Finger Lakes National Forest. Backbone Horse Camp Water Hydrant Project

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1 United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service February 2014 Backbone Horse Camp Water Hydrant Project Scoping Information Hector Ranger District Town of Lodi, Seneca County, New York For Information Contact: Tim Noon 5218 State Route 414 Hector, NY, (607) ext. 316 FAX (607) Responsible Official: Jodie L. Vanselow District Ranger Hector Ranger District 5218 State Route 414 Hector, NY, (607) ext. 314 FAX (607)

2 The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political affiliation, sexual orientation, and marital or familial status (not all prohibited bases apply to all programs). Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication or program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the USDA s TARGET Center at 202/ (voice or TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write the USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, Washington, DC, or call 202/ (voice or TDD). The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. This document can be made available in large print. Contact Tim Noon (607) ext. 316 or twnoon@fs.fed.us Backbone Horse Camp Water Hydrant Project Scoping Information Page 2

3 PROJECT INFORMATION Backbone Horse Camp Water Hydrant The USDA-Forest Service (FS) is initiating an environmental analysis process for the proposed Backbone Horse Camp Water Hydrant Project pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act. The project is located on the Hector Ranger District of the (FLNF) in the Town of Hector in Schuyler County, New York. The proposed action would authorize the installation of a frost free hydrant and associated pond dredging into the Backbone Horse Camp pond. This project would provide an all season non-potable water source for horses using the Backbone Horse Camp and adjacent Backbone Trail. A detailed description of the proposal is included below. BACKGROUND The Backbone Horse Camp is a small, semi-primitive campground designed for campers or picnickers with horses. The campground is open year round and sites are available on a first come first serve basis. The campground has been in use for over 30 years and is a popular, much enjoyed site. It includes one corral and hitching posts at the campsites. Sites are available only to horse users from Memorial Day weekend through Columbus Day weekend. The Backbone Trail begins at the Backbone Horse Camp. The trail forms a grid network on over 5 miles of the and receives high use from horse users. The water source for both the Backbone Horse Camp and this section of the Backbone Trail is a small pond immediately to the north of Backbone Horse Camp. This pond is connected to the Backbone Horse Camp by an approximately 250 foot spur trail and to the Backbone Trail by an approximately 150 foot spur trail. There is an outlet that flows directly into a stream. PURPOSE AND NEED The current (and original) small pond described above is the primary water source for horse users at the Horse Camp and trail, and it has become inadequate to continue to provide this service. Access to the pond is very limited due to brush and plants that have grown up adjacent to the pond. Primary access is at the southern edge of the pond, providing limited space for horses. The pond size and concentrated access has also increased the amount of sedimentation in the pond over time. Sedimentation and bank erosion have resulted in the pond becoming shallower creating the need for the pond to be dredged. Furthermore, FLNF Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) G-6 in the Grassland for Grazing states Reconstruction or dredging of ponds for watering livestock should be based on the assumption that it is required every 10 years for unfenced ponds and every 30 years for fenced ponds. (Forest Plan, p. 42) While the pond site is in the Oak Hickory Management Area (MA), the above stated Guideline gives applicable direction for ponds that see livestock/horse use. No dredging has taken place in the last 10 years. The FLNF Forest Plan also describes desired future conditions for the Oak Hickory MA as follows: Impacts from recreation use will be evident, and may be controlled through management actions ranging from visitor restrictions to constructing features to make sites more durable. Visitor amenities may be constructed for the comfort of the visitor. (Forest Plan, p. 49) These guidelines and direction further support the need to create a durable water source that will benefit horse users. Backbone Horse Camp Water Hydrant Project Scoping Information Page 3

4 The potential for water quality issues have also increased, both in the pond and in the adjacent stream due to sedimentation and the presence of horses in and around the pond. The sedimentation and reduced water quality has the potential to negatively effect the adjacent stream. This further illustrates a need to create an improved water source for horse users. PROPOSED ACTION The FS proposes: 1. To dredge the Backbone Horse Camp pond to remove sedimentation and increase water holding capacity. Dredging may use heavy equipment such as an excavator or backhoe. Dredge material would be placed adjacent to the pond and reclaimed with a native seed mix. 2. To install and bury a water pipe from the pond to the frost free hydrant location. This would include minor excavation of approximately 150 linear feet of soil. Soil would be replaced above buried pipe and reclaimed with a native seed mix. 3. To install frost free water hydrant at the new watering site adjacent to the Backbone Trail. (See attached map for locations of all of the above proposed actions.) The frost free hydrant would be surrounded by layers of gravel to provide hardened and protected surface. Hydrant type would be a non-freezing, hand operated or frost free hydrant. FOREST PLAN CONSISTENCY The Backbone Horse Camp Water Hydrant Project is consistent with the goals, objectives, and Forest-wide and Management Area Standards and Guidelines as specified in the Forest Plan. The Proposed Action is consistent with the desired future conditions for the Oak Hickory MA where the project is located. All of the expected environmental effects from this project are anticipated to be within the range of the effects disclosed in the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the 2006 Forest Plan. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS The FS will consider public comments during the environmental analysis process. The proposed action appears to be in a category that can be excluded from documentation in an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or Environmental Assessment (EA) as identified at 36 CFR 220.6(d)(5) and (e)(18): Repair and maintenance of recreation sites and facilities. Restoring wetlands, streams, riparian areas or other water bodies by removing, replacing, or modifying water control structures such as, but not limited to, dams, levees, dikes, ditches, culverts, pipes, drainage tiles, valves, gates, and fencing, to allow waters to flow into natural channels and floodplains and restore natural flow regimes to the extent practicable where valid existing rights or special use authorizations are not unilaterally altered or canceled. The environmental analysis will identify any potential extraordinary circumstances that exist and could result in significant effects to the environment. In accordance with 36 CFR 220.6(b), the following specific resource conditions will be considered: 1. Federally listed threatened or endangered species or designated critical habitat, species proposed for Federal listing or proposed critical habitat, or Forest Service sensitive species; 2. Flood plains, wetlands, or municipal watersheds; Backbone Horse Camp Water Hydrant Project Scoping Information Page 4

5 3. Congressionally designated areas, such as wilderness, wilderness study areas, or national recreation areas; 4. Inventoried Roadless areas or potential wilderness areas; 5. Research natural areas; 6. American Indians and Alaska Native religious or cultural sites; and 7. Archaeological sites, or historic properties or areas. DECISIONS TO BE MADE After conducting and reviewing the environmental analysis, including public involvement and interdisciplinary resource specialists input, the Responsible Official will make the following decisions based on the environmental analysis: 1. Whether the proposed project will proceed as proposed, as modified to address issues, or not at all; 2. What specific resource protection or mitigation measures should be implemented as part of the project; 3. Whether the project would have environmental impacts at levels that may require an EA or EIS; 4. What monitoring requirements should be applied to the project. RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL Jodie L. Vanselow, the District Ranger for the Hector District,, is the Responsible Official for the decision on this proposal. Backbone Horse Camp Water Hydrant Project Scoping Information Page 5