Craggy Fuel Break Task Order Package.pdf

Task Order Manual Fuels Reduction IDIQ

Craggy Fuelbreak Task Order 1 Klamath National Forest

Section I Contract No. TBD Project Name:

Craggy Fuel Break

Requisition No. TBD Issue Date: March 23, 2020 Contractor:

Telephone:___________________________

Issuing and Billing Office:

USDA, US Forest Service NCASA, Redding Office 3644 Avtech Parkway Redding, CA 95963

Section II Item No.

Description Quantity Order

Unit

Price

Amount

1 Fuel Break Thinning and Piling 907 Acre $_________ $__________

Total Price: $_______________

Section III Contractor: (Name and Signature)

Contractor DUNS #:________________________ Email:__________________________________ RESPONSE DUE BY: April 23, 2020, 1:00 PDT

IDIQ Solicitation response date.April 23, 2020, 1:00 PDT

RESPONSE BY:

Email to: paul.wood@usda.gov

Craggy Fuelbreak Task Order 2

Section IV

1. DESCRIPTION OF WORK: Thinning and piling of brush, Conifers and Hardwoods to create an effective fuel break. The project has been broken into units to designated as CRG 2 through CRG 7, the prescription of work for each unit is the same however the vegetion, elevation and guidance of limitations and exclusions will vary unit by unit. CRG2, CRG4, CRG5, and CRG7 are refered to as Item 2, the description of work is the same however this unit coincides with a timber harvest unit which could effect implementation timing. Additonally if the work takes place pre commercial harvest any blue painted trees within the project boundary will not be cut. If work takes place post commercial harvest any remaining activity fuels will be addressed and included in the piles.

2. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance of this project is from Task Order Award through 12/31/2020.

3. PROJECT LOCATIONS:

All units are on the Klamath National Forest and share land with the Scott River District and the Oak Knoll District. All units are accessable from County Road 7J002. CRG2 is adjacent to forest road 46N22, forest road 46N30, and the ridge between forest road 46N30 and County Road 7J001. CRG3 is adjacent to County Road 7J031. CRG4 runs along the ridge between forest road 45N28 and forest road 45N41A. CRG5 is adjacent to County Road 7J002 and County Road 8J002. CRG6 is adjacent to forest road 46N16. CRG7 is adjacent to forest road 45N28 and forest road 45N39.

CRG 2:Township 46 North, Range 7 West, section 30 and Township 46 North, Range 8 West, sections 22, 23, 25, 26, and 27.

CRG 3: Township 45 North, Range 8 West, sections 3, 4, and 5 and Township 46 North, Range 8 West, section 34.

CRG 4: Township 45 North, Range 8 West, sections 2, 10, 11, 15, and 16.

CRG 5: Township 45 North, Range 7 West, sections 4, 5, and 6 and Township 45 North, Range 8 West, section 1 and Township 46 North, Range 7 West, section 32, 33, and 34.

CRG 6: Township 46 North, Range 7 West, sections 33 and 34.

CRG 7: Townshp 45 North, Range 7 West, sections 4, 5, 8, and 9.

4. SPECIFIC WORK REQUIREMENT:

Craggy Fuel Break work specifications

Cutting specifications:

• Leave tree spacing >25’ (bole spacing)

• Cut green and dead trees <10” DBH*, slash cut trees to <4ft length.

• Cut all brush excluding mature tree form hardwoods (>4” D.B.H)

• Species leave preference Sugar pine, Ponderosa/Jeffery Pines, Doug fir, Incense cedar, White Fir

• Do not cut hardwood trees*, mature tree form Mountain Mahogany and Yew wood.

• Mountain mahogany over 4” diameter at base shall be pruned to tree form with all dead

Craggy Fuelbreak Task Order 3 wood cut out and piled. Brush form Mountain Mahogany will be cut and piled

• Prune leave trees to 7’ from ground height

• Slash existing ground fuels 8” diameter and under to <4’ in length and add to piles including all activity fuels generated (post commercial harvest) or pre-existing “natural fuels”

• Cut all stumps to less than 4 inches from the ground height.

*D.B.H = Diameter at Breast Hieght or 4’6” *Hardwood tree defined as having prominent lateral stems >4” D.B.H, hardwood brush can be cut for piling, prune dead wood and understory from hardwood trees, retain mature tree form mountain mahogany, remove “brush” form mountain mahogany. Live oak, cut all Live Oak < 8” prune dead wood and understory cut “brush” form.

Hand Pile Construction:

• All activity generated and pre-existing fuels with a diameter between 1” and 8” shall be bucked to 4’ or less and included in the hand piles. Exceptions include single logs that exhibit at least 50% decomposition.

• Hand piles shall be symmetrical, constructed neatly and compactly.

• Hand pile base shall not be constructed with material over 4”, 4”< material will be stacked in the upper half of the pile.

• Slash that causes large air spaces in piles shall be cut to a minimum of 8”x 8” air spaces greater than 8”x8” are unacceptable.

• Material in piles shall be cut <4’ per individual piece.

• Maximum piles size 6’ in diameter and 6’ in height and minimum pile size shall be 4’ in diameter and 4’ in height.

• Piles shall be distinct and separate from each other allowing at least 6’ between each pile

• Piles shall be placed to limit scorch potential to leave trees, not in contact with leave trees and built up slope from leave trees when possible

• At least 50% of material in the lower third of the piles shall be composed of small diameter material and attached fines to create a kindling core.

• All piles shall be covered with Kraft type wax paper (wax side up).

• Pile covering sheet shall be placed to cover the bottom 2/3 of the pile and cover 50% of the surface area of the pile at this level. The remaining 1/3 of the pile shall be placed over the cover sheeting anchoring all four corners and the middle of the cover sheeting securely.

• No piles shall be built on, or in contact with any tree stumps >10” diameter.

• Piles created on downed logs, the log in contact with any pile shall be bucked to create a

4’ separation in the log (to break the continuity and limit fire spread if the log should be ignited).

