Hjlls Creek Watershed Analysis Willamette National Forest Rigdon Ranger District February 1998 c Watershed Analysis Team Ken Kestner, Deborah L.Quintana, Wildlife Biologists Tri-team Leader/ Editor and Ginger Cr~g, Botanist Terrestrial Coordinator Val Rogers, Hydrology Technician Aquatic Coordinator Laura Hoffman, GIS Specialist GIS Coordinator Contributors: Frank Fay, Forester/Planner Deborah Quintana, Wildlife Barbara Ledbetter, Hydrology Technician Mark Leverton, Geologist Charlie Rasler, Fire Specialist Nikki Swanson, Fisheries Biologist Denise Hann, Fisheries Biologist ( Table of Contents ········ · ······· ········· ··· ··········· ··············~··!'-9··~ ······· ············-················ · ························· 1 Location····························--··········-······....... _. ............................................................................... 1 Management Direction .................................................................................... , .............................. 1 Doc11111ent Format... ........................................................................................................................ I CHA.RAC1E"RIZA TI0 N ...................................................................................................... 4 Land Management Plan...... ............................................................................................................. 4 Human Uses ............................................................................................-----·························· .. 6 Recreation: ................................................ ................................................................................... 6 Stratification of the Watershed. ...................................................................................................... 7 Stratification Factors .................................................................................................................... 7 Strata .Descriptions ....................................................................................................................... IS General Assumptions for Analysis ...........- ................................................................................... 17 ( ISSUES AND KEY UESTIONS ...................................................................................._.• 18 Issue: Aquatic Condition ............................................................................ -·······-·····.. ····-···-···· 18 Issue: V eaetation Pattern au.d Condition. .................................................................................... 18 Issue: l1111ber Harvest................................. _ ......................................- ..................................... 19 REFERENCE, CU'RRENT A.ND 'fRE'ND ••••••••.••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••.•••••••.•• 20 Key Question AQl: Is the trajectory of upland vegetation condition likely to facilitate desired trends in peak Oow disturban.u patterns?..... ............................................................................... 20 Trajectory of Upland Vegetation Condition .................................................................................. 20 Peak Flow Disturbance Patterns .................................................................................................. 21 Key Question AQ2: Is the projected mass wasting frequency likely to lead to desired trends in sediment input and habitat condition?.... ...................................................................................... 23 Forest Mass Wasting Inventory ........ ........................................................................................... 23 CoiDputed Frequency .................................................................................................................. 25 Results .................... ................... :: .............................................................................................. 25 Trends in Mass Wasting Rate ...................................................................................................... 26 Results ....................................................................................................................................... 26 Key Question AQ3: Are roads interacting with upland disturbance processes to affect stream \ channel conditions through input of sediment and water? ........................................................... 28 Hills Creek Watershed Analysis Road Related Mass Wasting Inventory ......................................................................................... 28 Results ........................................................................................................................................ 31 Fine Sediment from Roads .......................................................................................................... 31 Water Input From Roads ............................................................................................................. 31 Key Question AQ4: Are riparian vegetation conditions and trends meeting desired stream temperatures, sediment, and availability of large wood for fish habitat? ........................................ 32 Trends in .Riparian Seral Stage .......................................... .. ... ........................ ............................. 32 Airphoto Analysis and Records of Riparian Salvage Logging ....................................................... 32 Effects on Stream Temperatures .................................................................................................. 34 Effects on Sediment .................................................................................................................... 35 Effects on the Availability of Large Wood ................................................................................... 36 Key Question AQS: Are artificial barriers or culverts affecting connectivity of fish habitat?••••• 37 Results ....................................................................................................................................... 37 Key Question VEl: Given the historic disturbance regimes and current conditions, what landscape patterns could be projected with current management direction? .............................. 38 Sera! Stage Distribution .............................................................................................................. 38 Fire and Landscape Patterns ................. _. ..................................................................................... 39 Riparian Reserve Vegetation Condition and Connectivity ...........................................,. ........ ....... 42 ( Key Question VE2: Bow do those projected patterns affect ecological functions such as LWD, dispersal and species distribution within this 5t11 field watershed? ............................................... 48 Large Woody Debris ......................................................................... .......................................... 48 Dispersal .................................................................................................................................... 49 Wildlife Communities and Species ................................................................. .............................. 52 Key Question VEJ: Are road locations and densities meeting management objectives for elk emphasis areas, special habitats and noxious weed management? ............................................... 58 Elk E01phasis Areas .................................................................................................................... 58 Special Habitats ......................................................................................... .. ............................... 58 Noxious Weeds ........................................................................................................................... 58 Matrix ........................................................................................................................................ 60 Hydrologic Recovery: ................................................................................................................. 62 Elk .............................................................................................................. ............................... 64 Fisheries and Aquatics ............................................................................. ................................... 64 Retention of 15% Old Growth ........................................... ........................... ............................... 65 SY~SIS ····················································································································-····· 66 Key Question AQl: Is the trajectory of upland vegetation condition likely to facilitate desired trends in pea.lt flow disturbance patterns?.. ................................................................................... 66 u Hills Creek Watershed Analysis Key Question AQ2: Is the projected mais wasting frequency likely to lead to desired trends in sediment in.put and habitat condition?.... ...................................................................................... 66 Trends in the Character of Sediment Input ................................................................................... 66 Desirability of Treads in Sedilneot Input .....................................................................................