LAKE TAHOE BASIN United States MANAGEMENT UNIT Department of Agriculture Forest Service Travel Analysis Process January 2012 Kjar, J. Craig. 2011. Travel Analysis Process. Boise, Idaho. Prepared for U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, South Lake Tahoe, California. TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 – Setting Up the Analysis ....................................... 1 Objectives ................................................................................................................................... 1 Scale ............................................................................................................................................ 1 How the Report Will be Used ..................................................................................................... 2 Roles of Specialists ..................................................................................................................... 2 Identification of Information Sources ......................................................................................... 2 Analysis Plan .............................................................................................................................. 3 Chapter 2 - Describing the Situation ....................................... 4 Existing Road System and Direction .......................................................................................... 4 Forest Highways and Scenic Byways ......................................................................................... 6 Forest Highways ..................................................................................................................... 7 National Scenic Byways ......................................................................................................... 7 State Scenic Byways ............................................................................................................... 7 Land Ownership Patterns ............................................................................................................ 8 Physical Environment ............................................................................................................... 12 Biological Environment ............................................................................................................ 13 Social, Cultural, Economic and Political Environment ............................................................ 15 Budget ....................................................................................................................................... 16 Chapter 3 - Identifying Issues ................................................ 18 Purpose ...................................................................................................................................... 18 Resource Concerns - Risks ....................................................................................................... 18 Wildlife ................................................................................................................................. 18 Botany ................................................................................................................................... 18 Fishery ................................................................................................................................... 18 Hydrology ............................................................................................................................. 19 Heritage ................................................................................................................................. 20 Resource Concerns - Benefits ................................................................................................... 21 Land and Special Uses .......................................................................................................... 21 Recreation and Special Uses ................................................................................................. 22 i Fire ........................................................................................................................................ 23 Vegetation and Fuels ............................................................................................................. 23 Heritage and Tribal Access ................................................................................................... 24 Key Issues ................................................................................................................................. 24 Unauthorized Use Impacts of user defined, closed, and decommissioned roads ................. 24 Available resources for maintenance of system roads .......................................................... 24 Right-of-Way for access to the Forest system lands ............................................................. 24 Special Uses Permits to occupy Forest system land ............................................................. 24 Recreation access .................................................................................................................. 25 Vegetation, Fuels, Fire Access .............................................................................................. 25 Access to Forest product gathering areas and Traditional Cultural Properties ..................... 25 Environmental Impacts of Roads .......................................................................................... 25 Chapter 4 - Assessing Benefits, Problems, and Risks .......... 26 The Analysis Process ................................................................................................................ 26 Criteria Used in Risk and Benefit Analysis Process ................................................................. 26 Wildlife ................................................................................................................................. 26 Botany ................................................................................................................................... 27 Fishery ................................................................................................................................... 30 Hydrology ............................................................................................................................. 30 Land and Special Uses .......................................................................................................... 31 Recreation and Special Uses ................................................................................................. 31 Fire ........................................................................................................................................ 32 Vegetation and Fuels ............................................................................................................. 32 Heritage and Tribal Access ................................................................................................... 33 Composite Ranking ................................................................................................................... 34 Ranking Matrix ......................................................................................................................... 34 Chapter 5 – Opportunities and Priorities ............................. 37 Minimum Road System ............................................................................................................ 37 Strategic Framework ................................................................................................................. 38 Actions that Respond to the Issues ........................................................................................... 38 Unauthorized Use Impacts of user defined, closed, and decommissioned roads ................. 38 ii Available resources for maintenance of system roads .......................................................... 38 Right-of-Way for access to the Forest system lands ............................................................. 40 Special Uses Permits to occupy Forest system land ............................................................. 40 Recreation access .................................................................................................................. 41 Vegetation, Fuels, Fire Access .............................................................................................. 41 Access to forest product gathering areas and Traditional Cultural Properties ...................... 41 Environmental Impacts of Roads .......................................................................................... 41 Recommendations ..................................................................................................................... 42 Continue Public Involvement ............................................................................................... 42 Develop and Implement Broad Scale Road Goals ................................................................ 42 Build Partnerships ................................................................................................................. 43 Resolve Jurisdictional Issues ................................................................................................ 43 Special Use Permits .............................................................................................................. 43 Right-of-Way