Suiattle Watershed Analysis Table of Contents Introduction ....................................................................................................... 1 Watershed Highlights ....................................................................................... 1 Analysis Area Size and Ownership ................................................................. 2 Management Direction...................................................................................... 6 The Forest Plan.............................................................................................. 6 Watershed Characterization............................................................................. 12 Hillslope Processes....................................................................................... 12 Hydrology....................................................................................................... 12 Water Quality ................................................................................................. 12 Aquatic Habitat and Fish Species................................................................ 13 Vegetation ...................................................................................................... 13 Wildlife............................................................................................................ 13 Human Use..................................................................................................... 14 Issues and Key Questions................................................................................ 15 Aquatic System ................................................................................................. 15 Broader Scale Issues – Sauk and Skagit River Basin................................ 15 Watershed Scale Issues – Suiattle River..................................................... 15 Terrestrial Ecosystem....................................................................................... 16 Broader Scale Issues- Sauk and Skagit River Basins ............................... 16 Watershed Scale Issues – Suiattle River..................................................... 16 Human Use......................................................................................................... 17 Broader Scale Issues- Sauk and Skagit Basins ......................................... 17 Watershed Scale Issues – Suiattle River..................................................... 18 Chapter 1 Figures and Tables Figure 1-1 Western Washington Cascades Province Map ........................... 3 Figure 1-2 Vicinity Map ................................................................................ 4 Figure 1-3 Watershed and Subwatersheds.................................................. 5 Figure 1-4 Roadless Areas ........................................................................... 8 Figure 1-5 Merged Land Allocations .......................................................... 10 Figure 1-6 Roadless Areas ......................................................................... 11 Table 1-1 Analysis Area Acreage by Subwatershed..................................... 2 Table 1-2 Land Allocation Acres................................................................... 9 Chapter 1 - Table of Contents Suiattle Watershed Analysis Introduction The Suiattle Watershed Analysis (WA) was conducted to meet the watershed analysis requirements established by the Northwest Forest Plan (Record of Decision [ROD] for Amendments to Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management Planning Documents within the Range of the Northern Spotted Owl (USDA, USDI 1994b). This study analyzes the ecosystem at the watershed scale, presenting information to help guide future resource management decisions. The analysis process followed is outlined in: Ecosystem Analysis at the Watershed Scale: Federal Guide for Watershed Analysis Version 2.2 (Regional Interagency Executive Committee and the Intergovernmental Advisory Committee 1995). The analysis was conducted using the best available information on the Suiattle watershed. The analysis will be revised and updated as appropriate to consider new information, changing conditions, or potential effects associated with long-term management issues and/or needed actions. This analysis is not a decision document. Any projects proposed in this area will still need additional analysis as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Watershed Highlights The majority (70%) of the Suiattle watershed is congressionally designated as wilderness and another 2 percent is part of the Skagit Wild and Scenic River. Late Successional Reserves cover 19 percent of the watershed, Timber Emphasis Areas are 3 percent and private land is 6 percent. The Suiattle watershed supports relatively intact terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Maintenance of the relatively intact