Ecological restoration plan for the Stucky Ridge and Smelter Hill injured areas

430 Pages·2002·9.9 MB·English

by  Meikle, Tim W

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363.739
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2002
ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION PLAN FOR THE
STUCKY RIDGE AND SMELTER HILL INJURED AREAS
January 2002
Submitted to:
Montana Department ofJustice
Natural Resource Damage Program
Helena, Montana
Prepared by:
Bitterroot Restoration, Incorporated
Corvallis, Montana
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ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION PLAN FOR THE STUCKY
RIDGE AND SMELTER HILL INJURED AREAS
January 2002
Prepared by:
Bitterroot Restoration, Incorporated
445 Quast Lane
Corvallis, Montana 59840
406-961-4991
Primary Authors:
Tim W. Meikle, Project Manager
Gant Massey, Restoration Ecologist
Contributing Authors:
David McAdoo, Landscape Architect
Clare Fitzgerald, Geographic Information Systems Specialist
Rusty Sydnor, Field Project Estimator
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2011 with funding from
IVIontana State Library
http://www.archive.org/details/ecologicalres2002meik
1 611
Table of Contents
Section 1: Introduction 1-1
& -—
1.1 Goal Statement Objectives ofEcological Restoration 1-2
1.2 The Concept ofRestoration 1-2
1.3 Proposed Restoration Alternatives — 1-6
1.4 Restoration Planning Process - 1-7
1.5 Stucky Ridge and Smelter Hill lA Restoration Plan 1-12
1.6 Literature Cited 1-13
Section 2: Project Setting 2-1
2.1 Area ofInterest 2-
2.2 Land Use & Ownership 2-2
&
2.3 Landforms Soils 2-2
2.4 Climate 2-5
2.5 Wildlife - 2-5
2.6 Native Plant Communities 2-6
2.7 Injury to Anaconda Uplands 2-7
2.8 Previous Revegetation Efforts 2-10
2.9 Proposed Remedy Actions — 2-12
2.10 Relationship ofProposed Remedy Efforts to Restoration -2-15
2.11 Literature Cited 2-1
Section 3: Characterization ofthe German Gulch Reference Area 3-1
3.1 Reference Area Characterization - 3-1
3.2 The Habitat Type Concept - 3-1
3.3 Methods for Determining Diversity & Distribution ofHabitat Types - 3-3
3.4 Habitat Typing Results - 3-7
3.5 Description ofHabitat Types - 3-9
3.6 Spatial Analysis ofSurvey Data and Habitat Modeling 3-16
3.7 Literature Cited 3-29
Section 4: Characterization ofthe Stucky Ridge and Smelter Hill Injured Area 4-1
4. Background — 4-
4.2 Field Sampling 4-3
-
4.3 Smelter Hill: Till-Twelve Inches (SH_T12) — 4-9
4.4 Stucky Ridge: Till-Twelve Inches (SR_T12) 4-13
4.5 Smelter Hill: Till-Six Inches (SH_T6) 4-17
4.6 Stucky Ridge: Till-Six Inches (SR_T6) 4-20
4.7 Smelter Hill: Vegetation Improvement (SH_VI) 4-25
4.8 Stucky Ridge: Vegetation Improvement (SR_VI) 4-29
4.9 Smelter Hill: Steep Slope Restoration (SH_SSR) 4-34
4.1 Stucky Ridge: Steep Slope Restoration (SR_SSR) 4-39
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EcologicalRestoration PlanfortheStuckyRidgeandSmelterHillInjuredArea
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4.1 Smelter Hill: Monitored, Well-Vegetated (SH_MWV) 4-44
4.12 Stucky Ridge: Monitored, Well-Vegetated (SR_MWV) 4-58
4.13 Smelter Hill: Well-Vegetated (SH_WV) 4-52
4.14 Stucky Ridge: Well-Vegetated (SR_WV) - 4-56
4.15 Smelter Hill: Previously Reclaimed (SH_PR) 4-60
4.1 Stucky Ridge: Previously Reclaimed (SR_PR) 4-64
4.1 Smelter Hill: No Action - Rock (SH_NA-R) — 4-67
4.18 Stucky Ridge: No Action - Rock (SR_NA-R) -4-71
4.19 Smelter Hill: No Action (SH_NA) - - 4-74
Section 5: Comparison ofAlternatives 5-1
5.1 Restoration Alternatives 5-5
5.1.1 No Action-Natural Recovery Alternative 5-5
