ROADS ANALYSIS PROCESS REPORT UWHARRIE NATIONAL FOREST DECEMBER 2003 USDA, Forest Service, Uwharrie National Forest Uwharrie Ranger District 789 NC Highway 24/27 East Troy, North Carolina 27371-9332 U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (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 USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. U.S. Department of Agriculture Uwharrie National Forest Forest Service Roads Analysis Process TABLE OF CONTENTS ITEM PAGE List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. iii List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ iii Acronyms and Abbreviations ........................................................................................................ iv INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 1-1 CHAPTER 1: SETTING UP THE ANALYSIS ............................................................. 1-2 1.1 Objectives of the Analysis ............................................................................................. 1-2 1.2 Interdisciplinary Team Members and Participants ........................................................ 1-3 1.3 Information Needs ......................................................................................................... 1-3 1.4 Analysis Plan ................................................................................................................. 1-4 1.4.1 Phase One: Gathering Information .................................................................... 1-4 1.4.2 Phase Two: Assessing Current Conditions ........................................................ 1-5 1.5 Public Involvement ........................................................................................................ 1-6 CHAPTER 2: DESCRIBING THE SITUATION ................................................................. 2-1 2.1 The Analysis Area ........................................................................................................ 2-1 2.2 The National Forest Transportation System ................................................................. 2-1 2.2.1 General Description ............................................................................................ 2-1 2.2.1.1 Forest Service Roads ............................................................................. 2-1 2.2.1.2 Forest Highways and Scenic Byways ................................................... 2-3 2.2.2 Meeting Forest Plan Objectives …………......................................................... 2-4 2.3 Budget........................................................................................................................... 2-5 CHAPTER 3: IDENTIFYING ISSUES.................................................................................. 3-1 3.1 The Process................................................................................................................... 3-1 3.2 Description of Issues .................................................................................................... 3-2 CHAPTER 4: ASSESSING CURRENT CONDITIONS ...................................................... 4-1 4.1 Ecosystem Functions and Processes............................................................................. 4-3 4.2 Aquatic, Riparian Zone, and Water Quality ................................................................. 4-6 4.3 Terrestrial Wildlife ..................................................................................................... 4-16 4.4 Economics .................................................................................................................. 4-18 4.5 Commodity Production: Timber, Minerals, Range, Water Production, Special Forest Products .......................................................................................................... 4-22 4.6 Special Use Permits .................................................................................................... 4-25 4.7 General Transportation ............................................................................................... 4-25 4.8 Administrative Uses ................................................................................................... 4-28 4.9 Protection.................................................................................................................... 4-29 4.10 Recreation: Unroaded Areas and Road-Related Recreation..................................... 4-30 i U.S. Department of Agriculture Uwharrie National Forest Forest Service Roads Analysis Process 4.11 Passive Use Value ..................................................................................................... 4-34 4.12 Social Issues .............................................................................................................. 4-35 4.13 Civil Rights and Environmental Justice .................................................................... 4-39 CHAPTER 5: DESCRIBING OPPORTUNITIES AND SETTING PRIORITIES ........... 5-1 5.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 5-1 5.2 Criteria for Assigning Values to Open Roads ............................................................... 5-1 5.2.1 Recreation Values ............................................................................................... 5-1 5.2.2 Other Social Values ............................................................................................ 5-2 5.2.3 Timber Management Values............................................................................... 5-2 5.2.4 Forest Management and Wildfire Suppression Values....................................... 5-3 5.2.5 Traffic Volume Values ....................................................................................... 5-4 5.3 Criteria for Assigning Risks to Open Roads ................................................................. 5-5 5.3.1 Aquatic Biota Vulnerability................................................................................ 5-5 5.3.2 Risk to Rare Species and Habitats ...................................................................... 5-5 5.3.3 Risk to Wildlife................................................................................................... 5-6 5.3.4 Risk to Wildfire Suppression .............................................................................. 5-6 5.3.5 Risk to Heritage Resources ................................................................................. 5-7 5.3.6 Risk to Public Safety........................................................................................... 5-8 5.3.7 Maintenance Costs .............................................................................................. 5-8 CHAPTER 6: KEY FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ......................................... 6-1 6.1 Key Findings.................................................................................................................. 6-3 6.2 Recommendations ......................................................................................................... 6-6 REFERENCES CITED ........................................................................................................ REF-1 APPENDICES APPENDIX A: The Road Matrix ....................................................................................... A-1 APPENDIX B: Noxious Weeds in North Carolina ............................................................B-1 APPENDIX C: Road Stream Crossings: Relative Erosion/Sediment Potential.................C-1 APPENDIX D: Road Management Guidelines.................................................................. D-1 ii U.S. Department of Agriculture Uwharrie National Forest Forest Service Roads Analysis Process LIST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE 1-1 Values and Risks Assessed ........................................................................................... 1-5 2-1 Road Mileage by Management Status .......................................................................... 2-2 2-2 Road Mileage by Maintenance Level ........................................................................... 2-3 2-3 Proposed Actions Listed From January 2001 Through July 2003................................ 2-4 2-4 Road Densities by Management Area on the Uwharrie National Forest...................... 2-5 4-1 Analysis Questions and Their Relevance to the Uwharrie National Forest.................. 4-1 4-2 Drainage Related Maintenance Needs on the Uwharrie National Forest ..................... 4-7 4-3 Road Surface Types and Relative Erodibility Ratings of the