Dos Cabezas Mountains wilderness management plan, environmental assessment, and decision record

82 Pages·1995·12.6 MB·English

by  United States. Bureau of Land Management. San Simon Resource Area

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U.S. Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
Arizona State Office
Safford District Office — June 1995
Dos Cabezas Mountains
Wilderness Management Plan,
Environmental Assessment,
and Decision Record
76.5
D673
1995
BLM Library
Denver Federai Center
Bidg. 50, OC-521
P.O. Box 25047
Denver, CO 80225
Dos Cabezas Mountains
Wilderness Management Plan,
Environmental Assessment, and
Decision Record
U. S. Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
Safford District
San Simon Resource Area
EA Number: (AZ-040-04-28)
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Table of Contents
Part | — Introduction and Area Overview .............. eee tetteteteteetettttttetees 1
Purpose of Management Plan ........-:esescessseseeeneeteteteetetsetesseeeseseessenrsnesnents 1
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REGO IU, PRED UCR ora soni voas AIRNEGs ten oN de DE. Tletoat ne duit stds aa nee treba c+ 1
Ownership and Land USES...........cccceceeesssssseneeneeenssneentettereesssnesnessasnsennanaetagens 1
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ITIL re ea ec c nn on ccaee een utanes aadanats aalaaa vans hana esas ima eh bares 3
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WATE MCSOUICES iicclcc. che ren eeu dbtne canes cogtuieyssnnas du ceasz-ntadecgsvomcnuueeieesttecbareaurrs- 3
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Wg etatiOr Cee Meso t tees. vwcscacc ccs csrnzen-octenton ck tmetie ben amp=rannagtensorsaemeetnnaechdnaenSrnbaer e4
NATiCHliteeh ewuetaes Saal Sepeeeaeats SPSOCSLetY, ..... REGU. Sdrcsecccesmens prtccee -bometnatensencrabesaeengmntness i
FratO R rt te tse cnevard AtROE. daBe cae tndtens cassnntecestec aaeeesrsnunnersananes 5 8
Ficc sa nn UR I cence ce cnne ap oneaaeetsn causctsscnamandusesnessceeeerncenede ti
CUilicirer CRUMP ites et. Pica Deters eves eco ee esie ae ccencsnnannneedescas cdanas 11
RATE AISE tee A eee ccc ccsrnd ace conte se Poeetetae eemblea uaa <r sanexee-aeeeernge nape 11
Livestock Grazing cir, )-teet. Meier ....6-eatseensc eapeapgtaent ssgt- eanzepite bzeearn einegeeecst an e: 12
PNET SUTELLIO MY Ure Pte reece occ ces ccc Rpt Ee es sce cetmcncetenencscavaramemrnaccedonncesesdencnaas 12
Part Il — National Wilderness Management Goals ................::::eeees 13
Darr tillli= IS SUCS A rr tae erates oe nc ce thee en arenes catlsaay 0 ates edt = Feta enon erentne 15
Issues Addressed in this Plan .............::ccccesssseeeeesessnseeeeseeeensenneeeeetersaeeeeeeenens 15
Issues Resolved by Policy or Administrative ACtiOn .........::ecststeesetseer s 16
Part IV — Wilderness Management ...............:::: essere ett etree eeneee etnies 19
Objective 1 Preservation of Wilderness VAIO, rienae ttrde he ca e thy 19
Objective 2 Management of Vegetation ........ccccccsecceeersrseetseneseeeereeteenerenee 20
Objective 3 Livestock and Wildlife DevelopMenttS .........cccccceeeseeeeeseeesseeeereaes 23
Part V — Plan Evaluation ..............:er:er r:ee:eencenceeceetcrtcnseceeeesecneeneeeseentneneeeee t in 25
Part VI — Plan Implementation and Cost Estimates .............-.:.-riee 27
Part VIl — Public Involvement ...............et:t ::ee tcercna eresentcere eeest tetecee sese s 29
Part VIIl — Responses to Comment Letters .............::sttereee teeestteerrs 53
Part IX — List of Preparers................... sesesunesarstnanienarencnsnancesstbenarattstisererentasecs 59
Appendix A — Developments .2.......cccccccccscaccecscstsenncscnetesssecsescenceceececencesencnesees 61
Appendix B — Operating Guidance for Wildfire Suppression ..................... 63
Appendix C — Cultural Resource Use Allocation Categories...................... 65
Environmental ASS6SSMe@Nt ea ars ce ee ee 67
IATFOCUCHON Tieerreccscessa nuance its ona slurs tars cuctene ties 1) fort niperne ee ne te eee 67
Description Of Proposed Action And Alternatives .............ccceeeeseseeeeeceeceeeeees 67
