Glady Watershed Assessment Glady Fork Sub basin #05020004050 Cheat and Greenbrier Ranger Districts of the MONONGAHELA NATIONAL FOREST May 2001 Glady Watershed Assessment Table of Contents List of Maps ...............................................................................................................................iii List of Tables ............................................................................................................................. iv List of Figures............................................................................................................................ iv List of Appendices ..................................................................................................................... iv Chapter 1 – Characterization .................................................................................................................... 1 Intent of Watershed analysis................................................................................................................ 1 Characterization of Watershed ........................................................................................................... 1 Location .............................................................................................................................................. 1 Dominant Features of Physical Environment ..................................................................................... 9 Geology and Caves ......................................................................................................................... 9 Soils................................................................................................................................................. 9 Water............................................................................................................................................. 10 Dominant Features of Biological Environment ................................................................................ 10 Terrestrial Species and Habitat ..................................................................................................... 10 Dominant Features of Social Environment....................................................................................... 12 Chapter 2 - Issues..................................................................................................................................... 13 Issue Identification Process................................................................................................................ 13 Erosion Processes/Sedimentation ..................................................................................................... 13 Hydrology/Stream Channels............................................................................................................. 13 Water Quality.................................................................................................................................... 14 Vegetation......................................................................................................................................... 14 Wildlife ............................................................................................................................................. 14 Human Uses...................................................................................................................................... 15 Private Land...................................................................................................................................... 15 Chapter 3 – Current and Reference Conditions ..................................................................................... 16 Physical Environment......................................................................................................................... 16 Soil Types ......................................................................................................................................... 16 Erosion Processes.............................................................................................................................. 24 Hydrology ......................................................................................................................................... 24 Stream Morphology ...................................................................................................................... 24 Flow Rates .................................................................................................................................... 25 Storm Flows.................................................................................................................................. 27 Sediment ....................................................................................................................................... 28 Water Chemistry ........................................................................................................................... 29 Temperature .................................................................................................................................. 30 Comparison of Reference Condition to Current Condition .......................................................... 30 Biological Environment...................................................................................................................... 31 Pre-European settlement forests of the Monongahela National Forest ............................................ 31 Past Timber Harvests ........................................................................................................................ 32 Age Class Distribution...................................................................................................................... 33 Forest Type Distribution................................................................................................................... 38 Landtype Associations...................................................................................................................... 40 Ecological Landtypes........................................................................................................................ 44 Table of Contents page i Glady Watershed Assessment Disturbance Regimes ........................................................................................................................ 44 Insects and Diseases.......................................................................................................................... 44 Noxious Weeds ................................................................................................................................. 46 Wildlife Habitat ................................................................................................................................ 46 Terrestrial Species......................................................................................................................... 47 Fragmentation ................................................................................................................................... 49 Management Indicator Species......................................................................................................... 56 Mature Habitat .................................................................................................................................. 57 Threatened and Endangered Species ................................................................................................ 58 Sensitive species ............................................................................................................................... 64 Aquatic Habitat ................................................................................................................................. 64 Social Environment............................................................................................................................. 69 Population ......................................................................................................................................... 69 Heritage Resources ........................................................................................................................... 70 Research Study.................................................................................................................................. 72 Roads................................................................................................................................................. 72 Forest System Roads..................................................................................................................... 73 Access Problem............................................................................................................................. 81 Woods Roads ................................................................................................................................ 81 State, County, and Private Roads.................................................................................................. 82 Natural Gas Production..................................................................................................................... 82 Scenic Quality................................................................................................................................... 87 Recreation ........................................................................................................................................