• logs over 8” diameter generated from thinning shall be limbed with limb wood added to piles, cut to 4’ lengths and dispersed a minimum of 6’ separation from downed logs, leave trees and stumps.

5. FAR 52.237-1 SITE VISIT (APR 1984)

Offerors or quoters are urged and expected to inspect the site where services are to be performed and to satisfy themselves regarding all general and local conditions that may affect the cost of contract

Craggy Fuelbreak Task Order 4 performance, to the extent that the information is reasonably obtainable. In no event shall failure to inspect the site constitute grounds for a claim after contract award.

6. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY: None

7. LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

The following attachments are made a part of this solicitation and any resultant contract.

Title Pages

1. Project Design Features 14

2. Unit Information 3

3. Fire Plan 8

4. Project Maps 7

5. Wage Determination 4

Craggy Fuelbreak Task Order 5

Section V

8. EVALUATION CRITERIA:

Price is the only factor to be considered for award.

Appendix B: Project Design Features Table 2: Project Design Features

Design Feature Description

Applicable Action Alternatives/

Areas or Units

Rationale or Applicable Standard and Guideline

Air Quality-1 Haul routes will be watered to suppress dust when needed.

All Alternatives: All Forest Service Roads in project area

National Core BMP Road-4 (Region 5 BMP 2.4); required for Water

Board Waiver

Botany-1

Within Calochortus persistens habitat (in the Calochortus persistens management area, ground disturbance will only occur within designated unit boundaries; all equipment and project related disturbance will not operate or occur outside those boundaries except on designated road systems. No new landings will be constructed within this management area. Use of existing landings will be coordinated with the district botanist.

All Alternatives: Units 134- 47S, 138-155S, 138-46E, 138-56S, 138-71S, 544-17S, 544-19S, 544-20E, 544-

222S

USFWS / USFS / USDI

Bureau of Land

Management (BLM) Conservation Agreement

Botany-2

Within Calochortus persistens populations in the Calochortus persistens management area, all sub-populations within the project area will be flagged.

No equipment/vehicle activity, tree skidding, or any other form of ground disturbance will occur within these flagged boundaries. Burn piles will not be constructed within flagged areas.

All Alternatives: Units 134- 47S, 138-155S, 138-46E, 138-56S, 138-71S, 544-17S, 544-19S, 544-20E, 544-

222S, 134-70P, 138-102P, 138-56P, 138-70P, FBP1,

FBR2, FBS1, FBS2

USFWS / USFS / BLM

Conservation Agreement

Botany-3

Two sub-populations of Calochortus persistens will be included for fuels removal treatment and underburn prescriptions. This work will be implemented with the district botanist and the following design features will be implemented: 1) Prescribed fire, and removal of brush and small diameter conifers within the sub-population boundary will only occur outside of the active growing season (April through August); 2) Burn piles will not be constructed within the flagged population boundaries; 3) Monitoring will occur after implementation and will include monitoring non-native invasive plant species.

All Alternatives: Units UB5, FBR2, and FBS1

USFWS / USFS / BLM

Conservation Agreement

Botany-4

All populations of Eriogonum ursinum var.

erubescens within the project area will be excluded from all project activities. These locations will be flagged with yellow and black flagging prior to project implementation.

All Alternatives: Units UB1, UB5, FBR2, FBS1, 138-

155S

USFWS / USFS / BLM

Conservation Agreement

Fuels-1

All prescribed fire operations will be conducted subject to an administratively approved burn plan which includes the objectives of the burn, desired fire behavior and intensity, an emergency contingency plan and specified level of response to a fire escape.

All Alternatives: Units UB1, UB2, UB3, UB4, UB5

Forest Plan Standard and Guideline 22-10;

Response to Comments

Design Feature Description

Applicable Action Alternatives/

Areas or Units

Rationale or Applicable Standard and Guideline

Fuels-2

The prescribed burn plan will include a smoke management plan with the following features:

* Burning will be implemented when smoke is likely to be transported away from sensitive locations, when possible.

* Residents and landowners likely to be affected by smoke will be notified, as appropriate, prior to ignition.

* Ignition will only take place on permissive burn days as determined by the Siskiyou County Air Pollution Control District.

*Forecasts of weather in the project area will be used to ensure favorable “within prescription” weather conditions for the burn and smoke transport. Contingency plans will be developed to minimize smoke impacts if meteorological conditions change.

All Alternatives: All underburn, fuel break, and thinning units

Forest-wide Standard and Guideline 22-21

Heritage-1

All archaeological sites and features within the area of potential effects will be clearly delineated prior to implementation. This includes but is not limited to flagging site boundaries.

All Alternatives: All Units

Region 5 Programmatic Agreement 7.8(b)(2) and Appendix E, 1.0; Forest

Plan Standards and Guidelines 24-7, 24-8, 24-19 and 24-20

Heritage-23

No project activities will occur within site boundaries unless approved by the district archaeologist or heritage program manager and Standard Protection Measures in the Region 5

Programmatic Agreement are applied.

All Alternatives: All units where applicable.

Region 5 Programmatic Agreement 7.8(b)(2) and Appendix E, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0;

Forest Plan Standards and

Guidelines 24-7, 24-8, 24-19 and 24-20

Heritage-3

System roads through archaeological sites may be maintained at their current level where there is no potential for subsurface deposits and where work is confined to previously maintained surfaces, ditches, culverts, and cut-and-fill slopes within the existing road prism.

All Alternatives: All units where applicable.

Region 5 Programmatic Agreement, Appendix E, 1.2; Forest Plan Standards and Guidelines 24-7, 24-8, 24-19 and 24-

Heritage-44

In the event that new archaeological deposits, including human remains, are discovered during project implementation, the district archaeologist or heritage program manager must be notified and all activities in the resource vicinity (150 feet) shall cease until clearance is provided by the district archeologist or the heritage program manager.

All Alternatives: All units where applicable.

Region 5 Programmatic Agreement 7.9 and 7.10;

Forest Plan Standards and Guideline 24-7, 24-8, 24-

19 and 24-20.

