HFQLG Monitoring Plan
Question 17 Monitoring Results (2007)
Prepared Jan 4, 2008 by Joseph Hoffman, Plumas NF hydrologist
“What is the effect of activities on indicators of watershed condition?”
INTRODUCTION
The 1999 Environmental Impact Statement for the HFQLG project analyzed predicted effects for
a project area that covered 348 watersheds (referred in this report as “HFQLG watersheds”) and
3.263 million acres. For Question 17, the effect of HFQLG project activities is monitored using
data compiled by hydrologists for their watershed analyses presented in the Environmental
Assessment (EA) or Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for each vegetation management
project conducted under the HFQLG decision.
Only vegetation management projects that have had at least some on-the-ground implementation
are included in the monitoring pool. Implementation of the majority of the projects in the pool is
complete. For this 2007 monitoring report, the implemented pool is comprised of project
activities that occurred in 193 HFQLG watersheds, totaling 2.250 million acres.
Results for five indicators of watershed condition are included in this report: road density, nearstream road density, equivalent roaded acres (ERA), near-stream ERA, and number of road /
stream crossings. Monitoring results are summarized in Table 1.
For each indicator, data from individual project-level watershed analyses of effects presented in
the project-level EA or EIS are compiled and used to compare the analyzed pre-project condition
with the predicted post-project condition for the selected alternative. For earlier HFQLG project
decisions, oftentimes all of the Question 17 indicators were not analyzed for the project EA or
EIS. Therefore, the sample pool for each watershed condition indicator is smaller than the total
“implemented” pool described in the paragraph above. Since 2005, each HFQLG project –level
EA or EIS does include analyses for all 5 of the Question 17 indicators. Due to appeals and
litigation, many any of these newer decisions have not yet been implemented.
MONITORING RESULTS
1. Road Density
Of the 193 HFQLG watersheds and 2.250 million HFQLG watershed acres represented in
the monitoring pool, road density analysis information exists from 103 HFQLG
watersheds totaling 0.942 million acres (41.9%). Most of the HFQLG watersheds are
larger than the sub-watersheds used for project-level analysis. Therefore, while reported
road density information is used from within HFQLG watersheds that cover 0.942
million acres, the data covers only the project-level, sub-watershed analyses areas, which
totaled 0.719 million acres.
For these 0.719 million acres, the predicted post-project road density (2.90 miles per
square mile) is 2.0% lower than the analyzed pre-project condition (2.96 miles per square
mile). Of the 199 sub-watersheds analyzed, most (130 sub-watersheds) indicated that
road density would not change at all as a result of project activities. The analyses for 34
sub-watersheds indicated increases in road density. All but 8 of these sub-watersheds are
located on the Sierraville Ranger District. It is believed that the total post-project road
density (2.90 miles per square mile) is inflated because earlier Question 17 analyses from
this district mistakenly counted project temporary roads as permanent roads. If all of the
indicated road mileage increases on the Sierraville RD were assumed to be temporary
roads and removed from this report, the resulting post-project road density would be 2.88
miles per square mile.
The analyses for 35 sub-watersheds indicated decreases in road density. Many of the
HFQLG project-level decisions include some obliteration of Forest system and nonsystem roads. These obliterations account for the post-project change in road density
presented in the paragraph above. The majority of these road obliterations have already
occurred. However, since the HFQLG vegetation management projects typically are not
profitable enough to include the road obliterations as part of sale activities, the
obliterations are often funded with non-HFQLG dollars, such as KV funds or California
State OHV restoration grant dollars. More funding from similar sources will be required
in the near future to achieve the decrease in road density presented in the above
paragraph.
2. Near-Stream Road Density
Near-stream road density is a measure of the length of roads over the near-stream areas
(Streamside Management Zones and Riparian Habitat Conservation Areas) identified for
each HFQLG project.
Of the 193 HFQLG watersheds and 2.250 million HFQLG watershed acres represented in
the monitoring pool, near-stream road density analysis information exists from 42
HFQLG watersheds totaling 0.982 million acres (43.7%). Most of the HFQLG
watersheds are larger than the sub-watersheds used for project-level analysis. Therefore,
while reported near-stream road density information is used from within HFQLG
watersheds that cover 0.982 million acres, the data covers only the project-level, subwatershed analyses areas, which totaled 0.592 million acres.
For these 0.592 million acres, the predicted post-project near-stream road density (3.41
miles per square mile) is 5.5% lower than the analyzed pre-project condition (3.61 miles
per square mile).
As with the road density results presented above, the road obliterations planned in
HFQLG project-level decisions account for the post-project change in near-stream road
density. The majority of these near-stream road obliterations have already occurred.
However, more funding from non-HFQLG sources will be required in the near future to
achieve the decrease in near-stream road density presented in the above paragraph.
3. Equivalent Roaded Acres (ERA)
“Equivalent Roaded Acres” is a measurement that is derived by applying a site
disturbance coefficient to the planned area of different vegetation management activities.
