Riparian Reserves

The following material summarizes management direction for Riparian Reserves. Details regarding this direction are found in the SEIS ROD (appendix A).

Objectives

See Aquatic Conservation Strategy objectives.

Provide habitat for terrestrial species associated with late-successional forest habitat.

Provide dispersal habitat for northern spotted owls.

Implement strategies to achieve the goals established in the BLM's Riparian Wetland Initiative for the 1990s.

Land Use Allocations

There are approximately 369,200 acres of riparian reserves in the planning area. Calculation of these acres is based on prescribed widths and estimated miles of stream in the various land use categories described in the SEIS ROD.

Riparian reserves are used to maintain and restore riparian structures and functions of intermittent streams, confer benefits to riparian dependent and associated species other than fish, enhance habitat conservation for organisms that are dependent on the transition zone between upslope and riparian areas, improve travel and corridors for many terrestrial animals and plants, and provide for greater connectivity of the watershed. The riparian reserves will also serve as connectivity corridors among late-successional reserves.

Interim widths for riparian reserves necessary to meet Aquatic Conservation Strategy objectives for different water bodies are established on ecologic and geomorphic factors. These widths are designed to provide a high level of fish habitat and riparian protection until watershed and site analysis can be completed. Riparian reserves are delineated during watershed analysis or implementation of site specific projects based on analysis of the critical hillslope, riparian, and channel processes and features. Although riparian reserve boundaries may be adjusted on permanently flowing streams, the prescribed widths are considered to approximate those necessary for attaining Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives. Post-watershed analysis riparian reserve boundaries for permanently flowing streams will approximate the boundaries described below. However, post watershed analysis riparian reserve boundaries for intermittent streams may be different from the existing boundaries. The reason for the difference is the high variability of hydrologic, geomorphic, and ecologic processes in a watershed affecting intermittent streams. At the same time, any analysis or riparian reserve widths must also consider the contribution of these reserves to other, including terrestrial species. Watershed analysis should also take into account all species that were intended to be benefitted by the prescribed riparian reserve widths, including fish, mollusks, amphibians, lichens, fungi, bryophytes, vascular plants, American martens, red tree voles, bats, marbled murrelets, and northern spotted owls. The specific issue for spotted owls is retention of adequate habitat conditions for dispersal.

The prescribed widths of riparian reserves apply to all watersheds until watershed analysis is completed, a site-specific analysis is conducted and described, and the rationale for final riparian reserve boundaries is presented through the appropriate NEPA decision-making process.

The interim riparian reserve widths are as follows:

Fish-bearing streams. Riparian reserves consist of the stream and the area on each side of the stream extending from the edges of the active stream channel to the top of the inner gorge, or to the outer edges of the 100-year floodplain, or to the outer edges of riparian vegetation, or to a distance equal to the height of two site-potential trees, or 300 feet slope distance (600 feet total, including both sides of the stream channel), whichever is greatest.

Permanently flowing nonfish-bearing streams. Riparian reserves consist of the stream and the area on each side of the stream extending from the edges of the active stream channel to the top of the inner gorge, or to the outer edges of the 100-year floodplain, or to the outer edges of riparian vegetation, or to a distance equal to the height of one site-potential tree, or 150 feet slope distance (300 feet total, including both sides of the stream channel), whichever is greatest.
: Seasonally flowing or intermittent streams, wetlands less than one acre, and unstable and potentially unstable areas. This category applies to features with high variability in size and site-specific characteristics. At a minimum the riparian reserves will include:

The extent of unstable and potentially unstable areas;
The stream channel and the area extending to the top of the inner gorge;
The stream channel or wetland and the area from the edges of the stream channel or wetland to the outer edges of the riparian vegetation;
The area extending from the edges of the stream channel to a distance equal to the height of one site-potential tree, or 100 feet slope distance, whichever is greatest.

Constructed ponds and reservoirs, and wetlands greater than one acre. Riparian reserves consist of the body of water or wetland and the area to the outer edges of the riparian vegetation, or to the extent of seasonally saturated soil, or to the extent of unstable and potentially unstable areas, or to a distance equal to the height of one site-potential tree, or to 150 feet slope distance from the edge of a wetland greater than one acre or the maximum pool elevation of constructed ponds and reservoirs, whichever is greatest.
: Lakes and natural ponds. Riparian reserves consist of the body of water and the area to the outer edges of the riparian vegetation, or to the extent of seasonally saturated soil, or to the extent of unstable and potentially unstable areas, or to a distance equal to the height of two site-potential trees, or 300 feet slope distance, whichever is greatest.

