DownriverDownriver FireFire && FuelFuel ManagementManagement PlanPlan Photo by Andrew Harp Prepared for Trinity County Resource Conservation District Prepared by Kenneth C. Baldwin Registered Professional Forester December 31, 2005 Downriver Fire & Fuels Management Plan Prepared by Kenneth C. Baldwin, RPF #1855 PO Box 40 Douglas City, CA 96024 (530) 623-3208 Prepared for Trinity County Resource Conservation District PO Box 1450 Weaverville, CA 96093 (530) 623-6004 Funded by US Department of Agriculture—US Forest Service National Fire Plan Economic Action Program December 31, 2005 Contract Number 03-DG-11051456-045 i TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW .......................................................................................1 PURPOSE...........................................................................................................................................................1 LOCATION ........................................................................................................................................................2 COMMUNITIES ..................................................................................................................................................2 LAND OWNERSHIP............................................................................................................................................2 TOPOGRAPHY ...................................................................................................................................................3 CLIMATE AND FIRE WEATHER .........................................................................................................................3 PAST FIRES AND PRESENT THREATS................................................................................................................4 Past Fires ...................................................................................................................................................4 Present Threats ..........................................................................................................................................6 FIRE HAZARD SEVERITY: HAZARD, RISK AND VALUES AT RISK ....................................................................9 Fire Hazard................................................................................................................................................9 Fire Risk...................................................................................................................................................10 Trinity River..........................................................................................................................................10 South Fork of Trinity River...................................................................................................................11 Friday Ridge/Madden Creek.................................................................................................................12 Values at Risk...........................................................................................................................................12 FIRE SUPPRESSION RESOURCES......................................................................................................................14 WATER RESOURCES FOR FIRE SUPPRESSION...................................................................................................17 ROAD SYSTEM (FIRE ACCESS) .......................................................................................................................20 State Route 299 ...........................................................................................................................................20 US Forest Service Roads.............................................................................................................................21 Trinity County Roads ..................................................................................................................................21 Private Roads & Driveways ........................................................................................................................21 Road Descriptions .......................................................................................................................................22 Gray Flat Area..........................................................................................................................................22 Hawkins Bar Area (Denny Road) ............................................................................................................23 SuzyQ Area ..............................................................................................................................................25 Salyer Roadside Rest Area.......................................................................................................................26 Oden Flat Area .........................................................................................................................................26 Salyer Area...............................................................................................................................................27 Salyer Loop Road .................................................................................................................................27 Fountain Ranch Road............................................................................................................................28 Hudson Creek Area (Campbell Ridge Road)...........................................................................................29 South Fork Road & Connecting Roads....................................................................................................31 Friday Ridge Road Area...........................................................................................................................34 CHAPTER 2. CULTURAL & NATURAL RESOURCES ........................................................................36 CULTURAL RESOURCES .................................................................................................................................36 GEOLOGY .......................................................................................................................................................37 SOILS ..............................................................................................................................................................38 VEGETATION TYPES.......................................................................................................................................43 PLANTS ...........................................................................................................................................................44 NOXIOUS WEEDS.............................................................................................................................................45 WILDLIFE AND FISH .......................................................................................................................................47 Threatened and Endangered Species & Species of Concern ...................................................................47 Wildlife.....................................................................................................................................................51 Downriver Fire & Fuel Management Plan Kenneth C. Baldwin, CA Registered Professional Forester #1855 12/31/05 ii Fish...........................................................................................................................................................51 CHAPTER 3. RECOMMENDED WILDFIRE DEFENSE PROJECTS .................................................53 A. SIX RIVERS NATIONAL FOREST WILDFIRE PRE-FIRE PROJECTS ..............................................................54 1 - Completed Projects.............................................................................................................................56 2 - Partially Completed Projects..............................................................................................................56 3 – Planned Projects ................................................................................................................................57 B. AREA-WIDE PROJECTS .............................................................................................................................58 Project 1 - Area-Wide Ridgetop Shaded Fuelbreaks ...............................................................................58 Project 2 - Roadside Shaded Fuelbreaks .................................................................................................60 A. SR 299...............................................................................................................................................60 B. Gray Flat (Ranch) Area....................................................................................................................60 C. Hawkins Bar Area ............................................................................................................................60 D. Salyer Area.......................................................................................................................................61 E. Hudson Creek Area ..........................................................................................................................61