Trail River Landscape Assessment Prepared by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Chugach National Forest Seward Ranger District 2008 Trail River Landscape Assessment TRAIL RIVER LANDSCAPE ASSESSMENT 2007 Prepared by: Team Leader Mary Ann Benoit Recreation Kathy Mitchell Geology and Minerals Carol Huber Cultural Resources Shannon Huber, Teneal Jensen Hydrology Bill MacFarlane Soils Dean Davidson Fire Nicole Longfellow, Dave Lockwood Fisheries Eric Johansen Ruth D’Amico Wildlife Mary Ann Benoit Michelle Dragoo Vegetation/Ecology Chris McKee, Elizabeth Bella, Sue Kesti, Mary Ann Benoit GIS Trey Schillie, Linda Kelly, Michelle Dragoo Lands Karen O’Leary Approved by: _____________________________ ____________ Travis Moseley, Seward District Ranger Date US Forest Service ii April 2008 Trail River Landscape Assessment TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 8 1.1 Purpose ............................................................................................................. 8 1.2 The Analysis Area ............................................................................................. 9 2.0 WATERSHED CHARACTERIZATION ................................................................ 10 2.1 Lands .............................................................................................................. 10 2.2 Geology, Minerals, and Soils ........................................................................... 10 2.2.1 Geology and Minerals ........................................................................ 10 2.2.2 Soils .................................................................................................. 13 2.3 Hydrology ........................................................................................................ 22 2.3.1 Climate .............................................................................................. 22 2.3.2 Watershed Morphometry ................................................................... 23 2.3.3 Streams ............................................................................................. 24 2.3.4 Wetlands ........................................................................................... 25 2.3.5 Streamflows ....................................................................................... 26 2.3.6 Water Quality ..................................................................................... 27 2.4 Vegetation and Ecology ................................................................................... 28 2.6 Aquatic Species and Habitats .......................................................................... 28 2.7 Terrestrial Species and Habitats ...................................................................... 29 2.7.1 Sensitive Species, Management Indicator Species and Species of Special Interest .................................................................................. 30 2.8 Human Uses ................................................................................................... 30 2.8.1 Human Uses: Past ............................................................................. 30 2.8.2 Human Uses: Present ....................................................................... 31 3.0 KEY ISSUES AND QUESTIONS ........................................................................ 32 3.1 Lands .............................................................................................................. 32 3.2 Geology, Minerals and Soils ............................................................................ 32 3.2.1 Geology and Minerals ........................................................................ 32 3.2.2 Soils .................................................................................................. 33 3.3 Hydrology ........................................................................................................ 33 3.4 Vegetation and Ecology ................................................................................... 34 3.5 Fire .................................................................................................................. 34 3.6 Aquatic Species and Habitats .......................................................................... 35 3.7 Terrestrial Species and Habitats ...................................................................... 35 3.8 Human Uses ................................................................................................... 36 3.8.1 Human Uses: Past ............................................................................. 36 3.8.2 Human Uses: Present ....................................................................... 36 4.0 CURRENT CONDITIONS ................................................................................... 37 4.1 Lands .............................................................................................................. 37 4.2 Geology, Minerals and Soils ............................................................................ 38 4.2.1 Geology and Minerals ........................................................................ 38 4.2.2 Soils .................................................................................................. 41 4.3 Hydrology ........................................................................................................ 46 4.3.1 Climate .............................................................................................. 46 4.3.2 Glaciers ............................................................................................. 47 4.3.3 Stream Channel................................................................................. 48 US Forest Service iii April 2008 Trail River Landscape Assessment 4.3.4 Water Quality ..................................................................................... 51 4.4 Vegetation and Ecology ................................................................................... 52 4.4.1 Natural Disturbance ........................................................................... 53 4.4.2 Human Disturbance ........................................................................... 58 4.4.3 Sensitive Plants ................................................................................. 58 4.4.4 Invasive and Non-native Species ....................................................... 58 4.4.5 Spruce Bark Beetle Effects ................................................................ 59 4.5 Fire .................................................................................................................. 59 4.6 Aquatic Species and Habitats .......................................................................... 59 4.6.1 Streams in Trail River Watershed ...................................................... 60 4.6.2 Lakes in Trail Creek Watershed ......................................................... 60 4.7 Terrestrial Species and Habitats ...................................................................... 66 4.7.1 Terrestrial species ............................................................................. 66 4.7.2 Vegetation and Wildlife Habitat .......................................................... 74 4.8 Human Uses ................................................................................................... 77 4.8.1 Human Uses: Past ............................................................................. 77 4.8.2 Human Uses: Present ....................................................................... 80 5.0 REFERENCE CONDITIONS ............................................................................... 86 5.1 Lands .............................................................................................................. 86 5.2 Geology, Minerals, and Soils ........................................................................... 87 5.2.1 Geology and Minerals ........................................................................ 87 5.3 Hydrology ........................................................................................................ 93 5.3.1 Glaciers ............................................................................................. 93 5.3.2 Streamflows ....................................................................................... 94 5.3.3 Stream channel ................................................................................. 94 5.3.4 Water Quality ..................................................................................... 94 5.4 Vegetation and Ecology ................................................................................... 94 5.5 Fire .................................................................................................................. 94 5.5.1 Prehistoric ......................................................................................... 95 5.5.2 Settlement ......................................................................................... 95 5.6 Aquatic Species and Habitats .......................................................................... 96 5.7 Terrestrial Species and Habitats ...................................................................... 96 5.7.1 Sensitive Species .............................................................................. 96 5.7.2 Management Indicator Species ......................................................... 97