U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Vale District Office 100 Oregon Street Vale, Oregon 97918 September 1993 Main, West Little and North Fork Owyhee National Wild and Scenic Rivers Management Plan and_Environmental Assessment As the Nation's principal conservation agency, the Department of the Interior has responsibility for most of our nationally owned public lands and natural resources. This includes fostering the wisest use of our land and water resources, protecting our fish and wildlife, preserving the environmental and cultural values of our national parks and historical places, and providing for the enjoyment of life through outdoor recreation. The Department assesses our energy and mineral resources and works to assure that their development is in the best interest of all our people. The Department also has a major responsibility for American Indian reservation communities and for people who live in Island Temtories under U.S. administration. BLM/OR/WA/PL-93/38+1792 United States Department of the Interior BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT Vale District Office I 00 Oregon Street IN REPLY REFER TO: Vale, Oregon 97918 SEP I 0 1993 Dear River User: Enclosed for your review is the Final Management Plan and Environmental Assessment for the Main, West Little, and North Fork Owyhee Rivers. This plan and the environmental assessment included herein are the result of a long and careful process of public involvement, issue identification, objective setting, action planning, and impact analysis. The final plan differs significantly from the draft both in terms of format and detail. We have attempted to articulate more clearly the relationship of issues, objectives and management actions, and have organized the document in a way that we hope will be easier for individuals to extract and consider the information contained within. Decision: It is my decision that this management plan be adopted and implemented as proposed. This plan will provide for the protection and enhancement of the outstandingly remarkable values for which these rivers were designated Wild and Scenic. Appeals Process: Within 30 days of receipt of this decision, you have the right to protest to the Vale District Manager and there after appeal to the Board of Land Appeals, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of the Interior, in accordance with the regulations of 43 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 4.400. Any protest to the Vale District Manager must be filed in writing in the Vale District BLM Office, 100 Oregon Street, Vale Oregon, 97918. If no protest or appeals are filed this decision will become effective and be implemented in 30 days. Sincerely yours, n;::,lor Jordan Resource Area Manager United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Vale District Office 100 Oregon Street Vale, Oregon 97918 Main, West Little and North Fork Owyhee National Wild and Scenic Rivers Management Plan and Environmental Assessment September 1993 iii To Vale I I Scale Unknown U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management VALE DISTRICT National Wild and Scenic Owyhee River System 1992 LOWER Burns Jet. OREGON I. NEVADA LEGEND Wild River Scenic Waterway Recreation Site To McDermitt iv Finding of No Significant Impacts (OR-030-92-11) I have reviewed Environmental Assessment OR-030-92-11 and find that the environmental impacts of the preferred alternative have been properly and completely addressed. On the basis of this environmental assessment, I have determined that implementation of the preferred alternative will not significantly impact the human environment and that the preparation of an environmental impact statement is not required. __z!l-/J?___ _ Datt-~ v Table of Contents CHAPTER ONE - INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 1 Overview ................................................................................................................................. 2 Legislative Background ........................................................................................................... 3 Outstandingly Remarkable Values/Special Attributes ............................................................ 4 Management Planning Process ............................................................................................... 9 Conformance with Land Use Plans ....................................................................................... 10 Summary of Public Involvement .......................................................................................... 10 Management Guidelines and Standards ................................................................................ II Management Guidelines Common to Wild, Scenic and Recreational Rivers ...................... 11 Management Constraints ....................................................................................................... 13 Issues ..................................................................................................................................... 15 CHAPTER TWO- MANAGEMENT DIRECTION ..................................................................... 23 Desired Future Conditions .................................................................................................... 24 Management Goals ................................................................................................................ 25 Management Objectives, Actions and Rationale ................................................................. 26 CHAPTER THREE- MONITORING ........................................................................................... 43 Monitoring ............................................................................................................................. 44 Monitoring Table ................................................................................................................... 45 CHAPTER FOUR- IMPLEMENTATION .................................................................................... 53 Overview ............................................................................................................................... 54 Implementation Schedule and Cost Summary Table ............................................................ 54 CHAPTER FIVE- ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ............................................................ 55 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 56 Purpose and Need .................................................................................................................. 56 Management Alternatives ...................................................................................................... 56 Affected Environment ........................................................................................................... 72 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................................... 95 Cumulative Impacts ............................................................................................................... 99 Mitigation .............................................................................................................................. 99 Irreversible And Irretrievable Commitment of Resources .................................................... 99 APPENDICES ............................................................................................................................... 125 Planning Participants ........................................................................................................... 127 Law, Policy, References ...................................................................................................... 129 Glossary ............................................................................................................................... 131 Related Federal, State, and Local Management Responsibilities ....................................... 137 Oregon State Scenic Waterway Program ............................................................................ 143 Memorandum of Understanding between BLM, OSPD and USPS ................................... 149 Land Acquisition Parcels ..................................................................................................... 153 Recreation Opportunity Spectrum, Limits of Acceptable Change & Visual Resource Management ........................................................................................ 155 Legal Descriptions of Administrative Boundaries .............................................................. 159 Maps .................................................................................................................................... 195 vi Summary This document was created by the Vale District Office of the Bureau of Land Management to establish a comprehensive set of actions to direct and guide future management of the Main, West Little and North Fork Owyhee Rivers. The intent of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, and the primary goal of this plan, is to maintain the free-flowing character of this river system and protect and enhance its outstandingly remarkable values (ORVs). The level of planning of this document provides the framework and authority for site specific or project planning within the river system. This final management plan and environmental assessment (EA) OR-030-92-11