5.1.2 Active Restoration Alternative — 5-8
5.1.3 Intensive Restoration Alternative 5-12
5.2 Literature Cited - 5-
1
&
Section 6: Restoration Treatments Specifications 6-1
6.1 Aerial Application ofAgricultural Lime 6-1
6.2 Aerial Seeding - — 6-3
6.3 Aerial Application ofHydromulch - 6-6
6.4 Aerial Application ofFertilizers - Initial Rate 6-9
6.5 Aerial Application ofCompost 6-1
6.6 Mechanical Compost Application/Incorporation 6-14
6.7 Broadcast Seeding - Enchanced Mix - 6-
1
6.8 Mechanical Fertilizer Application - Initial Rate - 6-20
6.9 Mechanical Compost Application - Surface - 6-22
6.10 Restoration Enhancement Planting - 6-25
6.1 Install Plant Protectors — 6-29
6.12 Aerial Application ofFertilizers - Maintenance Rate 6-31
6.1 Maintenance ofPlant Protectors - 6-34
6.14 Replacement Plant Installation 6-36
6.1 Noxious Weed Control - 6-38
6.16 Restoration Monitoring 6-42
—
6.1 Literature Cited 6-43
Section 7: Descriptions of Restoration Species 7-1
7.1 Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir {Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca) 7-2
7.2 Engelmann Spruce (Picea engelmannii) 7-3
7.3 Limber Pine {Piniisflexilis) - - - 7-4
7.4 Lodgepole Pine {Pinus contorta) - 7-5
7.5 Rocky Mountain Juniper {Juniperus scopulorum) 7-6
7.6 Antelope Bitterbrush {Purshia tridentata) — 7-7
7.7 Common Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) — - 7-8
7.8 Common Juniper {Juniperus communis) 7-9
7.9 Oregon Grape {Berberis repens) - 7-10
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EcologicalRestoration PlanfortheStucky RidgeandSmelterHillInjuredArea
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7.10 Russet Buffaloberry {Shepherdia Canadensis 7-1
7.1 Serviceberry {Amelanchier alnifolia) 7-12
7.1 Snowberry {Symphoricarpos albus) 7-1
7.13 Spirea {Spirea betulifolia) 7-14
7.14 Wood's Rose {Rosa woodsii) 7-15
7.15 Great Basin Wildrye (Leymus cinereus) 7-16
7.1 Bluebunch Wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata) 7-1
7.17 Bottlebrush Squirreltail (Sitanion hystrix 7-18
7.18 Sandberg Bluegrass {Poa secunda) - 7-19
7.19 Idaho Fescue {Festuca idahoensis) -7-20
7.20 Rough Fescue {Festuca scabrella) 7-21
7.21 Sheep Fescue {Festuca ovina) 7-22
7.22 Tufted Hairgrass {Deschampsia cespitosa) 7-23
7.23 Balsamroot {Balsamorhiza sagittata) 7-24
7.24 Fireweed {Epilobium angustifolium) 7-25
7.25 Flax {Linum lewisii) 7-26
7.26 Hairy Vetch {Vicia villosa) 7-26
7.27 Lupine {Lupinus argenteus) - 7-27
7.28 Lacy Phacelia (/-*/iace//a tanacetifolia) 7-27
7.29 Rocky Mountain Penstemon {Penstemon strictus) - 7-28
7.30 Literature Cited 7-29
Section 8: Detailed Prescriptions and Cost 8-1
8. Tillage (T6) Active Restoration Cost 8-2
8.2 Tillage (T12) Active Restoratio—n Cost 8-9
8.3 Vegetation Improvement (VI) 8-15
8.4 Steep Slope Reclamation (SSR) 8-2
8.5 Well Vegetated (WV) - - 8-27
8.6 Tillage (T6) Alternative Intensive Restoration 8-33
8.7 Tillage (T12) Alternative Intensive Restoration 8-40
8.8 Vegetation Improvement (VI) - 8-47
8.9 Steep Slope Reclamation (SSR) 8-54
8.1 Well Vegetated (WV) - 8-61
List ofTables
Table 1.4.1. Spatial Layers Used in the Analysis 1-10
Table 1.4.3.1 Measured Factors and Potential Responses 1-11
Table 2.7.2.1 Bird and Mammal Populations (Montana 1995) 2-10
Table 3.3.1 Field Data Collection Parameters — 3-4
Table 3.4. Habitat types arranged by dominant lifeform 3-8
Table 3.6.1.1 Model Parameters Based Upon Observed Elevation -3-18
Table 3.6.2. Acreage ofPredicted Vegetation Series at Stky Rdg & Smltr Hill 3-22
Table 4.1.1 Smelter Hill: Polygon Inventory Summary 4-2
