e. AOP Conservation Measures.docx

General Conservation Measures: CMs are intended to minimize effects to the aquatic environment, and the following apply, when relevant, to all 19 activity types:

1. State and Federal Requirements

a. Follow the appropriate state (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) or Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW)) guidelines for timing of inwater work. Exceptions to ODFW and WDFW in-water work windows must be requested and granted from the appropriate state agency. Exceptions can be approved through documented phone conversations or email messages with the state agency(s). Such guidelines are intended to prevent project implementation in fish spawning habitat when fish spawning is taking place or while eggs and young fish are in or associated with channel substrates.

b. Project actions will follow all provisions and requirements (including permits) of the Clean Water Act for maintenance of water quality standards as described by Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (Oregon FS and BLM), Washington Department of Ecology (Washington FS and BLM) and the MOU between WDFW and the FS regarding Hydraulic Projects Conducted by USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, January 2005.

c. All regulatory permits and official project authorizations will be secured prior to project implementation.

2. Pollution and Erosion Control Plans – Administrative Units will develop and implement a Pollution and Erosion Control Plan (PECP) for each authorized project, one that includes methods and measures to minimize erosion and sedimentation associated with the project. The following measures will assist in the creation of a PECP.

a. Spill Prevention Control and Containment Plan (SPCCP) – The contractor will be required to have a written SPCCP, which describes measures to prevent or reduce impacts from potential spills (fuel, hydraulic fluid, etc). The SPCCP shall contain a description of the hazardous materials that will be used, including inventory, storage, handling procedures; a description of quick response containment supplies that will be available on the site (e.g., a silt fence, straw bales, and an oil-absorbing, floating boom whenever surface water is present.)

b. The PECP should be included in construction contracts or force account work plans.

c. The PECP must be commensurate with the scale of the project and include the pertinent elements of 3, 4, and 5 listed below.

3. Minimize Site Preparation Impacts

a. Establish staging areas (used for construction equipment storage, vehicle storage, fueling, servicing, hazardous material storage, etc) beyond the 100-year floodplain in a location and manner that will preclude erosion into or contamination of the stream or floodplain.

b. Minimize clearing and grubbing activities when preparing staging, project, and or stockpile areas. Stockpile large wood, trees, vegetation, sand, topsoil and other excavated material, that is removed when establishing area(s) for site restoration

c. Materials used for implementation of aquatic restoration categories (e.g., large wood, boulders, fencing material etc.) can be staged within the 100-year floodplain.

d. Prior to construction, flag critical riparian vegetation areas, wetlands, and other sensitive sites to prevent ground disturbance in these areas.

e. Place sediment barriers prior to construction around sites where significant levels of erosion may enter the stream directly or through road ditches. Maintain barriers throughout construction.

f. Where appropriate, include hazard tree removal (amount and type) in project design. Fell hazard trees within riparian areas when they pose a safety risk. If possible, fell trees towards the stream. Keep felled trees on-site when needed to meet coarse woody debris objectives.

g. Wildlife biologist should determine if a hazard tree is a potential ESA listed bird nest tree. Nesting trees that are hazardous to restoration activities may only be removed outside of active nesting season. No BE nest trees will be removed. Hazard trees that are also suitable NSO and murrelet nest trees may only be removed if there are sufficient alternative suitable NSO and murrelet nest trees within the same stand that the hazard tree is located.

4. Minimize Heavy Equipment Impacts

a. Consider contracting with operators who use non-petroleum lubricants and fluids in their machinery.

b. The size and capability of heavy equipment will be commensurate with the project.

c. All equipment used for instream work shall be cleaned and leaks repaired prior to entering the project area. Remove external oil and grease, along with dirt and mud prior to construction. Thereafter, inspect equipment daily for leaks or accumulations of grease, and fix any identified problems before entering streams or areas that drain directly to streams or wetlands

d. All equipment shall be cleaned of all dirt and weeds before entering the project area to prevent the spread of noxious weeds.

e. Equipment used for instream or riparian work shall be fueled and serviced in an established staging area outside of riparian zone. When not in use, vehicles shall be stored in the staging area.

f. Minimize the number and length of stream crossings and access routes through riparian areas. Crossings and access routes should be at right angles. Stream crossings shall not increase risks of channel re-routing at low and high water conditions and shall avoid potential listed fish spawning areas when possible.

g. Existing roadways or travel paths will be used whenever reasonable. Minimize the number of new access paths to minimize impacts to riparian vegetation and functions.

h. Project operations must cease under high flow conditions that inundate the project area, except for efforts to avoid or minimize resource damage.

i. Minimize time in which heavy equipment is in stream channels, riparian areas, and wetlands. When operating heavy equipment in stream channels it is because project specialists reasoned that such actions are the only reasonable alternative for implementation and/or would result in less sediment in the stream channel or damage (short- or long-term) to the overall aquatic/riparian ecosystem relative to other alternatives.

