[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 178 (Thursday, September 15, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-22832]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: September 15, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Deadwood Ecosystem Analysis, Boise National Forest, ID
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice; intent to prepare environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The Lowman Ranger District of the Boise National Forest will
prepare an environmental impact statement on a proposal to initiate
ecosystem management and restoration projects in the Deadwood River
drainage. This proposal will consist of watershed improvements,
wildlife habitat maintenance, vegetation restoration and prescribed
fire. A landscape scale analysis approach has been applied to the
Deadwood Ecosystem. Using the National Hierarchical of Ecological Units
the Deadwood Landscape has been classified into progressively smaller
areas of uniform ecological potentials for use in ecosystem management.
Ecological units have been delineated by similar patterns of (1)
potential natural communities, (2) soils, (3) hydrological function,
(4) landforms and topography, (5) lithology, (6) climate, (7) air
quality and (8) natural processes for cycling plant biomass and
nutrients.
Data for the analysis was processed using timber stand examination
data, aerial photography interpretations, existing stream and soil
surveys, road inventories, recreation planning records, cultural
resource surveys, historical accounts from the State of Idaho and State
Fish and Game, Native Americans, Boise Forest historical and planning
records, satellite imagery, local and regional Geographical Information
Systems (GIS) coverages and conversations with local residents. Land
system inventories, vegetation data, historical accounts, and fire
history are the key elements used in determining landscape elements,
patterns, and processes.
COMMENTS: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be
received in writing on or before November 1, 1994. Mail comments to, or
for further information contact, Dautis Pearson Lowman Ranger District,
Boise National Forest, HC 77 Box 3020, Lowman, ID 83637, Telephone:
208-259-3361.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Analysis on the Deadwood drainage has
applied a landscape level analysis process to determine existing
ecosystem conditions. From this analysis we have determined what
ecosystems need to be maintained across the landscape dependent on the
physical environment and the types of neighboring ecosystems. Focusing
on the maintenances of the pieces we will be pursuing species and
biological diversity at all levels. Restoration practices to meet these
goals will be determined according to land suitability and biological
needs. Integration of the social and political aspects of Deadwood
ecosystem analysis have been examined at their appropriate scale.
The purposes of the Deadwood Landscape Analysis proposal is to (1)
restore and maintain the health and long-term sustainability of the
Deadwood ecosystem through treatment of identified high risk and hazard
stands, so that natural processes can be used to maintain the ecosystem
in the future. (2) to maintain species diversity at the landscape level
by maintaining a minimum of 40 percent of the landscape in the matrix,
50 percent in patch condition and 10 percent in corridors. This will
ensure that healthy and viable populations of all the native species of
flora and fauna characteristic of the Deadwood Ecosystem will be
present now and into the future. (3) minimize risks to users, and
maintain long-term ecological integrity along the southern portion of
the Deadwood River corridor. (4) compare existing ecological conditions
with historic and determine a historic range of variability specific to
the Deadwood Ecosystem, for all resources. (5) ensure long-term
persistence of the aquatic ecosystem encompassing goals and objectives
of the draft Bull Trout Conservation Agreement (BTCA) developed by the
State of Idaho. (6) priorities treatment of sites at high risk
individually (suited and unsuited) from fire, insect and disease which
are threatening neighboring low risk sites. (7) treat a percentage of
the sites in the northern portion of the drainage which may be within
the historic range but have altered fire regimes, in order to avoid or
reduce the severity of potential fire. (8) map and establish
recreational sites and determine elements that may be compromising the
ecological integrity of the Deadwood drainage. Provide a plan to
relocate and/or develop these areas and establish guidelines for
outfitter and public recreation. (9) monitor and apply adaptive
management techniques to ensure that treatments meet goals and
objectives of ecosystem and landscape desired conditions.
This preliminary analysis has demonstrated through risk and hazard
assessment the large number of stands at risk from insect and disease
epidemics and catastrophic wildfires. Past logging practices, fire
suppression and drought have all attributed to a shift in species
composition and density. This conversion of diverse landscapes to
homogeneous landscapes will decrease plant and animal diversity,
species viability, and distribution, moving the area outside the
historic range of variability. In order to maintain structural
diversity and spatial heterogeneity across the landscape over time, all
acres in the Deadwood landscape need to be considered.
Deadwood Landscape Integrated Proposed Action: The Proposed Action
will consider all 152,966 acres in the Deadwood drainage over the next
10 years where treatment is necessary. Monitoring of changes across the
landscape will be crucial to the success of this project as to allow
for adaptive management as monitoring results indicate needed
adjustments. This proposal will be divided into fire groups, cover
types, and structural classes by Ecological Management Units (EMU).