3 Heritage-2 and Heritage-3 project design features were added based on the information provided in the final Archaeology Report to insure that treatments planned in legacy sediment sites meet requirements of the Regional Programmatic Agreement.

4 Heritage-4 is an expanded version of Heritage-2 from the FEIS.

Feature Description

Applicable Action Alternatives/

Areas or Units

Rationale or Applicable Standard and Guideline

Invasive Species-1

Equipment and vehicles that leave established road surfaces will be cleaned of soil, seeds, vegetative matter, and other debris that could contain noxious weeds seeds or propagative material prior to entering the project area and before leaving infested areas. Areas appropriate for cleaning equipment will be designated as appropriate.

All Alternatives: All Thinning with Removal and

Mastication Units

Forest Plan Standard and Guideline 21-53

Invasive Species-2

High priority non-native invasive species sites will be flagged prior to project implementation with orange/black flagging labeled with “invasive species.” Equipment, vehicles, and personnel will avoid working within these flagged high priority areas. Mastication, equipment piling, and pile burning will not occur within these high priority areas.

All Alternatives: 136-145G, 137-8S, 138-11S, 138-11G, 138-46E, 138-56S, 138-56P, 138-71S, 138-74M, 138- 151G, 138-155S,138-501P, 544-17S, 544-19S, 544-20E, 544-222S, UB1, UB2, UB4, FBR2, FBR3, FBR4, FBS2, 138-MAST-1, 138-MAST-4

Forest Plan Standard and Guideline 21-53

Invasive Species-3

If potential landing sites are infested with noxious weeds, consult with the district botanist to determine appropriate methods for containing and/or managing the infestation. Methods may include blading infested soil away from activity zones and covering this soil; or adding a barrier to the landing so seed banks cannot be transported.

All Alternatives: All Thinning with Removal

Units

Forest Plan Standard and Guideline 21-53

Invasive Species-4

Any straw or seed placed within the project area must be documented as California certified weed free. Other materials where State inspection protocol does not exist (gravel, wood chips) used as mulch in the project area should be inspected by a

Forest Service representative to determine the potential for spread of noxious weeds.

All Alternatives: All Units Forest Plan Standard and Guideline 21-53

Invasive Species-5

Any facility that provides material such as rock, gravel, or boulders to be used in the project area should be inspected and determined to have limited potential for the spread of noxious weeds from stored material. Material stockpiles must be noxious weed free.

All Alternatives: All Units Forest Plan Standard and Guideline 21-53

Scenery-1

Where feasible, along ridgetops that are visible from the Yreka community, minimize landing size, number and width of cable corridors, and use parallel cable sets for skyline and endline units.

All Alternatives: 138-102G, 135-56S, 138-155S, 544- 17S, 544-19S, 544-222S, 138-46E, 544-20E

Forest Plan Standards and Guidelines 11-1, 11-3, 11-4, 11-6.

Scenery-2

For all treatments that are visible from the Yreka community, avoid straight line appearances in the landscape along treatment edges. Vary the width of all ridgeline and roadside fuels treatments, or respond to existing vegetation density outside of all treatments to minimize line contrasts.

All Alternatives: Units 138- 11G, 138-11S, 138-102G, 135-56S, 138-155S, 544- 17S, 544-19S, 544-222S, 138-46E, 544-20E, 137-

MAST, 138-MAST, 544-

MAST, FBP-1, FBP-4,

FBR-1, FBR-2, FBR-4,

FBS-1, FBS-4

Forest Plan Standards and Guidelines 11-1, 11-3, 11-4, 11-6.

Feature Description

Applicable Action Alternatives/

Areas or Units

Rationale or Applicable Standard and Guideline

Scenery-3

Treat slash within 100 feet of dispersed recreation sites identified by Motor Vehicle Use Map access roads and designated recreational trails, and along

Forest Plan identified moderately sensitive (visually) road segments. Additionally, treat slash within all landings along Forest Plan identified moderate sensitive Forest Routes (roads and trails).

Treatment methods may vary as practical, with the desired future condition perpetuating a natural appearance. Ensure slash is abated as soon as practical, but no later than three years’ time post-project completion in order to meet Retention, Partial Retention, and Modification Visual Quality Objectives.

All Alternatives: Forest Route (Moderate

Sensitivity): 45N28;

Siskiyou County 7G-01

(Greenhorn Road).

Access Roads to Dispersed

Sites: 51D027, 51D025, 51D028

Trails: 5594, 5596, 55109 Treatment Units: 133-89G, 134-55G, 134-58G, 134-

242G, 134-240G, 138-11G, 138-11S, 138-46S, 38-56S, 138-102P, 138-155S, 138-

70P, 544-17S, 544-19S, 544-

20E, 544-222S, UB1, UB5,

FBP1, FBR1, FBR2, FBR3,

FBS1, FBS3

Forest Plan Standards and Guidelines 11-1, 11-3, 11-4.

Scenery-4

For all treatment units along moderate sensitive Forest Routes (roads and trails), and adjacent to dispersed recreation sites identified by Motor

Vehicle Use Map access roads in the project area, low-stump (6-8” or less) all higher concentrations of cut trees that are visible on uphill and downhill slopes from the roadside viewing area.

All Alternatives: Forest Route (Moderate

Sensitivity): 45N28;

Siskiyou County 7G-01

(Greenhorn Road).

Access Roads to Dispersed

Sites: 51D027, 51D025, 51D028

Trails: 5594, 5596, 55109 Treatment Units: 133-89G, 134-33S, 134-34G, 134- 55G, 134-58G, 134-107S, 134-242G, 134-240G, 138- 11G, 138-11S, 138-46E, 138-102P, 138-155S, 138- 70P, 544-17S, 544-19S, 544-

20E, 544-222S FBP1, FBR1,

FBR2, FBR3, FBS1, FBS3,

FBS-4

Forest Plan Standards and Guidelines 11-1, 11-3, 11-4.