A site-potential tree height is the average maximum height of the tallest dominant trees (200 years or older) for a given site class.

Intermittent streams are defined as any nonpermanent flowing drainage feature having a definable channel and evidence of annual scour or deposition. This includes what are sometimes referred to as ephemeral streams if they meet these two criteria.

Management Actions/Direction

As a general rule, management actions/direction for riparian reserves prohibits or regulates activities that retard or prevent attainment of Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives. Watershed analysis and appropriate NEPA compliance will be required to change riparian reserve boundaries in all watersheds.

Implement the following management actions/direction in riparian reserves. (Management actions/direction in this section are supplemented by Best Management Practices in Appendix D.)

Management Actions/Direction - General

Apply the management actions/direction in the Special Status and SEIS Special Attention Species section.

Management Actions/Direction - Timber Management

Prohibit timber harvest including fuelwood cutting in riparian reserves, with the following exceptions:

Allow salvage and fuelwood cutting if required to attain Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives where catastrophic events such as fire, flooding, volcanic, wind, or insect damage results in degraded riparian conditions, ;
Remove salvage trees only when watershed analysis determines that present and future woody debris needs are met and other Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives are not adversely affected; and
Apply silvicultural practices for riparian reserves to control stocking, reestablish and manage stands, and acquire desired vegetation characteristics needed to attain Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives (see Appendix E).

Riparian reserve acres are not included in calculations of the allowable sale quantity.

Management Actions/Direction - Roads Management

Cooperate with Federal, State, and county agencies and work with private parties with road use agreements to achieve consistency in road design, operation, and maintenance necessary to attain Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives.

For each existing or planned road, meet Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives by:

completing watershed analyses including appropriate geotechnical analyses (i.e., examining soil and rock conditions in riparian areas at proposed stream crossings) prior to construction of new roads or landings in riparian reserves;
minimizing road and landing locations in riparian reserves;
preparing road design criteria, elements, and standards that govern construction and reconstruction;
preparing operation and maintenance criteria that govern road operation, maintenance, and management;
minimizing disruption of natural hydrologic flow paths, including diversion of streamflow and interception of surface and subsurface flow;
restricting sidecasting as necessary to prevent the introduction of sediment to streams; and
avoiding wetlands entirely when constructing new roads.

Determine the influence of each road on the Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives through watershed analysis. Meet Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives by:

reconstructing roads and associated drainage features that pose a substantial risk;
prioritizing reconstruction based on current and potential impact to riparian resources and the ecological value of the riparian resources affected; and
closing and stabilizing, or obliterating and stabilizing roads based on the ongoing and potential effects to Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives and considering short-term and long-term transportation needs.

New culverts, bridges and other stream crossings shall be constructed, and existing culverts, bridges, and other stream crossings determined to pose a substantial risk to riparian conditions will be improved to accommodate at least the 100-year flood, including associated bedload and debris. Priority for upgrading will be based on the potential impact and the ecological value of the riparian resources affected. Crossings will be constructed and maintained to prevent diversion of streamflow out of the channel and down the road in the event of crossing failure.

Minimize sediment delivery to streams from roads. Outsloping of the roadway surface is preferred, except in cases where outsloping would increase sediment delivery to streams or where outsloping is infeasible or unsafe. Route road drainage away from potentially unstable channels, fills, and hill slopes.

Provide and maintain fish passage at all road crossings of existing and potential fish-bearing streams (e.g., streams that can be made available to anadromous fish by removing obstacles to passage).

Develop and implement a road management plan or a transportation management plan that will meet the Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives. As a minimum, this plan will include provisions for the following activities:

inspections and maintenance during storm events;
inspections and maintenance after storm events;
road operation and maintenance giving high priority to identifying and correcting road drainage problems that contribute to degrading riparian resources;
traffic regulation during wet periods to prevent damage to riparian resources; and
establishing the purpose of each road by developing the road management objectives.

Management Actions/Direction - Grazing Management

Through a planning and environmental analysis process appropriate to the action, adjust or eliminate grazing practices that retard or prevent attainment of Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives.

Locate new livestock handling and/or management facilities outside riparian reserves. For existing livestock handling facilities inside riparian reserves, ensure that Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives are met. Where these objectives cannot be met, require relocation or removal of such facilities.

Limit livestock trailing, bedding, watering, loading, and other handling efforts to those areas and times that will ensure Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives are met.

