United States Department of Environmental Assessment Agriculture Forest Service Byway Lakes Enhancement Project August 2013 Hell Canyon Ranger District, Black Hills National Forest Custer & Pennington Counties, South Dakota T02S, R05E Sections 11 T02S, R06E Sections 27, 28 T03S, R05E Sections 15, 22 Horsethief Lake 1938 For Information Contact: David Pickford 330 Mt. Rushmore Road Custer, SD 57730 Phone: (605) 673-4853 Email: [email protected] 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.) 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Table of Contents SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................................... i CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................1 Document Structure ...................................................................................................................1 Background .................................................................................................................................1 Location .......................................................................................................................................2 Management Direction ...............................................................................................................4 Purpose and Need for Action .....................................................................................................5 Purposed Action..........................................................................................................................5 Decision Framework ..................................................................................................................6 Public Involvement .....................................................................................................................6 Issues ............................................................................................................................................6 CHAPTER 2: COMPARISON OF ALTERNATIVES, INCLUDING THE PROPOSED ACTION ..........................................................................................................................................9 Alternatives Considered in Detail .............................................................................................9 Alternative 1 – No Action ......................................................................................................9 Alternative 2 – Modified Proposed Action ...........................................................................9 Design Criteria ..........................................................................................................................12 Alternatives Not Considered in Detail ....................................................................................12 Comparison of Alternatives .....................................................................................................13 CHAPTER 3: AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES .......................................................................................................................14 Hydrology and Fisheries ..........................................................................................................14 Affected Environment ........................................................................................................... 14 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................................... 17 ALTERNATIVE 1 – NO ACTION ...................................................................................... 17 ALTERNATIVE 2 – MODIFIED PROPOSED ACTION ................................................... 17 Cumulative Effects for All Alternatives ................................................................................ 20 Heritage .....................................................................................................................................21 Affected Environment ........................................................................................................... 21 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................................... 23 ALTERNATIVE 1 – NO ACTION ...................................................................................... 23 ALTERNATIVE 2 – MODIFIED PROPOSED ACTION ................................................... 23 Cumulative Effects for All Alternatives ................................................................................ 23 Wildlife ......................................................................................................................................23 Affected Environment ........................................................................................................... 23 Norbeck Wildlife Preserve Focus Species ............................................................................. 26 Management Indicator Species (MIS) ................................................................................... 27 Species of Local Concern (SOLC)......................................................................................... 29 Threatened and Endangered Species .................................................................................... 31 Region 2 Sensitive Species (R2 SS) ....................................................................................... 31 Migratory Birds ..................................................................................................................... 33 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................................... 33 Norbeck Wildlife Preserve Focus Species ............................................................................. 33 Management Indicator Species (MIS) ................................................................................... 35 Species of Local Concern (SOLC)......................................................................................... 36 Threatened and Endangered Species .................................................................................... 37 Region 2 Sensitive Species (R2 SS) ....................................................................................... 37 Recreation ................................................................................................................................ 40 Affected Environment ........................................................................................................... 40 Bismarck Lake ....................................................................................................................... 41 Lakota Lake ........................................................................................................................... 42 Horsethief Lake ..................................................................................................................... 44 Project Area Special Use Permits ......................................................................................... 45 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................................... 46 ALTERNATIVE 2 – MODIFIED PROPOSED ACTION ................................................... 46 Cumulative Effects ................................................................................................................ 47 Botany ....................................................................................................................................... 48 Affected Environment ........................................................................................................... 48 Plant Species of Local Concern (SOLC) ............................................................................... 48 Region 2 Sensitive Species (R2 SS) ....................................................................................... 48 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................................... 49 South Dakota State Listed Species & SOLC .......................................................................... 49 Effects to all are similar and are analyzed together. .............................................................. 49 ALTERNATIVE 1 – NO ACTION ...................................................................................... 49 ALTERNATIVE 2 – MODIFIED PROPOSED ACTION ................................................... 49 Cumulative