Feature Description

Applicable Action Alternatives/

Areas or Units

Rationale or Applicable Standard and Guideline

Scenery-5

Minimize visible paint in those treatment units along all moderate sensitive Forest Routes (roads and trails) in the project area, and in or near any dispersed recreation sites identified by Motor Vehicle Use Map access roads.

All Alternatives: Forest Route (Moderate

Sensitivity): 45N28;

Siskiyou County 7G-01

(Greenhorn Road).

Access Roads to Dispersed

Sites: 51D027, 51D025, 51D028

Trails: 5594, 5596, 55109 Treatment Units: 133-89G, 134-33S, 134-34G, 134- 55G, 134-58G, 134-107S, 134-242G, 134-240G, 138- 11G, 138-11S, 138-46E, 138-102P, 138-155S, 138- 70P, 544-17S, 544-19S, 544-

20E, 544-222S FBP1, FBR1,

FBR2, FBR3, FBS1, FBS3,

FBS-4

Forest Plan Standards and Guidelines 11-1, 11-3, 11-4.

Recreation-1

For all dispersed recreation sites (designated by Motor Vehicle Use Map access roads) that are used as landings or for other purposes during harvest operations:

• Maintain the existing area footprint wherever practical (avoid enlarging the area).

• Clear slash, logs, or other activity-generated debris as soon as practical at the close of operations for that area.

All Alternatives: Access Roads to Dispersed Sites:

51D027, 51D025, 51D028

Forest Plan Standard and Guideline 12-9

Recreation-2 Repair or replace recreational signing or other facilities and trail settings if damaged during project implementation.

All Alternatives: All Units Where Applicable

Forest Plan Standard and Guideline 12-3

Recreation-3 Provide safety signing along trails, roads, or for temporary road or trail closures in active project areas for public safety.

All Alternatives: All Units Where Applicable

Forest Plan Standard and Guideline 12-3

Recreation-4 Provide visitor information about area/road/trail closures, or other recreation setting changes, in news releases, on-site, and on the Forest website.

All Alternatives: All Units Where Applicable

Forest Plan Standard and Guideline 12-3

Recreation-5

No ground-based logging equipment shall cross any designated trail in the project area unless the Landscape Architect and/or District Recreation Officer is consulted for mitigation measures.

All Alternatives:

Trails: 5594, 5596, 55109

Units: 134-240G, 134-55G, 134-245G, 134-58G, 133-

89G

Forest Plan Standard and Guideline 12-14

Recreation-6

No hauling on Forest Service roads shall occur on the following holiday weekends during the recreation season: Memorial Day weekend, July 4th weekend, and Labor Day weekend.

All Alternatives:

All thinning with forest product removal units.

Forest Plan Standard and Guideline 12-8

Recreation-7

When possible, schedule burning to minimize impacts to those recreating. This may involve burning on low visitor use days in the spring and avoiding burning on high use weekends.

All Alternatives: All Pile Burning and Underburn

Units

Forest Plan Standard and Guideline 12-9

Feature Description

Applicable Action Alternatives/

Areas or Units

Rationale or Applicable Standard and Guideline

Watershed-1

Ground-disturbing activities are proposed to take place during the normal operating season (NOS) that is defined as May 1 to October 31 and in dry periods outside the NOS, adhering to the Forest’s wet weather operation standards (USDA 2002), as approved by the Forest Service representative.

* When working in hydrologic riparian reserves:

When there is a 30 percent chance of rain in the next 24 hours, a Forest Service representative will be on site to insure that winterization or erosion control procedures are implemented in a timely fashion and to initiate shutdown or resume operations.

*Operations will not resume until suitable weather, soil, and forecast conditions exist.

All Alternatives: All Thinning with Removal and

Mastication Units (Region 5 BMP 1.5, 5.6)

Watershed-2 Post-treatment soil cover will range from 50 to 80 percent depending on slope steepness, soil texture, and fuel reduction treatments.

All Alternatives: All Thinning and Mastication

Units

(Region 5 BMP 5.5);

Forest Plan Standard and

Guideline 3-2

Watershed-3 Maintain existing coarse woody debris by having ground-based equipment avoid the larger diameter woody debris as much as practical.

All Alternatives: All Thinning with Removal and

Mastication Units

(Region 5 BMP 5.5);

Forest Plan Standard and

Guideline 6-16

Watershed-4

Mechanized equipment will be restricted to:

1. If soil texture is Loam or finer: Slopes less than 45 percent

2. If soil texture is Sandy Loam or coarser:

Slopes less than 35 percent

3. Mechanized equipment will be restricted to travelling generally in straight up and down patterns on slopes 35 to 45 percent and on steeper slopes for short portions (100 feet or less) regardless of texture when necessary

4. Where equipment will be operating on

>45% slopes for more than just short stretches a cable-assist tether will be required.

5. In stands where tractor skidding is used and, where practical, logs should be placed in bundles on slopes less than 35 percent.

6. Skid trails that connect benches separated by short steep slopes (broken ground) can have minor portions (100 feet or less) of the skid trail on slopes greater than 35 percent.

Soil texture will be determined by the project soil scientist.

All Alternatives: All Thinning with Removal and

Mastication Units

National Core BMP Veg- 4 (Region 5 BMP 1.9)

Watershed-5

Skidding equipment can operate in terraced plantations with slopes greater than 35 percent with the following restrictions: terraces will be used that are generally wide enough to accommodate harvesting and skidding equipment to limit increasing the cut and fill slopes on terraces.

Skidding between terraces will be limited and locations of these skid trails will be flagged by the timber sale administrator with input from the project soil scientist.

All Alternatives: All Thinning with Removal

Units (Region 5 BMP 1.10)

Feature Description

Applicable Action Alternatives/

Areas or Units

Rationale or Applicable Standard and Guideline

Watershed-6

No full bench skid trails will be constructed except in terraced plantations and then only on existing terraces. (Full bench skid trails have the entire skid trail cut into the hill slope).

All Alternatives: All Thinning with Removal

Units (Region 5 BMP 1.10)

Watershed-7

Existing skyline corridors and ground-based skid trails will be reused whenever possible.

