4.3.4 Cold Water Fisheries (Issue #4) 



4.3.4.1 Alternative A: Deferred Harvest (No Action) - Direct and 

 Indirect Effects 



Alternative A: Deferred Harvest (No Action) would continue to impact cold- 

 water fisheries habitat through erosion and sedimentation due to existing road 

 locations and the current grazing strategy. 



4.3.4.2 Alternative B: Harvest - Direct and Indirect Effects 



There are no known fish bearing streams draining the state sections within the 

 proposed sale area. Cable harvesting, application of the SMZ Law, no 

 planned SMZ harvest, and additional BMP mitigation is expected to minimize 

 impacts to downstream perennial stream channels. Due to planning and 

 associated mitigation, it is unlikely that the proposed timber sale would affect 

 large woody debris recruitment, shade or in-stream temperature into fish- 

 bearing streams. 



4.3.4.3 Cumulative Effects of Alternative B: Harvest 



Alternative B: Harvest does not include any new stream crossings and the new 

 road construction does not cross or run adjacent to any existing stream 

 channels. Mitigations designed to maintain surface drainage and stabilize new 

 road segments are expected to reduce the risk of long-term potential impacts 

 to downstream stream channels. 



4.3.5 Air Quality (Issue #5) 



4.3.5.1 Alternative A: Deferred Harvest (No Action) - Direct and 

 Indirect Effects 



The threat of wildfires would continue to be an issue. The location of the 

 project area relative to a large population center increases the odds of ignition 

 in the project area. If a wildfire were to start in the area the rate of spread and 

 the intensity of the fire could be high due to the dense structure and presence 

 of ladder fuel on the site. In the event of wildfire, air quality would be 

 affected. No burning of logging slash would affect air quality. 



4.3.5.2 Alternative B: Harvest - Direct and Indirect Effects 



Approximately 300 acres with an average of 5 tons of slash per acre would be 

 burned as part of this project. Most of this slash would consist of needles, 

 branches and small stems less than 5 inches in diameter. Slash would be 

 placed into small compact piles that are free of dirt as it would be return skid 

 into the unit with a grapple skidder. Burning may be conducted in the spring 

 or fall season depending on weather and fuel conditions. Burning would be 

 done when the piles are relatively dry inside but the layer of duff on the forest 

 floor surrounding the piles is wet or snow covered and the fire is not likely to 

 bum between piles. Atmospheric conditions are much better for smoke 

 dispersion in the spring, however there are days in the fall that also allow for 



Deadman Gulch Timber Sale Environmental Assessment 4-6 