systems and restoration of impacted lands in the analysis area assume greater importance as development in the Skagit Basin and Puget Sound Region proceeds. The Suiattle is a tributary to the Sauk River, the largest tributary into the Skagit River, which in turn, is the largest drainage in the Puget Sound Region of the Western Washington Cascades Province. The Suiattle watershed lies west of Glacier Peak. Increasingly intensive lowland conversion, development and resource extraction in the Puget Sound and the Skagit Basin have resulted in reduced amounts and diversity of available wildlife and fisheries habitats. These changes translate to increasing pressures on the headwater tributaries, such as the Suiattle watershed to function as refuges. Chapter 1 - Introduction, Page 1 Suiattle Watershed Analysis Analysis Area Size and Ownership The Suiattle Watershed is located on the Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest (MBS), Pacific Northwest Region Six. The watershed is comprised of 94 percent National Forest (NF) land located in Snohomish County, Washington State and administered by the Darrington Ranger District. Table 1-1 Analysis Area Acreage by Subwatershed Subwatershed Subwatershed National Other SubWA Number Name Forest Ownership Total 171100060201 Suiattle River Headwaters 24,966.4 10.5 24,976.9 171100060202 Suiattle/Miners Creek 28,592.7 16.0 28,608.7 171100060203 Sulphur Creek 21,042.7 17.5 21,060.2 171100060204 Downey Creek 22,839.8 3.1 22,842.9 171100060205 Suiattle/Milk Creek 20,531.9 0.0 20,531.9 171100060301 Lime Creek 11,260.8 0.0 11,260.8 171100060302 Buck Creek 21,764.1 0.0 21,764.1 171100060303 Suiattle/Circle Peak 24,911.3 81.7 24,993.0 171100060304 Big Creek 13,486.0 182.1 13,668.1 171100060305 Lower Suiattle/Tenas 17,576.2 12,668.4 30,244.6 Total 206,971.9 12,979.3 219,951.2 Chapter 1 - Analysis Area Size and Ownership, Page 2 Suiattle Watershed Analysis Figure 1-1 Western Washington Cascades Province Map Western Washington Province Map F 3 3 3 543 546 547 Lynden 3 3 3 3 3 548 539 544 Glacier 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 542 3 Bellingham 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Olga 3 3 3 011 Marblemount Hamilton Birdsview Concrete Sedro Woolley Rockport 020 3 3 3 Victoria 536 538 3 Mount Vernon 3 3 3 3 534 3 3 3 530 3 Darrington 3 532 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 531 3 3 525 3 3 3 009 Verlot 3 005 3 101 3 3 3 3 Granite Falls 3 3 3 092 3 3 116 529 3 3 Everett 204 3 019 3 3 3 526 3 104 3 096 Monroe 002 3 527 3 524 3 3 3 207 307 522 099 203 308 Skykomish 3 305 3 908 3 3 3 513 202 3 3 520 3 3 3 3 303 3 SEATTLE 405 3 090 3 3 3 304 3 North Bend 3 3 097 166 3 160 900 3 3 003 3 518 3 3 509 3 3 906 300 515 119 181 3 106 016 302 516 018 167 102 163 164 509AR 169 Tacoma 903 970 Shelton Enumclaw 162 Cle Elum Greenwater 512 410 108 010 3 3 Legend 165 3 008 Olympia 161 507 3 Ellensburg 510 3 3 3 OWNERSHIP National Forest Lands 007 702 Private Lands 121 Suiattle Watershed Analysis Eatonville 3 Wilderness Boundary Major Highways 123 Trails 706 012 ps Chapter 1 - Analysis Area Size and Ownership, Page 3 Suiattle Watershed Analysis Figure 1-2 Vicinity Map Suiattle Watershed Analysis Vicinity Map F 3 3 3 Legend 546 547 3 3 Lynden 3 3 3 Suiattle Watershed Analysis 3 3 3 3 548 539 544 Glacier 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 OWNERSHIP 3 National Forest Lands 542 3 3 Private Lands 3 3 Bellingham 3 3 3 Wilderness Boundary 3 3 3 3 3 Major Highways 3 3 3 Trails 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 011 Marblemount Birdsview Concrete 020SPANACRT Hamilton 020 Sedro Woolley Rockport 3 3 3 3 3 536 538 3 Mount Vernon 3 3 3 3 3 534 3 3 3 530 3 3 3 Darrington 3 3 3 532 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 531 3 3 3 525 3 3 3 3 3 Verlot 009 005 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Granite Falls 3 3 528 3 3 092 3 3 3 Everett 529 3 3 3 3 204 3 3 3 3 3 3 526 3 3 3 096 Monroe 3 3 3 03 3 104 0 524 3 3 527 002 3 207 3 307 522 099 3 Skykomish 3 3 305 3 908 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 520 3 513 3 3 405 3 303 SEATTLE 3 519 3 203 3 090 3 3 3 3 3 166 3 North Bend 3 900 202 3 3 3 01 160 599 3 6 3 97 09 018 3 3 0 5 Chapter 1 - Analysis Area Size and Ownership, Page 4 Suiattle Watershed Analysis Figure 1-3 Watershed and Subwatersheds 2 k 01 flueell2greek 028 027 026 025 030 029 028 027 026 025 029 014 025 030 wilt2gree029 027 026 uindy2greek errow2greek 025 030 029 028 028 027 026 025 030 029 028 027 026 hrop2greek 021 sllot2greek ite2greek 1610 h 015 righ2vog2greek 036 031 032 033 034 035 032 033 034 036 034 035 036 031 035 plt2greek F 033 100 035 031 032 031 032 033 034 035 036 031 032 033 034 036 025 070 002 004 003 002 001 003 001 006 005 002 001 006 005 004 001 006 005 004 003 lix2greek 004 003 002 001 006 005 004 003 002 006 005 080 016 qrde2greek 012 tug2greek 009 010 011 011 012 007 008 2642 Big Creek 011 012 007 008 009