Exhibit 13 - Trail Design Criteria

Clearwater & Nez Perce Trails FY2010 AG-0276-S-10-0003 Trail Design Criteria P a g e | 1

Any Level I, II, or III trail maintenance work that occurs within 300 feet of live water will need to follow new design criteria in order to proceed. The following design criteria have been extracted from the Programmatic Biological Assessment for Trail Maintenance.

1. Gravel Borrow: Borrowing gravel from gravel bars will only occur when an alternative site is not available AND the gravel bar is located well out of the existing stream, where there is little or no chance the gravel could be used by spring spawning salmonids. All gravel removed will be high and dry and as far away from live water as possible. Total gravel removed will be limited to 10 percent of less of the total gravel available to prevent changes in channel morphology, and will be well-distributed. Ideally if a site is known where gravel borrowing is necessary, review of the site by fisheries biologists prior to activity is strongly recommended.

2. Trail Clearing: Where woody materials have fallen across trails and extend into stream channels, only that portion of the material obstructing trail use will be removed. Leave the portion extending into the stream channel. In-stream woody debris will not be cleared without prior review and approval by a fisheries biologist.

3. Trail Brushing: Brushing trails along streams and at stream crossings will be done in a way that maintains the plants for shade and stream bank stability, while allowing for safe passage. In most cases, brushing occurs on the uphill side of the trail, with the trail between the brushing and the stream. Brushing will be limited to cut slopes and within the trail head. Brush clearing standards will be modified to retain brush where it is providing shade to the stream within 25 feet of a stream and at all stream crossings.

4. Ford Maintenance or Work in Stream Channel: Avoid work in streamside areas where listed fish may be staging or spawning. Sensitive time periods include 15 March – 15 May for Steelhead, 15 August – 30 November for spring Chinook and Bull Trout. Exceptions to this may be granted where surveys for adult fish are conducted by a trained observer and no fish are found.

Site-specific review of the activity and the site by a fisheries biologist will be conducted prior to any exceptions.