Volume 2: Draft Gorst Planned Action Environmental Impact Statement

GORST PLANNED ACTION EIS | AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT, SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS, AND MITIGATION MEASURESPriority Habitats and SpeciesGenerally, undeveloped land cover categories provide wildlife habitat of various quality, while developedcategories provide limited wildlife habitat. Evergreen and mixed forests make up the largest component of landcover within the watershed boundary. Approximately 3,000 acres within the watershed are forested land ownedby the City of Bremerton.According to fish and wildlife habitat assessments completed for the Gorst Creek Watershed CharacterizationReport (City of Bremerton 2012), the most important fish and wildlife habitats in the Gorst Creek Watershed are:• The streams that support anadromous fish species• The Gorst Creek estuary that supports waterfowl, shorebirds, and juvenile salmon• The large contiguous area of forest on the north side of the watershed that is owned and managed by the Cityof BremertonFreshwater Habitats – Gorst Creek and its tributaries provide important habitat and refugia for fish populations,including salmon and other anadromous species. Gorst Creek is inhabited by chinook, chum, and coho salmon,steelhead trout, and cutthroat trout. Based on the 2003 Kitsap Salmonid Refugia Report (May and Peterson 2003in City of Bremerton 2012), Gorst Creek is a class C salmonid refugia, which means that it has been altered fromnatural conditions and does not fully support native salmonid populations. Among tributaries to Gorst Creek,Jarstad Creek has the greatest value for salmonid conservation. Heins Creek and portions of Gorst Creek also had arelatively high salmonid conservation value, while Parish Creek and Lower Gorst Creek had a relatively low value.Without the influence of the Gorst Creek Fish Hatchery, portions of the watershed would likely classify as Class Brefugia, and the watershed has the potential to contribute to the recovery of federally listed salmonid species.Table 3.4-2 Occurrence of Anadromous Fish Species in the Gorst Creek Watershed summarizes documented use offreshwater habitats within the watershed by anadromous fish species.Table 3.4-2Occurrence of Anadromous Fish Species in the Gorst Creek WatershedSpecies Location Habitat ProvidedFall Chinook salmon Gorst Creek Spawning, juvenile rearingHeins CreekParish CreekSpawningSpawningCoho salmon Gorst Creek Spawning, presence/migrationHeins CreekParish CreekJarstad CreekUnnamed Stream1226919475271SpawningFall Chum Salmon Gorst Creek SpawningHeins CreekParish CreekJarstad CreekUnnamed Stream1226919475271Spawning, Presence/migrationPresence/migrationPresence/migrationSpawningResident cutthroat trout Gorst Creek PresenceParish CreekPresence/migrationPresence/migrationPresence/migrationPresenceDraft | June 2013 3-57