Alfected EnvVirOnimentesc cs: cssccrsvseceter neler eyt rect cic fe mene een se nese 69
Environmental’ Consequences prt eee etrg r ee 69
Consultation And Coordination ....20 ye eee ee el
Finding of No Significant Impact/Decision ReCOMd .............ccccssceesseceeeeeeeeeeees 72
Part 1 — Introduction and
Area Overview
Purpose of Management Plan Location
This wilderness management plan The Dos Cabezas Mountains Wilder-
establishes the objectives, policies and ness is located about 12 miles east of
actions for managing the Dos Cabezas Willcox, Arizona and 40 miles south of
Mountains Wilderness for the 10-year Safford, Arizona. The Chiricahua Moun-
period 1995-2005. The plan then sets tains are to the southeast. The wilderness
forth a sequence for implementing these is approximately 200 miles southeast of
actions. This plan also fulfills the Bureau Phoenix and 110 miles east of Tucson.
of Land Management (BLM) policy that a The wilderness is within Townships 13
plan be prepared for wilderness. and 14 South, Ranges 27 and 28 East, Gila
This plan amends all previous planning and Salt River Base Line and Meridian
direction for the wilderness. Specifically, (Map 1).
this plan amends all allotment manage-
ment plans written for the wilderness and Access
the portions of the Dos Cabezas Habitat Although physical access exists, there
Management Plan applying to the wilder- is no legal vehicular access to the wilder-
ness. This plan also supersedes the ness.
Safford District Interim Guidance for Fire Visitors can access the eastern portion
Suppression in Wilderness Areas (1994) of the wilderness by traveling 4 miles
and the Interim Wilderness Operation and south of Bowie, Arizona, on Apache Pass
Maintenance Plan for the Dos Cabezas Road (county road) then travelling west on
Mountains Wilderness (1994). the Happy Camp Canyon Road. Physical
Periodic evaluations of the plan’s access to the western boundary is currently
implementation will be conducted (Part V- restricted by a landowner with a locked
Plan Evaluation). Evaluations will deter- gate along the Mascot Canyon Road.
mine progress made toward meeting the While other roads and trails near the
plan’s objectives. Information gathered wilderness approach the boundary at
from monitoring actions identified in the varying distances, they either cross private
plan will be used to make those determina- land or are physically impassable limiting
tions. If objectives are not being met, their usefulness as access routes.
adjustments will be made to planned
actions or new actions will be developed. Ownership and Land Uses
In the future, new issues, proposals or
BLM administers all land within the
information will be considered in evalua-
wilderness. There are no State or private
tions. The specific and cumulative im-
surface or subsurface inholdings or utility
pacts of future proposals will be analyzed
rights-of-way within the wilderness.
through the environmental assessment
process.
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U.S.B UDREIPALA RTOMF ENLATN D OFM ATNHAEG EIMNETNETR IOR ARIZONA
U.S. Department of the Interior ae WILDERNESS AREA
Bureau of Land Management BOUNDARY
Safford District
@ PHOENIX
DOS CABEZAS MOUNTAINS
WILDERNESS AREA
LOCATION MAP
0 SCALE 4
Basemap (C) ADOT Se ee Sel eee 1990
Miles
Wilderness Values tures reaching 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
The 11,998 acre Dos Cabezas Moun- Winter mean minimum temperatures are
tains Wilderness contains a variety of below freezing with snow common in the
biological, scenic, geological, and recre- higher elevations. Annual rainfall aver-
ational values. ages 7 to 16 inches in the valleys and 15 to
Dos Cabezas Mountains Wilderness 30 inches in the higher elevations, with
has two special features that enhance the most precipitation coming in the late
overall values of the area - numerous summer months. Drought conditions are
springs with small patches of riparian most common from April to June. Long,
vegetation having high importance to severe droughts occur irregularly and are
wildlife and a jumble of highly scenic usually two to five years long.
