USD United States A Department of Agriculture Black Hills Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region National Forest Black Hills National Forest Custer, South Dakota Phase I Amendment 2001 Management Plan Land and Resource 1997 Environmental Assessment BLACK HILLS NATIONAL FOREST LAND AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN PHASE I AMENDMENT 2001 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT MAY 2001 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. CONTENTS Definition of Acronyms and Terms Used in this Document........................................i Species Discussed in this Document .......................................................................iii 1-1. BACKGROUND................................................................................................1 1-2. LOCATION.......................................................................................................3 1-3. PURPOSE AND NEED FOR ACTION............................................................3 1-4. DECISION TO BE MADE................................................................................4 1-5. PROPOSED ACTION.......................................................................................4 1-6. NFMA SIGNIFICANCE EVALUATION........................................................6 1-7. ISSUES AND CONCERNS...............................................................................7 1-8. SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 1 AND PREVIEW OF REMAINING CHAPTERS.......................................................................................................8 2-1. CHAPTER 2 INTRODUCTION..................................................................... 11 2-2. ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED BUT ELIMINATED FROM FURTHER DETAILED STUDY........................................................................................ 11 2-2.1. ADOPT THE SETTLEMENT NEGOTIATION MEASURES...................................... 11 2-2.2. ALTERNATIVE WITH MORE PROTECTIVE MEASURES FOR WILDLIFE AND PLANT SPECIES ....................................................................................................... 12 2-2.3. ALTERNATIVE TO ACHIEVE THE 1997 REVISED FOREST PLAN OUTPUTS FOR TIMBER, LIVESTOCK, AND MOTORIZED RECREATIONAL ACCESS ................... 15 2-2.4. COMPLETE JUST ONE AMENDMENT TO THE FOREST PLAN ............................. 16 2-3. ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED AND ANALYZED IN DETAIL ............ 16 2-3.1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 16 2-3.2. ALTERNATIVE 1 ........................................................................................... 17 2-3.3. ALTERNATIVE 2 ........................................................................................... 17 2-3.4. ALTERNATIVE 3 ........................................................................................... 19 2-4. SCIENTIFIC INTERVIEWS AND ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT.... 20 2-5. FEATURES COMMON TO ALL ALTERNATIVES................................... 23 2-5.1. LEVEL OF STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES....................................................... 23 2-5.2. GEOGRAPHIC AREA...................................................................................... 23 2-6. COMPARISON OF ALTERNATIVES.......................................................... 24 2-7. MONITORING ............................................................................................... 29 2-7.1. MANAGEMENT INDICATOR SPECIES AND SENSITIVE SPECIES MONITORING ... 29 2-7.2. SENSITIVE PLANT MONITORING.................................................................... 30 2-7.3. LIVESTOCK GRAZING ................................................................................... 31 2-7.4. BMP EFFECTIVENESS................................................................................... 31 3-1. CHAPTER 3 INTRODUCTION..................................................................... 33 3-1.1. ANALYSIS METHODS.................................................................................... 34 3-1.2. ANALYSIS ASSUMPTIONS.............................................................................. 35 3-2. FORESTED ECOSYSTEMS.......................................................................... 37 3-2.1. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................ 37 3-2.2. DIRECT AND INDIRECT EFFECTS ON FORESTED ECOSYSTEMS......................... 40 3-2.3. CUMULATIVE EFFECTS ON FORESTED ECOSYSTEMS ...................................... 55 3-3. INSECTS AND DISEASES............................................................................. 58 3-3.1. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................ 58 3-3.2. DIRECT AND INDIRECT EFFECTS ON INSECTS AND DISEASES .......................... 58 3-3.3. CUMULATIVE EFFECTS ON INSECTS AND DISEASE ......................................... 63 3-4. FIRE................................................................................................................. 64 3-4.1. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................ 64 3-4.2. DIRECT AND INDIRECT EFFECTS ON FIRE....................................................... 64 3-4.3. CUMULATIVE EFFECTS ON FIRE .................................................................... 66 3-5. SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS....................................... 67 3-5.1. SCOPE OF THE ANALYSIS .............................................................................. 67 3-5.2. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................ 68 3-5.3. DIRECT AND INDIRECT EFFECTS.................................................................... 72 3-5.4. CUMULATIVE EFFECTS ................................................................................. 84 3-6. WILDLIFE RESOURCES.............................................................................. 85 3-6.1. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................ 85 3-6.2. MODELS AND ASSUMPTIONS......................................................................... 85 3-6.3. DIRECT AND INDIRECT EFFECTS ON WILDLIFE............................................... 88 3-6.4. CUMULATIVE EFFECTS ON WILDLIFE .......................................................... 127 3-7. WATERSHED AND WATER RESOURCES.............................................. 129 3-7.1. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT .......................................................................... 129 3-7.2. DIRECT AND INDIRECT EFFECTS ON WATERSHED AND WATER RESOURCES.. 132 3-7.3. CUMULATIVE EFFECTS ON WATERSHED AND WATER RESOURCES ............... 138 3-8. FISHERIES RESOURCES........................................................................... 139 3-8.1. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT .......................................................................... 139 3-8.2. DIRECT AND INDIRECT EFFECTS ON FISHERIES ............................................ 141 3-8.3. CUMULATIVE EFFECTS ON FISHERIES.......................................................... 146 3-9. BOTANICAL RESOURCES ........................................................................ 146 3-9.1. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT .......................................................................... 148 3-9.2. DIRECT AND INDIRECT EFFECTS ON BOTANICAL RESOURCES....................... 148 3-9.3. CUMULATIVE EFFECTS ON BOTANICAL RESOURCES .................................... 157 3-10. RANGE.......................................................................................................... 160 3-10.1. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT .......................................................................... 160 3-10.2. DIRECT AND INDIRECT EFFECTS ON RANGE................................................. 162 3-10.3. CUMULATIVE EFFECTS ON RANGE .............................................................. 171 3-11. NOXIOUS WEEDS ....................................................................................... 172 3-11.1. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT .......................................................................... 172 3-11.2. DIRECT AND INDIRECT EFFECTS ON NOXIOUS WEEDS ................................. 172 3-11.3. CUMULATIVE EFFECTS ON NOXIOUS WEEDS............................................... 174 3-12. RECREATION.............................................................................................. 175 3-12.1. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT .......................................................................... 175 3-12.2. DIRECT AND INDIRECT EFFECTS ON RECREATION........................................ 175 3-12.3. CUMULATIVE EFFECTS ON RECREATION ..................................................... 177 3-13. TRANSPORTATION AND TRAVEL ......................................................... 177 3-13.1. AFFECTED