Desolation Ecosystem Analysis Umatilla National Forest July 2, 1999 Table of Contents Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 7 Summary of Findings .............................................................................................................................. 8 I. Characterization................................................................................................................................... 9 General Information.............................................................................................................................................9 Forest Plan Management Areas and Land Uses.............................................................................................12 Federal Trust Responsibilities To Indian Tribes............................................................................................14 Soils and Geology..............................................................................................................................................17 General...........................................................................................................................................................17 Geology..........................................................................................................................................................17 Soils ...............................................................................................................................................................17 Erosion Processes ..........................................................................................................................................21 Watershed Hydrology........................................................................................................................................22 Climate...........................................................................................................................................................22 Hydrology......................................................................................................................................................22 Stream Channels and Riparian Areas.............................................................................................................25 Water Quality.................................................................................................................................................26 Water Rights and Uses...................................................................................................................................28 Forest Overstory Vegetation..............................................................................................................................28 Potential Natural Vegetation (PNV) ..............................................................................................................28 Insects and Disease ............................................................................................................................................32 Fire and Fuels ....................................................................................................................................................32 Fire Regimes ..................................................................................................................................................32 Understory and Non-Forest Botanical Resources..............................................................................................34 Floristic Richness...........................................................................................................................................34 Culturally-significant Plants ..........................................................................................................................35 Noxious Weeds..............................................................................................................................................35 Historically-listed and Presently-listed Sensitive Plant Species ....................................................................35 Fish and Aquatic Habitat ...................................................................................................................................35 Aquatic Species..............................................................................................................................................35 Management Constraints ...............................................................................................................................40 Past Management and Human Uses...............................................................................................................41 Special Circumstances ...................................................................................................................................41 Terrestrial Wildlife ............................................................................................................................................41 Habitat............................................................................................................................................................41 Species ...........................................................................................................................................................42 Management Indicator Species ......................................................................................................................42 Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive Species............................................................................................43 Heritage Resources ............................................................................................................................................43 Archaeological...............................................................................................................................................43 Historical........................................................................................................................................................44 Recreation/Wilderness.......................................................................................................................................44 Recreation ......................................................................................................................................................44 Wilderness .....................................................................................................................................................44 Wild and Scenic Rivers..................................................................................................................................44 Administrative Sites.......................................................................................................................................45 Minerals .............................................................................................................................................................45 Rangeland Resources.........................................................................................................................................46 II. Issues and Key Questions ................................................................................................................ 47 Water Quality and Fisheries ..............................................................................................................................47 Vegetation Sustainability...................................................................................................................................50 Terrestrial Vertebrate Biodiversity ....................................................................................................................52 III. Current Conditions.......................................................................................................................... 53 Soils and Geology..............................................................................................................................................53 Erosion/Mass Wasting ...................................................................................................................................53 2 Productivity....................................................................................................................................................54 Watershed Hydrology........................................................................................................................................54 Management Activities and Fire Effects........................................................................................................55 Processes........................................................................................................................................................58 Cumulative Effects.........................................................................................................................................59 Forest Overstory Vegetation..............................................................................................................................60 Forest Cover Types........................................................................................................................................60