United States Department of Cave Rock Management Direction Agriculture Forest Service Pacific Southwest FINAL Environmental Impact Statement Region October 2002 Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit Cave Rock view from boat launch, 1999 Cave Rock Management Plan Final Environmental Impact Statement Prepared for: USDA Forest Service, LTBMU 870 Emerald Bay Road, Ste #1 South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150 Contact: John Maher 530/573-2600 Prepared by: Jones & Stokes 2600 V Street Sacramento, CA 95818-1914 Contact: Sheri Brown 916/737-3000 October 2002 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (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 compliant of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Jones & Stokes. 2002. Cave Rock Management Plan Final Environmental Impact Statement. May. (J&S 14-446.) Sacramento, CA. Prepared for the USDA Forest Service, LTBMU. South Lake Tahoe, CA. Contents Page Tables ...................................................................................................... iv Figures...................................................................................................... v Chapter 1 Purpose and Need for Action ..............................................................1-1 1.1 Introduction..................................................................................1-1 1.2 Preferred Action...........................................................................1-1 1.3 Purpose and Need .......................................................................1-1 1.4 Background..................................................................................1-2 Physical Features ........................................................................1-2 Significance of Cave Rock..........................................................1-2 Administrative Responsibilities .................................................1-4 1.5 Tiering...........................................................................................1-4 1.6 Forest Service Decision-Making and Coordination with other Agencies and Governments ..................................1-5 1.7 Project Components....................................................................1-5 1.8 Reasonably Foreseeable Future Actions ..................................1-6 1.9 Issues to be Considered .............................................................1-8 1.10 Applicable Laws and Policy........................................................1-8 Chapter 2 Alternatives Including the Proposed Action ......................................2-1 2.1 Introduction..................................................................................2-1 2.2 LTBMU Management Direction...................................................2-1 Forest Plan Management Goals .................................................2-1 Forest Plan Management Objectives .........................................2-2 Forest Plan Management Practices ...........................................2-2 Forest Plan Management Prescriptions ....................................2-3 Tribal Relations............................................................................2-3 2.3 Proposed Management Direction for Cave Rock......................2-4 2.4 Alternative Formulation...............................................................2-4 2.5 Alternatives Considered, but Eliminated from Detailed Study...........................................................................2-5 2.6 Alternatives Considered in Detail...............................................2-7 Components Common to All Action Alternatives (Alternatives 2–6) ................................................................2-7 Explanation of the Historic Period .............................................2-7 Alternative 1 .................................................................................2-9 Alternative 2 .................................................................................2-9 Alternative 3 ...............................................................................2-13 Cave Rock Management Plan FEIS May 2002 i J&S 01-446 Alternative 4 ...............................................................................2-15 Alternative 5 ...............................................................................2-15 Alternative 6 ...............................................................................2-16 2.7 Significant Effects and Mitigation Summary, Comparison of Alternatives ...................................................2-17 2.7.1 Geology ............................................................................2-17 2.7.2 Heritage Resources .........................................................2-17 2.7.3 Land Ownership...............................................................2-22 2.7.4 Recreation: Climbing.......................................................2-22 2.7.5 Recreation: General.........................................................2-23 2.7.6 Social Effects ...................................................................2-23 2.7.7 Wildlife ..............................................................................2-25 Chapter 3 Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences ......................................................................................3-1 3.1 Introduction..................................................................................3-1 3.2 Geology ........................................................................................3-1 3.2(a) Affected Environment......................................................3-1 3.2(b) Environmental Consequences, Including Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Effects....................3-3 3.3 Heritage Resources .....................................................................3-8 3.3(a) Affected Environment......................................................3-8 3.3(b) Environmental Consequences, Including Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Effects..................3-15 3.4 Landownership ..........................................................................3-27 3.4(a) Affected Environment....................................................3-27 3.4(b) Environmental Consequences, Including Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Effects..................3-28 3.5 Recreation: Climbing.................................................................3-30 3.5(a) Affected Environment....................................................3-30 3.5(b) Environmental Consequences, Including Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Effects..................3-36 3.6 Recreation: General (Nonclimbing)..........................................3-43 3.6(a) Affected Environment....................................................3-43 3.6(b) Environmental Consequences, Including Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Effects..................3-45 3.7 Social/Civil Rights Impact Analysis .........................................3-49 3.7(a) Affected Environment....................................................3-49 3.7(b) Environmental Consequences, Including Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Effects..................3-52 3.8 Wildlife ........................................................................................3-56 3.8(a) Affected Environment....................................................3-56 3.8(b) Environmental Consequences, Including Direct, Indirect, and Cumulative Effects..................3-66 3.9 Relationship Between Short-Term Uses of Man’s Environment, and Maintenance and Enhancement of Long-Term Productivity ............................3-71 3.10 Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitments of Resources................................................................................3-72 Cave Rock Management Plan FEIS May 2002 ii J&S 01-446 Chapter 4 Public Participation, Consultation and Coordination with Other Governments, Issues Considered, and Responses to Public Comment...........................................................4-1 Coordination and Consultation Efforts ..............................................4-1 Issues Considered................................................................................4-3 Issue 1 – Cultural and Historic Resources................................4-3 Issue 2 – Privacy..........................................................................4-3 Issue 3 – Cave Rock as Sacred Site...........................................4-3 Issue 4 – Land Ownership...........................................................4-3 Issue 5 – Climbing Access..........................................................4-4 Response to Public Comment on the Draft EIS.................................4-4 List of Respondents and Index Numbers..................................4-4 Chapter 5 Letters Received During Public Comment Period.............................5-1 List of Respondents and Page Numbers............................................5-1 Chapter 6 References Cited