USDA Forest Service Tahoe National Forest District Yuba River Ranger District OTHER BOTANICAL RESOURCE ASSESSMENT Yuba Project 08/01/2017 Prepared by: Date: Courtney Rowe, District Botanist TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 TNF Watch List Botanical Species ........................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Summary of Analysis Procedure .................................................................................................. 2 1.3 Project Compliance ..................................................................................................................... 2 2 Special Status Plant Communities ....................................................................................................... 5 2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 5 2.2 Project Compliance ..................................................................................................................... 5 3 Special Management Designations ..................................................................................................... 6 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 6 3.2 Project Compliance ..................................................................................................................... 6 4 References .......................................................................................................................................... 6 Appendix A. Maps ....................................................................................................................................... 1 Appendix B. Botanical Resource Protection Plan ........................................................................................ 1 LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES Table 1. TNF Watch List Botanical Species .................................................................................................. 1 Table 2. Analysis Procedure for Watch List Species .................................................................................... 2 Table 3. Yuba Pass willowherb occurrences in project area ....................................................................... 3 Table 4. Three-ranked hump-moss occurrences in project area ................................................................. 4 Table 4. RNA on Tahoe National Forest (USDA Forest Service 2004a) ........................................................ 6 Other Botanical Resource Assessment—Yuba Project 1 TNF WATCH LIST BOTANICAL SPECIES 1.1 INTRODUCTION The Tahoe National Forest (TNF) maintains a watch list of botanical species (plants, lichen, and fungi) that of conservation concern, but have not been designated as Forest Service Sensitive (FSS) by the Regional Forester. This list includes species that are newly described; locally rare; range extensions or disjunct populations; plants of specific public interest; or species with too little information to determine their appropriate status. These species make an important contribution to forest biodiversity and should be protected under the provisions of the National Forest Management Act (NFMA) (1976). According to the Regional Forester, Watch List species should be considered during project planning with corresponding documentation maintained in the planning file (USDA Forest Service 2006). Table 1. TNF Watch List Botanical Species Species / Community Common name Habitat Known in project area Allium jepsonii Jepson’s onion 900-4,400’, foothill woodland, lower montane coniferous forest, serpentine or volcanic soils Allium sanbornii var. congdonii Congdon’s onion 1,000-5,000’, serpentine soils Allium sanbornii var. sanbornii Sanborn’s onion 1,000-5,000’, serpentine soils Arctostaphylos mewukka ssp. truei True’s manzanita 2,500-6,000’, chaparral and lower montane coniferous forest Arctostaphylos nissenana Nissenan manzanita 1,500 to 3,500’, chaparral/closed-cone pine forest Calochortus clavatus var. avius clubhair mariposa lily 3,000-5,800’, forest edges (ARRD), lava cap Calystegia vanzuukiae Van Zuuk’s morning- 1640-3875’, serpentine/gabbro soils glory Cardamine pachystigma var. serpentine bittercress Openings below 6,900’ dissectifolia Carex davyi Davy’s sedge 4,800-10,600’, subalpine/red fir forest Carex lasiocarpa woolly fruit sedge 1,900-6,900’, fens, wet areas Carex limosa mud sedge 4,000-8,700’, fens, wet areas Carex praticola meadow sedge 1,600-10,500’, meadows/wet areas Carex sheldonii Sheldon’s sedge 4,000-5,000’, wet areas Ceanothus arcuatus Arching ceanothus 1,900’, 7,025’, serpentine soils Chlorogalum grandiflorum red hills