Table 4.1.2 Stucky Ridge; Polygon Inventory Summary - 4-2
Table 4.3 Percentage Aspect ofPolygons 4-9
Table 4.3. Percent Ground Cover 4-9
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EcologicalRestoration PlanfortheStucky RidgeandSmelterHillInjuredArea
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Table 4.3.2.1 Plant Cover (percent) and Richness (count) 4-10
Table 4.3.2.2 Dominant Plant Species 4-10
Table 4.3.3 Erosion Types and Coverage 4-10
Table 4.3.4 Browse - 4-
1
Table 4.3.5 Counts ofMicrosites 4-1
Table 4.3.6 Dominant Species Composition Under Treatment Scenarios 4-12
Table 4.4 Percentage Aspect ofPolygons 4-
1
Table 4.4.1 Percent Ground Cover 4-13
Table 4.4.2.1 Plant Cover (percent) and Richness (count) 4-14
Table 4.4.2.2 Dominant Plant Species 4-14
Table 4.4.3 Erosion Types and Coverage - 4-14
Table 4.4.4 Browse 4-1
Table 4.4.5 Counts ofMicrosites 4-15
Table 4.4.6 Dominant Species Composition Under Treatment Scenarios 4-16
Table 4.5 Percentage Aspect ofPolygons 4-1
Table 4.5.1 Percent Ground Cover 4-17
Table 4.5.2.1 Plant Cover (percent) and Richness (count - 4-18
Table 4.5.2.2 Dominant Plant Species 4-18
Table 4.5.3 Erosion Types and Coverage 4-18
Table 4.5.4 Browse - 4-19
Table 4.5.5 Counts ofMicrosites 4-1
Table 4.5.6 Dominant Species Composition Under Treatment Scenarios 4-20
Table 4.6 Percentage Aspect ofPolygons 4-2
Table 4.6.1 Percent Ground Cover - 4-21
Table 4.6.2.1 Plant Cover (percent) and Richness (count) - 4-21
Table 4.6.2.2 Dominant Plant Species - - - 4-22
Table 4.6.3 Erosion Types and Coverage - 4-22
Table 4.6.4 Browse - 4-22
Table 4.6.5 Counts ofMicrosites - 4-23
Table 4.6.6 Dominant Species Composition Under Treatment Scenarios 4-24
Table 4.7 Percentage Aspect ofPolygons 4-25
Table 4.7.1 Percent Ground Cover 4-25
Table 4.7.2.1 Plant Cover (percent) and Richness (count 4-26
Table 4.7.2.2 Dominant Plant Species - -4-26
Table 4.7.3 Erosion Types and Coverage 4-27
Table 4.7.4 Browse - - 4-27
Table 4.7.5 Counts ofMicrosites —4-27
Table 4.7.6 Dominant Species Composition Under Treatment Scenarios 4-29
~ ~
Table 4.8 Percentage Aspect ofPo—lygons 4-30
Table 4.8.1 Percent Ground Cover - — 4-30
Table 4.8.2.1 Plant Cover (percent) and Richness (count) 4-30
~
Table 4.8.2.2 Dominant Plant Species - 4-3
Table 4.8.3 Erosion Types and Coverage - 4-31
Table 4.8.4 Browse 4-32
Table 4.8.5 Counts ofMicrosites 4-32
Table 4.8.6 Dominant Species Composition Under Treatment Scenarios 4-33
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EcologicalRestoration PlanfortheStuckyRidgeandSmelterHillInjuredArea
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Table 4.9 Percentage Aspect ofPolygons 4-34
Table 4.9.1 Percent Ground Cover - 4-34
Table 4.9.2.1 Plant Cover (percent) and Richness (count) 4-35
Table 4.9.2.2 Dominant Plant Species 4-35
Table 4.9.3 Erosion Types and Coverage 4-36
Table 4.9.4 Browse 4-36
Table 4.9.5 Counts ofMicrosites -4-36
Table 4.9.6 Dominant Species Composition Under Treatment Scenarios 4-38
Table 4.1 Percentage Aspect ofPolygons 4-40
Table 4.10.1 Percent Ground Cover 4-40
Table 4.10.2.1 Plant Cover (percent) and Richness (count) — 4-40
Table 4.10.2.2 Dominant Plant Species 4-41
Table 4.10.3 Erosion Types and Coverage 4-4
Table 4.10.4 Browse 4-4
Table 4.10.5 Counts ofMicrosites 4-42
Table 4.10.6 Dominant Species Composition Under Treatment Scenarios 4-43
Table 4.1 1 Percentage Aspect ofPolygons 4-44
Table 4.11.1 Percent Ground Cover —4-44
~
Table 4.11.2.1 Plant Cover (percent) and Richness (count) - 4-45
Table 4.11.2.2 Dominant Plant Species 4-45
Table 4.11.3 Erosion Types and Coverage 4-46