Development of the coefficients is done by comparing the effect of land use activity to
that of a forest road in terms altering a watershed’s surface runoff patterns and timing.
For example, one acre of tractor clear-cut may count as 0.30 to 0.35 equivalent roaded
acre. One acre of forest road prism typically counts as 0.8 to 1.0 equivalent roaded acre.
Of the 193 HFQLG watersheds and 2.250 million HFQLG watershed acres represented in
the monitoring pool, ERA analysis information exists from 158 HFQLG watersheds
totaling 1.809 million acres (80.5%). Most of the HFQLG watersheds are larger than the
sub-watersheds used for project-level analysis. Therefore, while reported ERA
information is used from within HFQLG watersheds that cover 1.809 million acres, the
data covers only the project-level, sub-watershed analyses areas, which totaled 1.154
million acres.
For these 1.154 million acres, the predicted post-project ERA (78,100 equivalent roaded
acres) is 22% higher than the analyzed pre-project condition (60,200 equivalent roaded
acres). As a percentage of total sub-watershed area analyzed (1.154 million acres), the
predicted post project ERA percentage increased to 6.8% from the analyzed pre-project
condition of 5.2%.
4. Near-Stream Equivalent Roaded Acres
Near-stream ERA is calculated during project-level EAs and EISs for activities and roads
within the Streamside Management Zones and Riparian Habitat Conservation Areas
identified for each HFQLG project.
Of the 193 HFQLG watersheds and 2.250 million HFQLG watershed acres represented in
the monitoring pool, near-stream ERA analysis information exists from 42 HFQLG
watersheds totaling 0.337 million acres (15.0%). Most of the HFQLG watersheds are
larger than the sub-watersheds used for project-level analysis. Therefore, while reported
near-stream ERA information is used from within HFQLG watersheds that cover 337,000
acres, the data covers only the project-level, sub-watershed analyses areas, which totaled
17,700 acres. The total acreage of near-stream zones within these sub-watersheds is not
currently available.
For these 17,700 acres, the predicted post-project near-stream ERA (489 equivalent
roaded acres) is 3.5% higher than the analyzed pre-project condition (472 equivalent
roaded acres).
5. Number of Road / Stream Crossings
Of the 193 HFQLG watersheds and 2.250 million HFQLG watershed acres represented in
the monitoring pool, number of road / stream crossing analysis information exists from
85 HFQLG watersheds totaling 0.779 million acres (34.7%). Most of the HFQLG
watersheds are larger than the sub-watersheds used for project-level analysis. Therefore,
while reported road density information is used from within HFQLG watersheds that
cover 0.779 million acres, the data covers only the project-level, sub-watershed analyses
areas, which totaled 0.564 million acres.
For these 0.564 million acres, the predicted number of road / stream crossings (2,985) is
1.8% lower than the analyzed pre-project condition (3,039 crossings). Of the 170 subwatersheds analyzed, most (144 sub-watersheds) indicated that the number of road /
stream crossings would not change at all as a result of project activities. The analyses for
16 sub-watersheds indicated increases in the number of road / stream crossings. All but 2
of these sub-watersheds are located on the Sierraville Ranger District. Again, it is
believed that the total number of post-project road / stream crossings (2,985) is inflated
because earlier Question 17 analyses from this district mistakenly counted project
temporary roads as permanent roads. If all of the indicated increases in road / stream
crossings on the Sierraville RD were assumed to be temporary roads and removed from
this report, the resulting number of post-project road / stream crossings would be reduced
by 22 (to 2,963 crossings), changing the percent decrease in number of crossings from the
1.8% presented above to 2.5%.
The analyses for 10 sub-watersheds indicated decreases in the number of road / stream
crossings. As with the road density results presented above, the road obliterations
planned in HFQLG project-level decisions account for the post-project change in the
number of road / stream crossings. The majority of these near-stream road obliterations
have already occurred. In fact, 77 road / stream crossings were obliterated in just 5 subwatersheds on the Beckwourth Ranger District.
Table 1: Summary of HFQLG Question 17 Monitoring Plan Results (2007)
Watershed
Condition
Indicator
Total acreage
of subwatersheds
reporting
Unit of
Measure
PreProject
Condition
PostProject
Condition
Percent
Change
Road Density
719,000 acres
2.96
2.90
- 2.0%
Near-Stream
Road Density
Equivalent
Roaded Acres
(ERA)
Near-Stream
ERA
Number of
Road / Stream
Crossings
592,000 acres
miles per
square mile
miles per
square mile
equivalent
roaded acres
3.61
3.41
- 5.5%
60,200
(5.2%)
78,100
(6.8%)
+ 22%
472
489
+3.5%
3,039
2,985
- 1.8%
1,154,000 acres
17,700 acres
564,000 acres
equivalent
roaded acres
number