HFQLG
Project Evaluation Form
Project Name: Slapjack DFPZ and South Fork Feather River Riparian Restoration associated with Bald
Mountain Project
Project Type: Slapjack Project - Underburn to create DFPZ, enhance threatened plant species habitat.
Bald Mountain Project – reconfigure channel in South Fork Feather River and lay back steep eroding stream
bank.
Forest: Plumas
Ranger District: Feather River Ranger District
Date: 22 July 2008
Attendance: 14 people
Agency: Julie Newman, CEQA coordinator with California Department of Fish and Game.
Public: Frank Stewart, Counties Forester and QLG.
USFS: Karen Hayden, Feather River District Ranger; Ryan Nupen, Plumas NF Watershed Engineer; Chris
Christofferson, District Botanist; Deirdre Cherry, Fuels Technician; Eric Murphy, Sale Preparation; Colin
Dillingham, HFQLG Monitoring Team Leader; Linnea Hanson, Ecosystem Manager; Kelly Whitsett, District
Hydrologist; Oswaldo Angulo, Hydrologist; Zach Croyle, Hydrologist; John Estes, District Fire Management
Officer; Anna Petlin, Ecology Operations STEP student.
Slapjack underburn DFPZ Project and South Fork Feather River Restoration Project were completed by U.S.
Forest Service personnel.
Type of Treatment:
Slapjack Project consists of mechanical thinning timber sales, mastication units, chainsaw thinning and
underburn units. Thus far, approximately 300 acres of underburning has been completed. Two Units were
reviewed today.
The Slapjack project will be a Defensible Fuel Profile Zone (DFPZ) implemented under 2004 Framework
objectives when completed. Two stewardship contracts and one service contract will complete project
implementation. The service contract work is in compliance with the 2001 framework and is proceeding as
currently planned. The two stewardships contracts are planned for award in the near future.
South Fork Feather River Restoration Project consisted of installing grade control structures called J-hook
structures, which also concentrated flow away from the previously eroded stream bank. The steep stream bank
was also modified to be more gradual so vegetation could recover. A small, in-channel flood plain was created to
help during peak flows as well as several in-stream log and rock structures to redirect hydrological power away
from eroding banks during peak flows.
Discussion Topics:
The group introduced themselves at the Challenge
Work Center and District Ranger Karen Hayden,
Hydrologist Kelly Whitsett and Botanist Chris
Christofferson gave an introduction of the Slapjack
Project and South Fork Feather River Restoration
Project. Karen Hayden then presented an update
of some other HFQLG projects and the recent fires
on the Feather River Ranger District. Julie
Newman from California Department of Fish and
Game and Frank Stewart, Counties Forester and
Quincy Library Group member, asked several
questions regarding the current and outyear
program of work.
The first stop visited an underburned
site where surface fuels were reduced
and met the HFQLG DFPZ objectives for
surface fuel loading for the short term.
To prevent crown fire initiation, the
HFQLG FEIS, Appendix J, recommends
managing ladder fuels and crown base
height at a sufficient level to prevent
crown fire initiation. The underburn
minimally raised the live crown base
height in some areas, but Fuels Officer
Deirdre Cherry indicated that there were
still too many ladder fuels present and a
second treatment would be necessary.
Second stop: Chris Christofferson
explains that the underburn conducted
at the site of the threatened plant,
Layne’s Butterwort, was not hot enough
to reduce the canopy and another
treatment will be necessary for
additional benefit to this rare plant.
District Fire Management Officer John
Estes indicated that getting a desirable
burn in fir forest types is difficult
because the needles compact so much on
the surface, unlike longer pine needles
that carry fires better. A proposed
follow-up hand thin, pile and burn piles
would better achieve the canopy
objectives.
Another view of the underburn
conducted at the site of the threatened
plant, Layne’s Butterwort. The fire
burned at low intensity in the understory
uphill from the plants, but there was no
apparent scorch at the actual plant
location (in the center of the discussion
circle at the right edge of this photo).
