NFBR Mining Supplemental EIS Appendix 4

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Appendix 4

NFBR Mining Supplemental EIS

Open Road Densities and Forest Plan Direction

The GIS database used by the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest (WWNF) for tracking 

all spatial information on the forest has been reviewed and updated to include all 

adjustments made during this supplemental analysis.

Operational and Objective Maintenance Levels

Current open road densities are calculated by Operational Maintenance Level. Future 

open road densities are calculated by Objective Maintenance Level. Objective 

Maintenance Levels are the result of a NEPA decision and reflect intended open road 

densities. The open road densities in the 2004 NFBR FEIS were calculated only by 

Operational Maintenance Level, and therefore only reflected current open road densities, 

and did not consider road closure decisions that had not yet been implemented on the 

ground (Objective Maintenance Level). 

Open Road Densities by Management Area and Subwatershed

The original FEIS provided separate open road density figures for Management Areas

and subwatersheds. However, the WWNF Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest 

Plan) directs that open road densities be calculated by Management Areas within

subwatersheds (Forest Plan p. 4-35). Implementing this management direction resulted 

in recalculating open road densities. 

Open road densities by Management Area within subwatersheds are provided in the 

Supplement, but only to disclose information as prescribed the LRMP (Chapter 3, 

Wildlife Habitat). Open road densities are primarily critical to big game habitat and it 

has been determined that for the NFBR Watershed, measuring open road densities by 

Management Area is more meaningful relative to big game security (Chapter 3, Wildlife 

Habitat).

The Forest Plan guideline for Open Road Densities found on page 4-35 of the Forest Plan 

states:

Meet the specific open-road density guidelines found in the direction for 

individual management areas unless a specific exception is determined, through 

the Forest Service NEPA process, to be needed to meet management objectives. 

2/ 3/.

2/Total road density (closed and open roads) is not restricted except as stated in the standards and 

guidelines for soils.
Appendix 4 NFBR Mining Supplemental EIS

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3/ The method used for calculating open road densities is an important factor. The average road 

density is calculated by dividing an area by the number of miles of open roads within that specific 

area. If the area is too large, the average becomes meaningless; conversely, if the area is too 

small, the resulting figures may not provide useful information. For the purpose of implementing 

this direction, open road density will normally be calculated on the basis of subwatersheds. The 

area of each Management Area contained in each subwatershed will be calculated, and the open 

roads within that management area/subwatershed will also be calculated to determine the open 

road density. The acreage and road mileage included in the calculation will include all acres (NF 

and private) within the major proclaimed boundaries of the National Forest, but will exclude 

private land acreage outside the major proclaimed boundaries. “Islands” of proclaimed National 

Forest which are outside the major proclaimed boundaries will be included in the calculations if 

they are still under National Forest management. Decisions to leave open road densities greater 

than the guidelines are expected to be the exception rather than the rule.

In the reanalysis process, some previous road management decisions were found to be 

included in Alternative 4 of the 2004 FEIS. Because of this, some road closure miles 

were double-counted. 

The new open road densities found in Tables A4-1 through A4-7 vary from the original 

analysis because double-counted closure miles were deducted from Alternative 4. In the 

Supplement, the GIS database for Alternative 4 was updated and now only includes new 

closure decisions using Objective Maintenance Level values instead of Operational. The 

miles of double-counted closures have been removed. The difference between resulting 

open road densities for Alternatives 3 and 4 is now minor. 

Table A4-1 provides adjusted open road densities by Operational Maintenance Level, in 

order to provide a comparison with those values presented in the 2004 FEIS.

