PaiutePaiute CutthroatCutthroat TroutTrout RestorationRestoration Project Project Silver King Creek, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Alpine County, California EPA No. FES 10-10 February 2010� Final ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT/� ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT� Prepared by Prepared for ENTRIX, Inc U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service California Department of Fish and Game SILVER KING CREEK HUMBOLDT-TOIYABE NATIONAL FOREST, ALPINE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Paiute Cutthroat Trout Restoration Project FEBRUARY 2010 Table of Contents CHAPTER 1 Executive Summary .............................................................................1-1 1.1 Background ......................................................................................................................1-2 1.2 Objective/Purpose and Need for action............................................................................1-2 1.3 Proposed Action...............................................................................................................1-3 1.4 Public Involvement Summary..................................................................................... 1-31-4 1.4.1 Agency Consultation and Coordination..............................................................1-7 1.4.2 Public Review of EIS/EIR...................................................................................1-9 1.4.3 Intended Uses of the EIS/EIR ............................................................................1-9 1.5 Alternatives Considered and Proposed Action ...............................................................1-10 1.6 Summary of Environmental Impacts...............................................................................1-10 1.7 Environmentally Superior Alternative .............................................................................1-11 1.8 Issues to be Resolved....................................................................................................1-11 1.9 Refere nces..............................................................................................................1-111-12 CHAPTER 2 Introduction ..........................................................................................2-1 2.1 History and Background...................................................................................................2-1 2.1.1 Conservation Planning.......................................................................................2-2 2.1.2 Past Restoration Efforts in Silver King Creek.....................................................2-2 2.2 Objective/Purpose and Need for Action ...........................................................................2-3 2.3 Proposed Action...............................................................................................................2-4 2.4 Permits and Approvals for the Project..............................................................................2-6 2.5 Environmental issues and Concerns................................................................................2-7 2.6 Document Structure ..................................................................................................2-92-10 2.7 Refere nces..............................................................................................................2-102-11 CHAPTER 3 Project Alternatives..............................................................................3-1 3.1 Alternatives Development ................................................................................................3-1 3.1.1 Public Health and Safety....................................................................................3-2 3.1.2 Speed of Implementation ...................................................................................3-2 3.1.3 Proven Effective in the Laboratory and Field .....................................................3-2 3.1.4 Technically Feasible to Implement.....................................................................3-2 3.1.5 Wilderness Considerations ................................................................................3-2 3.1.6 Potential for Environmental Impacts ..................................................................3-2 3.1.7 Cost-Effectiveness .............................................................................................3-3 3.2 Alternatives Considered in Detail for the EIS/EIR ............................................................3-3 3.2.1 Alternative 1: No Action .....................................................................................3-3 3.2.2 Alternative 2: Proposed Action/Preferred Alternative (Rotenone Application) ........................................................................................................3-3 3.2.3 Alternative 3: Combined Physical Removal .....................................................3-11 3.3 Mitigation Common to action Alternatives ...............................................................3-123-13 Silver King Creek Paiute Cutthroat Trout Restoration Project i Final EIS/EIR TABLE OF CONTENTS 3.4 Alternatives Considered But Dismissed .........................................................................3-13 3.4.1 Chemical Treatment..................................................................................3-133-14 3.4.2 Stream Dewatering ...................................................................................3-133-14 3.4.3 Fisheries Management Techniques ..........................................................3-133-14 3.4.4 Habitat Management/Alteration.................................................................3-133-14 3.4.5 Treatment of a Smaller Area............................................................................3-14 3.4.6 Chemical Application Combined with Other Approaches..........................3-143-15 3.4.7 Combined Non-Chemical Options.............................................................3-143-15 3.4.8 Alternative Locations.................................................................................3-143-15 3.4.9 Alternate Timeframe for Implementation..........................................................3-15 3.5 Preferred Alternative ......................................................................................................3-16 3.6 References..............................................................................................................3-153-16 CHAPTER 4 Scope of the Analysis ..........................................................................4-1 CHAPTER 5 Environmental Consequences ............................................................ 5-1 5.1 Aquatic Biological Resources........................................................................................5.1-1 5.1.1 Environmental Setting/Affected Environment..................................................5.1-1 5.1.2 Regulatory Environment .....................................................................5.1-275.1-28 5.1.3 Assessment Criteria and Methodology ...............................................5.1-305.1-31 5.1.4 Environmental Impact Assessment.....................................................5.1-325.1-33 5.1.5 References..........................................................................................5.1-515.1-53 5.2 Terrestrial Biological Resources....................................................................................5.2-1 5.2.1 Environmental Setting.....................................................................................5.2-1 5.2.2 Regulatory Setting ..................................................................................5.2-45.2-5 5.2.3 Assessment Criteria and Methodology ...........................................................5.2-6 5.2.4 Environmental Impact Assessment.................................................................5.2-7 5.2.5 References..........................................................................................5.2-165.2-18 5.3 Human and Ecological Health Concerns.......................................................................5.3-1 5.3.1 Affected Environment......................................................................................5.3-1 5.3.2 Regulatory Setting ..........................................................................................5.3-3 5.3.3 Assessment Criteria and Methodology ...........................................................5.3-7 5.3.4 Environmental Impact Assessment.................................................................5.3-8 5.3.5 References....................................................................................................5.3-13 5.4 Water resources............................................................................................................5.4-1 5.4.1 Affected Environment......................................................................................5.4-1 5.4.2 Regulatory Setting ..........................................................................................5.4-5 5.4.3 Assessment Criteria and Methodology .........................................................5.4-10 5.4.4 Environmental Impact Assessment...............................................................5.4-12 5.4.5 References..........................................................................................5.4-205.4-19 5.5 Greenhouse Gases and Climate Change......................................................................5.5-1 5.5.1 Environmental