Little Sandcreek Watershed Management Plan January 2021 Prepared For: The City of Sandpoint Idaho 1123 Lake Street Sandpoint, Idaho 83864 Prepared By: Michael Zenthoefer (Point Environmental, LLC) Oregon City, OR 97045 541-207-8441 [email protected] & Randy Reeve (Reeve Sherwood Consulting, LLC) Shelton, WA 98584 541-231-9475 [email protected] Table of Contents Definitions .................................................................................................................................................... iii 1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Watershed Management Goals and Objectives ........................................................................... 2 1.1.1. Primary Goal: ........................................................................................................................ 2 1.1.2. Secondary Goals: ................................................................................................................... 2 1.2. History ........................................................................................................................................... 3 2. Population, Landform, and Land Use .................................................................................................... 5 2.1. Watershed Ownership .................................................................................................................. 5 2.2. Property Boundaries and Markers ................................................................................................ 6 2.3. Aesthetics ...................................................................................................................................... 6 2.4. Action Items .................................................................................................................................. 6 3. Soils ....................................................................................................................................................... 7 4. Fish, Wildlife, and Plants ....................................................................................................................... 8 4.1. Fish ................................................................................................................................................ 8 4.2. Wildlife .......................................................................................................................................... 8 4.3. Plants ........................................................................................................................................... 11 4.4. Action Items ................................................................................................................................ 13 5. Critical Areas: Hydrology & Water Quality ......................................................................................... 15 5.1. Critical Area Descriptions ............................................................................................................ 17 5.1.1. Wetlands ............................................................................................................................. 17 5.1.2. Riparian Areas ..................................................................................................................... 19 5.1.3. Seeps ................................................................................................................................... 20 5.1.4. Steep Slopes ........................................................................................................................ 21 5.2. Action Items ................................................................................................................................ 22 6. Access and Roads (Watershed Road Map) ......................................................................................... 22 6.1. Forest Road Survey ..................................................................................................................... 23 6.1.1. Action Items ........................................................................................................................ 26 6.2. Stream Crossing Survey............................................................................................................... 26 6.3. Watershed Road and Stream Crossing Recommendations ........................................................ 29 6.4. Action Items ................................................................................................................................ 29 7. Road Monitoring and Maintenance Plan ............................................................................................ 29 7.1. Facilities Contacts ....................................................................................................................... 30 i | P a g e 7.2. Purpose ....................................................................................................................................... 30 7.3. Inspection .................................................................................................................................... 31 7.4. Maintenance ............................................................................................................................... 31 7.5. New Construction ....................................................................................................................... 31 7.6. Disposal Sites .............................................................................................................................. 31 7.7. Chemicals and Deicers ................................................................................................................ 32 7.8. Volunteer Involvement ............................................................................................................... 32 7.9. Draft Volunteer Training Outline ................................................................................................ 32 7.10. Action Items ............................................................................................................................ 32 8. Timber Management Plan .................................................................................................................. 33 9. Fire, EMS, and Incident Management Strategy .................................................................................. 33 9.1. Current Fire and EMS Manager Contacts ................................................................................... 33 9.1.1. Fire Response Policy ............................................................................................................ 34 9.1.2. Use of Fire Retardant .......................................................................................................... 34 9.1.3. Pollution Control Procedures During Fires.......................................................................... 34 9.1.4. Water Sources ..................................................................................................................... 35 9.1.5. Water Treatment Plant Shutdown ...................................................................................... 35 9.2. Other Watershed Information .................................................................................................... 35 9.3. Applicable Partner Agency Fire Management Plans ................................................................... 35 9.4. Action Items ................................................................................................................................ 36 10. Recreational Construction, Utilities, New Construction ..................................................................... 37 10.1. Regulated Activities................................................................................................................. 37 10.1.1. Permit Review ..................................................................................................................... 37 References .................................................................................................................................................. 45 11. Addendums Requested ....................................................................................................................... 47 12. Appendices .......................................................................................................................................... 47 ii | P a g e Definitions 401 Certification: Certification issued by the state of Idaho when a federally issued permit has the potential to impact an individual states water quality. States can require additional BMPs to ensure activities permitted under the federal authorization do not have an adverse effect on water quality. 404 Permit: Joint permit authorization issued by the US Army Corps of Engineers and State Land Authority to regulate the fill and removal of material from below the ordinary high-water elevation of waterways. BLM: Bureau of Land Management BMP: Best Management Practices, typically referring to standardized methods which protect water quality from activities which have the potential to create and discharge pollutants. CGP: Construction General Permit, EPA’s construction stormwater permit required for projects which disturb