Teton River Canyon Resource Management Plan U.S. Department of the Interior Pacific Northwest Region Snake River Area Office December 2006 Teton River Canyon Resource Management Plan u.s. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation Approved: a Manager Date " ake River Area Office Bo ;~, 1""0 ~ Date ~~~~Pacific Northwest Region Boise, Idaho This Resource Management Plan was prepared by EDA W, CH2M Hill, and JP A under contract for the Department ofthe Interior, Bureau of Reciamation, Pacific Northwest Region. Point of Contact: Robert "Hap" Boyer, Resource Manager Snake River Area Office 1359 Hansen Avenue Burley, ID 83318 (208) 678-0461 MISSION STATEMENT THE MISSION OF THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION IS TO MANAGE, DEVELOP, AND PROTECT WATER AND RELATED RESOURCES IN AN ENVIRONMENTALLY AND ECONOMICALLY SOUND MANNER IN THE INTEREST OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC. VISION STATEMENT THROUGH LEADERSHIP, USE OF TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, EFFICIENT OPERATIONS, RESPONSIVE CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THE CREATIVITY OF PEOPLE, RECLAMATION WILL SEEK TO PROTECT LOCAL ECONOMIES AND PRESERVE NATURAL RESOURCES AND ECOSYSTEMS THROUGH THE EFFECTIVE USE OF WATER. T E T O N R I V E R C A N Y O N R E S O U R C E M A N A G E M E N T P L A N CONTENTS Chapter 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 1-1 1.1 RMP Program and Policy...................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Purpose and Scope of the Plan .............................................................................. 1-1 1.3 Location and Description of the RMP Study Area................................................ 1-2 1.4 Project Summary ................................................................................................... 1-5 Chapter 2 Existing Conditions ...................................................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Natural Resources.................................................................................................. 2-1 2.1.1 Climate & Air Quality............................................................................... 2-1 2.1.2 Topography & Geology............................................................................. 2-1 2.1.3 Soils........................................................................................................... 2-2 2.1.4 Water Quality & Contaminants................................................................. 2-5 2.1.5 Vegetation & Wetlands ............................................................................. 2-8 2.1.6 Wildlife Resources .................................................................................. 2-14 2.1.7 Aquatic Biology ...................................................................................... 2-18 2.1.8 Threatened & Endangered Species.......................................................... 2-19 2.2 Visual Resources ................................................................................................. 2-24 2.2.1 Overview ................................................................................................. 2-24 2.2.2 Key Observation Points........................................................................... 2-25 2.3 Cultural Resources .............................................................................................. 2-31 2.4 Indian Sacred Sites .............................................................................................. 2-33 2.5 Indian Trust Assets.............................................................................................. 2-34 2.5.1 Shoshone-Bannock Tribes....................................................................... 2-34 2.5.2 The Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Indians................................... 2-35 2.5.3 Summary of Reserved Rights of Federally Recognized Tribes .............. 2-35 2.6 Socioeconomics................................................................................................... 2-35 Chapter 3 Existing Land Use and Management.......................................................................... 3-1 3.1 Land Status & Management.................................................................................. 3-1 3.1.1 Project Facilities and General Operations................................................. 3-1 3.1.2 Land Use & Land Status .......................................................................... 3-1 3.1.3 Wild & Scenic River Review .................................................................... 3-8 3.2 Public Services & Utilities .................................................................................... 3-8 3.3 Recreation & Public Access.................................................................................. 3-9 3.3.1 Public Access ............................................................................................ 3-9 3.3.2 Recreation Sites & Use Areas ................................................................. 3-10 3.3.3 Primary Activities & Use Levels............................................................. 3-12 3.3.4 Outfitter/Guide Use ................................................................................. 3-15 December 2006 T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S 1i1 T E T O N R I V E R C A N Y O N R E S O U R C E M A N A G E M E N T P L A N Chapter 4 RMP Planning Process................................................................................................. 4-1 4.1 Overview ............................................................................................................... 4-1 4.2 Public Involvement Program................................................................................. 4-2 4.2.1 Newsbriefs................................................................................................. 4-2 4.2.2 Public Meetings......................................................................................... 4-2 4.2.3 World Wide Web....................................................................................... 4-3 4.2.4 News Releases........................................................................................... 4-3 4.2.5 Public Outreach Video .............................................................................. 4-3 4.3 Tribal Consultation................................................................................................ 4-3 4.3.1 Overview of Government-to-Government Consultation with Tribes......................................................................................................... 4-3 4.3.2 National Historic Preservation Act Requirements .................................... 4-3 4.3.3 Indian Trust Assets.................................................................................... 4-4 4.3.4 Indian Sacred Sites .................................................................................... 4-4 4.3.5 Other Laws and Regulations ..................................................................... 4-4 4.4 Agency Coordination ............................................................................................ 4-5 Chapter 5 Resource Management................................................................................................. 5-1 5.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 5-1 5.2 Goals, Objectives, and Management Actions ....................................................... 5-2 5.2.1 Land Use & Management (LUM) ............................................................. 5-2 5.2.2 Natural Resources (NAT).......................................................................... 5-8 5.2.3 Cultural Resources (CUL)....................................................................... 5-11 5.2.4 Indian Trust Assets (ITA)........................................................................ 5-13 5.2.5 Recreation, Access, and Visual Quality (RAV) ...................................... 5-14 5.2.6 Interpretation, Education, & Information (IEI) ....................................... 5-17 Chapter 6 Implementation Program ............................................................................................ 6-1 6.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 6-1 6.2 Implementation Components ................................................................................ 6-1 6.2.1 Management Actions................................................................................. 6-1 6.2.2 Priority....................................................................................................... 6-1 6.2.3 Related Management Actions ................................................................... 6-1 6.2.4 Timing and Sequencing............................................................................. 6-2 6.2.5 Involved Agency ....................................................................................... 6-2 6.2.6 Monitoring................................................................................................. 6-2 6.3 Amending and Updating the RMP ........................................................................ 6-2 6.3.1 Amending Information in the RMP........................................................... 6-2 6.3.2 Updating the RMP....................................................................................