by Alternative (Table 2.29) ..........