Diversion Screening and Constructed Barriers

The Forest has completed an inventory of existing diversions requiring screens. A total of 24 diversions were identified in 1994, and five needed screens to meet anadromous fish protection requirements. All these diversions except Temperance Creek have been eliminated or screened. The main diversions on Temperance Creek are not being utilized at this time. Future irrigation of the fields will depend upon designation of water rights, construction of a new head gate system, fish screen installation, and ditch repair. The fish screen is presently at the site but has not been installed. Consultation is on hold, pending the outcome of water rights designation. It is anticipated that the project will occur in FY 2000 or 2001.

Recommended Action:

Continue to monitor.

Purpose: To determine whether standards and guidelines (S&Gs) for minerals operations are responsible and effective in providing resource protection. To determine whether the S&Gs are being implemented correctly.

All Notices of Intent (NOI) and Plans of Operation (POO) were monitored. POOs were monitored for compliance and for water quality, where appropriate, throughout the mining season. NOIs were monitored for compliance. Sporadic and weekend assessment operations were monitored at least once. Based on this monitoring, approximately 90 percent of the operations met resource objectives. In cases where resource objectives were not being met, the operator was notified of needed corrective actions. The three areas where resource objectives were not initially met included: garbage on the claim work area; in-stream noncompliance; and petroleum spills. All were resolved through actions taken by the operator.

Another level of monitoring includes S&G implementation monitoring as described in W-W Monitoring Item 2. For 1998, this monitoring occurred on a very informal basis. This level of monitoring continues to show that there are several S&Gs that cannot be met in the short term during some placer operations. These standards include:

� Limiting detrimental soil conditions.
� Maintaining riparian and streamside vegetation.
� Giving preferential considerations to riparian-dependent species.
� Maintaining old-growth qualities, including solitude.

Although these S&Gs may not be met in the short term, for some activities reclamation plans are developed and implemented with the intent of meeting resource objectives in the long term.

Concern continues regarding insufficient resource specialist availability to accomplish the POO analysis workload. This issue was exacerbated by the increased workload associated with the listing of bull trout and compliance with Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act.

There appear to be conflicts between certain S&Gs and allowing reasonable mining operations under the mining law.

Recommended Action:

The concern about possible conflicts between S&Gs and the mining law has been submitted to the Regional Forester as a potential issue to be addressed in a Forest Plan adjustment. Further evaluation will be needed. The adjustment process is currently on hold until the ICBEMP is completed. Future monitoring should be coordinated with the Umatilla and Malheur National Forests.

Purpose: To summarize the physical/biological, managerial and social setting of each Wilderness Resource Spectrum to assure their maintenance is consistent with the standards for wilderness management.

Air Quality

The most significant impact is occurring due to local haze caused by agricultural burning, prescribed fire, and wildfire smoke on a seasonal basis. The Forest restricts any impacts to visual quality caused by prescribed burning, and does no management ignited projects that could impact the Hells Canyon and Eagle Cap wildernesses Class I areas. Monitoring was begun in 1998 to determine effects of air quality on lichens. This monitoring will establish a baseline for comparison of sites within the canyon compare to other site samples in the Pacific Northwest.

Soils

Visual observations revealed that soil displacement and erosion resulting from human activity are occurring at a rate that approximates natural processes. Some evidence of disturbance also occurs in areas within the Hells Canyon Wilderness having high levels of livestock traffic.

Water Quality

Surveys were conducted on 15 lakes in the Eagle Cap Wilderness, those survey results will be available in 1999. Additionally, a long-term water temperature study on the Imnaha River and a water quality and flow data station on the Minam River are in place. A sediment and channel study is also underway in the Imnaha drainage of the Twin Lakes Fire area to monitor the movement of sediment on slopes. No conclusive results are available at this time. Streams and riparian areas appear to be in good to excellent condition in all wildernesses on the Forest.