Treatment by EMUs would vary at the site level scale, depending on site
specific stand conditions and the relationship to the landscape level
scale.
Project Features: Construct a shallow water important (partnership
with BOR) on approximately 10 acres of the Deadwood Reservoir to create
or restore wetland habitat for waterfowl and associated species.
Protect and maintain Whitehawk Basin, monitoring change conditions.
Evaluate the use of prescribed and/or prescribed natural fire to
maintain the integrity of the meadow. Protect Tranquil Basin area
maintaining the riparian meadow. Monitor changes.
Evaluate past harvest along the west side of the reservior to
determine species composition shift from previous methods. Restore
through thinning and reforestation.
Develop a drainage basin recreation plan based on ecological,
social and economical needs, including outfitter and guide permits for
the lower Deadwood River area.
Reconstruction and/or modification of approximately 30 miles of
existing roads, to control sedimentation and erosion hazards. Build
approximately 10 miles of road to access areas south of Deadwood
Reservoir. This road would begin from the No-man road #503 and run
south along the Deadwood River. Build approximately 6 mines of new road
along Scott Creek for access into Six Mile Creek and Scott Creek. Build
approximately 3 miles of road to access areas northwest of Deadwood
Reservoir along Goat Creek, and Wild Buck Creek. Build approximately 2
miles of road to access areas southwest of Deadwood Reservoir in the
Trail Creek area. All new roads and approximately 10 miles of existing
roads would be closed, obliterated and revegetated at the end of the
project. Road closures would be determined on wildlife needs and soil
requirements.
Riparian areas and Meadows: Approximately 8,000 acres of streamside
riparian and dry and wet meadows exist throughout the drainage.
Extensive stream surveys will be concluded this summer as stated in the
above methodology. To ensure long-term persistence of bull trout the
aquatic ecosystem assessment will encompass goals and objectives of the
Bull Trout Conservation Agreement (BTCA) developed by the State of
Idaho. The agreement promotes bull trout recovery by maintaining and
restoring the ecological processes that create and maintain good fish
habitat. The key concept of the BTCA is to maintain and restore viable,
multiple life populations of the species by establishing site-specific
riparian management objectives relative to critical habitat parameters
essential for bull trout productivity. Stream improvement projects,
silvicultural treatment, and prescribed fire will be used on these
acres to maintain or enhance water quality, maintain or improve
conditions for viable fish populations and to prevent encroachment or
deterioration of the riparian meadows. Some of these areas are at high
risk to fire and spruce beetles. Most of these areas are at a moderate
hazard except for those subdrainages next to high risk, high hazard
upland sites.
Miscellaneous Cover Types, Fire Group 0: Approximately 2,700 acres
of brushfields exist predominately in the southern portion of the
Deadwood drainage. Extensive site inventories will be concluded on
these areas during the summer of 1994. At present dominate use of these
areas are winter range for deer and elk. These areas are at low risk
and hazard. We propose to use prescribed fire on these acres to enhance
wildlife winter range taking pressure off of the Lowman Fire area.
Treatment of stands in Fire Groups 2, 3 and 4 adjacent to these
brushfields would be treated first so that underburning of these stands
could take place at the same time.
Structure Class 1, Grass/Forbs: Fire Group 3--Warm moist ponderosa
pine habitat types. Approximately 3,500 acres of previously harvested
areas exist in this Fire Group 3. These stands currently have 500--900
TPA and basal area is not known. Diseased overstories would be removed
to control Douglas-fir mistletoe. Fire Group 4--Cool dry Douglas-fir
habitat types. Approximately 4,000 acres in Fire Group 4 in the central
portion of the Deadwood drainage would be treated with the same
treatment. These stands are at low risk and hazard. Due to the response
of trees at these smaller diameters, TPA would vary as to species. Fire
Group 7--Cool habitat types usually dominated by lodgepole pine.
Approximately 1,000 acres in Fire Group 7 located in the upper central
area would be non-commercially thinned. Approximately 2,000 acres in
Fire Group 4 in the central portion would be treated with the same
treatment. These stands are at low risk and hazard. Due to the response
of trees at these smaller diameters, TPA would vary as to species. Fire
Group 8, 9-8--Dry, lower subalpine habitat types. Fire Group 9--Moist,
lower subalpine habitats. Stands which are predominately avalanche
chutes and areas of less then 5 trees per acre (TPA) would be monitored
for successional changes. Areas of the Deadwood Summit fire in Fire
Group 9 would also be monitored for recovery rate and succession
transition.
Structure Class 2, seedlings/saplings: Approximately 3,000 acres of
Fire Groups 3, 4, 7 exist from previous harvest and other disturbances.