Designation of new skid trails will be approved by a Timber Sale Administrator. Use existing skid and swing trails instead of building new skid trails unless using existing skid trails will have greater negative effects than building new. Use no skid trails in areas (1) in which ground-based mechanical equipment is excluded; and (2) on highly erosive soils, unstable areas, wetlands, or wet meadows (excluding small springs and seeps).

All Alternatives: All Thinning with Removal

Units (Region 5 BMP 1.10)

Watershed-8 Ground-based skidding and skyline cable yarding will require front-end suspension of logs on skid trails and corridors.

All Alternatives: All Thinning with Removal

Units (Region 5 BMP 1.10)

Watershed-9

Tractors and mechanical harvesters will be excluded from active landslides, toe zones of dormant landslides and inner gorges unless reviewed and recommended by a geologist.

All Alternatives: All Thinning with Removal

Units (Region 5 BMP 1.6)

Watershed-10

Limit equipment disturbance within 20 feet on either side of swales by minimizing equipment crossings and avoiding running trails up the axis of swales. Swales are shallow ephemeral channels that do not meet the definition of a riparian reserve because they lack annual channel scour.

All Alternatives: All Thinning and Mastication

Units

National Core BMP AqEco-1, AqEco-2 and Veg-3 (Region 5 BMP

1.19)

Watershed-11

Place corridors for skyline-yarding outside hydrologic riparian reserves parallel to the stream channel unless field assessment by soil scientist and sale administrator determines that placing them within the riparian reserve will not substantially damage residual trees, soil, or fish. Full suspension will be required for any yarding across or over perennial and intermittent streams to avoid damage to stream banks.

All Alternatives: All Thinning with Removal

Units

National Core BMP Veg- 5 (Region 5 BMP 1.8, 1.11)

Watershed-12

Cable corridors will be placed on the landscape as to minimize disturbance to unstable lands (such as inner gorges, active landslides and toe zones). The layout will avoid yarding logs up the axis of the features.

All Alternatives: All Thinning with Removal

Units (Region 5 BMP 1.6)

Watershed-13

Trees may be removed from riparian reserves if

i. Trees must be removed to provide safe road passage or campground access and function; OR

ii. Those trees would pose a substantial risk to the forest road drainage system integrity; OR

iii. A fish biologist ensures that removal of these trees within riparian reserves is consistent with the Aquatic Conservation Strategy objectives.

All Alternatives: All Thinning with Removal

Units

National Core BMP Plan- 3 (Region 5 BMP 1.8)

Watershed-14

Trees directly rooted into the banks or otherwise and obviously integral to the stability of the channel bank will not be removed. Trees in the upland areas directly affecting streams will be directionally felled to protect stream banks.

All Alternatives: All Thinning Units

National Core BMP AqEco-1, AqEco-2 and Veg-3 (Region 5 BMP

1.19)

Feature Description

Applicable Action Alternatives/

Areas or Units

Rationale or Applicable Standard and Guideline

Watershed-15

To minimize the concentration of surface runoff, slash or water bars will be applied to corridors, skid and swing trails where the ground cover is below 50 percent and where necessary to prevent runoff from entering the swing trails and stream channels.

At project completion, permanent operating waterbars will be installed and/or repaired as necessary.

All Alternatives: All Thinning with Removal

Units

(Region 5 BMP 1.10, 1.17)

Watershed-16

Perennial streams, even if dry, will not be crossed by skid trails. Intermittent channels may be crossed when dry and at locations designated by the Forest

Service.

All Alternatives: All Thinning with Removal

Units

National Core BMP AqEco-1, AqEco-2 and Veg-3 (Region 5 BMP

1.19)

Watershed-17

Skid trails that cross intermittent streams or dry swales (i.e. depressions in the landscape that do not meet the definition for a designation as riparian reserve) will be restored before any storm (with reasonable chance of causing offsite sediment movement), or after use is complete. This generally consists of removing excess soil, reshaping and waterbarring former approaches, and spreading slash on the former crossing.

All Alternatives: All Thinning with Removal

Units

National Core BMP AqEco-1, AqEco-2 and Veg-3 (Region 5 BMP

1.19)

Watershed-18

Dry intermittent streams may be crossed by a masticator at designated sites only after field review and approval by a Forest Service hydrologist. No perennial streams, even when dry, will be crossed.

All Alternatives: All Mastication Units

National Core BMP AqEco-1, AqEco-2 and Veg-3 (Region 5 BMP

1.19)

Watershed-19

Masticators will not operate within 150 feet of slope distance on perennial streams and 100 feet of slope distance on each side of intermittent streams, or the site potential tree height distance on each side of the stream, whichever is greatest (per

Aquatic Conservation Strategy Objective 8). A masticator will not operate beyond the break in slope of any inner gorge. Consultation with the project fish biologist or hydrologist will occur to determine if any additional buffer width for masticator equipment is needed for a particular riparian reserve.

All Alternatives: All Mastication Units

National Core BMP AqEco-1, AqEco-2 and Veg-3 (Region 5 BMP

1.19)

Watershed-20

Existing landings will be used to the extent possible. Construct new landings outside both hydrologic and unstable-land riparian reserves and away from locations where sediment is likely to enter streams (areas that have a hydrologic connection to streams). If the existing landings are within 50 feet of slope distance to a stream channel or inner gorge they will not be used without consultation with the project hydrologist.

All Alternatives: All Thinning with Removal

Units

National Core BMP Veg- 6 (Region 5 BMP 1.12)

Watershed-21

Once project activities are completed, re-establish natural runoff patterns on those landings used for the project (hydrologic stabilization) to protect water quality. Minimize sidecasting of material during maintenance, construction or reconstruction of landings. Use slash or straw to stabilize disturbed soil on fill slopes.

All Alternatives: All Thinning with Removal

Units

National Core BMP Veg- 6 (Region 5 BMP 1.16)

Feature Description

Applicable Action Alternatives/

Areas or Units

Rationale or Applicable Standard and Guideline

Watershed-22

Fueling and servicing of vehicles used for proposed activities will be done outside of hydrologic riparian reserves except at designated landings in locations where most disconnected from water resources.

