Gordon Creek Thinning ` Revised Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Additional Significant Impact Environmental Assessment Number OR080-07-05 March 2009 Salem District Multnomah County, Oregon T.1 S., R. 5 E. sections 1, 3, 9, 11, 13, 15; W.M. Responsible Agency: USDI - Bureau of Land Management Responsible Official: Cindy Enstrom, Field Manager Cascades Resource Area 1717 Fabry Road SE Salem, OR 97306 (503) 315-5969 For further information, contact: Keith Walton, Project Leader Cascades Resource Area 1717 Fabry Road SE Salem, OR 97306 (503) 375-5676 As the Nation’s principal conservation agency, the Department of Interior has responsibility for most of our nationally owned public lands and natural resources. This includes fostering economic use of our land and water resources, protecting our fish and wildlife, preserving the environmental and cultural values of our national parks and historical places, and providing for the enjoyment of life through outdoor recreation. The Department assesses our energy and mineral resources and works to assure that their development is in the best interest of all people. The Department also has a major responsibility for American Indian reservation communities and for people who live in Island Territories under U.S. administration. BLM/OR/WA/EA-07/072+1972 Table of Contents FINDING OF NO ADDITIONAL SIGNIFICANT IMPACT....................................................................... v GORDON CREEK THINNING REVISED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT........................................ 1 1.0 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Proposed Action ..........................................................................................................................1 1.1.1 Project Area Location and Vicinity ..........................................................................................1 1.2 Purpose of and Need for Action ....................................................................................................2 1.2.1 Need for the Action ................................................................................................................2 1.2.2 Purpose (Objectives) of the Project ..........................................................................................2 1.2.3 Decision Factors .....................................................................................................................3 1.3 Conformance with Land Use Plan, Statutes, Regulations, and other Plans .......................................4 1.3.1 Watershed Analysis ................................................................................................................5 1.3.2 Former Survey and Manage Species Review ............................................................................6 1.3.3 Northern Spotted Owl (NSO) Status Review ............................................................................7 1.3.4 Aquatic Conservation Strategy Update .....................................................................................7 1.3.5 Relevant Statutes/Authorities...................................................................................................8 1.4 Scoping and Identification of Relevant Issues ................................................................................8 1.4.1 Scoping..................................................................................................................................8 1.4.2 Relevant Issues .......................................................................................................................8 1.4.3 Issues Considered But Eliminated From Further Analysis .......................................................10 1.5 Decisions to be Made................................................................................................................. 11 2.0 ALTERNATIVES .............................................................................................................................11 2.1 Alternative Development ........................................................................................................... 11 2.2 Planning and Implementation Process .........................................................................................12 2.3 Alternative 1 (Proposed Action) .................................................................................................12 2.3.1 Proposed Treatments.............................................................................................................12 2.3.2 Logging Systems .................................................................................................................. 15 2.3.3 Connected Actions................................................................................................................ 16 2.3.4 Project Design Features......................................................................................................... 20 2.4 Alternative 2 ............................................................................................................................. 32 2.5 Alternative 3 ............................................................................................................................. 32 2.6 Comparison of Action Alternatives ............................................................................................. 32 2.7 No Action Alternative................................................................................................................ 34 2.8 Alternatives Considered But Not Analyzed In Detail ...................................................................34 2.9 Changes Made in Response to Comments Received on the Original Gordon Creek Thinning EA # OR080-07-05. ...........................................................................................................................35 3.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS.............................................39 3.1 Identification of Affected Elements of the Environment ...............................................................39 3.2 Analysis Assumptions and Methodology/ General Setting ............................................................42 3.3 Resource Specific Affected Environment and Environmental Effects ............................................46 3.3.1 Vegetation and Forest Stand Characteristics ...........................................................................46 3.3.2 Hydrology ............................................................................................................................ 61 3.3.3 Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat ................................................................................................80 3.3.4 Soils92 3.3.5 Wildlife ............................................................................................................................. 100 3.3.6 Air Quality and Fire Hazard/Risk.........................................................................................119 3.3.7 Recreation, Visual Resources and Rural Interface (including Public Safety) ...........................127 3.3.8 Cultural Resources.............................................................................................................. 133 3.4 Compliance with the Aquatic Conservation Strategy ..................................................................135 3.4.1 Comparison of Alternatives with regard to the Decision Factors ............................................140 4.0 LIST OF PREPARERS ................................................................................................................... 142 Gordon Creek Thinning Revised EA EA # OR080-07-05 March 2009 p. iii 5.0 CONTACTS AND CONSULTATION ............................................................................................143 5.1 Consultation ............................................................................................................................ 143 5.1.1 ESA Section 7 Consultation ................................................................................................143 5.1.2 Cultural Resources - Section 106 Consultation with State Historical Preservation Office: ........144 5.2 Public Scoping and Notification - Tribal Governments, Adjacent Landowners, General Public, and State County and local government offices ................................................................................145 6.0 LIST OF INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM REPORTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE ........145 7.0 ADDITIONAL SUPPORTING DATA AND MAPS OF THE ACTION ALTERNATIVES ............146 7.1 Tables..................................................................................................................................... 146 7.2 Maps of the Action Alternatives ............................................................................................... 150 7.2.1 Vicinity and Fish Distribution Map with Revised Unit Boundaries.........................................150 7.2.2 Current Proposed Action .....................................................................................................151 7.2.3 Original Proposed Action ....................................................................................................169 7.2.4 Alternative 2 ...................................................................................................................... 171 7.2.5 Alternative