Table A4-1

Open Road Densities by Operational Maintenance Level

by Management Area and Subwatershed

S

W

S

Management 

Area

Open Road 

Density 

Guidelines

(miles/sq. 

mile)

Acres *2004 FEIS Open 

Road Densities

(miles/sq. mile)

**2008 Open Road 

Densities

(Alts 1-3)

(miles/sq. mile)

83A

1 2.5 7.4 0 0.2

3 1.5 3038 1.9 1.9

15 N/A 168 2.5 2.5

Private and other N/A 5456 1.3 0.6

Total 83A 8670 1.6 1.1

83B

1 2.5 1029 2.7 2.7

3 1.5 4939 1.5 1.5

3A 1.5 251 4.8 4.8

15 N/A 576 0.4 0.6

Private and other N/A 2224 1.8 1.1

Total 83B 9019 1.8 1.5
NFBR Mining Supplemental EIS Appendix 4

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S

W

S

Management 

Area

Open Road 

Density 

Guidelines

(miles/sq. 

mile)

Acres *2004 FEIS Open 

Road Densities

(miles/sq. mile)

**2008 Open Road 

Densities

(Alts 1-3)

(miles/sq. mile)

83C

1 2.5 3628 2.1 2.0

3 1.5 6353 1.8 1.8

3A 1.5 702 2.2 0.5

15 N/A 1032 2.6 2.4

Private and other N/A 462 0.4 0.4

Total 83C 12178 1.9 1.9

83D

1 2.5 5964 2.8 2.8

1W 1.5 1611 3.7 3.5

3 1.5 11180 1.9 1.6

15 N/A 1014 1.4 1.4

Private and other N/A 0 0 0

Total 83D 19769 2.3 2.1

83E

1 2.5 28 8.5 8.5

3 1.5 3811 3.3 3.6

3A 1.5 5291 1.9 2.8

15 N/A 498 1.0 1.0

Private and other N/A 0 0 0

Total 83E 9628 2.4 2.2

83F

1 2.5 13127 4.6 4.5

1W 1.5 1323 2.6 2.4

3 1.5 2694 4.2 3.6

15 N/A 1654 2.4 2.1

18 1.5 7 0.9 0.9

Private and other N/A 0 0 0

Total 83F 18805 4.2 4.0

83G

1 2.5 9326 5.5 4.9

3 1.5 889 5.2 3.7

3A 1.5 5635 3.1 2.9

15 N/A 1053 2.7 2.8

18 1.5 6 2.0 2.0

Private and other N/A 632 2.2 2.3

Total 83G 17542 4.4 4.0

83H

1 2.5 6018 2.2 2.2

1W 1.5 375 0.2 0.2

3 1.5 2767 1.7 1.7

15 N/A 673 0.2 0.2

16 N/A 11 17.9 22.8

17 N/A 34 1.5 1.4

Private and other N/A 973 1.6 1.5

Total 83H 10851 1.9 1.8
Appendix 4 NFBR Mining Supplemental EIS

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NOTE: Of these above areas, several are skewed due to the very small portion of land base within the 

management area and are not representative of the road densities at the landscape level. In SWS's 83A 

(MA 1), 83B (MA3a),83E (MA1), 83G (MA 18), and 83H (MAs 16 and 17) the road densities were 

calculated on significantly less than 1 square mile of land, and are therefore not at an appropriate scale for 

comparison or to meet the intent of the Forest Plan guidelines. The MA 15 densities are primarily the 

result of mapping errors which include road mileages of roads along the boundary of MA 15 areas.

* Data from 2002 NFBR Roads Analysis, Pg. 43, Appendix A.1, Operational Road Summaries and 

Densities. NOTE: In Original analysis, subwatersheds were not clipped to the proclaimed Forest 

Boundary.

** Data from Travel Management Plan database, GIS Spreadsheet road_report2, Operational 

Maintenance Level, created 1/14/08 by C. Winkler.

Open Road Densities and Wildlife Issues

Open road density, measured in linear miles of road per square mile, is a particular 

concern for wildlife habitat conditions. Higher open road densities have a negative effect 

on elk, and contribute to elk moving out of those areas. See Wildlife discussion Chapter 

3 of this Supplement for a detailed discussion of the effects of open roads on elk. The 

Forest Plan has set guidelines for open road density by Management Area. Table A4-2 

displays Management areas in the North Fork Burnt River Watershed and their respective 

Forest Plan guideline for open road densities:

