Final, Arizona statewide wild and scenic rivers legislative environmental impact statement

724 Pages·1994·166.8 MB·English

by  United States. Bureau of Land Management. Arizona State Office

BLM LIBRARY
U.S. Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
Arizona State Office December 1994
FINAL
Arizona Statewide Wild and Scenic Rivers
Legislative Environmental Impact Statement
DEEPTC. E OF1 TEHED QINITER1IOER R
]
DEC 2 0 1994
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
CEDAR CITY, UTAH
The Bureau of Land Management is responsible for the balanced management of the public lands and resources
and their various values so that they are considered in a combination that will best serve the needs of the American
people. Management is based upon the principles of multiple use and sustained yield; a combination of uses that
take into account the long term needs of future generations for renewable and nonrenewable resources. These
resources include recreation, range, timber, minerals, watershed, fish and wildlife, wilderness and natural, scenic,
scientific and cultural values.
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ARIZONA WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS
FINAL LEGISLATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
RIVERS APPENDIX
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Bureau of Land Management, 1994
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ARIZONA WILD AND SCENIC RIVER FINAL LEGISLATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
WILD AND SCENIC RIVER STUDY AREA RIVER APPENDIX
TABLE OF CONTENTS
AGUA FRIA RIVER STUDY AREA P. 1
ARAVAIPA CREEK STUDY AREA P. 39
BIG SANDY RIVER STUDY AREA P. 63
BILL WILLIAMS RIVER STUDY AREA P. 99
BONITA CREEK STUDY AREA P. 131
BURRO CREEK STUDY AREA P. 173
CIENEGA CREEK STUDY AREA P. 227
FRANCIS CREEK STUDY AREA P. 253
GILA BOX: GILA RIVER STUDY AREA P. 287
HASSAYAMPA RIVER STUDY AREA P. 343
HOT SPRINGS CANYON STUDY AREA P. 375
GILA BOX: LOWER SAN FRANCISCO RIVER STUDY AREA P. 405
MIDDLE GILA RIVER STUDY AREA P. 447
PARIA RIVER STUDY AREA P. 485
SAN PEDRO RIVER STUDY AREA P. 51 1
SANTA MARIA RIVER STUDY AREA P. 549
SWAMP SPRINGS CANYON STUDY AREA P. 581
TURKEY CREEK STUDY AREA P. 61 1
VIRGIN RIVER STUDY AREA P. 641
WRIGHT CREEK STUDY AREA P. 683
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Bureau of Land Management, 1994
IV
INTRODUCTION
The river appendix contains 20 individual identified a need to inventory and classify rivers
environmental impact statements. Each is in the resource areas and districts in order to
designed as a stand-alone document and, by its develop management strategies and techniques
inclusion in this appendix to the Arizona
to protect the river's resource values.
Statewide Wild and Scenic Rivers Environmental
Impact Statement, is available for public review As a result, the Bureau of Land Management
and comment. conducted eligibility evaluations to identify rivers
with free flowing characteristics and
The purpose and need for the action on each outstandingly remarkable values. By 1993, 20
river study area is similar. Specific portions of river study areas had been evaluated.
the subject waterways were identified in
resource management plans or resource Waterways in the study areas were assigned
management plan amendments as eligible for tentative classifications for management as wild,
further study in the wild and scenic river scenic, or recreational on the basis of criteria in
evaluation process. The purpose of the action the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.
in each case is to determine the suitability for
recommending the eligible portions of the river (1 ) Wild river areas -- Those rivers or sections
to Congress for inclusion in the National Wild of rivers that are free of impoundments and
and Scenic Rivers System. generally inaccessible except by trail, with
watersheds or shorelines essentially primitive
The action is a response to the Wild and Scenic and waters unpolluted. These represent
Rivers Act of 1 968 which contains the following vestiges of primitive America.
stipulation. "In all planning for the use and
development of water and related land
(2) Scenic river areas ~ Those rivers or
resources, consideration shall be given by all sections of rivers that are free of impoundments,
Federal agencies involved to potential national with shorelines or watersheds still largely
wild, scenic and recreational river areas, and all primitive and shorelines largely undeveloped,
river basin and project plan reports submitted to but accessible in places by roads.
the Congress shall consider and discuss any
such potentials. The Secretary of the Interior
(3) Recreational river areas ~ Those rivers or
and the Secretary of Agriculture shall make sections of rivers that are readily accessible by
specific studies and investigations to determine road or railroad, that may have some
which additional wild, scenic, and recreational development along their shorelines, and that
river areas within the United States shall be may have undergone some impoundment or
evaluated in planning reports by all Federal diversion in the past. (P.L 90-342, Sec. 2(b)).
