Sinkyone Wilderness State Park Preliminary General Plan & Draft Environmental Impact Report California Department of Parks and Recreation June 2006 Sinkyone Wilderness State Park Preliminary General Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Report SCH# 2003022115 Arnold Schwarzenegger Governor Mike Chrisman Secretary for Resources Ruth Coleman Director of Parks and Recreation Department of Parks and Recreation P.O. Box 942896 Sacramento, CA 94296-0001 June 2006 California Department of Parks and Recreation December 2003 © 2006 California State Parks California State Parks and Sinkyone Wilderness State Park are registered trademarks of the California Department of Parks and Recreation June 23, 2006 All Interested Agencies, Organizations, and Persons NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY SINKYONE WILDERNESS STATE PARK PRELIMINARY GENERAL PLAN/ DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT A Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) has been prepared by the California Department of Parks and Recreation (Department) for the Sinkyone Wilderness State Park Preliminary General Plan (General Plan). The Department is the lead agency, pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), responsible for preparation of this document. Project Location: Sinkyone Wilderness State Park (Park) is located on the north coast of California in the northwest corner of Mendocino County and the southwest corner of Humboldt County. The Park extends for approximately 19 miles of coastline. Project Description: The project consists of the proposed approval of a General Plan for Sinkyone Wilderness State Park. The General Plan will guide future management direction at the Park over an approximate 20-year planning horizon. Upon approval of the Plan, large portions of the Park (approximately 7,100 acres) will be designated as state wilderness. The General Plan contains comprehensive and integrated sets of park-wide and management area-specific goals and guidelines for the long-term management of the Park. The goals and guidelines focus on the protection of sensitive resources, improvements to administration and operation of the Park, and balancing of visitor needs with the unique wilderness character of the Park. Two Park management areas are identified in the plan (Wilderness and Non-wilderness areas), encompassing the entire Park and providing detailed direction tailored to the particular environmental resource characteristics of each area. These two areas provide high-quality park experiences for visitors while enhancing and preserving features that make the Park a unique destination. A number of improvements are identified in the General Plan’s goals and guidelines. Summary of Impacts: The EIR provides a program-level analysis of the potential environmental impacts associated with implementation of the General Plan. No significant environmental impacts would occur as a result of the proposed project. Public Comment Period: The 45-day public comment period for the Draft EIR will begin on June 23, 2006 and end on August 7, 2006 (comment letters must be postmarked by August 7, 2006). An electronic copy of the Preliminary General Plan and Draft EIR will be posted on the Department’s website at: http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=22578 Please submit comments in writing to the following address: California State Parks Northern Service Center Atten: Dave Keck One Capitol Mall, Suite 500 Sacramento, CA 95814 For park information, please contact: Liz Burko, Eel River Sector Superintendent 707-445-6547 Ext. 12 Copies of the Preliminary General Plan and Draft EIR will be available at the following locations: Needle Rock Visitor Center Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area Sinkyone Wilderness State Park Information Kiosk Briceland Road 69350 U.S. Highway 101, Box #2 Whitethorn, CA 95589 Leggett, CA 95455 Richardson Grove Interpretive Assoc. Humboldt Redwoods Interpretive Assoc. Ranger Office Visitor Center 1600 U.S. Highway 101 #8 17121 Avenue of the Giants Garberville, CA 95542 Weott, CA 95571 Main Branch Fortuna Branch Humboldt County Library Humboldt County Library 1313 3rd Street 775 14th Street Eureka, CA 95501 Fortuna, CA 95540 Rio Dell Branch Garberville Branch Humboldt County Library Humboldt County Library 715 Wildwood Avenue 715 Cedar Street Rio Dell, CA 95562 Garberville, CA 95542 Ukiah Branch Fort Bragg Branch Mendocino County Library Mendocino County Library 105 N Main Street 499 Laurel Street Ukiah, CA 95482 Fort Bragg, CA 95432 California State Parks California State Parks North Coast Redwoods District Office Northern Service Center 3431 Fort Avenue One Capitol Mall, Suite 500 Eureka, CA 95503 Sacramento, CA 95814 Leggett Post Office 67674 Drive-Thru Tree Road Leggett, CA 95581 Table of Contents Chapter/Section Page Executive Summary................................................................................................ ES-1 1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................1-1 1.1 Introduction to the Park..........................................................................1-1 1.2 Purpose of this General Plan..................................................................1-9 1.3 Contents of the General Plan..............................................................1-10 2 EXISTING CONDITIONS ........................................................................................2-1 2.1 Summary of Park Conditions and Resources ......................................2-1 2.2 Planning Influences ...............................................................................2-72 2.3 Issues Analysis .........................................................................................2-77 3 PARK PLAN ...........................................................................................................3-1 3.1 Planning Mandates .................................................................................3-1 3.2 Parkwide Goals and Guidelines ............................................................3-6 3.3 Carrying Capacity.................................................................................3-33 3.4 Park Management Approaches in Wilderness and Non-Wilderness Areas of the Park .......................................................3-37 4 ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS ...............................................................................4-1 4.1 Introduction to the Environmental Analysis .........................................4-1 4.2 EIR Summary .............................................................................................4-3 4.3 Project Description ..................................................................................4-4 4.4 Environmental Effects Eliminated From Further Analysis ....................4-4 4.5 Environmental Impacts ...........................................................................4-5 4.6 Other CEQA Considerations ................................................................4-26 4.7 Alternatives to the Proposed Project..................................................4-27 5 REFERENCES .........................................................................................................5-1 5.1 Written Sources.........................................................................................5-1 5.2 Personal Communications .....................................................................5-7 6 REPORT PREPARERS .............................................................................................6-1 Tables 2-1 Slope Range and Acreage for Sinkyone Wilderness State Park................2-11 2-2 Aspect Range and Acreage for Sinkyone Wilderness State Park.............2-12 Sinkyone Wilderness State Park Table of Contents Preliminary General Plan and Draft EIR i June 2006 Table of Contents Chapter/Section Page 2-3 Summary of Hydrologic Drainages Within Sinkyone Wilderness State Park ...........................................................................................................2-19 2-4 Mean and Low Monthly Flow Data for the Middle Fork of the Ten Mile River .....................................................................................................2-25 2-5 Existing Recreation Facilities in Sinkyone Wilderness State Park ................2-64 2-6 Road Mileage Within Sinkyone Wilderness State Park ................................2-69 3-1 Public and Administrative Uses Permitted in the Park by Management Area ....................................................................................................................3-20 3-2 Sample of Desired Outcomes and Environmental Quality Indicators......3-36 Exhibits 1-1 Regional Location of Sinkyone Wilderness State Park ..................................1-2 1-2 Surrounding Land Uses of Sinkyone Wilderness State Park ...........................1-3 2-1 Base Map .............................................................................................................2-3 2-2 Topography .......................................................................................................2-13 2-3 Geology .............................................................................................................2-17 2-4 Soils ......................................................................................................................2-21 2-5 Streams and Watersheds.................................................................................2-23 2-6 Vegetation Types..............................................................................................2-31