shoreline of Murray Lake. In order to 

 reduce impacts to woody debris recruit- 

 ment, deferring harvesting within one site- 

 potential tree distance of the lakeshore 

 (recruitable zone) is recommended. How- 

 ever, if trees were to be removed from this 

 zone, the consequence would be a minor 

 departure from natural levels of woody 

 debris recruitment. The cumulative effects 

 of this action would be insignificant due to 

 the undeveloped nature of Murray Lake. 



• Several Beaver Lake cabinsite leaseholders 

 requested that DRNC analyze the effects of 

 removing hazard trees and reducing 

 ladder fuels within the vicinity of the 

 cabinsites. This would result in the selec- 

 tion of subdominant tree species (under- 

 story component) and have no effect on 

 the larger trees that are most likely to be 

 recruited to the Beaver Lake nearshore 

 zone. As a result, the cumulative effects of 

 this action would be very minor. 



As disclosed in Chapter III, Beaver Creek is the 

 only perennial stream within the analysis area. 

 Beaver Creek flows through private land. As a 

 result, implementation of either action alterna- 

 tive would not affect existing or future levels 

 of coarse woody debris recruitment to Beaver 

 Creek. 



WATER YIELD 



POTENTIAL ISSUES 



The effects of forest management activities on 

 water yield have been extensively studied in a 

 number of experimental watersheds. These 



studies have demonstrated that removing 

 forest cover increases water yield and that the 

 magnitude of this increase is proportional to 

 the amount of vegetation removed and also on 

 water availability (Rothacher 1970, Reinhard et 

 al., 1963). Water yield increases have the 

 potential to affect downstream beneficial uses 

 by increasing the magnitude, frequency, and 

 timing of channel-altering discharges (peak 

 flow). The watershed response to increased 

 water yields may potentially include channel 

 destabilization, decreased instieam habitat 

 and cover, and loss of dynamic equilibrium. 

 Djmamic equilibrium is considered a balance 

 achieved when a stream's energy is at a level 

 that allows sediment loads entering it to equal 

 those leaving it. 



"^CS 



NO-ACTION ALTERNATIVE 



-toig oJ 



No timber harvesting, road construction, or 

 road improvement activity would be con- 

 ducted under this alternative. Existing forest 

 crown levels would continue to increase. The 

 No-Action Alternative would not directly 

 affect water yield. 



ACTION ALTERNATIVES A AND B 





The potential for increasing water yield is not 

 considered a hydrologic concern based on 

 existing levels of forest crown cover, lack of 

 defined surface drainage throughout the entire 

 project area, and the low annual basin precipi- 

 tation. Although both action alternatives 

 would result in a detectable increase in annual 

 water yield, values for anticipated water yield 

 increase (WYI) and equivalent clearcut acres 

 (ECA) are well below their recommended 

 ranges (see Table IV-4). 



^Chapter IV: Environmental Consequences 



nv-m 