Treatment may include overstory removal of diseased trees and pre-
commercial thinning. Non-commercial and/or commercial thinning of
lodgepole stands in Fire Group 7 to 150--300 TPA (27 Basal Area (BA))
to release understories of Douglas-fir and subalpine fir. In Fire Group
8, thirty percent of the dense stands where Douglas-fir beetle has
invaded would be treated given the guidelines of the prescriptions. The
remainder of these stands would be left untreated to maintain this
component at the landscape level. Prescribed fire will be used where
applicable after treatment.
Structure Class 3, poles/saplings: No treatment other then non-
commercial thinning would occur on these acres unless their
relationship to other stands creates a hazard.
Structure Class 4, immature-mature: Fire Group 5--Moist Douglas-fir
habitats. These stands are collapsing from Douglas-fir bark beetle
attacks. Apply prescription for high risk on approximately 5,000 acres.
Structure Class 5, mature to over-mature: In fire groups 3 and 4
harvest 4,500 acres using prescription guidelines. Prescribed fire
would be used after silvicultural treatment. These stands are at high
risk and high hazard and constitute high hazards to stands in close
proximity. The stands in fire group five are collapsing from Douglas-
fir bark beetle attacks. Apply prescription for high risk on
approximately 2,000 acres. Reduce density in thick lodgepole areas on
4,400 acres in Fire Group 7 using commercial and pre-commercial
thinning following prescription guidelines for associated risk and
hazard. On approximately 1,000 acres of dense stands of subalpine fir
in Fire Group 7, create openings following prescriptions guidelines.
The remainder of these acres would be left. The 9,000 acres of Fire
Group 8 apply the same treatment to these dense and contiguous stands
of subalpine fir creating openings on approximately 3,500 acres
following prescription guidelines for risk and hazard. These stands are
at low risk but high hazard because of the contiguous acre. The 2,700
acres of Fire Group 9, structure class 5 are open patchy areas which
are within the historic range and would not be treated. They would be
re-evaluated after 5 years.
Structure Class 6 over-mature: Harvest 8,000 acres of the 15,000
acres which are at high risk and high hazard to prescription guidelines
in fire groups 3, 4 and 5. Approximately 1,000 acres could be treated
with prescribed fire, but is located in steep and rugged terrain. These
stands are at high risk and high hazard and constitute high hazards to
stands in close proximity. Reduce density in thick lodgepole areas on
600 of the 18,000 acres in Fire Group 7 using commercial and non-
commercial thinning following prescription guidelines for associated
risk and hazard. Harvest 10,000 acres following prescription guidelines
for risk and hazard. Reduction of fire hazard would also occur.
Approximately 5,000 acres of the 18,000 acres in these fire groups are
lodgepole pine thickets along the northern portion of the Deadwood
River. Commercial and non-commercial thinning following prescription
guidelines would be administered. The remaining acres are open patchy
areas effected by climate and poor or high hazard soils. They are at
low risk and hazard and would receive no treatment. The 3,000 acres of
Fire Group 8 apply the same treatment to these dense and contiguous
stands of subalpine fir creating openings on approximately 1,500 acres
following prescription guidelines for risk and hazard. Acres in fire
group 9 (7,000) are open patchy areas. These acres would receive no
treatment in order to maintain the diversity of this structure class
across the landscape. Five thousand acres of this fire group are open
stands on high hazard soils at low risk and hazard and would not be
treated. Fire Group 10--Cold, upper subalpine habitats. The potential
1,500 acres that exist on the high ridgetops of upper Deadwood Summit
support some whitebark pine. Burning of these areas may help to
maintain dwindling populations. Harvest methods would vary by slope,
access, and soil hazard analysis.
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT MEETING: September, 1994: Public Meetings Boise,
Idaho September, 1994: Public Meeting Garden Valley, Idaho.
POTENTIAL COOPERATING AGENCIES: Idaho Department of Fish and Game,
USDI, Fish and Wildlife Service, Boise Field Office, Bureau of
Reclamation, USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station,
Boise, Idaho, USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station,
Moscow, Idaho.
PUBLIC/AGENCY CONTACTS: Contacts have been made with the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service as to threatened and endangered species listed for the
project area and landowners in or near the project area. A summary of
the project methodology was mailed to key individuals, groups and
agencies for a response to analysis procedure.
SCHEDULE: Project Action Report signed by Acting Forest Supervisor:
September 1, 1994. Public Meetings: September 15, 1994 in Boise and
September 21, 1994 in Garden Valley. EIS Data: October 15, 1994. Draft
EIS: January 1, 1995. Final EIS: March 1, 1995. Implementation: June
1995.
RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL: Cathy Barbouletos, Boise National Forest, Acting
Forest Supervisor.
Dated: September 1, 1994.
Cathy Barbouletos,
Acting Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 94-22832 Filed 9-14-94; 8:45 am]
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