Table A4-2

Management Areas and Forest Plan Guidelines

Management Area MA Emphasis Forest Plan Guideline for 

Open Road Density

1 Timber Production emphasis 2.5

1W Timber Emphasis/Big game 

winter range

1.5

3 Wildlife/Timber emphasis: 

Big game winter range

1.5

3A Wildlife/Timber emphasis: 

Big game summer range

1.5

15 Old Growth N/A

16 Administrative and Recreation 

Site Retention

N/A

17 Power Transportation Facility 

Retention

N/A

18 Anadromous Fish Emphasis 1.5

Table A4-3

Open Road Densities by Management Areas 

(by Operational Maintenance Level)

Management Area 

(MA)

Forest Plan Open 

Road Density 

Guidelines (miles per 

square mile)

*2004 FEIS Open Road 

Densities 

(miles per square mile)

**2008 Open Road 

Densities (Alts 1-3)

(miles per square mile)

MA 1 2.5 3.5 3.7
NFBR Mining Supplemental EIS Appendix 4

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Management Area 

(MA)

Forest Plan Open 

Road Density 

Guidelines (miles per 

square mile)

*2004 FEIS Open Road 

Densities 

(miles per square mile)

**2008 Open Road 

Densities (Alts 1-3)

(miles per square mile)

MA 1W 1.5 2.8 2.7

MA 3 1.5 2.5 2.0

MA 3A 1.5 2.2 2.4

MA 15 N/A 1.7 1.7

MA 16 N/A 30 19.1

MA 17 N/A 1.6 1.6

MA 18 1.5 3.0 1.5

NOTE: MA16 (11 acres) and MA18 (34 acres) are obviously skewed due to the very small portion of land 

base within the management areas and are not representative of the road densities at the landscape level, 

and are therefore not at an appropriate scale for comparison. 

* Open road miles from April 2002 NFBR Roads Analysis, Pg. 43, Appendix A.1, Operational Road 

Summaries and Densities. 

** Data from Travel Management Plan database, GIS Spreadsheet road_report2, Operational 

Maintenance Level, created 1/14/08 by C. Winkler.

Open Road Densities after Implementation of Alternative 4

Open road densities in the following tables are reflected by Management Areas within

subwatersheds, and may vary slightly from the original analysis, as the current database 

has been updated to include any adjustments from previous road management decisions 

implemented since 2004. Some of these previous road management decisions were 

included in Alternative 4 of the 2004 FEIS, to ensure that implementation occurred. By 

updating the database to adjust for those that have since been implemented, the difference 

between resulting open road densities (by Objective Maintenance Level) for Alternatives 

1-3 and 4 is minor (Table A4-4). The actual miles of new road closures or 

decommissioning (with no previous NEPA decision) proposed in Alternative 4 is 23.4

(Appendix 9). 

The following tables compare the open road densities by alternative. Open road densities 

differ from the original analysis in three ways: 1) Alternatives 1-3 include all previous 

closure decisions, some of which were included as double-counted closure miles in 

Appendix A of the 2004 FEIS, 2) Alternative 4 includes only new closure decisions from 

the 2004 FEIS, and 3) open road densities are displayed by Objective Maintenance 

Level.

The actual miles of new road closures or decommissioning (with no previous NEPA 

decision) proposed in Alternative 4 is 23.4, in comparison to the 75 miles of closures and 

decommissionings proposed in the FEIS (Appendix 9). 
Appendix 4 NFBR Mining Supplemental EIS

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Table A4-4

Open Road Densities by Management Areas within Subwatersheds

S

W

S

Management 

Area

Open Road 

Density 

Guidelines

(miles per square 

mile)

Acres *2008 Objective ML 

Open Road Densities 

Alternatives 1-3

(miles per square mile)

*2008 Objective

ML Open Road Densities

Alternative 4

(miles per square mile)