Management Actions/Direction - Recreation Management

Design new recreational facilities within riparian reserves, including trails and dispersed sites, so as not to prevent meeting Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives. Construction of these facilities should not prevent future attainment of these objectives. For existing recreation facilities within riparian reserves, evaluate and mitigate impacts to ensure that these do not prevent, and to the practicable extent contribute to, attainment of Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives.

Adjust dispersed and developed recreation practices that retard or prevent attainment of Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives. Where adjustment measures such as education, use limitations, traffic control devices, increased maintenance, relocation of facilities, and/or specific site closures are not effective, eliminate the practice or occupancy.

Address attainment of Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives in wild and scenic river and wilderness management plans.

Management Actions/Direction - Energy and Minerals Management

NOTE: The standards and guidelines for minerals management in riparian reserves presented on page C-34/35 of the SEIS ROD are not consistent with BLM regulations. Until regulations are modified, management of locatable minerals within riparian reserves will be governed by regulations found in 43 CFR 3809. The following guidelines consistent with 43 CFR 3809, are modifications of the standards and guidelines presented in the SEIS ROD and apply to any locatable mineral operations requiring a plan of operations, and to leasable and saleable mineral operations where appropriate.

Require a Plan of Operations, including a reclamation plan and reclamation bond for all mining operations in riparian reserves. Such plans and bonds will address the costs of removing facilities, equipment, and materials; recontouring of disturbed areas to an approved topography; isolating and neutralizing or removing toxic or potentially toxic materials; salvaging and replacing topsoil; and revegetating to meet Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives.
Locate structures, support facilities, and roads outside riparian reserves. If no alternative to siting facilities in riparian reserves exists, locate in a way compatible with Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives. Road construction will be kept to the minimum necessary for the approved mineral activity. Roads will be constructed and maintained to meet road management standards and to minimize damage to resources in riparian reserves. When a road is no longer required for mineral or land management activities, it will be reclaimed. In any case, access roads will be constructed consistent with 43 CFR 3809 and acceptable road construction standards and will minimize damage to resources in riparian reserves.
Avoid locating solid and sanitary waste facilities in riparian reserves. If no alternative to locating mine waste (waste rock, spent ore, tailings) facilities in riparian reserves exist, if releases can be prevented and stability can be ensured, then:

- Analyze the waste material using the best conventional sampling methods and analytic techniques to determine its chemical and physical stability characteristics.
: - Locate and design waste facilities using best conventional techniques to ensure mass stability and prevent the release of acid or toxic materials. If the best conventional technology is not sufficient to prevent such releases and ensure stability over the long term, prohibit such facilities in riparian reserves.
: - Reclaim waste facilities after operations to ensure chemical and physical stability and to meet Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives.
: - Monitor waste and waste facilities after operations to ensure chemical and physical stability and to meet Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives.
: - Require reclamation bonds adequate to ensure chemical and physical stability of mine waste facilities and to meet Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives.

Where an existing operator is in noncompliance at the notice level (i.e., causing unnecessary or undue degradation), require actions similar to those stated above to meet the intent of 43 CFR 3809.
Develop inspection and monitoring requirements, and include such requirements in exploration and mining plans, and in leases or permits, consistent with existing laws and regulations. Evaluate the results of inspection and monitoring to determine if modification of plans, leases and permits is needed to eliminate impacts that retard or prevent attainment of Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives.
For leasable mineral activity in Riparian Reserves, prohibit surface occupancy for oil, gas, and geothermal exploration and development activities where leases do not exist. Where possible, modify the stipulations in existing leases to eliminate impacts that retard or prevent the attainment of Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives, consistent with existing lease terms and stipulations.
Allow development of saleable minerals, such as sand and gravel, within riparian reserves only if Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives can be met.

Management Actions/Direction - Fire Management

Design fuel treatment, fire suppression strategies, practices, and activities to meet Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives, and to minimize disturbance of riparian ground cover and vegetation. Strategies will recognize the role of fire in ecosystem function and identify those instances where fire suppression or fuel management activities could be damaging to long-term ecosystem function.

Locate incident bases, camps, helibases, staging areas, helispots and other centers for incident activities outside of riparian reserves. If the only suitable location for such activities is within the riparian reserve, an exemption may be granted following a review and recommendation by a resource advisor. The advisor will prescribe the location, use conditions, and rehabilitation requirements. Utilize an interdisciplinary team to predetermine suitable incident base and helibase locations.