agencies as potential alternative uses of the
The Bureau of Land Management defined
water and related land resources involved" (P.L
90-542, Sec. 5(d)). management objectives and standards for the
three categories of rivers. The following
The action on each river study area also summarizes the management objectives and
complies with the National Environmental Policy standards in the Bureau of Land Management
Act of 1969 (P.L. 91-190) and the Federal Land Manual 8351 - Wild and Scenic Rivers - P olicy
Policy and Management Act of 1976 (P.L. 94- and Program Direction for Identification,
579). Evaluation, and Management. Copies of the
Manual are available for reference in the Arizona
BACKGROUND
Bureau of Land Management field offices.
In developing resource management plans,
Arizona Bureau of Land Management personnel
(1) Wild Rivers: headquarters would be compatible if s uch
8fa3c5i1li t.i5e1s B w).e re screened from the river" (MS
Management of wild river areas should give
primary emphasis to protecting the values which
make it outstandingly remarkable while
(3) Recreational Rivers:
providing river-related outdoor recreation
opportunities in a primitive setting. Management of recreational river areas should
give primary emphasis to protecting the values
Allowable management practices might include which make it o utstandingly remarkable while
construction of minor structures for ...
providing river-related outdoor recreation
[improvement of fish and game habitat, grazing opportunities in a recreational setting.
protection from fire, insects, or disease, Recreational classification is a determination of
rehabilitation or stabilization of damaged the level of development and does not prescribe
resources], provided the area will remain natural or assume recreation development or
appearing and the practices or structures are enhancement. Management of recreational river
compatible and in harmony with the areas can and should maintain and provide
environment. Developments such as trail outdoor recreation opportunities. The basic
bridges, occasional fencing, natural-appearing distinctions between a "scenic" and a
water diversions, ditches, flow measurement or
"recreational" river area are the degree of
other water management devices, and similar access, extent of shoreline development,
facilities may be permitted if t hey are historical impoundment or diversion, and types
unobtrusive and do not have a significant direct of land use. In general, a variety of agricultural,
and adverse effect on the natural character of water management, silvicultural, recreational,
and other practices or structures are compatible
the river area" (MS 8351. 51 A).
with recreational river values, providing such
(2) Scenic Rivers: practices or structures are carried on in such a
way that there is no substantial adverse effect
Management of scenic river areas should on the river and its immediate environment.
maintain and provide outdoor recreation
opportunities in a near-natural setting. The Recreation facilities may be established in
basic distinctions between a "wild" and a proximity to the river, although recreational river
classification does not require extensive
"scenic" river area are the degree of
development, types of land use, and road recreational development. Recreational facilities
accessibility. In general, a wide range of may still be kept to a minimum, with visitor
agricultural, water management, silvicultural, services provided outside the river area. Future
and other practices or structures could be construction of impoundments, diversions,
compatible with scenic river values, providing straightening, riprapping, and other modification
such practices or structures are carried on in of the waterway or adjacent lands would not be
such a way that there is no substantial adverse permitted except in instances where such
effect on the river and its immediate
developments would not have a direct and
environment. adverse effect on the river and its immediate
environment (MS 8351 .51 C).
The same considerations set forth for wild river
areas should be considered, except that Preliminary suitability assessments were
motorized vehicle use may, in some cases, be
prepared for the State Director's review. All or
appropriate and that development of larger parts of 13 river study areas were found to be
scale public-use facilities within the river area, suitable in the preliminary assessment. The
such as moderate-sized campgrounds, State Director concluded that the preliminary
interpretive centers, or administrative assessment would be the proposed action
alternative of the Bureau of Land Management.
VI
By March, 1994 the Bureau of Land Five of these are in the Kingman Resource Area
Management had completed preparation of a which covers about 2.6 million acres in west
draft environmental impact statement in central Arizona. The study areas include the
which the impacts of implementing the Big Sandy River, Burro Creek, Francis Creek,
proposed action and other alternatives were the Santa Maria River, and Wright Creek.
analyzed. The draft environmental impact
statement was issued for a 90-day public The Phoenix Resource Area manages nearly
review and comment period early in April, 750,000 acres of public lands in central and
1994. Bureau of Land Management eastern Arizona. Three of the wild and scenic
personnel examined the oral and written river study areas are administered by this
responses and identified the recommended resource area. They are the Agua Fria River,
alternative. This recommended alternative is the Hassayampa River, and the Middle Gila
analyzed, and its impacts evaluated in each River below Coolidge dam.
of the 20 environmental statements in this
river appendix. The third Phoenix District field office, the Lower
Gila Resource Area, manages over 3.7 million
MANAGEMENT acres in west central Arizona. No river areas in
this Resource Area were found to be eligible.