A spill containment kit will be in place where refueling and servicing take place. Report spills and initiate appropriate clean-up action in accordance with applicable state and federal laws, rules and regulations. The forest hazardous materials coordinator’s name and phone number shall be available to Forest Service personnel who administer or manage activities utilizing petroleum-powered equipment.

In the occurrence of a spill which may affect listed aquatic species, NOAA Fisheries will be notified for emergency consultation.

All Alternatives: All Applicable Units

National Core BMP Road-10 (Region 5 BMP

2.11)

Watershed-23

Use temporary roads on existing roadbeds instead of constructing new temporary roads except: (1) when temporary roads on existing roadbeds are located within stream-course riparian reserves

(unless the only way to access the unit will be to use a stream crossing on an existing roadbed); or

(2) when temporary roads on existing roadbeds are located on highly erosive soils, active landslides, wetlands or meadows (excluding small springs and seeps).

All Alternatives: All Temporary Roads

National Core BMP Road-3 (Region 5 BMP

2.3)

Watershed-24

Improvements to existing roads in the project area will not over-steepen road cuts, will minimize sidecasting, and maintain the ditches and cross drains or any outslope of the roadway.

All Alternatives: All Applicable Roads

National Core BMP Road-3 (Region 5 BMP

2.3)

Watershed-25

Spot rocking will be used as necessary if small and isolated portions of the road system do not adequately dry to allow haul when most of the road is capable of haul. Ensure haul over the newly rocked areas will not create adverse impacts, such as sediment moving offsite towards channels.

All Alternatives: All Applicable Roads

National Core BMP Road-4 (Region 5 BMP

2.4)

Watershed-26

Existing low water crossings where forest transportation system roads cross perennial or intermittent streams will have temporary stream crossings installed for forest product removal, as approved by the project fisheries biologist.

Installation and removal will be seasonally restricted as crossing will be installed during the operating season only and removed prior to end of the operating season of use. No project related non-passenger vehicles will cross the stream at these locations when/if the temporary stream crossing is not in place. Project-related passenger vehicle use will be monitored and suspended if resource damage is likely to occur from continued use.

Alternative 2: Forest Road 45N53 and 45N88

Alternative 3: Forest Road 45N53

National Core BMP Road-7 (Region 5 BMP

2.8)

Watershed-27 Take-offs of temporary roads, skid and swing trails that intersect roads will be obliterated or effectively blocked to vehicle access following unit treatment.

All Alternatives: All Thinning with Removal

Units (Region 5 BMP 1.10)

Feature Description

Applicable Action Alternatives/

Areas or Units

Rationale or Applicable Standard and Guideline

Watershed-28

Temporary roads on existing road beds and new temporary roads will be blocked at the end of the normal or extended operating season when project activities cease due to wet weather conditions. All temporary roads will be hydrologically restored at project completion, which may include removal of culverts and fills at stream crossings, out-sloping of road surfaces, obliteration of road segments, and water barring or covering with slash.

All Alternatives: All Temporary Roads

National Core BMP Road-3 (Region 5 BMP

2.3)

Watershed-29

On roads treated for dust abatement, use erosion control methods such as watering only when necessary and applying non-excessive volumes to prevent any sedimentation of streams.

All Alternatives: All Applicable Roads

National Core BMP AqEco-1, AqEco-2 and Veg-3 (Region 5 BMP

1.19)

Watershed-30

• Water drafting by more than one truck shall not occur simultaneously.

• Pumping will be terminated before tank overflows occur.

• Intakes, for trucks and tanks, shall be placed parallel to the flow of water and screened, with opening size consistent with the protection of aquatic species of interest.

All Alternatives: All Water Drafting Sites

National Core BMP WatUses-3 (Region 5

BMP 2.5)

Watershed-31

Drafting from fish-bearing (anadromous) waters Use NOAA Fisheries Water Drafting

Specifications:

• When in habitat potentially occupied by Coho

Salmon, intakes will be screened with 3/32” mesh for rounded or square openings, or 1/16 inch mesh for slotted openings. When in habitat potentially occupied by steelhead trout, intakes will be screened with 1/8” mesh size. Wetted surface area of the screen or fish-exclusion device shall be proportional to the pump rate to ensure that water velocity at the screen surface does not exceed 0.33 feet per second.

Use of a NOAA approved fish screen will ensure the above specifications are met.

• Pumping rate will not exceed 350 gallons-per-minute (gpm) or 10 percent of the flow of the anadromous stream drafted from.

All Alternatives: All Water Drafting Sites

National Core BMP WatUses-3 (Region 5

BMP 2.5)

Watershed-32

Drafting from fish-bearing (non-anadromous) waters

• Drafting rate should not exceed 350 gpm for streamflow greater than or equal to 4.0 cubic-feet-per-second (cfs).

• Below 4.0 cfs, drafting rates should not exceed 20 percent of surface flows.

• Drafting should cease when bypass surface flows drop below 1.5 cfs.

• Use screen sizes described by NOAA specifications for steelhead (1/8 inch mesh size) for rainbow trout.

All Alternatives: All Water Drafting Sites

National Core BMP WatUses-3 (Region 5

BMP 2.5)

Feature Description

Applicable Action Alternatives/

Areas or Units

Rationale or Applicable Standard and Guideline

Watershed-33

Drafting from non-fish-bearing waters

• Drafting rate should not exceed 350 gallons per minute for stream flow greater than or equal to 2.0 cfs.

• Drafting rate should not exceed 50 percent of surface flow.

• Drafting should cease from when bypass surface flow drops below 10 gallons per minute.

All Alternatives: All Water Drafting Sites

National Core BMP WatUses-3 (Region 5

BMP 2.5)

Watershed-34

Water drafting sites located in non-fish-bearing waters only may include minor instream modification, such as fine sediment removal and building of board/plastic dams, at the discretion of the project fish biologist or hydrologist. All boards and plastic will be removed after use. Approaches may be rocked.