Vegetation

In the Eagle Cap Wilderness, 96 acres were burned to reduce fuel loading as part of the Minam/Backbone Management Ignited Fire project. Also, Tenderfoot Basin photo point monitoring occurred for the 60th year. Results will be published in 2000. Standley-Sturgill sampling and photo point monitoring was conducted for the 90th year with results also to be published in 2000, and benchmark plots were established. In Hells Canyon, ungulate impacts were sampled on 32 sites. The summary of findings will be available later in 1999. Generally, natural ecological processes operate freely and maintain a mosaic of native vegetation. Some popular campsites have more than 400 square feet loss of ground cover. These human impacts are small, localized, and appear to be decreasing. Noxious weed infestations continue to be a major concern in all wildernesses on the Forest.

Scenery

Scenery is excellent within each of the wilderness areas. Fires have created a more diverse mosaic of vegetation. Some isolated developments outside of, but visible from, wildernesses offer less appealing scenery than desired by some visitors.

Livestock

Livestock grazing is permitted within all or portions of each wilderness, except the Baldy Unit of the North Fork John Day Wilderness. The Catherine Creek Allotment Plan, of which a small portion lies within the Eagle Cap Wilderness, moved forward but was not completed in 1998.

Fish and Wildlife

Natural ecological succession is occurring.

Evidence of Human Activity

Based on total acres, there is minimal evidence of human activity, and mostly at the more popular sites. Additionally, there is evidence of human activity in Hells Canyon, Monument Rock, and North Fork that predates their designation as wilderness. Red's Horse Ranch in the Eagle Cap Wilderness was maintained by volunteers in 1998.

Social Setting

In Eagle Cap Wilderness, monitoring of visitor use and compliance with Limits of Acceptable Change Standards occurred through data collected from the Visitor Permit System and by measuring trail encounters and occupied campsites. These data have not been analyzed, but a carrying capacity was determined and an Analysis of Visitor Use during 1995-1997 was prepared. Encounters with other users in the Hells Canyon Wilderness are rare and considered low by Regional standards, except during fall and spring hunting seasons. Still, they continue to be within Regional standards. All wildernesses, except perhaps some portions of Eagle Cap, appear to be within Regional standards on encounters.

Managerial

Signing of regulations and orders occurs at trailheads outside the wilderness. Around Eagle Cap Wilderness, additional signs marking the wilderness boundary were installed in 1998 to aid boundary location for snowmobiles. Wilderness education continues at schools and hunter safety classes. A wilderness education group on the Forest is conducting 8-hour workshops for teachers, with the wilderness box. These sessions are in partnership with Eastern Oregon University. Backcountry horsemen, 4-H clubs, Boy Scouts, and law enforcement officers have attended presentations. Four rangers and two trail crews worked in the Eagle Cap Wilderness in 1998. Many mainline and some secondary trails were maintained, and erosion control and drainage repair work caused by floods were also completed.

Recommended Actions:

Continue to monitor.

Increase presence in the wilderness as budgets allow.

Complete wilderness boundary marking and management plans for each wilderness.

Continue efforts to monitor and control noxious weeds.

Purpose: To determine if designated rivers and associated river corridors are being managed in accordance with the Wild and Scenic River Act.

Portions of the Imnaha, Minam, and Lostine Rivers and East Eagle Creek in the Eagle Cap Wilderness are managed and protected as wild rivers consistent with both the wilderness and wild and scenic river designation and direction. In 1998, the only human activity occurring within the wild segments of these river corridors was wilderness recreation use. No enhancement projects were implemented.

On the recreation section of the Lostine River, the following action items for management of recreation sites and activities served to protect and enhance the outstandingly remarkable values of the wild and scenic river corridor: 1) provided full-time volunteer hosts for visitor information and maintenance of facilities; and 2) removed hazard trees from roadside and recreation sites.

For the Imnaha River recreation and scenic segments, baseline photo documentation of the river corridor for visual objectives and continued monitoring were established. Six streambank projects are underway on privately-owned land adjacent to the river. These projects use materials and methods compatible with the outstandingly remarkable scenic value of the river. Several federal agencies, including the Forest Service and the Corps of Engineers, are working together to restore the river to the extent possible at a location where violations of the Clean Water, Section 7 of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, and the Endangered Species Act allegedly occurred.

