u.s. FISH & WILDLIFE United States Department of the Interior SERVICE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE Washington Fish and Wildlife Office Central Washington Field Office 215 Melody Lane, Suite 119 Wenatchee, WA 98801 . September 28, 2009 In Reply Refer To: USFWS Reference: 13260-2009-F-0128 Hydrologic Unit Code: 17-02-00-08, Middle Methow and lower Chewuch Rivers Mike Liu, District Ranger Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Methow Valley Ranger District 24 West Chewuch Road Winthrop, Washington 98862 Dear Mr. Liu: This correspondence transmits the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's (Service) biological opinion, which is based on our review of the Cub Allotment Management Plan Renewal (Project), located in Okanogan County, Washington. Representing the U.S. Forest Service, you requested initiation of formal consultation regarding anticipated adverse effects from the proposed Project on the Columbia River interim recovery unit of the bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus). The attached biological opinion describes the effects of the Project on the bull trout in accordance with Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). The Service received your letter requesting initiation of formal consultation and the final Biological Assessment for the Project on July 20,2009. Informal consultation regarding effects of the Project on listed species of terrestrial wildlife was completed on July 30, 2009 (Service ref. 13260-2009-1-0127). These materials and a complete record for this consultation are on file in our Central Washington Field Office. Our analysis of Project effects in the attached biological opinion leads us to conclude that implementation of the proposed Project will not jeopardize the continued existence of the bull trout. The incidental take statement accompanying our biological opinion provides the U.S. Forest Service with an exemption from the Section 9 prohibitions described in the Endangered Species Act. Please note that this incidental take statement also includes mandatory "reasonable and prudent measures" and "terms and conditions" that are designed to minimize incidental take. We also offer several "conservation recommendations" that are non-binding and are designed to minimize risks to listed species associated with Project implementation. Mike Liu 2 Thank you for helping to conserve listed species. If you have questions about this biological opinion or your responsibilities under the Endangered Species Act, please contact Karl Halupka of the Central Washington Field Office in Wenatchee at (509) 665-3508 xlI or via e-mail at [email protected]. Sincerely, i=::~~ Washington Fish and Wildlife Office Enclosure cc: Cameron Thomas, u.S. Forest Service, Supervisor's Office, Wenatchee, WA Justin Ye'ager, NOAA Fisheries, Ellensburg, WA Send by E-mail: Suzanne Audet, Eastern Washington Field Office, USFWS, Spokane, WA John Grettenberger, Washington Fish and Wildlife Office, USFWS, Lacey, WA Gene Shull, u.S. Forest Service, Methow Valley Ranger District, Winthrop, WA Stuart Woolley, U.S. Forest Service, Supervisor's Office, Wenatchee, WA BIOLOGICAL OPINION for the Cub Allotment Management Plan Renewal U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forest Methow Valley Ranger District 24 West Chewuch Road Winthrop, Washington 98862 USFWS Reference Number: 13260-2009-F-0128 Cross Reference: 13260-2009-1-0127, 13260-2009-B-0015 Hydrologic Unit Code: 17-02-00-08, Middle Methow and Lower Chewuch Rivers Prepared by: Karl Halupka, Fish and Wildlife Biologist U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Central Washington Field Office, Wenatchee, Washington Issued by: -~4f¥4v len S. Berg, Manager Washington Fish and Wildlife Office Lacey, Washington TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................... iii INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 1 CONSULTATION HISTORY ................................................................................................................... 2 BIOLOGICAL OPINION .......................................................................................................................... 3 1.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................................ 3 1.1 Definition of the Action Area ........................................................................................................ 5 2.0 STATUS OF THE SPECIES FOR BULL TROUT ...................................................................... 8 2.1 Listing Status and Distribution ...................................................................................................... 8 2.2 Current Status and Conservation Needs ........................................................................................ 9 2.3 Jarbidge River ............................................................................................................................... 9 2.4 Klamath River ............................................................................................................................. 10 2.5 Columbia River ........................................................................................................................... 10 2.6 Coastal-Puget Sound ................................................................................................................... 11 2.7 St. Mary-Belly River ................................................................................................................... 11 2.8 Life History and Population Dynamics ....................................................................................... 12 2.9 Consulted-on Effects ................................................................................................................... 12 3.0 ENVIRONMENTAL BASELINE ................................................................................................ 13 3.1 Environmental Baseline for the Methow Core Area ................................................................... 14 3.2 Environmental Baseline in the Middle Methow Watershed ........................................................ 24 3.3 Environmental Baseline in the Chewuch Watershed .................................................................. 27 3.4 Global Climate Change ............................................................................................................... 35 3.5 Likelihood of Species Presence in the Action Area .................................................................... 37 4.0 EFFECTS OF THE ACTION ...................................................................................................... 37 4.1 Direct Injury or Mortality ............................................................................................................ 39 4.2 Effects to Habitat Indicators ........................................................................................................ 46 4.3 Responses of Bull Trout to Habitat Effects ................................................................................. 51 4.4 Integration of Direct Effects and Indirect Habitat Effects ........................................................... 51 4.5 Concurrent Effects ....................................................................................................................... 52 5.0 CUMULATIVE EFFECTS .......................................................................................................... 52 6.0 CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................. 53 INCIDENTAL TAKE STATEMENT ..................................................................................................... 55 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 55 2. Anticipated Amount or Extent of Take of Bull Trout ................................................................... 55 3. Effect of the Take .......................................................................................................................... 57 4. Reasonable and Prudent Measures ................................................................................................ 57 5. Terms and Conditions ................................................................................................................... 57 6. Reporting Requirements ................................................................................................................ 58 CONSERVATION RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................................ 59 REINITIATION NOTICE ....................................................................................................................... 60 LITERATURE CITED ............................................................................................................................ 61 APPENDIX A: Bull Trout Life History and Population Dynamics .................................................... 69 APPENDIX B: Projects subject to prior Section 7 consultation in the Middle Methow Watershed 93 APPENDIX C: Projects subject to prior Section 7 consultation in the Chewuch Watershed .......... 94 ii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose