Cow Mountain Recreation Area Implementation Plan INCLUDING: NORTH COW MOUNTAIN RECREATION AREA & SOUTH COW MOUNTAIN OHV MANAGEMENT AREA BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT UKIAH FIELD OFFICE Contents Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... 1 1.0 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 2 1.1 Purpose & Need ............................................................................................................... 3 1.2 Location & Background ................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Cow Mountain Recreation Area Management Objectives ............................................... 4 Objective 1 ............................................................................................................................... 4 Objective 2 ............................................................................................................................... 4 Objective 3 ............................................................................................................................... 4 Objective 4 ............................................................................................................................... 5 Objective 5 ............................................................................................................................... 5 1.4 Conformance with Land Use Plans .................................................................................. 5 Ukiah Field Office RMP applicable recreation goals: ............................................................. 5 Ukiah Field Office RMP applicable recreation management actions: .................................... 6 1.5 ISSUES & PUBLIC SCOPING ....................................................................................... 7 Scoping .................................................................................................................................... 7 Issues Selected for Analysis .................................................................................................... 9 Issues Considered, but not Analyzed ..................................................................................... 10 2.0 Proposed Management Plan ............................................................................................... 12 2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 12 North Cow Mountain ............................................................................................................. 13 South Cow Mountain ............................................................................................................. 13 Sheldon Creek Unit ............................................................................................................... 14 2.2 Proposed Management Plan Outline .............................................................................. 14 Direct Facilities Management ................................................................................................ 15 Support Facilities Management ............................................................................................. 27 Support Systems Management .............................................................................................. 34 2.3 Multi-use Resource Management........................................................................................ 47 Geology and Soil Resources .................................................................................................. 47 Water Resources .................................................................................................................... 47 Air Quality ............................................................................................................................. 48 Wastes, Hazardous and Solid ................................................................................................ 48 Abandoned Mine Lands......................................................................................................... 50 Cultural & Historic Resources ............................................................................................... 50 Climate................................................................................................................................... 60 Wildlife, Fish & TES ............................................................................................................. 60 Lands & Acquisition .............................................................................................................. 65 Cow Mountain Recreation Area Fire Prevention .................................................................. 67 Recreational Opportunity Management ................................................................................. 71 3.0 Public Participation ............................................................................................................ 80 4.0 References ............................................................................................................................... 81 5.0 Glossary .................................................................................................................................. 83 6.0 Acronyms ........................................................................................................................... 87 Appendix A: Cow Mountain Maps ............................................................................................... 88 A.1 Cow Mountain Recreation Area ......................................................................................... 88 A.2 North Cow Mountain Recreation Area .............................................................................. 89 A.3 South Cow Mountain Recreation Area .............................................................................. 94 A.4 Sheldon Creek Unit .......................................................................................................... 100 Appendix B: Cow Mountain Travel Management..................................................................... 103 B.1 Cow Mountain Linear Feature Designations .................................................................... 103 B.2 North Cow Mountain Linear Features: Development ...................................................... 107 B.3 North Cow Mountain Trail Bank...................................................................................... 107 B.4 South Cow Mountain Linear Features: Applicable Closures ........................................... 107 B.5 South Cow Mountain Linear Features: Reroute ............................................................... 108 B.6 South Cow Mountain Linear Features: Trails Development ............................................ 108 B.7 Sheldon Creek Unit Linear Features: Trails Development .............................................. 108 B.8 South Cow Mountain Trail Bank...................................................................................... 109 B.9 Cow Mountain Recreation Area Trail Signage ................................................................ 110 Route Closure Signs ............................................................................................................ 111 Enclosed Loop Signs ........................................................................................................... 111 Example sign placement along a linear 2.78 mile trail: ...................................................... 112 Sign Placement .................................................................................................................... 112 Examples of sign placement: ............................................................................................... 113 B.10 I/RMP South Cow Mountain Trail Numbering Cross Reference................................... 117 Appendix C: Geology and Soil Plan ........................................................................................... 119 C.1 North Cow Mountain Soil Suitability ............................................................................... 135 C.2 South Cow Mountain Soil Suitability ............................................................................... 136 Appendix D: Recreation Opportunity Spectrum........................................................................ 137 D.1 North Cow SRMA ROS Designations per Ukiah RMP (2006) ................................... 138 D.2 South Cow SRMA ROS Designations per Ukiah RMP (2006) ................................... 141 Appendix E: South Cow Mountain Recreation Area Wet Weather Closure Policy .................. 144 Appendix F: Recreational Shooting ........................................................................................... 145 F.1 Bureau of Land Management Recreational Shooting IM ................................................. 145 Appendix G: List of Preparers .................................................................................................... 150 Appendix H: South Cow Mountain Trail Condition Survey ...................................................... 151 Appendix I: Soil Conservation Plan & Trail Monitoring Protocol ............................................