Powder River Subbasin Plan May 28, 2004 Prepared for the Northwest Power and Conservation Council Lead Writer M. Cathy Nowak, Cat Tracks Wildlife Consulting Subbasin Team Leader Doni Clair, Baker County Association of Conservation Districts Powder River Subbasin Plan Table of Contents 1. Executive Summary................................................................................................................. 8 2. Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 11 2.1 Description of Planning Entity ...................................................................................... 11 2.2. List of Participants......................................................................................................... 11 2.3. Stakeholder Involvement Process.................................................................................. 13 2.4. Overall Approach to the Planning Activity ................................................................... 13 2.5. Process and Schedule for Revising/Updating the Plan.................................................. 14 3. Subbasin Assessment ............................................................................................................ 14 3.1. Subbasin Overview........................................................................................................ 15 3.1.1. General Description............................................................................................... 15 3.1.2. Subbasin Existing Water Resources...................................................................... 20 3.1.3. Identification of Hydrologic and Ecologic Trends in the Subbasin....................... 25 3.1.4. Regional Context................................................................................................... 30 3.2. Focal Species Characterization and Status .................................................................... 31 3.2.1 Native/Non-native Wildlife, Plant and Resident/Anadromous Fish of Ecological Importance............................................................................................................................. 31 3.2.2 Focal Species Selection ......................................................................................... 41 3.2.3. Aquatic Focal Species Population Delineation and Characterization ................... 42 3.2.3 – A Redband Trout................................................................................................... 42 3.2.3 – B Bull Trout .......................................................................................................... 48 3.2.4. Terrestrial Focal Species Population Delineation and Characterization ............... 60 3.2.5 Plant Focal Species.......................................................................................................85 3.3. Out-of-Subbasin Effects ................................................................................................ 87 3.3.1 Aquatic .................................................................................................................. 87 3.3.2. Terrestrial .............................................................................................................. 88 3.4 Environment/Population Relationships ......................................................................... 89 3.4.1 Aquatic .................................................................................................................. 89 3.4.2 Terrestrial .............................................................................................................. 89 3.4.3 Interspecies Relationships ................................................................................... 119 3.5 Identification and Analysis of Limiting Factors/Conditions ....................................... 120 3.5.1. Description of Historic Factors Leading to Decline of Focal Species/Ecological Function-Process – Aquatic................................................................................................. 120 3.5.2. Description of Historic Factors Leading to Decline of Focal Species/Ecological Function-Process – Terrestrial............................................................................................. 121 3.6 Synthesis/Interpretation............................................................................................... 122 3.6.1. Subbasin-wide Working Hypothesis – Aquatic................................................... 122 3.6.2. Terrestrial Assessment Synthesis ........................................................................ 124 3.6.3. Desired Future Conditions – Aquatic .................................................................. 135 3.6.4. Desired Future Conditions – Terrestrial .............................................................. 136 3.6.5. Opportunities ....................................................................................................... 136 4. Inventory of Existing Activities (Private, Local, State, Federal) ........................................ 140 4.1. Existing Legal Protection ............................................................................................ 140 4.2. Existing Plans .............................................................................................................. 142 4.3. Existing Management Programs.................................................................................. 144 4.4. Existing Restoration and Conservation Projects ......................................................... 145 4.5. Gap Assessment of Existing Protections, Plans, Programs and Projects..................... 145 5. Management Plan ................................................................................................................ 146 5.1. Vision for the Subbasin ............................................................................................... 146 5.2 Biological Objectives .................................................................................................. 146 5.3. Prioritized Strategies ................................................................................................... 147 5.3.1 Aquatic Species ................................................................................................... 147 5.4. Consistency with ESA/CWA Requirements ............................................................... 148 5.5 Research, Monitoring and Evaluation ......................................................................... 148 6. Appendices .......................................................................................................................... 156 6.1 Appendix 1: References .............................................................................................. 156 6.2 Appendix 2: Species Tables .............................................................................................. 166 6.3 Appendix 3: Comprehensive Species Accounts................................................................ 183 6.3.1 Sage Grouse......................................................................................................... 183 6.3.2 Pronghorn ............................................................................................................ 194 6.3.3 American Marten................................................................................................. 197 6.3.4 Olive-sided Flycatcher......................................................................................... 200 6.3.5 Blue Grouse......................................................................................................... 205 6.3.6 White-headed Woodpecker ................................................................................. 210 6.3.7 Mountain Goat..................................................................................................... 216 6.3.8 Bald Eagle ........................................................................................................... 226 6.3.9 Yellow Warbler ................................................................................................... 236 6.3.10 American Beaver................................................................................................. 241 6.3.11 Columbia Spotted Frog........................................................................................ 243 6.3.12 Great Blue Heron................................................................................................. 259 6.3.13 Ruffed Grouse ..................................................................................................... 270 6.4 Appendix 4: QHA Output Tables................................................................................ 274 List of Tables Table 1. Powder River subbasin planning team ........................................................................... 12 Table 2. Notable streams in the Powder subbasin, Oregon, and their points of confluence with the Powder River or its tributaries............................................................................................... 20 Table 3. Principal aquifers in the Powder River subbasin, Oregon............................................... 23 Table 4. Powder subbasin, Oregon, 303(d) listed stream segments and parameters of concern... 24 Table 5. Modes of thermally induced cold-water fish mortality ..................................................