Water drafting sites located within fish-bearing stream segments may not be modified, except rocking the approach to prevent sedimentation.

All Alternatives: All Water Drafting Sites

National Core BMP WatUses-3 (Region 5

BMP 2.5)

Watershed-35

Ignition of underburns will generally not occur in riparian reserves, except to minimize the potential for burning material to roll down into a riparian reserve that would increase the potential for moderate or high intensity burns. Ignition will generally occur outside of riparian reserves (in upland areas) to avoid possibility of drip torch fuel entering stream courses. Fire will be allowed to back into riparian reserves to allow for a low intensity fire.

All Alternatives: All Underburn Units (Region 5 BMP 6.3)

Watershed-36

Restrictions for hand pile construction

• Place in a checkerboard pattern whenever possible (not one pile directly above another).

• Hand piles must be small in size, 6 feet or less in diameter.

• No hand piles within 15 feet of any perennial or intermittent stream channel.

• Between 15 and 30 feet, hand piles may be constructed if the following conditions exist: (1) not granitic soils, (2) slope is less than 35 percent, or (3) ground cover is greater than 50 percent. If the condition cannot be met, then slash should be lopped and scattered.

All Alternatives: All Fuel Break and Thinning Units

National Core BMP Fire- 2 (Region 5 BMP 6.3)

Watershed-37

Burning hand piles within riparian reserves

• See Watershed-36 for hand pile construction description.

If perennial streams are greater than 1 foot in width

• Only hand piles greater than 30 feet from the channel may be burned.

If intermittent and small (less than 1 foot in width) perennial streams

• Hand piles greater than 15 feet from the channel may be burned.

All Alternatives: All Fuel Break and Thinning Units

National Core BMP Fire- 2 (Region 5 BMP 6.3)

Feature Description

Applicable Action Alternatives/

Areas or Units

Rationale or Applicable Standard and Guideline

Watershed-38

For underburning, construction of handlines in riparian reserves closer than 25 feet to a watercourse shall be avoided where practical.

Handline construction in riparian vegetation shall be avoided where practical. Handlines will be mitigated (waterbarred and covered with organic material) immediately following prescribed burning, when safe to do so.

All Alternatives: All Underburn Units

National Core BMP Fire- 2 (Region 5 BMP 6.3)

Watershed-39 When underburning in riparian reserves, at least 90 percent of the large woody debris will not be consumed, both standing and on the ground.

All Alternatives: All Underburn Units

National Core BMP Fire- 2 (Region 5 BMP 6.3)

Wildlife-1

Retain at a minimum two to five snags per acre on average where available, assessed on a landscape level. Snag retention may not be met equally on every acre but will be met at a landscape scale.

Retain snags in clumps or groups, situated around the largest and live trees where possible. Select snags with broken tops as first priority.

All Alternatives: All Applicable Units

Forest Plan Standard and Guideline 8-22

Wildlife-2

Maintain existing snag and coarse woody debris levels across the landscape where fuel loading is not excessive; average five to 20 pieces, greater than 12 inches in diameter, per acre.

All Alternatives: All Applicable Units

Forest-wide Standard and Guideline 6-16

Wildlife-3

A seasonal restriction of February 1st to September 15th will apply to all activities that modify suitable nesting, roosting, or foraging habitat (including activities that degrade or are beneficial) within 0.25 miles of an NSO activity center or within un-surveyed nesting/roosting/foraging habitat. This seasonal restriction may be lifted if protocol surveys determine NSOs are not nesting in the year of action.

All Alternatives: 134-31G, 134-107S, 134-33S, 134-

34S, 134-39S, 138-53S, 138- 54S, 138-53P, 136-61P, 134-

131P, FBP1, FBS3, FBR1,

FBR3

Forest Plan Standards and Guidelines 8-1, 8-2

Wildlife-4

A seasonal restriction of February 1st through July 9th will apply to all activities that are not in suitable habitat but will potentially produce noise above ambient noise levels within 0.25 miles of an NSO activity center or un-surveyed nesting, roosting, or foraging habitat. This seasonal restriction may be lifted if protocol surveys determine NSOs are not nesting in the year of action.

All Alternatives: 134-31G, 134-107S, 134-33S, 134-

34S, 134-39S, 138-53S, 138- 54S, 138-53P, 136-61P, 134-

131P, FBP1, FBS3, FBR1,

FBR3

Forest Plan Standards and Guidelines 8-1, 8-2

Wildlife-5

When spring burning between February 1st and July 31st, smoke is managed so that light to moderate, dispersed smoke may be present with a canyon or drainage but dissipates or lifts within 24 hours.

When such burning is conducted within 0.25 miles and uphill of a known NSO activity center or within 0.25 miles of an NSO activity center or un-surveyed nesting, roosting, or foraging habitat that is not clearly separated by a topographic feature, smoke is managed as described above and, ignition will be discontinued if heavy, concentrated smoke begins to inundate suitable habitat late in the afternoon.

All Alternatives: 134-31G, 134-107S, 134-33S, 134-

34S, 134-39S, 138-53S, 138- 54S, 138-53P, 136-61P, 134-

131P, UB1, UB2, FBP1,

FBS3, FBR1, FBR3

Forest Plan Standards and Guidelines 8-1, 8-2

Wildlife-6

No known bald eagle nest trees, perch trees, or roost trees within winter roost areas will be removed or destroyed as a result of project activities if discovered.

All Alternatives: All Applicable Units

Bald and Golden Eagle Act

Feature Description

Applicable Action Alternatives/

Areas or Units

Rationale or Applicable Standard and Guideline

Wildlife-7

To minimize effects on bald eagles, prescribed burning will not occur in or within 0.5 miles of a known or suspected nest territory from January 1st to August 31st. Activities that create noise above ambient levels within 0.25 miles of active or suspected bald eagle nests if discovered, or occur within 0.5 miles of line-of-sight of such nests, will be seasonally restricted from January to August 31.

If surveys demonstrate that nest sites are not active, no seasonal restrictions are required.

