TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE: Introduction ..............................................................................1 CHAPTER TWO: Watershed Characterization and Key Issues...........................5 Characterization .............................................................................................................. 5 Issues and Key Questions ............................................................................................... 7 Fire/Fuels.................................................................................................................... 7 Fisheries...................................................................................................................... 7 Grazing ....................................................................................................................... 7 Heritage ...................................................................................................................... 7 Hydrology/Watershed ................................................................................................. 7 Recreation/Roadless ................................................................................................... 7 Vegetation ................................................................................................................... 8 Soils............................................................................................................................. 8 Weeds .......................................................................................................................... 8 Wildlife........................................................................................................................ 8 CHAPTER THREE: Historic Reference and Existing Conditions.......................11 Fire Management .......................................................................................................... 11 Historic Conditions................................................................................................... 11 Existing Conditions................................................................................................... 14 Fisheries ........................................................................................................................ 19 Historic Conditions................................................................................................... 19 Existing Conditions................................................................................................... 20 Grazing.......................................................................................................................... 23 Historic Conditions................................................................................................... 23 Existing Conditions................................................................................................... 23 Heritage......................................................................................................................... 24 Historic Context Summary........................................................................................ 24 Existing Condition .................................................................................................... 29 Hydrology ..................................................................................................................... 30 Watershed Characterization ..................................................................................... 30 Current Hydrologic Characteristics......................................................................... 30 Recreation and Social Resources.................................................................................. 37 Existing Conditions................................................................................................... 37 Soils............................................................................................................................... 40 Historic Conditions................................................................................................... 40 Existing Conditions................................................................................................... 40 Vegetation..................................................................................................................... 42 Fire Regime Condition Class.................................................................................... 43 Insects and Disease................................................................................................... 52 Special Plant Species, Plant Communities, Unique Habitats................................... 53 Weeds............................................................................................................................ 54 Existing Condition .................................................................................................... 54 Wildlife ......................................................................................................................... 54 Habitat Analysis........................................................................................................ 55 Within-Stand Habitat Components ........................................................................... 71 Landscape Features.................................................................................................. 71 CHAPTER FOUR: Desired Conditions ..............................................................73 Forest Plan Goals .......................................................................................................... 73 Integrated Desired Condition........................................................................................ 75 Fire Management...................................................................................................... 75 Fisheries.................................................................................................................... 75 Grazing ..................................................................................................................... 76 Heritage .................................................................................................................... 77 Hydrology ................................................................................................................. 77 Insect and Disease .................................................................................................... 78 Recreation/Scenery resource .................................................................................... 79 Soils........................................................................................................................... 80 Vegetation ................................................................................................................. 81 Weeds ........................................................................................................................ 88 Wildlife...................................................................................................................... 88 CHAPTER FIVE: Individual Resource Area Recommendations ........................91 Fire Management .......................................................................................................... 91 Recommendations ..................................................................................................... 91 Fisheries ........................................................................................................................ 94 Grazing.......................................................................................................................... 94 Heritage......................................................................................................................... 95 Chessman-City of Helena (CHWD) historic municipal water ditch system (24LC1868)............................................................................................................... 95 Historic lode mine complexes (various site #s) ........................................................ 95 Helena-Red Mountain Branch Line (24LC1268) ..................................................... 95 Moose Creek Ranger Station (24LC1608)................................................................ 96 Moose Creek Villa Recreation Residence Tract & Cabins (various site #s)............ 96 CCC Camp Rimini-WWII Dog Training Facility (24LC935)................................... 96 Hydrology ..................................................................................................................... 97 Recreation/Inventoried Roadless/Social ....................................................................... 97 Soils............................................................................................................................... 97 Vegetation..................................................................................................................... 98 Strata 1--Interior West Upper Subalpine Forest (SPFI2) ........................................ 98 Strata 2-- Ponderosa Pine-Douglas-fir (Inland Northwest) (PPDF1)..................... 99 Strata 3 Douglas-fir Interior Northern and Central Rocky Mountains Biophysical Setting (DFIR2)......................................................................................................... 99 Strata 4 Douglas-fir Interior Northern