Table IV-3 - Proposed Activities by Alternative 



In order to address these issues, the following 

 parameters are analyzed by alternative: 



coarse woody debris recruitment 

 water yield increases __li''-7 



fine sediment production 



COARSE WOODY DEBRIS 

 RECRUITMENT 



BACKGROUND 



■■&J T9'v«5>*: to 



Coarse woody debris is an important physical 

 and biological component of forested streams 

 . and lakes. Numerous studies have docu- 

 mented coarse woody debris as an important 

 source of habitat for salmonid fish populations 

 in forested streams (Sedell et al., 1984; Bisson 

 et al., 1987). One of the key functions of coarse 

 woody debris with regard to fish production 

 in streams and lakes is to increase habitat 

 complexity. In stream systems, this helps 

 ensure that cover and suitable habitat can be 

 found over a wide range of flows and climatic 

 conditions. 



Decreased levels of instream and recruitable 

 coarse woody debris can result in a reduction 

 in both the number and area of pools, which, 

 in turn, may affect juvenile salmonid abun- 

 dance and /or species age-class distribution 

 (Beechie and Sibley, 1977). Typically, logging 

 of riparian forest corridors reduces the rate of 

 coarse woody debris recruitment in a stream 

 for several decades. Depletion of instream 

 coarse woody debris continues during the 

 period of little or no recruitment, resulting in a 

 net decline in coarse woody debris abundance 

 for several decades (Grette 1985) and sus- 

 ; tained low amounts of coarse woody debris 

 between 50 and 100 years after logging f i 



(Murphy and Koski 1989). 



Coarse woody debris also serves very similar 

 functions in lakes. Over time, standing dead 

 snags and live trees are recruited to the littoral 

 (nearshore environment) zone and begin to 

 create cover, habitat, and areas of refugia for 

 competing fish species. 



NO-ACTION ALTERNATIVE 



No timber harvesting and related activities 

 would be conducted under this alternative. 

 Recreational activities would continue along 

 road segments located adjacent to sensitive 

 lakeshore riparian areas. Indirectly, this would 

 have a continued effect on riparian vegetation 

 and, potentially, levels of recruitable coarse 

 woody debris to lakes within the affected 

 environment. In addition, access to these areas 

 would promote more intensive firewood 

 cutting and gathering. This would most likely 

 have a long-term effect on recruitable levels by 

 reducing available standing snags and down 

 woody debris. 



ACTION ALTERNATIVES A AND B 



The anticipated effects of the proposed activi- 

 ties are not expected to reduce current and 

 future levels of recruitable coarse woody 

 debris to lakes within the affected environ- 

 ment. Due to wildhfe and aquatic values 

 associated with riparian corridors within the 

 analysis area, timber harvesting would be 

 deferred in riparian corridors under both 

 action alternatives, with the following excep- 

 tions: 



• As disclosed in Chapter II, analysis of the 

 effects of creating additional cabinsites on 

 Murray Lake was suggested by the Beaver 

 Lake Collaborative. Implementation of 



* this portion of the proposal would result in 

 some timber harvesting along the north 



'mi6r 



Stillwater State Forest • Beaver Lake Timber Sale Project 



