Final Environmental Impact Statement Rio de los Pinos Vegetation ...

Final Environmental Impact Statement Rio de los Pinos Vegetation Management Project
Cumulative Effects:
The accumulation of watershed disturbances from past activities is not a threat to watershed
health. As explained above, under “Existing Conditions”, on the 6 th level total watershed
disturbance is below concern levels established in the Forest Plan. The small tributary to Rio de
los Pinos (7 th level) was identified in the Forest Plan as a watershed of concern, mainly due to the
amount of roaded area and previous timber harvest. During evaluation of this watershed for the
County Line project stream health was found to be robust. Currently, two timber sales are active
in the Rio de los Pinos watershed (Spruce Park and Escarabajo). Other recent sales in the Rio de
los Pinos watershed included Neff Mountain and a small part of Grouse. These sales were
included in the effects analyses for the two action alternatives.
Cumulative watershed disturbances from timber harvest activities are not expected to cause
serious impacts under any alternative. Disturbances associated with the action alternatives would
not threaten watershed or stream health as long as Forest Plan standards and guidelines and
project design critera are followed. Since disturbance levels at the 7 th level are greater than
concern levels and a high percentage of natural basal area loss has occurred, additional
monitoring, including a monumented cross section that was established in 2004 and evaluated
again in 2008, will continue.
Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitment of the Resources
Any minor impacts to watershed condition or stream health would heal with time. Successful
implementation of standards, guidelines, and design criteria should keep aquatic resources
healthy and prevent their irreversible or irretrievable loss; losses in structural capacities
downstream would also be prevented.
3.7 Soils
Scope of Analysis
This analysis will focus on the soils that are directly and indirectly affected by the proposed
timber harvest in the Rio de los Pinos Analysis Area. Cumulative effects are also analyzed.
The Rio Grande National Forest Plan has direction that protects soil productivity. The Forest
Plan standards are consistent with similar standards from the FSH 2509.18 – Soil Management
Handbook, R2 Supplement No. 2509.18-92-1, Effective August 15, 1992 (the R2 Supplement),
and FSH 2509.25 – Watershed Conservation Practices Handbook, 2509.25-96-1, 12/26/96 as
amended in 2006.
Soils were not identified as a Key Issue in this analysis, based primarily on the fact that soils in
the Rio de los Pinos area do not have the same degree of risk for landslides that the County Line
project area had. The following discussions are based on the best available science.
Chapter 3 – Affected Environment & Environmental Consequences Page 3-28