soaproot 800-4,100’, serpentine soils Clarkia biloba ssp. brandegeae Brandegee’s claria <3,100’, forest edges/openings Clarkia mildrediae ssp. lutescens Mildred’s clarkia <5,750’, woodland/forest edges Clarkia mildrediae ssp. mildrediae Mildred’s clarkia 800-5,650’, woodland/forest edges Claytonia megarhiza alpine springbeauty Above 8,000’, talus/rock crevices Corallorhiza trifida yellow coralroot 4,450-5,750’, wet areas Darlingtonia californica California pitcherplant Below 8,500’, wetlands/riparian Drosera angelica English sundew Below 7,000’, wetlands/riparian Epilobium howellii Yuba Pass willowherb 6,000-9,000’, wetlands/riparian X Epilobium luteum yellow willowherb 4,900-5,600’, wetland areas Erigeron petrophyllus var. sierrensis northern Sierra daisy 900-5,700’, serpentine soils Eriogonum umbellatum var. ahartii Ahart’s buckwheat Below 6,600’, serpentine soils Eremogone cliftonii Clifton’s eremogone 1,490-5,850’, opening in Chaparral, montane coniferous forest Glyceria grandis American mannagrass Below 6,890’, riparian/wetland Hemieva ranunculifolia buttercup-leaf suksdorfia 4,900’, 8,200’, riparian/wetland Horkelia parryi Parry’s horkelia Below 3,400’ openings/edges Lilium humboldtii ssp. humboldtii Humboldt lily 1,500-4,200’, forest edges/openings Lycopus uniflorus northern bugleweed Below 6,600’, wetland/riparian Meesia longiseta meesia moss All elevations, wetland/riparian areas Page 1 of 7 Other Botanical Resource Assessment—Yuba Project Species / Community Common name Habitat Known in project area Meesia triquetra meesia moss 4,200-9,700’, primarily fens X Micranthes howellii Howell’s saxifrage Below 3,000’, wetland/riparian areas Mimulus glaucescens shieldbract monkeyflower Below 4,100’, forest edges/openings Mimulus laciniatus cutleaf monkeyflower 3,300-8,700’, seeps in granite Oreostemma elatum Plumas alpine aster 3,200-6,700’, wetland/riparian areas Packera eurycephala var. lewisrosei Lewis’ groundsel 900-6,200’, serpentine soils Penstemon sudans Susanville beardtongue 3,900-8,000‘, edges/openings Perideridia bacigalupi Mother Lode yampah 1,400-3,400’, serpentine soils Piperia colemanii Coleman’s piperia 3,900-7,600’, coniferous forest Potamogeton praelongus whitestem pondweed 5,900-9,850, wetlands Pseudostellaria sierrae pseudostellaria 4,000-7,200’, forest edges/openings Rhamnus alnifolia alderleaf buckthorn 4,500-7,000’, wetland/riparian areas Rhynchospora alba white beaksedge 150-6,700, wetlands/riparian areas Rhynchospora capitellata brownish beaksedge 150-6,600 wetlands/riparian areas Sanicula tracyi Tracy’s blacksnakeroot 300-5,200’, openings/edges Schoenoplectus subterminalis swaying bulrush 2,400-7,400’, wetlands Scutellaria galericulata marsh skullcap 4,000-7,000’, streambanks Sidalcea gigantea giant checkerbloom 2,100-6,400’, wetland/riparian areas Sedum albomarginatum Feather River stonecrop 850-6,400’, riparian/river canyons Silene occidentalis ssp. longistipitata western catchfly 3,200-6,600’, forest edges/openings Silene occidentalis ssp. occidentalis western catchfly 4,000-6,900’, forest edges/openings Sphagnum species peat moss All elevations, fens/ peatlands X Stachys pilosa hairy hedgenettle 3,900-5,850’, wetland/riparian areas Stellaria obtusa Rocky Mountain 5,200-6,600’, forest edges/openings X checkweed Stuckenia filiformis fineleaf pondweed 980-7,055’, wetlands Tonestus eximius Lake Tahoe serpentweed 8,000-10,000’, granitic areas Utricularia minor lesser bladderwort Above 1,500’, shallow water Veronica cusickii Cusick’s speedwell Above 6,500’, moist soils The purpose of this section is to document consideration of TNF Watch List species that may be impacted by activities proposed in the Yuba project. If necessary, it may also contain recommended protection measures to prevent Watch List species from being elevated to the Forest Service Sensitive species list. The project is described in detail in the Yuba Project Environmental Assessment. 1.2 SUMMARY OF ANALYSIS PROCEDURE The following table provides an outline of the analysis procedure used to analyze the effects to Watch List Species. Table 2. Analysis Procedure for Watch List Species Not Analysis Component Yes No applicable 1. Were surveys conducted for Watch List species within the project area? X 2. Were Watch List species found within the project area? X 3. Is there the potential for negative impacts to Watch List species from project X implementation? 4. Were management requirements incorporated into project design? X 1.3 PROJECT COMPLIANCE 1.3.1 Survey adequacy Page 2 of 7 Other Botanical Resource Assessment—Yuba Project Most of the project area was surveyed and surveys