United States Department of Agriculture Armstrong Creek Project Environmental Assessment Forest Service Pisgah National Forest Grandfather Ranger District February, 2016 For More Information Contact: Jason Herron Environmental Coordinator 632 Manor Drive Mars Hill, NC 28754 (828) 689-9694 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). 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Environmental Assessment Contents Purpose and Need ..........................................................................................................................................1 Introduction ...............................................................................................................................................1 Nantahala and Pisgah Forest Plan Direction .............................................................................................2 Purpose and Need for Action ....................................................................................................................4 Proposed Action ............................................................................................................................................9 Descriptions of Proposed Actions .......................................................................................................12 Associated Actions ..............................................................................................................................16 Issues and Alternatives ................................................................................................................................18 Public Involvement .................................................................................................................................18 Issues .......................................................................................................................................................18 Range of Alternatives ..............................................................................................................................18 Alternatives Considered in Detail ...........................................................................................................19 Alternative A – No Action ..................................................................................................................19 Alternative B – Proposed Action .........................................................................................................19 Alternative C .......................................................................................................................................19 Alternative D .......................................................................................................................................19 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Detailed Study ................................................................19 Alternative 1 ........................................................................................................................................19 Project Design Features and Monitoring Common to Action Alternatives ............................................20 Monitoring ...........................................................................................................................................21 Summary Comparison of Actions by Alternative ...................................................................................22 Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action and Alternatives...............................................................24 Hydrology and Aquatic Habitat ..............................................................................................................25 Scale of Analysis .................................................................................................................................25 Effects Analysis ...................................................................................................................................28 Determination of Effect .......................................................................................................................40 Mitigation Measures & Project Design Features .................................................................................41 Soil/Geology Resources ..........................................................................................................................42 Scope of the Analysis ..........................................................................................................................42 Existing Conditions .............................................................................................................................42 Hydric Soils Listing .............................................................................................................................43 Prime Farmland Soils Listing ..............................................................................................................43 Desired Condition of the Soils ............................................................................................................44 Direct & Indirect Effects Analysis ......................................................................................................44 Cumulative Effects Analysis ...............................................................................................................53 Wildlife ...................................................................................................................................................55 Introduction .........................................................................................................................................55 Terrestrial Wildlife Survey and Analysis Methods .............................................................................55 Existing Terrestrial Wildlife Condition ...............................................................................................56 Potential Effects and Analysis for Terrestrial Wildlife Resources ......................................................58 Specific Effects to TES, and FC Terrestrial Wildlife Species .............................................................60 Effects to Sensitive and Forest Concern Species Habitat ....................................................................62 Effects to Management Indicator Species and Habitat ........................................................................62 Effects by Alternative ..........................................................................................................................71 Summary of Effects .............................................................................................................................72 Botanical .................................................................................................................................................73 Introduction .........................................................................................................................................73 Botanical Survey and Analysis Methods .............................................................................................73 i Name of Project Existing Botanical Condition .............................................................................................................. 74 Effects Analysis of Botanical Resources ............................................................................................ 82 Effects to Threatened, Endangered, Sensitive, and Forest Concern Species ...................................... 83 Effects to Potential Habitat for Threatened, Endangered, Sensitive and Forest Concern Plant Species ............................................................................................................................................................ 87 Effects of Non-Native Invasive Plant Species within the Botanical Analysis Area ........................... 89 Effects to Research Natural Areas or Botanical Special Interest Areas .............................................. 93 Summary of Effects ............................................................................................................................ 93 Forest Vegetation .................................................................................................................................... 94 Existing Condition .............................................................................................................................. 94 Direct and Indirect Effects .................................................................................................................