Tatoosh Wilderness Air Quality Report
Wilderness ID: 240
Wilderness Name: Tatoosh Wilderness
Tatoosh Wilderness Air Quality Report
National Forest: Gifford Pinchot National Forest
State: WA
Counties: Lewis
General Location: Southern Washington Cascade Range
Acres: 15,725
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Page 1 of 4
Tatoosh Wilderness Air Quality Report
Wilderness ID: 240
Wilderness Name: Tatoosh Wilderness
Wilderness Categories
Information Specific to this Wilderness
Year Established
1984
Establishment Notes
Washington State Wilderness Act of 1984
Designation
Clean Air Act Class 2
Administrative
Cowlitz Valley Ranger District, Gifford Pinchot National Forest
Unique Landscape Features
One of five Wilderness areas near Mount Rainier National Park, the Tatoosh
Wilderness Area shares a portion of the park's southern boundary. Tatoosh Ridge, a
long, formidably rugged ridge, runs north-south out of the park to cross the
Wilderness near the middle. On the eastern side of the area, you will find the southern
end of another rocky spine, Backbone Ridge, which also hails from the park.
Numerous streams cascade off the ridges into the Muddy Fork of the Cowlitz River
or into Butter Creek, both of which funnel down to the Cowlitz River south of the
Wilderness. Deer and elk winter along the Muddy Fork, then wander into the higher
country in warmer seasons. Black bears may be seen foraging in the forest of
hemlock, fir, and red cedar, and mountain goats scramble along the upper elevations,
which top out at the 6,310-foot Tatoosh Lookout. About 25 feet of snow falls on
Tatoosh Ridge during the winter, dusting a half-dozen small lakes (including three
that thoroughly satisfy the meaning of "tiny").
The 8.6-mile Tatoosh Trail climbs wickedly steep up Tatoosh Ridge but then
mellows out substantially for a long descent off the ridge top and down through
subalpine meadows abounding with summer wildflowers. The view of Mount Rainier
to the north is breathtaking. Side trails will take you to Tatoosh Lakes and the historic
Tatoosh Lookout. Camping, fires, and stock are not allowed beside the fragile
wilderness lakes within the Tatoosh Lakes Basin.
Lakebed Geology Sensitivity
High
Lakebed Geology Composition
andesite dacite diorite phylite (80%), basalt gabbro wacke argillite undifferentiated
volcanic rocks (19%), amphibolite hornfels paragneiss undifferentiated
metamorphic roc (1%), GC 1+2 (81%), GC 1+2+3 (99%)
Not reported in the database.
Not reported in the database.
Visitor Use
Mean Annual Precipitation
Elevation Range
Mean Max Aug Temp
Mean Min Dec Temp
Lake Acres
Pond Acres
Lake Count
Pond Count
TES Flora
TES Wildlife
TES Fish
Ozone Sensitive Plants
380 - 1915 (meters)
Not reported in the database.
Not reported in the database.
Not reported in the database.
17
Not reported in the database.
5
Ptilidium californicum
Not reported in the database.
Not reported in the database.
Not reported in the database.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
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Tatoosh Wilderness Air Quality Report
Wilderness ID: 240
Wilderness Categories
Air Quality Sensitive Lichens
Cultural Resources
Status/Trends: Acid Deposition:
Status/Trends: Nutrient
Enrichment:
Status/Trends: Ozone Impacts:
Wilderness Name: Tatoosh Wilderness
Information Specific to this Wilderness
Alectoria sarmentosa, Bryoria capillaris, Bryoria fuscescens, Cladonia mitis,
Hypogymnia apinnata, Hypogymnia occidentalis, Nodobryoria oregana, Parmeliopsis
ambigua, Parmeliopsis hyperopta
Not reported in the database.
Not reported in the database.
Not reported in the database.
Not reported in the database.
AQRV's
Fauna
Fauna Priority: Medium
Fauna Receptor: Fish
Fauna Indicator: Concentration of methyl mercury
Fauna Trends: Not reported in the database.
Fauna Actions:
Sample resident fish for mercury, from waters which are most heavily fished by people or fish-eating wildlife. Collect
water quality samples concurrently.
Flora
Flora Priority: High
Flora Receptor: Lichens
Flora Indicator: Changes in community composition
Flora Trends: Not reported in the database.
Flora Priority 2: High
Flora Receptor 2: Lichens
Flora Indicator 2: Concentrations of N, S, P, Cd, Cr, Pb, Hg, Ni, Ti, V and Zn
Flora Trends 2: Not reported in the database.
Flora Priority 3: Medium
Flora Receptor 3: Ozone
Flora Indicator 3: Visible injury on ozone-sensitive plants
Flora Trends 3: Not reported in the database.
Flora Actions:
Waiting for lichen samples which have been collected to be evaluated for trends. Revisit lichen plots once every 10 years.
Consider surveying vegetation for ozone injury while on-site.
Visibility
Visibility Priority: Low
Visibility Receptor: Scenic Views
Visibility Indicator: Regional haze
Visibility Trends: Not reported in the database.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Page 3 of 4
Tatoosh Wilderness Air Quality Report
Wilderness ID: 240
Wilderness Name: Tatoosh Wilderness
Visibility Actions
None.
Water
Water Priority: Medium
Water Receptor: Water Chemistry
Water Indicator: ANC
Water Trends: Not reported in the database.
Water Priority 2: Medium
Water Receptor 2: Water Chemistry
Water Indicator 2: DIN: TP
Water Trends 2: Not reported in the database.
Water Priority 3: Low
Water Receptor 3: Diatoms
Water Indicator 3: Community Composition
Water Trends 3: Not reported in the database.
Water Actions:
Collect water quality samples from high elevation lakes. Analyze for cations, anions, and nutrients. Also, if fish are
sampled for mercury, also collect water quality samples from these locations.
Challenge Points
Fauna Challenge Points: Not reported in the database.
Flora Challenge Points: 8
Total Plots: 2
Desired Plots: 1
Additional Plots Needed: -1
Data Type: Trends
Round 1 Visits: 2
Round 2 Visits: 1
Baseline %: 254
Trends %: 127
Visibility Challenge Points: Not reported in the database.
Water Challenge Points: Not reported in the database.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
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