United States Resurrection River Department of Agriculture Landscape Assessment Forest Service Seward Ranger District, October 2010 Chugach National Forest Exit Glacier, courtesy of Kenai Fjords National Park. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (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). 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Landscape Assessment Table of Contents Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................1 Purpose ............................................................................................................................................................1 The Analysis Area ...........................................................................................................................................2 Watershed Characterization .............................................................................................................................6 Lands ...............................................................................................................................................................6 Geology Minerals and Soil ..............................................................................................................................6 Hydrology ......................................................................................................................................................10 Vegetation and Ecology .................................................................................................................................19 Botany and Weeds .........................................................................................................................................21 Fire and Fuels ................................................................................................................................................21 Aquatic Species and Habitats ........................................................................................................................21 Terrestrial Species and Habitats ....................................................................................................................23 Heritage Resources ........................................................................................................................................26 Recreation ......................................................................................................................................................27 Key Issues and Questions ................................................................................................................................28 Lands .............................................................................................................................................................29 Geology, Minerals and Soils .........................................................................................................................29 Hydrology ......................................................................................................................................................29 Vegetation and Ecology .................................................................................................................................29 Botany and Weeds .........................................................................................................................................30 Issue: Non-native Plants ..................................................................................................................................30 Issue: Sensitive and Rare Plants .....................................................................................................................30 Fire and Fuels ................................................................................................................................................30 Aquatic Species and Habitats ........................................................................................................................30 Terrestrial Species and Habitats ....................................................................................................................31 Heritage Resources ........................................................................................................................................32 Recreation ......................................................................................................................................................32 Current Conditions ..........................................................................................................................................32 Lands .............................................................................................................................................................32 Geology and Minerals ...................................................................................................................................33 Soils ...............................................................................................................................................................35 Hydrology ......................................................................................................................................................51 Vegetation and Ecology .................................................................................................................................56 Botany and Weeds .........................................................................................................................................57 Fire and Fuels ................................................................................................................................................60 Aquatic Species and Habitats ........................................................................................................................62 Terrestrial Species and Habitats ....................................................................................................................69 Heritage Resources ........................................................................................................................................91 Recreation ......................................................................................................................................................92 Reference Conditions .......................................................................................................................................96 Lands .............................................................................................................................................................96 Geology Minerals and Soil ............................................................................................................................96 Hydrology ......................................................................................................................................................98 Vegetation and Ecology .................................................................................................................................99 i Resurrection River Botany and Weeds .........................................................................................................................................99 Fire and Fuels ..............................................................................................................................................100 Aquatic Species and Habitats ......................................................................................................................100 Terrestrial Species and Habitats ..................................................................................................................101 Heritage Resources ......................................................................................................................................104 Recreation ....................................................................................................................................................104 Synthesis and Interpretation .........................................................................................................................104 Lands ...........................................................................................................................................................105 Geology Minerals and Soil ..........................................................................................................................105