removal of vegetation along streams, and by the installation of stream crossing structures. 

 A concern was also raised that the watershed restoration activities planned under the 

 proposed action could result in the movement of brook trout into a stream reach 

 containing a known population of bull trout. 



These concerns will be further analyzed in Chapters 3 and 4. 



BMP Installation 



> Concern was expressed that Best Management Practices (BMPs), which would be 

 implemented under action alternatives, would not be effective. 



If an action alternative were to be selected, a DNRC hydrologist would locate site- 

 specific mitigations designed to maintain or improve water quality within the project area. 

 These specific measures would be included in the timber sale contract and would be 

 enforced by the timber sale administrator. 



In 1989, the Montana Legislature directed the Montana Department of State Lands (DSL) 

 to evaluate forest practices for Best Management Practice (BMP) implementation and 

 report the findings to the Environmental Quality Council. An interdisciplinary field audit 

 process was developed which evaluated forest practices on all major land ownership 

 groups including State, Federal, industrial private and non-industrial private. That 

 process is still used today to evaluate whether BMPs are being applied and whether they 

 are effective in limiting non-point source pollution on timber harvest and associated 

 activities. These audits are conducted by interdisciplinary teams composed of a forester, 

 hydrologist, soil scientist, fisheries biologist, road engineer, logger and conservationist. 

 These people are recruited from the forest products industry, conservation community, 

 state and federal land management agencies, regulatory agencies, and private forest 

 landowners. Since that time DSL has been reorganized into the Montana Department of 

 Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC). DNRC has coordinated BMP audits using 

 this process every two years since 1990. 



The results of the audits show that application and effectiveness of BMPs has steadily 

 improved for all ownership groups over the last decade. Results of the 2000 and 2(X)2 

 audits indicate adequate application of BMPs on 96% of all practices rated compared to 

 78% in 1990. The effectiveness of these practices in providing adequate resource 

 protection was rated at 97% in 2000 versus 80% in 1990 for all ownership groups. 



DNRC timber harvest sites have consistently scored the highest among ownership groups 

 throughout the history of the Statewide BMP audits. Results from the DNRC sites 

 audited in 2002 rated BMP application at 98% and BMP effectiveness at 99%. Results of 

 BMP audits completed on DNRC harvest sites during 1996, 1998 and 2000 are similar. 

 Internal BMP audits completed by a DNRC hydrologist and soil scientist have produced 



15 



