North Fork of the Siuslaw : December 16, 1994 - : - . ~ ~ U~S v Siuslaw Nadonal Forest . =:. ~ This analysis was done by staff of the Siuslaw National Forest 4077 Research Way Corvallis, OR 97333 (503)750-7000 "Sit still and be quiet, and listen to this stream tell its story." Andrew Charles (Native Siuslawan) North Fork Siuslaw Watershed Analysis Team Core Team ~ Dan Karnes Team Leader/Silviculturist . ~ ~' Ray Davis Wildlife Biologist Bazbara J. Ellis Hydrologist Barbara E. Ellis Geographical Information Systems Don Large Project Planner/Historian Bob Metzger Fish/Aquatic Biologist Support Team Lyssa Burton Fish/Aquatic Biologist Ginger Craig Botanist Cynthia Leonard Public Involvement Specialist Dan Segotta Botanist Marge Victor Economist Original data was compiled from multiple sources and may not meet the U.S. National Mapping Standards of the Office of Management and Budget. For specific data source dates and additional digital information, contact the Forest Supervisor, Siuslaw National Forest, Corvallis, Oregon. The maps in this document have no warranties to their content and accuracy. t , -~ TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................................ iv LTST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................................. vi CHAPTER 1- INTRODUCT'ION WHAT LS WATERSI~D ANALYSIS ............................................................................................. 1 WHAT WATERSI~D ANALYSIS IS NOT ...................................................................................... 1 PRODUCTS AND OiJTCOMES FROM A WATERSI~D ANALYSIS ................................................ 2 BASIS FOR WATERSI-~D ANALYSIS ..:..................:..................................................................... 2 CHAPTER 2- DESCRIPTION OF THE NORTH FORK SNSLAW WATERSHED LOCATION........................................................••.......................................•••.............................. 3 CLIlvIATE .................................................................................................................................... 3 GEOLOGY ................................................................................................................................... 3 TOPOGRAPHY............................................................................................................................ 3 VEGETATTON.............................................................................................................................. 3 WII,DLIFE .................................................................................................................................... 4 F1SH............................................................................................................................................ 4 PEOPLE....................................................................................................................................... 4 LANDOWNERSHIP ...................................................................................................................... 5 LAND ALLOCA'ITONS .................................................................................................................. 5 ~ CHAPTER 3- ISSUES AND KEY QUESTIONS OLD-(iROWTH HABTTAT ............................................................................................................. 6 FT.K HABTTAT ............................................................................................................................. 6 ROAD MANAGEMENT ................................................................................................................ 7 FISHERIES ................................................................................................................................... 7 COMMODTTY PRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 8 CHAPTER 4- THE STORY OF THE NORTH FORK SNSLAW HiJMAN HISTORY ....................................................................................................................... 9 Native American Homeland ................................................................................................... 9 Euro-American Settlement ..................................................................................................... 10 Transportation ....................................................................................................................... 13 Schools, Post Offices and Cemeteries ...................................................................................... 15 SmallIndependent Industries ................................................................................................. 15 Fishing................................................................................................................................... 16 Timber Harvest and Forest Roads ........................................................................................... 17 Agriculture ............................................................................................................................ 21 Miscellaneous Forest Products ............................................................................................... 22 Rockquarries ........................................................................................................................ 24 Recreation............................................................................................................................. 25 Special Use Pernuts ............................................................................................................... 25 TF~ AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM ....................................................................................................... 27 Channel Morphology and Classificadon ................................................................................ 27 Landslides ............................................................................................................................. 29 Influence of Debris Flows on Aquatic Ecosystem .......................................................... 29 ~ Accelerated Rate of Landslides due to Management ...................................................... 30 Future Trends for Landslides ......................................................................................... 31 Sediment Routin g ................................................................................................................. 31 ~ Stream Flow Patterns ............................................................................................................. 32 Changes in Peak F1ows ................................................................................................... 32 Comparison of Management in North Fork Siuslaw and Big Creek ................................ 33 Harvest History ................................................................................................ 33 Road Building History ..................................................................................... 33 Discussion of Cause of Changes in Peak Flows .............................................................. 34 Future Trends for Stream Flows ...................................................................................... 34 Fish Populations and Distributions ........................................................................................ 35 Chinook Salmon ........................................................................................................... 35 Coho Salmon ................................................................................................................ 35 SteelheadTrout ............................................................................................................ 36 Cutthroat Trout ............................................................................................................. 36 Other Aquatic Species ................................................................................................... 37 FishHabitat ........................................................................................................................... 37 Physical Processes ......................................................................................................... 37 Historic Fish Habitat Potential ...................................................................................... 38 Historic Alteration of Fish Habitat ................................................................................ 39 Current Condidon of Fish Habitat ................................................................................. 40 Substrate........ ............................................................ ............... ................ ..... 41 SVeam Temperature ........................................................................................ 42 Potential Sources of Large Woody Debris in Streams ...................................... 43 Future Trends of Fish Habitat ...................:..................................................................... 43 TT~ TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM ................................................................................................ 44 VegetationPatterns ...............................................................................................................