United States Department of Willow Sump Invasive Plant Agriculture Forest Service Project Pacific Northwest Environmental Assessment Region Umpqua National Forest North Umpqua Ranger District March 2015 1 WILLOW SUMP INVASIVE PLANT PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Douglas County Oregon Lead Agency: USDA Forest Service, Umpqua National Forest Service Responsible Official: Bill Mulholland, District Ranger North Umpqua Ranger District Umpqua National Forest 18782 North Umpqua Highway Glide, OR 97443 Phone: (541) 496-3532 For More Information Contact: Bryan Benz, Team Leader North Umpqua Ranger District 18782 North Umpqua Highway Glide, OR 97433 Phone: (541) 496-4169 Email: [email protected] Abstract: This Environmental Assessment (EA) documents one action alternative and the no action alternative for treatment activities within the Willow Sump Project Area, Adaptive Management Area of the Little River Watershed on the Umpqua National Forest, North Umpqua Ranger District. Alternative 2 has been identified as the preferred alternative. 2 Contents Willow Sump Invasive Plant Project ................................................................................................. 1 Environmental Assessment ...................................................................................................................... 1 Umpqua National Forest ........................................................................................................................... 1 North Umpqua Ranger District ................................................................................................................. 1 January 2015 .............................................................................................................................................. 1 WILLOW SUMP INVASIVE PLANT PROJECT .................................................................................... 2 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ........................................................................................................ 2 Abstract: ................................................................................................................................................... 2 TABLES ...................................................................................................................................................... 7 FIGURES .................................................................................................................................................... 8 CHAPTER 1 .................................................................................................................................................... 9 Purpose and Need for Action ........................................................................................................................ 9 Project Location.................................................................................................................................... 9 Relationship to other Planning Documents and Analyses ................................................................. 12 Need for Action .................................................................................................................................. 13 Proposed Action ................................................................................................................................. 13 Decisions to be made ......................................................................................................................... 14 Scoping ............................................................................................................................................... 14 Project Implementation ..................................................................................................................... 15 CHAPTER 2 .................................................................................................................................................. 16 Alternatives, Including the Proposed Action .............................................................................................. 16 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................... 16 Alternatives Considered, But Eliminated From Detailed Study ......................................................... 16 Alternative 1 – No Action ................................................................................................................... 17 Alternative 2 – Proposed Action ........................................................................................................ 17 Best Management Practices, Mitigation Measures, Project Design Features, and Monitoring ............ 17 Purpose Project Design Feature Source ............................................................................................. 17 Pre-Project Planning – To ensure project is implemented appropriately .......................................... 18 To Prevent Spread of Invasives from Treatment Activities or Re-Introduction on a Treated Site .... 18 Field Operations / Worker Safety....................................................................................................... 18 3 Public Health / Public Notification ..................................................................................................... 20 To Protect Soils, Water Quality, Fisheries and Aquatic Organisms .................................................... 20 To Ensure the Protection of Threatened, Endangered, Sensitive (TES) or other Rare and Uncommon Plant Species ...................................................................................................................................... 21 To Ensure Protection of Heritage Resources ..................................................................................... 21 To Protect Wildlife.............................................................................................................................. 21 CHAPTER 3 .................................................................................................................................................. 22 Affected Environment and Environmental Effects ..................................................................................... 22 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................... 22 Treatment Assumptions and Scenarios ............................................................................................. 22 Basis for Cumulative Effects Analysis ................................................................................................. 23 Herbicides, Adjuvants, Surfactants and Inert Ingredients ................................................................. 24 Herbicide Risk Assessments ............................................................................................................... 24 Incomplete or Unavailable Information ............................................................................................. 25 Invasive Plants/Noxious Weeds .............................................................................................................. 25 Existing and Desired Conditions - Invasive Plants/Noxious Weeds ................................................... 25 Alternative 1- No-action Alternative. ................................................................................................. 26 Alternative 2 – Proposed Action. ....................................................................................................... 26 Herbicide Risk Assessments .................................................................................................................... 27 Willow Sump EA Human Health Effects Analysis ............................................................................... 27 Human Health Impact Analysis (Worker and Public Exposure to Herbicide)..................................... 27 Effects of No Action to Human Health ............................................................................................... 27 Effects of the Proposed Action to Human Health .............................................................................. 27 Botany ..................................................................................................................................................... 29 Effects of Herbicides to Non-Target Vegetation ................................................................................ 29 Survey and Manage Botany Species .................................................................................................. 30 Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive Botany Species Biological Evaluation ................................. 30 Pre-field Review - Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive Botany Species ...................................... 30 Direct, Indirect and Cumulative Effects ............................................................................................. 30 Aquatic Environment .............................................................................................................................. 31 Hydrological Background ........................................................................................................................ 31 4 Relevant Standards and Guidelines 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