granite boulders, balanced rocks, and
outcrops. During rainy seasons, many Topography
pools and waterfalls form among these The wilderness centers on the Happy
boulders. The wilderness offers many Camp Canyon watershed and includes
opportunities for solitude and primitive several peaks over 7,500 feet. Cooper
recreation, including hiking, backpacking, Peak is the high point in the wilderness at
camping, rock scrambling, horseback 7,950 feet. Many canyons, including
riding, hunting, and sight-seeing. Long Sheep and Happy Camp Canyons, wind
distance views of the adjacent Sulphur their way among the peaks. The northeast-
Springs Valley, San Simon Valley, and ern slope of Government Peak is a large,
other mountain ranges are available from highly scenic area with granite outcrops
the higher peaks and ridges of the wilder- and boulders.
ness. Rugged topography and canyons
offer countless places to find isolation and Water Resources
solitude. The wilderness is well watered with 23
The wilderness is natural in appear- springs. Tar Box Canyon flows about |
ance. There are, however, developments mile for 9 months of the year. The BLM
associated with management of livestock filed with the Arizona Department of
grazing and wildlife. These include Water Resources for federal reserved
approximately 22 miles of fence, 2 dirt water rights in 1992.
tanks, two wildlife water developments, 5
developed springs and two cabins. (Ap- Soils
pendix A and Map 3).
Three soil types occur within the
wilderness. The Santo Tomas soils are a
Climate
deep and well drained group of nearly
Climatic conditions in the wilderness level to moderately sloping soils on high
are similar to those found in southeast alluvial fans. The Mokiak-Faraway-Rock
Arizona. Lowlands alternate with moun- outcrop complex are moderately steep to
tains to create abrupt changes in climatic very steep soils and rock outcrops on
conditions over short distances. Higher mountains. Atacosa-Chiricahua-Rock
elevations produce cooler temperatures outcrop complex are strongly sloping to
and more precipitation than valley loca- steep soils and rock outcrops on hills and
tions. Summer days are hot, with tempera- mountains.
Vegetation mid seral and low seral stages. A seral |
The wilderness supports a diversity of stage refers to a step or phase of vegetative
community succession.
vegetation including mountain shrub,
desert shrub and small pockets of riparian A brief description of the composition
vegetation. Plants include turpentine bush, of the potential natural community and the
snakeweed, mountain mahogany, juniper, current composition of each site is given
oak, mesquite, perennial grasses, agave, below. The potential natural community is
prickly pear cactus, Arizona sycamore, the biotic community which would be-
come established if all successional se-
Fremont cottonwood, velvet ash, and
Arizona walnut. Gambel oak are common quences were completed without interfer-
at the higher elevations. Riparian vegeta- ence by man under the present environ-
tion is very limited in area and occurs at mental conditions. Natural disturbances
springs. No special status plants are are inherent in development. The current
condition and acreage of each site is listed
known to occur in the area. However, the
planning area contains potential habitat for in Table 1.
several special status plants which include Volcanic Hills/Woodland - Currently,
the coppermine milk vetch, Texas purple 5,202 acres of this ecological site are in
spike and Bartram's stonecrop. high seral stage. Vegetation consists of 20
Vegetative trend data is used to deter- percent grasses, 15 percent forbs, 22
mine changes in plant frequency over percent shrubs and 43 percent trees.
time. This data shows whether plant The potential natural community for
species increase or decrease over time. At this site is a mixed plant community with
this time the BLM has two transects in the an overstory of evergreen oaks, pinyon and
Happy Camp allotment. Collected data
from these two transects indicate that
vegetative trend is static or upward as
shown by an increase in perennial grasses.
The wilderness consists of four
ecological sites (Map 2). Riparian vegeta-
tion in the area has not been classified as
a separate ecological site due to the small
size and scattered location of sites. Eco-
logical site is a classification of rangeland
that identifies a characteristic natural
plant community. Ecological sites are
defined and described by soil, species
composition, and the potential amount of
biomass produced. Each ecological site
has an ability to produce certain kinds and
amounts of native vegetation.
Each site is evaluated accordingt o
the kinds and amounts of vegetation
present as compared to the potential
natural community and is grouped into
one of the following four classes: poten-
tial natural community (PNC), high seral, Upper portion of Sheep Canyon.