All Alternatives: All Applicable Units

Bald and Golden Eagle Act

Wildlife-9

In known occupied northern goshawk nest sites and management areas, no burning or use of heavy equipment will occur within 0.25 miles of the nest site between March 1st and August 31st. If protocol surveys are conducted and the site is found to be unoccupied, proposed actions may proceed.

All Alternatives: All Applicable Units

Forest Plan Standard and Guideline 8-20

Wildlife-10

In order to avoid direct harm to individual Siskiyou Mountain salamanders, in occupied sites or areas modeled as having moderate or high likelihood of occupancy; implement burning when salamanders have low likelihood of being surface active (mid-summer and mid-winter months). Consult with the district wildlife biologist to determine when there is a low likelihood of surface activity.

All Alternatives: All Applicable Units

Forest Plan Standard and Guideline 8-18

Wildlife-11

Avoid use of heavy equipment on known Siskiyou Mountain salamander sites, or on suitable talus that has a moderate or high likelihood of occupancy for the Siskiyou Mountain and Scott Bar salamander and for the Tehama chaparral and blue gray tail dropper.

All Alternatives: All Applicable Units

Forest Plan Standard and Guideline 8-18; ROD for

Survey and Manage species

Wildlife-12

Treatment units containing suitable Siskiyou Mountain salamander habitat or known sites will be flagged and avoided or surveyed prior to ground disturbing activities; flagged areas will be utilized as "skips" considered in variable density thinning prescriptions.

All Alternatives: All Applicable Units

Forest Plan Standard and Guideline 8-18; ROD for

Survey and Manage species

Wildlife-13

Greater than 60 percent of the existing canopy cover of the larger mature trees, large down woody debris, and sufficient forest floor litter will be retained within and adjacent to known sites of Tehama chaparral and blue gray tail dropper.

All Alternatives: All Applicable Units

Forest Plan Standard and Guideline 8-18; ROD for

Survey and Manage species

Wildlife-14

Pre-disturbance surveys for Category A survey and manage species will be completed to protocol prior to ground-disturbing activities where suitable habitat exists. Known mollusk sites will be flagged and buffered by one site tree height by the District biologist prior to implementation. No treatments will occur within this buffer; flagged areas will be used as "skips" considered in variable density thinning prescriptions.

All Alternatives: All Applicable Units

Forest Plan Standard and Guideline 8-18; ROD for

Survey and Manage species

Wildlife-15

Minimize potential logging damage and negative effects to retained hardwoods and sensitive meadow habitats by using techniques such as directional felling away from these trees and meadows, and restricting equipment use in meadows. For hardwoods in tree form, retain except where removal is required for operability or fuel break function. Include in leave tree spacing.

All Alternatives: All Thinning, Fuel Break and

Mastication Units

Forest Plan Standards and Guidelines 8-31, 8-42, 8-

Feature Description

Applicable Action Alternatives/

Areas or Units

Rationale or Applicable Standard and Guideline

Wildlife-16

Retain up to 25% of area in planned fuel break and mastication treatments as untreated islands and irregular edge to retain diversity for wildlife habitat needs where fuel break effectiveness would not be compromised. Residual hardwood trees and conifers count towards untreated area.

All Alternatives: Units: 137- Mast, 138-Mast-1, and 544-

Mast

Forest Plan Standard and Guideline 6-2

Wildlife-17

In order to minimize potentials impacts to gray wolf:

If a den site is detected in or near the project area during the project implementation timeframes, a seasonal restriction from April 1 through June 30 will be applied to restrict noise- and smoke-generating activities that are above ambient standards within one mile of the den.

While the provision for the seasonal restriction for the den site is expected to provide protection from any prolonged or substantial project-related disturbance during the critical pup-rearing period at early rendezvous site(s), a similar seasonal restriction for activities within one mile of any discovered active rendezvous sites from April 1 through August 31 will be implemented. Further discussions and coordination with U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service may result in modified distances or more flexible dates for this specific protection measure.

These seasonal restrictions will be implemented unless there are topographic features or terrain that clearly separates the noise- or smoke- generating activity from the den or rendezvous site(s).

While there are no known den or rendezvous site(s) associated with the Craggy Project area at this time, this project design feature will be implemented and coordination with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will take place if den or rendezvous sites are confirmed.

All Alternatives: All Applicable Units

Forest Plan Standards and Guidelines 8-1, 8-2

ITEM

#(s)

UNIT # ACRES

Estimated

STAND

TREATMENT

Leave Trees at specified

DBH

SPACIN

G (FT)

TREE

TYPE

SLASH

TREATMENT

Remarks: Reference project design features appendix B

CRG 3 – FBP3

CRG 6 – FBS4,

FBR4

NEPA:

Craggy Vegetation Management Project boundaries are marked with black and orange striped flagging when adjacent to private property

Unit Boundaries that are not flagged will defined by digital boundary

Manual Thin Brush and Trees <10”

(Reference Craggy Fuel Break work specs doc.)

Thin Conifers, Hardwoods and brush to an average 25’X25’ spacing.

Release hardwood trees to enhance forest health and resilience by removing competing conifers

CONIFER

S > 10” dbh and

≥40% LCR

Hardwoods

<6”

25’x25’ average

Brush, Hardwood s and Conifers

Manual Pile

(Reference Craggy Fuel Break work specs doc.)

Hand pile all slash <1” in diameter up to and including 8” in diameter.

Material over 8 inches in diameter shall be limbed and the limbs and tops piled.

Handpiles will be covered with Kraft type waxed paper or alternate pile covering material approved by the COR.

Pile dimensions:

4-6 feet height 4-6 foot diameter

Heritage 1&2, Watershed 36

Invasive Species 2, Scenery 2, 4, & 5, STAND

TREATMENT

Leave Trees at specified

DBH

SPACIN

G (FT)

TREE

TYPE

SLASH

TREATMENT

Remarks: Reference project design features appendix B

CRG 2 – FBR5,

FBS5

CRG 4 – FBS2

CRG 5 – FBR4,

FBP2

CRG 7 – FBR4,

FBP4, FBS4

(coincides with…