83A

1 2.5 7.4 0.2 0.2

3 1.5 3038 1.3 1.3

15 N/A 168 2.5 2.5

Private and other N/A 5456 0.7 0.7

Total 83A 8670 0.9 0.9

83B

1 2.5 1029 1.9 1.9

3 1.5 4939 1.2 1.2

3A 1.5 251 4.8 4.8

15 N/A 576 0.2 0.2

Private and other N/A 2224 1.1 1.1

Total 83B 9019 1.3 1.3

83C

1 2.5 3628 1.5 1.5

3 1.5 6353 1.7 1.7

3A 1.5 702 2.1 2.1

15 N/A 1032 1.7 1.7

Private and other N/A 462 0.5 0.5

Total 83C 12178 1.6 1.6

83D

1 2.5 5964 1.9 1.7

1W 1.5 1611 0.5 0.5

3 1.5 11180 1.1 1.1

15 N/A 1014 1.3 1.3

Private and other N/A 0 0 0

Total 83D 19769 1.3 1.2

83E

1 2.5 28 0 0

3 1.5 3811 1.9 1.7

3A 1.5 5291 0.9 0.9

15 N/A 498 0 0

Private and other N/A 0 0 0

Total 83E 9628 1.2 1.2

83F

1 2.5 13127 2.0 1.7

1W 1.5 1323 1.9 1.9

3 1.5 2694 2.8 2.7

15 N/A 1654 1.0 0.9

18 1.5 7 0 0

Private and other N/A 0 0 0

Total 83F 18805 2.0 1.8

83G
NFBR Mining Supplemental EIS Appendix 4

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S

W

S

Management 

Area

Open Road 

Density 

Guidelines

(miles per square 

mile)

Acres *2008 Objective ML 

Open Road Densities 

Alternatives 1-3

(miles per square mile)

*2008 Objective

ML Open Road Densities

Alternative 4

(miles per square mile)

1 2.5 9326 2.8 2.6

3 1.5 889 3.1 3.1

3A 1.5 5635 1.9 1.8

15 N/A 1053 2.0 2.0

18 1.5 6 1.7 1.7

Private and other N/A 632 2.3 2.3

Total 83G 17542 2.5 2.4

83H

1 2.5 6018 1.8 1.8

1W 1.5 375 0.3 0.3

3 1.5 2767 1.6 1.6

15 N/A 673 0.2 0.2

16 N/A 11 22.8 22.8

17 N/A 34 1.4 1.4

Private and other N/A 973 1.5 1.5

Total 83H 10851 1.6 1.6

NOTE: Of these above areas, several are obviously skewed due to the very small portion of land base 

within the management area and are not representative of the road densities at the landscape level. In 

SWS's 83A (MA 1), 83B (MA3a),83E (MA1), and 83G (MA 18, ) the road densities were calculated on 

significantly less than 1 square mile of land, and are therefore not at an appropriate scale for comparison 

or to meet the intent of the Forest Plan guidelines. 

The LRMP provides no guidelines for MAs 15, 16, and 17.

* Data from Travel Management Plan database, GIS Spreadsheet road_report3, objective maintenance 

levels, created 7/23/08 by C. Winkler.

Table A4-5

Comparison of Alternatives

Open Road Densities by Management Area

Management Area 

(MA)

Forest Plan Open 

Road Density 

Guidelines (miles per 

square mile)

*2008 Objective Open 

Road Densities 

Alternatives 1-3

(miles per square mile)

*2008 Objective 

Open Road Densities

Alternative 4 

(miles per square mile)

MA 1 2.5 2.1 1.9

MA 1W 1.5 1.1 1.1

MA 3 1.5 1.5 1.5

MA 3A 1.5 1.5 1.5

MA 15 N/A 1.1 1.1

MA 16 N/A 19.5 19.0

MA 17 N/A 1.6 1.6

MA 18 1.5 1.0 1.0

NOTE: MA16 (11 acres), MA17 (34 acres)) and MA18 (14 acres) are skewed due to the very small 

portion of land base within the management areas and are not representative of the road densities at the 

landscape level, and are therefore not at an appropriate scale for comparison. 