5. Site Restoration

a. Upon project completion, remove project related waste.

b. Initiate rehabilitation of all disturbed areas in a manner that results in similar or better than pre-work conditions through spreading of stockpiled materials (from 3. b. above), seeding, and/or planting with locally native seed mixes or plants. Planting shall be completed no later than spring planting season of the year following construction.

c. Short-term stabilization measures may include the use of non-native sterile seed mix (when native seeds are not available), weed-free certified straw, jute matting, and other similar techniques. Short-term stabilization measures will be maintained until permanent erosion control measures are effective. Stabilization measures will be instigated within three days of construction completion.

d. All riparian plantings shall follow one or both of the following direction documents: Regional FS letter to Units, Use of Native and Nonnative Plants on National Forests and Grasslands, May 2006 (Final Draft), and BLM Instruction Memorandum No. OR-2001-014, Policy on the Use of Native Species Plant Materials.

e. When necessary, loosen compacted areas, such as access roads, stream crossings, staging, and stockpile areas.

Culvert Replacement Conservation Measures – Along with the General CMs applicable to all activity categories, the following CMs will be used to minimize sediment and turbidity and effects of fish handling/transport.

1. Isolate Construction Area and Remove Fish from Project Area

a. All fish capture, removal, and handling activities shall be conducted by an experienced fisheries biologist or technician.

b. Isolate Capture Area – Install block nets at up and downstream locations and leave in a secured position to exclude fish from entering the project area. Leave nets secured to the stream channel bed and banks until fish capture and transport activities are complete. If block nets or traps remain in place more than one day, monitor the nets and or traps at least on a daily basis to ensure they are secured to the banks and free of organic accumulation and to minimize fish predation in the trap.

c. Fish Capture Alternatives

i. Collect fish by hand or dip nets, as the area is slowly dewatered.

ii. Seining – Use seine with mesh of such a size to ensure entrapment of the residing ESA-listed fish.

iii. Minnow traps – Traps will be left in place overnight and in conjunction with seining.

iv. Electrofishing – Prior to dewatering, use electrofishing only where other means of fish capture may not be feasible or effective. The protocol for electrofishing includes the following:

v. If fish are observed spawning during the in-water work period, electrofishing shall not be conducted in the vicinity of spawning adult fish or active redds.

vi. Only Direct Current (DC) or Pulsed Direct Current (PDC) shall be used.

vii. Conductivity <100 use voltage ranges from 900 to 1100. Conductivity from 100 to 300 then use voltage ranges from 500 to 800. Conductivity greater than 300 then use voltage to 400.

viii. Begin electrofishing with minimum pulse width and recommended voltage and then gradually increase to the point where fish are immobilized and captured. Turn off current once fish are immobilized.

ix. Do not allow fish to come into contact with anode. Do not electrofish an area for an extended period of time. Remove fish immediately from water and handle as described below. Dark bands on the fish indicate injury, suggesting a reduction in voltage and pulse width and longer recovery time.

2. Handling and Release –Fish must be handled with extreme care and kept in water the maximum extent possible during transfer procedures. A healthy environment for the stressed fish shall be provided—large buckets (five-gallon minimum to prevent overcrowding) and minimal handling of fish. Place large fish in buckets separate from smaller prey-sized fish. Monitor water temperature in buckets and well-being of captured fish. As rapidly as possible (especially for temperature-sensitive bull trout), but after fish have recovered, release fish upstream of the isolated reach in a pool or area that provides cover and flow refuge. Document all fish injuries or mortalities and include in annual report.

3. Dewater Construction Site –Upstream of the isolated construction area, divert flow around the construction site with a coffer dam (built with non-erosive materials) and an associated pump or a by-pass culvert. Diversions constructed with material mined from the streambed or floodplain is not permitted. Small amounts of instream material can be moved to help seal and secure diversion structures. Pumps must have fish screens and be operated in accordance with NMFS fish screen criteria (NMFS 1995). Dissipate flow energy at the bypass outflow to prevent damage to riparian vegetation or stream channel. If diversion allows for downstream fish passage (i.e., is not screened), place diversion outlet in a location to promote safe reentry of fish into the stream channel, preferably into pool habitat with cover. When necessary, pump seepage water from the de-watered work area to a temporary storage and treatment site or into upland areas and allow water to filter through vegetation prior to reentering the stream channel.

4. Stream Re-watering – Upon project completion, slowly re-water the construction site to prevent loss of surface water downstream as the construction site streambed absorbs water and to prevent a sudden increase in stream turbidity. Monitor downstream during re-watering to prevent stranding of aquatic organisms below the construction site.