Rangeland Health Standards Assessment

Allotment #416 White Rock

Allotment Overview: Allotment boundaries: refer to attached map. 7.5 Minute Topographic Maps: Slide Mountain AUMs ofAuthorized Use: 10 AUMs Permitted Season: 5/01-9/30 Allotment Category: C Total acres: 565 acres BLM, 438 acres private

Allotment #416 is primarily steep slopes 30 to 50 percent. Approximately one third of the allotment was burned in the Winter fire in July 2002. Allotment has been rested for

.two growing seasons, grazing will resume this year 2005.

Grazing Management:

The allotment is comprised ofboth BLM and private lands in steep hilly country. The allotment is made up ofone pasture with no cross fences. Cattle are generally allowed to . graze in the allotment during the late spring and summer, Most of the BLM land occurs in the steeper portions ofthe allotment and is not subject to much of the cattle use except for the lower portion ofKelly Creek next to Highway 31.

STANDARD 1- Upland Watershed- Upland soils exhibit inrdtration and permeability rates, moisture storage, and stability that are appropriate to soD, climate, and land form.

Meets Standard.

No Ecological Site Inventory (ESI) data is available for allotment #416. Indicator used to evaluate upland watershed condition is plant composition. Current plant composition is compared to a defined Potential Natural Plant Community (PNC) for the identified soil types and precipitation zone PNC data is compiled using the Soil Survey ofLake County,

- oregon, Soutliefu-pan; puo1ishe(rZ001~Tab1e1 compares tfie currenfpJant composition with the PNC. Plant species expected at PNC for each range site as described in the Lake County Soil Survey are part ofthe plant community composition currently found on the allotment.

Soil Map Unit Dominant PNC Dominant Plant species that Vegetation on vegetation occur on the allotment allotment and are

identified in the PNC description

7SF Juniperus Artemisia . tridentata . Artemisia tridentata occidenatlis, wyommgensis, wyomingensis, Artemisisa Achnathenun Achnatherum arbuscula, Festuca thurberianum, thurberianum, idahoensis, Festuca idahoensis, Festuca idahoensis, Pseudoroegneria Pseudoroegneria Pseudoroegneria spicata spicata, Poa spicata spicata, Poa spicata spicata, Poa secunda, Purshia secunda secunda

167E tridentate, Stipa Abies concolor, Abies concolor, thurberiana, Symphoricarpos Symphoricarpos Leymus cinereus, albus, Arnia albus, Arnia Sitanion hystrix cordifola, Poa cordifola, Poa

nervosa nervosa

7E Artemisia Artemisia arbuscula, Festuca arbuscula, Festuca idahoensis, idahoensis, Pseudoroegneria Pseudoroegneria spicata spicata, Poa spicata spicata, Poa secunda, Stipa secunda, Stipa thurberiana, thurberiana, Achnatherum Achnathenun thurberianum, thurberianum, Artimisia tridentata Artimisia tridentata vaseyana, vaseyana, Artemisia arbuscula Artemisia arbuscula

77E Pseudoroegneria Pseudoroegneria spicata spicata, spicata spicata, Festuca idahoensis, Festuca idahoensis, Purshia tridentata, Purshia tridentata, Artemisia tridentata Artemisia tridentata wyomingensis wyomingensis

Weeds Report: Noxious weeds are known to occur in the allotment. Musk thistle and bull thistle are present on the north facing open benches west ofKelly Creek. These thistles are being treated manually and the area that burned in the Winter Fire in 2002 is being monitored

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for further weed invasion each year. Puncture vine is present on the private land adjacent to Highway 31 and has the potential to spread into the allotment.

STANDARD 2- Riparian-wetland areas are in properly functioning physical conditions appropriate to soil, climate, and landform.

This standard is not being met.

Lotic PFC site inventories were completed in 1997 on Kelly Creek. The entire 1.2 mile reach was found to be in Functional at risk condition with no apparent trend. It was noted that this stream is steep with predominately A and G channel types with some small B segments. Being highly entrenched the A and G types do not have a flood plain and sinuosity was appropriate. Some lower areas were likely degraded from a B channel in the past. Due to the nature of the stream there was little riparian vegetation. Rock, including bedrock, control energy in this stream.

While this stream is actively eroding, the cause was attributed to the 1997 flood and it was noted that this is an erosive soil in a geologically active area. Human factors, including the current grazing management are not a contributing factor to the stream's PFC condition.

At one time aspen stands existed in the upper reaches ofKelly Creek as evidenced by a few living remnant aspen trees coupled with dead aspen skeletons scattered through out the upper reaches. These aspen stands have been encroached by western juniper. Juniper treatments such as cutting with hand saws or burning with prescribed fire would be required to rehabilitate the aspen stands.

STANDARD 3- Healthy, productive, and diverse plant and animal populations and communities appropriate to soil, climate, and landform are supported by ecological processes of nutrient cycling, energy flow and the hydrologic cycle.

Meets Standard.

The current plant community composition as compared to the PNC was the indicator used to evaluate-this standard. -As stated above, plant species expected at PNC-fur each range site as described in Lake County Soil Survey are part of the plant community compositions currently found on the allotment.

