United States Department of Agriculture Forest Final Environmental Service Impact Statement Volume I March 2010 Norbeck Wildlife Project Hell Canyon Ranger District, Black Hills National Forest Custer and Pennington Counties, South Dakota 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.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720- 6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Norbeck Wildlife Project Final Environmental Impact Statement Norbeck Wildlife Project Final Environmental Impact Statement Custer and Pennington Counties, South Dakota Lead Agency: USDA Forest Service, Black Hills National Forest Cooperating Agencies: South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks Responsible Official: Lynn Kolund, District Ranger Hell Canyon Ranger District 330 Mt. Rushmore Rd. Custer, SD 57730 For Information Contact: Kelly Honors, Team Leader 330 Mt. Rushmore Rd Custer, SD 57730 605-673-4853 Abstract The Hell Canyon Ranger District of the Black Hills National Forest has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act and other relevant Federal and State laws and regulations. The Hell Canyon District proposes to improve habitat for game animals and birds within the Norbeck Wildlife Preserve and to reduce the risks and consequences of a fire escaping from the Black Elk Wilderness, as guided by the Black Hills National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) as amended. Mechanical and prescribed burning treatments are proposed to enhance forage, meadows, hardwood stands, shrubs, large trees, late succession and within stand diversity in that portion of Norbeck outside of the Black Elk Wilderness. Four alternatives were considered in detail. Alternative 1 is the no Action Alternative; no management actions associated with this project would occur. Alternative 2 is the proposed action and includes a total of 6,001 acres of habitat enhancement treatments. Alternative 3 was developed in response to 4 of the 5 significant issues identified through scoping and includes habitat enhancement treatments on a total of 5,652 acres, outside of the Black Elk Wilderness. In addition, Alternative 3 proposes to prescribe burn 5,291 acres within the Black Elk Wilderness. Alternative 4 was developed in response to all 5 significant issues identified through scoping. Alternative 4 would implement habitat enhancement treatments on 6,119 acres outside of the Black Elk Wilderness and would prescribe burn on up to 5,291 acres within the Wilderness. Norbeck Wildlife Project Final Environmental Impact Statement Table of Contents Abstract_____________________________________________________________________ iii Summary __________________________________________________________________ - 1 - Chapter 1. Purpose of and Need for Action _________________________________________ 1 Document Structure ________________________________________________________________ 1 Background _______________________________________________________________________ 1 Management Direction ______________________________________________________________ 3 Forest Service Direction on Management of Fire in Wilderness _____________________________________ 4 Purpose and Need for Action _________________________________________________________ 5 Proposed Action ___________________________________________________________________ 6 Decision Framework ________________________________________________________________ 7 Public Involvement _________________________________________________________________ 7 Issues ____________________________________________________________________________ 8 Chapter 2. Alternatives _______________________________________________________ 11 Introduction _____________________________________________________________________ 11 Alternatives Considered in Detail ____________________________________________________ 11 Alternative 1 – No Action __________________________________________________________________ 11 Alternative 2 - Proposed Action _____________________________________________________________ 11 Alternative 3 ____________________________________________________________________________ 17 Alternative 4 ____________________________________________________________________________ 23 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Study ______________________________ 27 Monitoring ______________________________________________________________________ 29 Comparison of Alternatives _________________________________________________________ 30 Chapter 3. Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences ___________________ 39 Introduction _____________________________________________________________________ 39 Past, Present and Reasonably Foreseeable Actions ______________________________________ 39 Wildlife Habitat ___________________________________________________________________ 40 Existing Conditions _______________________________________________________________________ 40 Environmental Consequences _______________________________________________________________ 46 Alternative 1 – No Action __________________________________________________________________ 47 Alternative 2 ____________________________________________________________________________ 52 Alternative 3 ____________________________________________________________________________ 59 Alternative 4 ____________________________________________________________________________ 66 Wildlife _________________________________________________________________________ 76 Focus Species ____________________________________________________________________________ 77 Management Indicator Species (MIS) ________________________________________________________ 112 Species of Local Concern (SOLC) ____________________________________________________________ 124 Threatened, Endangered and R2 Sensitive Species _____________________________________________ 161 Norbeck Wildlife Project Final Environmental Impact Statement Raptors ________________________________________________________________________________ 163 Migratory Birds __________________________________________________________________________ 164 Silviculture _____________________________________________________________________ 166 Alternative 1 – No Action __________________________________________________________________ 166 Common to All Alternatives ________________________________________________________________ 166 Alternative 2 ____________________________________________________________________________ 166 Alternative 3 ____________________________________________________________________________ 167 Alternative 4 ____________________________________________________________________________ 167 Black Elk Wilderness _____________________________________________________________ 169 Existing Condition ________________________________________________________________________ 169 Environmental Consequences ______________________________________________________________ 171 Fire and Fuels ___________________________________________________________________ 174 Existing Conditions _______________________________________________________________________ 174 Environmental Consequences ______________________________________________________________ 183 Soils and Hydrology ______________________________________________________________ 201 Soils ___________________________________________________________________________________ 201 Hydrology ______________________________________________________________________________ 208 Scenery ________________________________________________________________________ 218 Existing Conditions _______________________________________________________________________ 218 Environmental Consequences ______________________________________________________________ 219 Recreation _____________________________________________________________________ 228 Existing Conditions _______________________________________________________________________ 228 Environmental Consequences ______________________________________________________________ 233 Range, Noxious Weeds and Botany _________________________________________________ 237 Existing Condition ________________________________________________________________________ 237 Environmental Consequences ______________________________________________________________ 241 Heritage Resources ______________________________________________________________ 251 Existing Conditions _______________________________________________________________________ 251 Environmental Consequences ______________________________________________________________ 254 Transportation __________________________________________________________________ 255 Existing Condition ________________________________________________________________________