UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BLM, BOISE DISTRICT EA # DOI-BLM-ID-B030-2009-0004-EA Title Page Applicant (if any): Proposed Action: To respond to a EA No. Tommy and grazing permit renewal DOI-BLM-ID-B030-2009-0004-EA Barbara Moore application and improve Also known as EA # ID-130-2009-EA-3783 resource conditions State: County: District: Field Office: Authority: Idaho Owyhee Boise Owyhee NEPA, FLPMA Prepared By: Title: Report Date: OFO ID Team Pole Creek Allotment Permit Renewal 2/28/2012 LANDS INVOLVED Meridian Township Range Sections Acres 10S 6W 14, 15, 22-27, 34-36 10S 5W 19, 30-32 Boise 11S 6W 1-3, 10-15, 22-27, 34-36 23,395 11S 5W 4-10, 15-21, 28-33 12S 6W 2, 3 12S 5W 1 Consideration of Critical Elements N/A or Applicable Discussed Not or Present, in EA Present No Impact Air Quality X Areas of Critical Environmental Concern X Cultural Resources X Environmental Justice (E.O. 12898) X Farm Lands (prime or unique) X Floodplains X Migratory Birds X Native American Religious Concerns X Invasive, Nonnative Species X Wastes, Hazardous or Solid X Threatened or Endangered Species X Socio-economic X Water Quality (Drinking/Ground) X Wetlands/Riparian Zones X Wild and Scenic Rivers (Eligible) X Wilderness Study Areas X DOI-BLM-ID-B030-2009-0004-EA Pole Creek Allotment Grazing Permit Renewal Environmental Assessment # DOI-BLM-ID-B030-2009-0004-EA Pole Creek Allotment Grazing Permit Renewal Table of Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................... 5 1.1 LOCATION, SETTING, AND BACKGROUND .......................................................................................... 5 1.2 NEED FOR AND PURPOSE OF ACTION ................................................................................................... 6 1.3 SCOPING AND DEVELOPMENT OF ISSUES............................................................................................ 7 1.4 SUMMARY OF PROPOSED ACTION ......................................................................................................... 8 1.5 CONFORMANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAND USE PLAN .................................................................... 10 1.6 RELATIONSHIP TO STATUTES, REGULATIONS, AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS ......................... 11 1.6.1 Idaho Standards for Rangeland Health and Guidelines for Livestock Grazing Management .......... 11 1.6.2 Litigation History .............................................................................................................................. 11 1.6.3 Statutes .............................................................................................................................................. 11 1.6.4 Collaborative Habitat Management Plans ........................................................................................ 12 2.0 DESCRIPTION OF THE ALTERNATIVES ........................................................................................... 13 2.1 ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS ........................................................................................... 13 2.2 MANAGEMENT COMMON TO ALL ALTERNATIVES ......................................................................... 13 2.2.1 Inventory and Monitoring .................................................................................................................. 13 2.2.2 Management Objectives (Alternatives A1, A2, C1, C2, and D) ......................................................... 14 2.2.3 Range Improvement Projects (Alternatives B, C1, C2, and partial D) ............................................. 15 2.2.4 Juniper Treatments/Management (Alternatives B, C1, C2, and D) ................................................... 17 2.2.5 Livestock Trailing/Crossing (Alternatives A1-C2) ............................................................................ 23 2.3 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED BUT NOT ANALYZED IN DETAIL .................................................. 24 2.4 DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES ......................................................... 26 2.4.1 Alternative A1 – Continue Present Management from 2008-2011. ................................................... 26 2.4.2 Alternative A2 – Management in Accordance with the 1997 Grazing Permit ................................... 28 2.4.3 Alternative B – Adaptive Management .............................................................................................. 29 2.4.4 Alternative C1 – Proposed Action – Spring Use/Rest ....................................................................... 34 2.4.5 Alternative C2 – Spring Use/Rest with a 40% Reduction .................................................................. 38 2.4.6 Alternative D – No Grazing ............................................................................................................... 40 2.5 COMPARISON OF ALTERNATIVES ........................................................................................................ 42 3.0 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES ................................. 44 3.1 UPLAND VEGETATION/NOXIOUS WEEDS ........................................................................................... 44 3.1.1 Affected Environment – Upland Vegetation/Noxious Weeds ............................................................. 44 3.1.2 Environmental Consequences – Upland Vegetation/Noxious Weeds ................................................ 55 3.2 WATERSHED AND SOILS ......................................................................................................................... 67 3.2.1 Affected Environment – Watershed/Soils .......................................................................................... 67 3.2.2 Environmental Consequences – Watershed/Soils .............................................................................. 69 3.3 WATER QUALITY ...................................................................................................................................... 74 3.3.1 Affected Environment – Water Quality .............................................................................................. 75 3.3.2 Environmental Consequences – Water Quality ................................................................................. 77 3.4 WETLANDS/RIPARIAN AREAS ............................................................................................................... 81 3.4.1 Affected Environment – Wetlands/Riparian Areas ............................................................................ 81 3.4.2 Environmental Consequences – Wetlands/Riparian Areas ............................................................... 85 3.5 FISH AND WILDLIFE/SPECIAL STATUS ANIMALS ............................................................................ 90 3.5.1 Affected Environment – Fish and Wildlife/Special Status Animals ................................................... 90 3.5.2 Environmental Consequences – Fish and Wildlife/Special Status Animals ...................................... 98 3.6 BOTANY/SPECIAL STATUS PLANTS ................................................................................................... 114 3.6.1 Affected Environment – Botany/Special Status Plants .................................................................... 115 3.6.2 Environmental Consequences – Botany/Special Status Plants ........................................................ 116 3.7 GRAZING MANAGEMENT/SOCIO-ECONOMICS ............................................................................... 121 DOI-BLM-ID-B030-2009-0004-EA Pole Creek Allotment Grazing Permit Renewal 3.7.1 Affected Environment – Grazing Management/Socio-economics .................................................... 121 3.7.2 Environmental Consequences – Grazing Management/Socio-economics ....................................... 122 3.8 CULTURAL AND PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCES ....................................................................... 127 3.8.1 Affected Environment – Cultural and Paleontological Resources .................................................. 127 3.8.2 Environmental Consequences – Cultural and Paleontological Resources ..................................... 128 3.9 RECREATION AND VISUAL RESOURCES .......................................................................................... 129 3.9.1 Affected Environment – Recreation and Visual Resources ............................................................. 129 3.9.2 Environmental Consequences – Recreation and Visual Resources ................................................. 130 3.10 LANDS WITH WILDERNESS CHARACTERISTICS ............................................................................. 134 3.10.1 Affected Environment – Lands with Wilderness Characteristics ..................................................... 134 3.10.2 Environmental Consequences – Lands with Wilderness Characteristics ........................................ 136 3.11 AIR QUALITY ........................................................................................................................................... 139 3.11.1 Affected Environment – Air Quality ................................................................................................ 139 3.11.2 Environmental Consequences – Air Quality .................................................................................... 140 4.0 CUMULATIVE EFFECTS .....................................................................................................................