This treatment site was a small 2.5 acre
addition to the DFPZ unit located uphill
from the rare plant site. The underburn
helped to reduce fuel loading and will
help to protect this site in the event of a
wildfire.
Resource
Area
Attribute
Objective
Source of
Objective
Objective
achieved?
Increase Population
EA and
Consultation
with US Fish
and Wildlife
Service
Partial, fuels
reduced but
need
additional
canopy cover
removal
DFPZ
construction
Reduce canopy
cover to prevent
crown fire spread
HFQLG EIS,
Appendix J
No
DFPZ
construction
Reduce surface fuel
loading to less than
5 tons/acre,
HFQLG EIS,
Appendix J
Fuels
DFPZ
construction
Reduce ladder fuels
and increase crown
base height to
prevent crown fire
initiation
HFQLG EIS,
Appendix J
Fisheries
South Fork
Feather River
Riparian
Restoration
Restore trout
spawning habitat
Bald Mountain
Environmental
Document
Channel
restored,
shade will
come with
time
Hydrology
South Fork
Feather River
Riparian
Restoration
Restore down cut
channel and layback
eroding stream bank
Bald Mountain
Environmental
Document
Yes
Botany
Layne’s
Butterwort
(Packera
layneae)
Fuels
Fuels
Yes, for short
term 2 – 5
years
Partial
Comments
Underburn did not open
up canopy as desired.
There was no change
apparent in amount of
sunlight reaching
ground and no apparent
response by threatened
plant. Follow-up
treatment to more fully
meet objectives is being
proposed.
No removal of small,
medium or larger trees,
except some kill of the
smallest size class
through underburn.
Surface fuels reduced to
meet objectives,
maintenance underburn
likely needed in 3-5
years as dead ladder
fuels fall.
Ladder fuels reduced,
but not sufficiently.
Additional work
required to meet ladder
fuel objectives.
Water temperature too
high, but willows
planted for future shade.
Channel restored and
fish were present.
Grade control structures
installed and steep
stream bank repaired
and appear effective.
Not tested yet by big
winter storms.
South Fork Feather River Stream
Restoration Stop: Kelly Whitsett and
Ryan Nupen explain need to restore
stream channel and reduce steep, eroded
stream bank. This project successfully
eliminated the chronic eroding stream
bank by redirecting the channel flow
away from the bank and making the
steep bank into a more gradual stream
bank. The logs were placed to improve
organics on the site and willows were
planted to restore the vegetation on site.
Ryan Nupen explains to group how Jhook rock structure redirects
hydrological pressure away from
sensitive stream bank on towards the
middle of the stream. This improves
fisheries habitat and prevents sediment
entering river system.
The final stop was at a proposed watershed restoration project along Kenzie Ravine where two bridges have
accelerated stream bank erosion and excessive sediment has degraded the trout fishery. A firm proposal was not
yet available, but consideration of moving the foot bridge in the Red Feather campground was discussed. Stream
bank erosion control structures will likely be part of the proposed project.
Shortcomings and Successes:
The Slapjack underburn project met short-term surface fuel objectives, but did not reduce the canopy cover to
meet reduced Layne’s Butterwort or fuel reduction canopy cover objectives. An immediate need to reduce small
diameter understory trees to increase light reaching the ground is needed in the threatened plant site. The
“Golden Pyle” project is planned to follow-up the Slapjack underburn within 200 feet of the road to treat the
ladder fuels with a chainsaw thin, pile and burn pile treatment and is currently under contract. A follow-up
underburn is anticipated to be needed to reduce the fuel loading as the small diameter trees killed in the
underburn begin to fall (2-5 years).
The South Fork Feather River restoration project successfully restored the channel and eliminated a sediment
source by repairing the eroding stream bank. Although the project successfully overwintered during the 2008 –
2009 winter, it has not yet been tested by a large flood event.
Notes prepared by: _/s/ Colin Dillingham__________ Date: 22 July 2009
HFQLG Monitoring Team Leader
Reviewed by: _/s/ Karen Hayden__________ Date: _25 August 2009__
Feather River District Ranger