* Data from 2008 WWNF Travel Management Plan database, (excel spreadsheet “road_report3”, 

objective maintenance levels, created 7/23/08 c.winkler)
Appendix 4 NFBR Mining Supplemental EIS

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Table 4-6

Comparison of Alternatives

Open Road Densities by Subwatershed

Subwatershed # Square Miles *2008 Objective 

Open Road Densities 

Alternatives 1-3

(miles per square mile)

*2008 Objective 

Open Road Densities

Alternative 4 

(miles per square mile)

83A 13.55 0.9 0.9

83B 14.09 1.3 1.3

83C 19.03 1.6 1.6

83D 30.89 1.3 1.2

83E 15.04 1.2 1.2

83F 29.38 2.0 1.8

83G 27.48 2.5 2.4

83H 16.96 1.6 1.6

* Data from 2008 WWNF Travel Management Plan database, (excel spreadsheet “road_report3”, 

objective maintenance levels, created 7/23/08 c.winkler)

Forest Plan Amendment in Alternatives 3 and 4

Because the LRMP is somewhat unclear as to what constitutes an “open road” and how 

open road densities should be calculated (by Management Area, and/or or Management 

Areas within subwatersheds), this Supplement takes a conservative approach in 

addressing this issue. Since the temporary mine access roads in the NFBR watershed 

could be construed as contributing to the open road densities, and because some 

Management Areas within subwatersheds would remain above LRMP guidelines, a 

Forest Plan Amendment for open road densities is included in Alternative 4 of this 

Supplement. Because temporary access roads would be reclaimed upon completion of 

mining activity, and would no longer be perceived as contributing to open road densities, 

this amendment would be considered non-significant.

Alternatives 3 and 4 would respond to key issue #3 by adopting a non-significant projectspecific amendment to the Forest Plan to change Guideline #12 and Guideline #13 for 

Management Area 1 (Forest Plan p. 4-58) in subwatersheds 83F and 83G; Guideline #12 

and Guideline #13 for Management Area 1W (Forest Plan p. 4-58) in subwatershed 83F; 

Guideline #9 for Management Area 3 (Forest Plan p. 4-62) in subwatersheds 83C, 83E, 

83F, 83G and 83H; Guideline #9 for Management Area 3A (Forest Plan pg. 4-62) in 

subwatersheds 83B, 83C, and 83G; and Guideline #8 for Management Area 18 (Forest 

Plan p. 4-97) in subwatershed 83G, to reflect a more appropriate scale for specific 

management areas within subwatershed of the North Fork Burnt River Mining planning 

area.

Refer to Chapter 2 of this Supplement for a description of the newly amended guidelines 

for both Alternatives 3 and 4.
NFBR Mining Supplemental EIS Appendix 4

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Table A4-7 compares the amended Forest Plan Guidelines by Alternative. The resulting 

open road densities are very similar, and only vary by one or two tenths mile per square 

mile. The difference comes from the road closures proposed under Alternative 4. 

The open road densities for the above Management Areas within subwatersheds would be 

within the newly amended Forest Plan Guidelines as displayed in the last column of the 

following table.

Table A4-7

Open Road Densities After Implementation of 

Forest Plan Amendment

SubwatershedMgmt. 

Area

Acres included 

in FP 

Amendment

Current Forest 

Plan Guideline

for Open Road 

Density

* Alternative 3 

Proposed amended 

Forest Plan 

Guideline for Open 

Road Density

*Alternative 4 

Proposed amended 

Forest Plan

Guideline for Open 

Road Density

83B 3A 251 1.5 4.8 4.8

83C 3 6,353 1.5 1.7 1.7

3A 703 1.5 2.1 2.1

83E 3 3,811 1.5 1.9 1.7

83F 1 13,127 2.5 2.6 2.6

1W 1,323 1.5 1.9 1.9

3 2,694 1.5 2.8 2.7

83G 1 9,326 2.5 2.8 2.6

3 889 1.5 3.1 3.1

3A 5,635 1.5 1.9 1.8

18 6 1.5 1.7 1.7

83H 3 2,767 1.5 1.6 1.6

* Data from 2008 WWNF Travel Management Plan database, (excel spreadsheet “road_report3”, 

objective maintenance levels, created 7/23/08 c.winkler)