Umatilla National Forest Walla Walla Ranger District A October 2001 B TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................5 LIST OF FIGURES......................................................................................................................7 INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................................8 Document Purpose ...................................................................................................................8 Document Organization ..........................................................................................................8 Summary of Findings ..............................................................................................................8 SITE CHARACTERIZATION...................................................................................................10 Location and Setting..............................................................................................................10 Geology, Soils, Topography and Erosion.............................................................................11 Watershed Hydrology............................................................................................................14 Climate.................................................................................................................................14 Water Flows............................................................................................................................15 Stream Network and Riparian Areas ...................................................................................16 Water Quality.......................................................................................................................18 Water Rights and Uses.........................................................................................................18 Fish and Aquatic Habitat......................................................................................................19 Riparian Management Constraints.......................................................................................20 Upland Forest Vegetation......................................................................................................20 Understory and Herbaceous Vegetation...............................................................................22 Disturbance Factors...............................................................................................................22 Fire .......................................................................................................................................22 Defoliating Insects ...............................................................................................................23 Terrestrial Vertebrates..........................................................................................................24 Habitat..................................................................................................................................24 Species .................................................................................................................................24 Management Indicator Species ............................................................................................24 Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive Species..................................................................24 Human Activities and Uses ...................................................................................................25 Native American Affiliated Sites.........................................................................................25 Euro-American Affiliated Sites ...........................................................................................25 Current Land Uses and Activities ........................................................................................27 Federal Trust Responsibilities to Indian Tribes ...............................................................27 Forest Plan Management Areas and Land Uses...................................................................27 Timber Harvest ....................................................................................................................29 Recreation ............................................................................................................................29 Transportation/Travel Routes ..............................................................................................29 Rangeland Forage Resources ..............................................................................................29 Phillips-Gordon Ecosystem Analysis 1 ISSUES AND KEY QUESTIONS..............................................................................................31 Issue I. Hydrology, Aquatic Habitat and Fisheries............................................................31 Upland Forest Sustainability................................................................................................32 Understory and Non-Forest Botanical Resources ................................................................33 Floristic Biodiversity........................................................................................................33 Sensitive Species..............................................................................................................33 Noxious Weeds ................................................................................................................34 Culturally and Economically Significant Plants ..............................................................34 Terrestrial Vertebrate Biodiversity......................................................................................34 Habitat Quantity and Quality ...........................................................................................34 Terrestrial Vertebrate Populations ...................................................................................34 CURRENT AND REFERENCE CONDITIONS FOR SOILS AND GEOLOGY..................35 Erosion Processes.................................................................................................................35 Effects of Timber Harvest and Roads..................................................................................35 Roads....................................................................................................................................35 CURRENT AND REFERENCE CONDITIONS FOR HYDROLOGY...................................37 Current Conditions...............................................................................................................37 Reference Conditions...........................................................................................................40 CURRENT AND REFERENCE CONDITIONS FOR Fish And Aquatic Habitat................42 Overview..............................................................................................................................42 Extinct and Endangered Fish Populations ...........................................................................42 Aquatic Habitat Conditions..................................................................................................43 Analysis of Stream Inventory Data ......................................................................................44 Pool Frequency ................................................................................................................45 Large Wood Frequency....................................................................................................46 Water Temperature ..........................................................................................................46 Stream Channel Roughness .............................................................................................47 Fish Passage Barriers .......................................................................................................47 CURRENT AND REFERENCE CONDITIONS FOR UPLAND FOREST VEGETATION 48 Overview .................................................................................................................................48 Comparison of 1936, 1958, and Current Forest Vegetation ..............................................48 Non-Forest Land Area..........................................................................................................48 Forest Cover Types ..............................................................................................................49 Current Condition ............................................................................................................49 Reference Condition ........................................................................................................49 Comparison......................................................................................................................50 Forest Size Classes...............................................................................................................51 Current Condition ............................................................................................................51 Reference Condition ........................................................................................................51