The Bureau of Land Management's Arizona
public lands are administered by a state office, The Yuma District
four district offices, and ten resource area
offices. The Yuma District covers nearly 2.5 million
acres of public land in western Arizona and
The Arizona Strip District about 80,000 acres in California. The Havasu
Resource Area, Yuma District, manages lands in
The Arizona Strip District administers nearly 2.9 the Bill Williams river study area. There are no
million acres, or more than 54 percent of the 5.3 eligible river study areas in the other Yuma
million-acre Arizona Strip area composed of District field office, the Yuma Resource Area.
lands north and west of the Colorado River to
the Utah State border and west to the Nevada The Safford District
border. The district and field offices are in St.
George, Utah. The Safford District covers approximately 1 .8
million acres of public land in southeastern
The Arizona Strip District administers land in Arizona from Tucson east to the New Mexico
two of the wild and scenic river study areas. border and south from Winkelman to the
Mexican border. Nine river study areas are in
The Virgin River Study Area is administered by the Safford District.
the Shivwits Resource Area, Arizona Strip
District. The Paria River Wild and Scenic River The Gila Resource Area, one of three field
Study Area is administered by the Vermilion offices in the Safford District, manages five river
Resource Area, Arizona Strip District. study areas. These are the Aravaipa Creek,
Bonita Creek, Gila River: Gila Box, Lower San
The Phoenix District Francisco River: Gila Box, and Turkey Creek.
The Phoenix District consists of approximately Four river study areas are administered by the
7.1 million acres of land generally located in the Tucson Resource Area. They include Cienega
central and western portions of the state. The Creek, Hot Springs Canyon, the San Pedro
district has three field offices, each responsible River, and Swamp Springs Canyon.
for a different geographical subarea. Eight wild
and scenic river study areas are managed by
the Phoenix District.
VII
No river areas were determined the be suitable
described as "Beginning immediately
in the third Safford field office, the San Simon downstream from Alamo Dam to the resource
Resource Area.
area boundary...." Though not specifically
mentioned, this eligibility boundary coincides
THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT with the east boundary of the Rawhide
STATEMENTS Wilderness.
The environmental impact statements are not Subsequent documents, i.e.: the Final
decision documents. They are parts of decision Kingman Resource Management Plan (1993),
making packages. The environmental impact the Suitability Assessement (1993) for the Bill
statement, however, is important because it is Williams River, and the Bill Williams River
developed around a public involvement process. Draft Environmental Impact Statement (1994),
also described the segment as beginning at
The process begins with public scoping Alamo Dam.
meetings centering on significant issues
identified by affected groups. These include In response to the Draft Wild and Scenic
public, federal, state and local agencies, and River Legislative Environmental Impact
Indian tribal groups. The process continues Statement, the Army Corps of Engineers
with a public review and hearings on the draft noted that the proper boundary for the Bill
document. A final environmental impact Williams Wild and Scenic River Study Area
statement, incorporating public review begins at the edge of the Alamo Dam
comments, is made available to the public prior withdrawal, since the Bureau of Land
to the final decision. Management does not have primary
management responsibility of this reach
After public review of the final legislative (Public Land Order 492). This
environmental impact statement the document recommendation moves the wild and scenic
will be forwarded to the Department of the river boundary into the Rawhide Wilderness.
Interior and then to the President and Congress
for decisions. As a result, the boundary has been revised in
the recommended alternative. This change
The following paragraphs address several also applies to the Big Sandy and Santa
items that identified by the public as needing Maria Rivers (each also terminates at the
further clarification. Alamo Dam Withdrawal). Since these
revisions have not create differences in the
1. In the final legislative environmental river study area management or have
impact statements included in this appendix significant impacts on river values, no other
major modifications and additions to the text changes related to this issue were made.
of the draft document are shown by bold
4. Where grazing management plans
print.
authorize grazing in wilderness areas the
2. In the maps, segments identified by Bureau of Land Management, as necessary,
letters have been changed to numbers for also authorizes limited motor vehicle use. In
consistency. those cases where the wild and scenic river
within a wilderness area authorized for
3. In the draft Kingman Resource Area limited motor vehicle use is recommended
Resource Management Plan (1990) the for a Wild designation, the existing
eligible portion of the Bill Williams River was
VIII