Minimize delivery of chemical retardant, foam, or other additives to surface waters. An exception may be warranted in situations where overriding immediate safety imperatives exists, or following a review and recommendation by a resource advisor when an escape would cause more long-term damage.

Design prescribed burn projects and prescriptions to contribute to attainment of Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives.

Immediately establish an emergency team to develop a rehabilitation treatment plan needed to attain Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives whenever riparian reserves are significantly damaged by a wildfire or a prescribed fire burning outside prescribed parameters.

Consider allowing some natural fires to burn under prescribed conditions. This decision will be based on watershed analysis and planning. Until watershed analysis is completed suppress wildfires to avoid loss of habitat and to maintain future management options.

Consider rapidly extinguishing smoldering coarse woody debris and duff.

Locate and manage water drafting sites (e.g., sites where water is pumped to control or suppress fires) to minimize adverse effects on riparian habitat and water quality as consistent with Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives.

Management Actions/Direction - Lands Management

Identify instream flows needed to maintain riparian resources, channel conditions, and fish passage.

Issue leases, permits, rights-of-way, and easements to avoid adverse effects that retard or prevent attainment of Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives. Where legally possible, adjust existing leases, permits, rights-of-way, and easements to eliminate adverse effects that retard or prevent the attainment of Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives. If adjustments are not effective and where legally possible, eliminate the activity. Priority for modifying existing leases, permits, rights-of-way and easements will be based on the actual or potential impact and the ecological value of the riparian resources affected.

Use land acquisition, exchange, and conservation easements to meet Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives and facilitate restoration of fish stocks and other species at risk of extinction.

For proposed hydroelectric projects and other surface water development proposals under the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (the Commission), provide timely, written comments regarding maintenance of instream flows and habitat conditions and maintenance/restoration of riparian resources and stream channel integrity. Request the Commission to locate proposed support facilities outside of riparian reserves. For existing support facilities inside riparian reserves that are essential to proper management, provide recommendations to the Commission that ensure Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives are met. Where these objectives cannot be met, provide recommendations to the Commission that such support facilities should be relocated. Existing support facilities that must be located in the riparian reserves should be located, operated, and maintained with an emphasis to eliminate adverse effects that retard or prevent attainment of Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives.

For hydroelectric and other surface water development proposals in Tier One key watersheds, require instream flows and habitat conditions that maintain or restore riparian resources, favorable channel conditions, and fish passage. Coordinate this process with the appropriate State agencies. For other hydroelectric and surface water development proposals in all other watersheds, give priority emphasis to instream flows and habitat conditions that maintain or restore riparian resources, favorable channel conditions, and fish passage. Coordinate this process with the appropriate State agencies.

Management Actions/Direction - General Riparian Area Management

Identify and attempt to secure instream flows needed to maintain riparian resources, channel conditions, and aquatic habitat.

Fell trees in riparian reserves when they pose a safety risk. Keep felled trees on site when needed to meet coarse woody debris objectives.

Apply herbicides, insecticides, other toxicants, and other chemicals only in a way that avoids impacts that retard or prevent attainment of Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives.

Locate water drafting sites to minimize adverse effects on stream channel stability, sedimentation, and instream flows needed to maintain riparian resources, channel conditions, and fish habitat.

Management Actions/Direction - Watershed and Habitat Restoration

Design and implement watershed restoration projects in a manner that promotes long-term ecological integrity of ecosystems, conserves the genetic integrity of native species, and attains Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives.

Cooperate with Federal, State, local, and Tribal agencies, and private landowners to develop watershed-based coordinated resource management plans or other cooperative agreements to meet Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives.

Prevent watershed and habitat degradation rather than relying on mitigation measures or planned restoration.

Management Actions/Direction - Fish and Wildlife Management

Design and implement fish and wildlife habitat restoration and enhancement activities in a manner that contributes to attainment of Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives.

Design, construct and operate fish and wildlife interpretive and other user-enhancement facilities in a manner that does not retard or prevent attainment of Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives. For existing fish and wildlife interpretative and other user-enhancement facilities inside riparian reserves, ensure that Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives are met. Where Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives cannot be met, relocate or close such facilities.

Cooperate with Federal, Tribal, and State wildlife management agencies to identify and eliminate wild ungulate impacts that are inconsistent with attainment of Aquatic Conservation Strategy and riparian reserve objectives.

Cooperate with Federal, Tribal, and State fish management agencies to identify and eliminate impacts associated with habitat manipulation, fish stocking, harvest and poaching that threaten the continued existence and distribution of native fish stocks occurring on Federal lands.