Russian River Landscape Assessment Brown Bear, Lower Russian River Prepared by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Chugach National Forest Seward Ranger District August 2004 Russian River Landscape Assessment August 2004 RUSSIAN RIVER LANDSCAPE ASSESSMENT August 2004 Prepared by: Team Leader s Mary Ann Benoit Eric Johansen Recreation Karen Kromrey, Bill Jackson Minerals Sherry Nelson Cultural Resources Tony Largaespada Shannon Huber Hydrology Bill MacFarlane Soils Ricardo Velarde Fire Brian Sines Fisheries Eric Johansen Wildlife Mary Ann Benoit, Jeff Selinger, Bill Shuster Vegetation/Ecology Elizabeth Bella GIS Trey Schillie Lands Karen O’Leary, Bill Jackson Approved by: _____________________________ ____________ Deb Cooper, Seward District Ranger Date US Forest Service ii August 2004 Russian River Landscape Assessment August 2004 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................1 2.0 WATERSHED CHARACTERIZATION......................................................2 2.1 Lands .................................................................................................................. 2 2.2 Geology, Minerals, and Soils .............................................................................. 1 2.2.1 Geology ................................................................................................ 1 2.2.2 Minerals ................................................................................................ 1 2.2.3 Soils ...................................................................................................... 1 2.3 Hydrology............................................................................................................ 1 2.3.1 Climate.................................................................................................. 1 2.3.2 Watershed Morphometry ...................................................................... 3 2.3.3 Glaciers................................................................................................. 3 2.3.4 Streams ................................................................................................ 3 2.3.5 Wetlands............................................................................................... 4 2.3.6 Streamflows .......................................................................................... 4 2.3.7 Water Quality ........................................................................................ 5 2.4 Vegetation and Ecology ...................................................................................... 5 2.5 Fire...................................................................................................................... 7 2.6 Aquatic Species and Habitats ............................................................................. 7 2.7 Terrestrial Species and Habitats......................................................................... 8 2.7.1 Sensitive Species, Management Indicator Species and Species of Special Interest ..................................................................................... 9 2.8 Human Uses: Past and Present....................................................................... 11 2.8.1 Human Uses: Past.............................................................................. 11 2.8.2 Human Uses: Present......................................................................... 13 3.0 KEY ISSUES AND QUESTIONS...............................................................14 3.1 Lands ................................................................................................................ 14 3.2 Geology, Minerals and Soils ............................................................................. 14 3.3 Hydrology.......................................................................................................... 15 3.4 Vegetation/Ecology ........................................................................................... 15 3.5 Fire.................................................................................................................... 16 3.6 Aquatic Species and Habitats ........................................................................... 16 3.7 Terrestrial Species and Habitats....................................................................... 16 3.8 Human Uses ..................................................................................................... 17 3.8.1 Human Uses: Past.............................................................................. 17 3.8.2 Human Uses: Present......................................................................... 17 4.0 CURRENT CONDITIONS ..........................................................................19 4.1 Lands ................................................................................................................ 19 4.2 Geology, Minerals and Soils ............................................................................. 21 4.2.1 Geology .............................................................................................. 21 4.2.2 Minerals .............................................................................................. 22 4.2.3 Soils .................................................................................................... 26 4.3 Hydrology.......................................................................................................... 29 4.3.1 Stream Channel.................................................................................. 31 4.3.2 Water Quality ...................................................................................... 36 4.4 Vegetation......................................................................................................... 37 US Forest Service iii August 2004 Russian River Landscape Assessment August 2004 4.5 Fire.................................................................................................................... 43 4.6 Aquatic Species and Habitats ........................................................................... 44 4.7 Terrestrial Species and Habitats....................................................................... 46 4.7.1 Sensitive Species ............................................................................... 47 4.7.2 Management Indicator Species .......................................................... 48 4.7.3 Species of Special Interest ................................................................. 50 4.8 Human Uses ..................................................................................................... 53 4.8.1 Human Uses: Past.............................................................................. 53 4.8.2 Human Uses: Present......................................................................... 54 4.8.3 Subsistence ........................................................................................ 57 4.8.4 Forest Management............................................................................ 57 5.0 REFERENCE CONDITIONS .....................................................................59 5.1 Lands ................................................................................................................ 59 5.2 Soils and Erosion Processes ............................................................................ 59 5.3 Geomorphology ................................................................................................ 60 5.3.1 Hydrology............................................................................................ 61 5.3.2 Stream Channel.................................................................................. 62 5.3.3 Water Quality ...................................................................................... 62 5.4 Vegetation......................................................................................................... 63 5.5 Fire.................................................................................................................... 64 5.6 Aquatic Species and Habitats ........................................................................... 65 5.7 Terrestrial Species and Habitats....................................................................... 65 5.7.1 Sensitive Species ............................................................................... 66 5.7.2 Management Indicator Species .......................................................... 66 5.7.3 Species of Special Interest ................................................................. 67 5.8 Human Uses ..................................................................................................... 68 5.8.1 Human Uses: Past............................................................................. 68 5.8.2 Human Uses: Present........................................................................ 68 6.0 SYNTHESIS AND INTERPRETATION......................................................69 6.1 Lands ................................................................................................................ 69 6.2 Geology, Minerals, Soils ................................................................................... 69 6.2.1 Geology .............................................................................................. 69 6.2.2 Minerals .............................................................................................