Volunteers and agency personnel have completed riparian enhancement projects on the Imnaha River. Native plantings were used to enhance riparian areas while relocating recreational use to places more compatible with the resource. Fuel loading was reduced and visuals were enhanced through fall burning projects; cultural resource inventories were conducted (monitoring of cultural sites is a high priority); and two temperature monitoring stations produced data that will be available later in the year. A watershed analysis is presently underway.

Recommended Action:

Continue to seek partnerships to help with implementation of the plans.

Continue to monitor.

Implement enhancement projects as budgets allow.

Purpose: To determine whether Forest settings with desirable recreation attributes are being managed to provide high quality and stable opportunities for outdoor recreation. To monitor recreation developments in order to ensure that they are maintained to a standard which provides for customer satisfaction.

Overall, the results of monitoring are acceptable. The Forest appears to be providing a wide range of recreation opportunities to the general satisfaction of users. Use is growing incrementally; however, by far, the majority of recreationists are not negatively impacted by the number of other visitors to the area.

The majority of concerns expressed by recreationists in 1998 can be attributed to the fee demonstration program, which requires recreationists to pay for parking at certain trailheads on the National Forest. Most respondents are not as much concerned about the need to pay as that they want to see results of their payment through trail clearing, trailhead maintenance, and other recreation related improvements and maintenance.

Additionally, some concern has been expressed about the level of development and maintenance of facilities at certain campgrounds, such as Hurricane Creek and Bear Creek on the Eagle Cap Ranger District. Poor design, inadequate capacity and setting, and a need for additional resource protection measures were specified.

Many positive comments were received about recreation sites. Most centered on the scenery, the increased trail maintenance, the friendliness of Forest Service workers, the obvious resource protection measures being taken, and the upkeep and location of the sites themselves.

Recommended Actions:

Continue to monitor.

Continue to assess the adequacy of facilities and upgrade/adjust as budgets allow.

Purpose: To determine if Forest settings with desirable recreation attributes are being managed to provide high quality and stable opportunities for ORV use. To determine if conflicts exist with other recreation or other resource management objectives.

Off-road vehicle use is occurring at various levels and in various ways across the Forest. Off-road vehicle use is increasing, and many technological advances have been made in the vehicles that enable access to areas of the Forest not previously accessed by ORVs. Although reports are isolated of ORV use not meeting the intent of the standard and guides, concern about use and effect on the resources is significantly increasing.

Problems identified include construction of user trails in locations that cause serious resource damage, including meadows; use of ORVs in areas containing prehistoric sites (damage, if any, is unreported); and encroachment by ORVs into non-motorized areas such as wildernesses.

A task group of recreation specialists and wildlife biologists is reviewing the current standards and guides, and will make recommendations for changes if necessary in 1999. Any changes made could result in an amendment to, or a revision of, the existing Forest Plan.

Recommended Action:

Continue to monitor

Continue efforts of the task group to determine if standards and guides need adjusting.

Purpose: To determine if visual resource objectives for treated acres and created opening size are being met.

No unit reported any project/activities within which Forest standards for Visual Quality Objectives (VQOs) were not met.

The 1995 Salt Creek Fire, a recent insect infestation, and flooding have created a need to conduct visual quality improvement projects along Forest Service Road #4240 (Hat Point Road). The objective of the visual restoration project was to remove selected trees to enhance visual quality. Removal of the identified trees has been completed, with final cleanup underway in 1999.

Additionally, the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area has emphasized protection of aspen groves along Hat Point Road to enhance visual quality. Buck and pole enclosures were built to protect the grove from grazing impact. These enclosures continue to be monitored and maintained.

Progress is being made in completing viewshed management plans for Level I corridors, with completed plans for about 40 percent of the 42 Level I viewsheds.

Recommended Actions:

Continue to monitor.

The following table provides a summary of selected Forest accomplishments and resource outputs for fiscal year 1998. Where possible, these are compared to Forest Plan estimates; but in many cases the unit of measure has changed since the Forest Plan was completed and direct comparison is no longer possible.

Table W-4
FOREST ACCOMPLISHMENTS - FY 1998
Wallowa-Whitman National Forest

(top)