Table 4.11.4 Browse 4-46
Table 4.11.5 Counts ofMicrosites 4-46
Table 4.11.6 Dominant Species Composition Under Treatment Scenarios 4-47
Table 4.12 Percentage Aspect ofPolygons 4-48
Table 4.12.1 Percent Ground Cover —4-48
Table 4.12.2.1 Plant Cover (percent) and Richness (count) - - 4-49
Table 4.12.2.2 Dominant Plant Species 4-49
Table 4.12.3 Erosion Types and Coverage 4-50
Table 4.12.4 Browse —4-50
Table 4.12.5 Counts ofMicrosites 4-50
Table 4.12.6 Dominant Species Composition Under Treatment Scenarios 4-5
Table 4.13 Percentage Aspect ofPolygons 4-52
Table 4.13.1 Percent Ground Cover 4-52
Table 4.13.2.1 Plant Cover (percent) and Richness (count) —4-53
Table 4.13.2.2 Dominant Plant Species - 4-53
Table 4.13.3 Erosion Types and Coverage 4-53
Table 4.13.4 Browse - 4-54
Table 4.13.5 Counts ofMicrosites 4-54
Table 4.13.6 Dominant Species Composition Under Treatment Scenarios 4-55
Table 4.14 Percentage Aspect ofPolygons 4-56
Table 4.14.1 Percent Ground Cover 4-56
Table 4.14.2.1 Plant Cover (percent) and Richness (count) 4-57
Table 4.14.2.2 Dominant Plant Species 4-57
Table 4.14.3 Erosion Types and Coverage 4-58
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EcologicalRestoration PlanfortheStuckyRidgeandSmelterHillInjuredArea
Table 4.14.4 Browse 4-58
Table 4.14.5 Counts ofMicrosites 4-58
Table 4.14.6 Dominant Species Composition Under Treatment Scenarios 4-59
Table 4.15 Percentage Aspect ofPolygons 4-60
Table 4.15.1 Percent Ground Cover 4-60
Table 4.15.2.1 Plant Cover (percent) and Richness (count) 4-61
Table 4.15.2.2 Dominant Plant Species 4-61
Table 4.15.3 Erosion Types and Coverage- 4-62
Table 4.15.4 Dominant Species Composition Under Treatment Scenarios 4-63
Table 4.16 Percentage Aspect ofPolygons 4-64
Table 4.16.1 Ground Cover 4-64
Table 4.16.2.1 Plant Cover (percent) and Richness (count) 4-64
Table 4.16.2 2 Dominant Plant Species 4-65
Table 4.16.3 Erosion Types and Coverage 4-65
Table 4.16.4 Browse 4-66
Table 4.16.5 Counts ofMicrosites 4-66
Table 4.16.6 Dominant Species Composition UnderTreatment Scenarios 4-67
Table 4.17 Percentage Aspect ofPolygons 4-68
Table 4.17.1 Percent Ground Cover 4-68
Table 4.17.2 Plant Cover (percent) Richness (Count) - -4-68
Table 4.17.3 Erosion Types and Coverage 4-69
Table 4.17.4 Browse 4-69
Table 4.17.5 Counts ofMicrosites 4-69
Table 4.17.6 Dominant Species Composition Under Treatment Scenarios 4-70
Table 4.18 Percentage Aspect ofPolygons 4-71
Table 4.18.1 Percent Ground Cover - 4-71
—
Table 4.18.2.1 Plant Cover (percent) and Richness (Count) -4-71
Table 4.18.2.2 Dominant Plant Species - 4-72
Table 4.18.3 Erosion Types and Coverage - 4-72
Table 4.18.4 Browse - — - —4-72
Table 4.18.5 Counts ofMicrosites 4-73
—
Table 4.18.6 Dominant Species Composition Under Treatment Scenarios 4-74
Table 4.19 Percent Aspect ofPolygons 4-74
Table 4.19.1 Percent Ground Cover 4-75
Table 4.19.2.1 Plant Cover and Richness 4-75
Table 4.19.2.2 Dominant Plant Species - 4-75
Table 4.19.3 Erosion Types and Coverage 4-76
Table 4.19.4 Browse - - - 4-76
Table 4.19.5 Counts ofMicrosites 4-76
Table 4.19.6 Dominant Species Composition 4-78
Table 5.1 Summary ofTreatments for Alternatives 5-3
Table 5.2 Summary ofAlternatives 5-4
Table 6.2.2.1.1 Typical Seed Mix for all treatment areas 6-5
Table 6.7.2.1.1 Desirable species for enhancement ofseed mix 6-19
Table 6.10.2.1.1 Desirable Native Species for Enhancement Planti—ng 6-28
Table 8.1 Summary ofCosts to Implement Alternatives 8-1
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EcologicalRestoration PlanfortheStucky RidgeandSmelterHillInjuredArea