Botanist report: This allotment was burned in 2002 by a wildland fire; and it has not been grazing since spring 2002. In 2004 the grasses and forbs had recovered health and vigor from both re­sprouting shrubs and from seeds. The only disturbances in the area are from caterpillar tracks that remain from fire fighting actions, and they are filling in with native plants, exotic annuals and grasses. The junipers in manycases were killed outright by the fire and only a few, small areas exist where the junipers encroachment is threatening other resource values.

Wildlife report: This area supports healthy diverse wildlife populations that are appropriate for the type of habitats available within the allotment. The majority ofhabitats within the allotment are in moderate ecological condition. Ecological condition within this allotment is degraded by dense amounts of young western juniper in the southern portion of the allotment. This standard is currently being met from the aspect ofwildlife populations and diversity.

STANDARD 4- Surface water and groundwater quality, influenced by agency actions, complies with State water quality standards.

Meets Standard.

Kelly Creek has not been listed as water quality impaired by the Oregon DEQ. It is likely that should temperature data be collected the stream would be listed in the future due to natural conditions. The flow regime of this stream is not known. It appears to be intermittent with some years having perennial flow. Flow regime could be a factor in future water quality listing decisions. Current management is having no negative impact to the water quality.

STANDARD 5- Native, T&E, and locally important species. Habitats support healthy, productive and diverse populatlons and communities of native plants and animals (including special status species and species of local importance) appropriate to soil, climate and landform.

Meets Standard.

Botanist report: This area has been surveyed for Bureau special status plants. iliamna bakerii (globemallow), a BLM Sensitive plant species, was discovered . This plant usually grows after areas have been intensely burned; it will grow a few years and disappear. It has not been demonstrated that livestock grazing has much of an effect on the globemallow; however, it is being monitored.

Plant list of northern area: Shrubs/trees: Forbs: Juniperus occidentalis iliamna bakerii

(burned and alive) Lomatium trlternatum Prunus subcordata Collomia grandiflora Prunus virginiana Astragalus purshii Pinus ponderosa Phacelia procera

(burned and alive) Penstemon sp. Populus tremuloides Gayophyton diffusum Lygodesmia spinosa Fritilleria atropurpurea Ribes aureum Eriophyllum lanatum Artemisia tridentate Eiplobium paniculatum

Artemisia cana Lithosperma ruderarale Cercocarpus ledifolius Lupinus caudatus Sambucus nigra v. cenulea Castilleja sp Rosa woodsii Zigadenus venenosus Symphoricarpos sp

Introduced plants! weeds Grasses Bromus tectorum Elymus elymoides (Sitanion hystrix) Taeniatherum caput-medusae Pseudoroegneria spicata (Agrophyron Lepidium perfoliata

spicatum) Agrophyron cristatum Koeleria macrantha (K. cristata) Linum lewisii (planted native)

Leymus cinereus (Elymus cinereus) Cirsium nutans

There are no listed T&E or sensitive aquatic species known in Kelly Creek.

Wildlife report: Special status wildlife species or their habitats that are present within these allotments include the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), Lewis' woodpecker (Melanerpes lewis), and sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianusy: There are also two species with high public interest. These include mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and bighorn sheep (Ovis Canadensis).

No nesting or roosting habitat exists within this allotment for the bald eagle. Nesting and roosting does occur on U.S. Forest Service lands to the north. It is suspected that they are occasional visitors to the area. Bald eagle foraging could occur within the allotment; however it is probably restricted mostly to occasional scattered carrion. There are no resource conflicts for bald eagles.

Ponderosa pine habitats and western juniper woodlands occur over the southern half of the allotment. Habitat for this species is limited. This habitat is suitable, but marginal for Lewis' woodpeckers. There are no resource conflicts for this species.

Habitats for sage-grouse occur in small scattered areas in the western portion of the allotment. There are no known sage-grouse leks within the allotment, nor the surrounding areas. Sage-grouse use of this area is possible, but is very unlikely sue to the extreme isolation of the sage-grouse habitat and heavy fragmentation. No major conflicts exist between cattle grazing and sage-grouse within this allotment.

Mule deer inhabit much of the area. Moderate concentrations ofwintering mule deer inhabit this allotment and surrounding areas. No conflicts exist between mule deer and cattle grazing within this allotment.

Bighorn sheep inhabit the surrounding areas to the south of the allotment. Some marginal habitat exists within the allotment for bighorn sheep. It is not known if

bighorns occasionally visit the allotment. but it is possible. No major conflicts exist between bighorn sheep and cattle grazing within these allotments.

Overall. this standard is being met for wildlife species within the allotment. The occurrence of invasive western juniper appears to be the limiting factor for most wildlife species within the allotment. Efforts to improve this standard should focus on restoration ofsagebrush. This could be accomplished through intensive restoration efforts with fire. mechanical treatment and seeding.

Team Members Title

Lance Okeson RMS Todd Forbes Wildlife Biologist Lucile Housley Botanist Erin McConnell Weed Management Robert Hopper Supervisory NRS Ken Kestner Supervisory NRS Allan Munhall Fisheries Biologist

Determination

o Existing grazing management practices or levels ofgrazing use on the #416 White Rock Allotment promote achievement of significant progress toward the Oregon Standards and Guidelines for Rangeland Health and conform with the Guidelines for Livestock grazing Management.

( ) Existing grazing management practices or levels of grazing use on the #416 White Rock Allotment will require modification or change prior to the next grazing season to promote achievement of the Oregon standards and Guidelines for Livestock Grazing Management.

Field Manager. Lakeview Resource Area

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