United States Biological Evaluation Department of Agriculture Forest Service August 2017 Black Butte Wild & Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan Environmental Assessment Prepared by: Cassandra Hagemann, Wildlife Biologist Covelo Ranger District, Mendocino National Forest Mendocino County, California Table of Contents Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 2 Project Summary ........................................................................................................................................... 2 Purpose and Need ..................................................................................................................................... 2 Analysis Area ............................................................................................................................................. 2 Alternative 1 – No Action .......................................................................................................................... 3 Alternative 2 – Proposed Action ............................................................................................................... 3 Species Evaluations ....................................................................................................................................... 3 Threatened, Endangered, and Proposed Species ..................................................................................... 3 Northern Spotted Owl........................................................................................................................... 4 Northern Spotted Owl Critical Habitat .................................................................................................. 6 Forest Service Sensitive Species ............................................................................................................... 7 Northern Goshawk ................................................................................................................................ 9 Bald Eagle ............................................................................................................................................ 10 Townsend’s Big-Eared Bat .................................................................................................................. 11 North American Wolverine ................................................................................................................. 12 Pacific Marten ..................................................................................................................................... 13 Fisher ................................................................................................................................................... 14 Fringed Myotis .................................................................................................................................... 15 Foothill Yellow-Legged Frog ................................................................................................................ 16 Western Pond Turtle ........................................................................................................................... 16 Cumulative Effects on Forest Service Sensitive Species ..................................................................... 17 Management Indicator Species .............................................................................................................. 17 Acorn Woodpecker ............................................................................................................................. 18 Black-Tailed Deer ................................................................................................................................ 19 California Thrasher .............................................................................................................................. 20 Douglas Tree Squirrel .......................................................................................................................... 21 Peregrine Falcon ................................................................................................................................. 21 Pileated Woodpecker .......................................................................................................................... 22 Tule Elk ................................................................................................................................................ 23 Western Gray Squirrel ......................................................................................................................... 23 Cumulative Effects to MIS ................................................................................................................... 24 Migratory Birds ....................................................................................................................................... 24 Determinations ....................................................................................................................................... 25 Literature Cited ........................................................................................................................................... 26 Appendix A. ................................................................................................................................................. 30 Table 1 ESA Endangered, Threatened, or Proposed species within the Black Butte Wild & Scenic River project area ................................................................................................................................................... 4 Table 2 Forest Service Sensitive Species identified for the Mendocino National Forest ............................. 7 Table 3 Management Indicator Species that have been identified for habitats on the Mendocino National Forest. ........................................................................................................................................... 17 Table 4 Seral stages ..................................................................................................................................... 30 Executive Summary This biological evaluation is intended to describe the effects to threatened, endangered, and sensitive species (TES), management indicator species (MIS), and migratory birds associated with the Black Butte Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive River Management Plan on the Mendocino National Forest. The following is a summary of the findings in this biological evaluation on the effects of the proposed action: 1. The No Action alternative will have no effect on northern spotted owls and their habitats or the 2012 designated critical habitat. 2. The No Action alternative will not cause a trend towards listing on Forest Service Sensitive Species or their habitats. 3. The No Action alternative will have no impact on Mendocino Management Indicator Species or their habitats. 4. The No Action alternative will have no adverse impacts on migratory birds. 5. The Proposed Action alternative will have no effect on the northern spotted owl or its habitat. 6. The Proposed Action alternative will have no effect on designated northern spotted owl critical habitat. 7. The Proposed Action alternative will not cause a trend toward listing on Forest Service Sensitive Species or their habitats. 8. The Proposed Action alternative will have no impact on Mendocino Management Indicator Species or their habitats. 9. The Proposed Action will have no adverse impacts on migratory birds. Project Summary Purpose and Need The purpose of this project is to adopt a comprehensive river management plan to protect and enhance the values for which the river was designated (free-flowing, water quality, and outstandingly remarkable values), and identify and implement Forest Service management actions needed to protect these values within the Black Butte River and Cold Creek corridor. Section 3 of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 USC 1274, as amended) specifies that a comprehensive management plan will be developed for the designated river corridor. Analysis Area For planning and analysis, the project area is the designated wild and scenic river corridor which is approximately 6,579 acres. The project area follows the identified boundary from the 2006 Northern California Coastal Wild Heritage Wilderness Act that includes all land within 440 yards (0.25 mile) from the ordinary high water mark on both sides of the river for the designated 21 miles of the corridor. Detailed legal description of the project area: T23N, R11W, sections 27, 28, 34, 35, 36 T22N, R11W, sections 1, 12 T22N, R10W, sections 6, 7, 8, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 26, 27, 35, 36 T21N, R10W, sections 1, 2, 12, 13, 24 T21N, R9W, sections 5, 6, 20, 29 For the analysis area, adjoining National Forest System lands and private lands are considered, especially in the context of potential impacts from activities in the surrounding vicinity and/or cumulative effects for the environmental assessment. The analysis area (approximately 103,587 acres) is the Black Butte Watershed (5th field watershed, HUC# 1801010401). Alternative 1 – No Action Under the No Action alternative, current management plans would continue to guide management of the project area. The corridor boundary would be located approximately ¼ mile from the banks of the river. No additional management strategies