APPENDIX D 

BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES 

(BMPs) 

 
South George Vegetation and Fuels Management Project - DEIS 

D-1 

APPENDIX D 

BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES 

(BMPs) 

BMP's and Timber Sale Contract "C" clauses will be included to insure minimal ground disturbance and 

to provide adequate mitigation. Effectiveness/implementation monitoring will be performed by 

TMA/resource personnel (the presale technician will assure BMPs are met during sale preparation and the 

sale administrator will assure BMPs are met during timber sale operations. Regional standards require 

that C clause C6.6# be included to prevent adverse cumulative soil impacts (<15%) and protect soils. 

Specific resource protection measures and mitigation's listed below would be implemented in any action 

alternative. These resource protection measures and mitigation measures are consistent with Umatilla 

National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) standards and guidelines. The 

general discussion of Best Management Practices (BMP's) are found in the General Water Quality Best 

Management Practices, Pacific N.W. Region, 1988. BMP's and resource protection measures are 

identified below, as well as an estimation of the ability to implement BMPS's, their anticipated 

effectiveness, timing and responsibility for monitoring. 

1. Follow PACFISH standards and guidelines. Timber Management, Roads Management, and Fire/Fuels 

Management standards and guides apply to this project. 

2. Ephemeral stream channels should have protections to minimize equipment disturbance of duff and 

soil, and should not be used as skid trails, landing sites, or as road locations. Ephemeral draws, not within 

RHCAs, are to meet the following down wood requirements to reduce risk of upward migration and 

channel initiation: retain all wood embedded in the soil; retain at least 5 pieces of wood >12" diameter 

and >20' in length per 1000' of draw bottom (average 1 piece per 200'); retain at least 20 pieces of wood 

>6" diameter and >10' in length per 1000' of draw bottom (average 1 piece per 50'). Ephemeral draws 

with a gradient of 5% or more will need to be visited by the hydrologist to determine if any additional site 

specific mitigation is required. 

3. All temporary roads and landings shall be obliterated at the completion of their intended use (see BMP 

R-23) - NFMA requires that all temporary roads be returned to resource production within 10 years. 

Reclose all roads, with sufficient drainage structures, which are opened for project activities. For all 

temporary roads: 

• obliterate as soon as feasible after use 

• season of use shall be specified to minimize rutting, erosion, sedimentation, and water 

concentrations 

• plan, locate, design, and construct temporary roads with ease of obliteration as a priority - 

stockpile topsoil and duff for re-shaping after use or obliteration 

• horizontal and vertical alignments should conform to the natural contour as closely as possible - 

outsloped rolls in the grade effectively break up water concentrations during use and can be 

crafted into silt traps and planting pockets during obliteration 
South George Vegetation and Fuels Management Project - DEIS 

D-2 

4. The following BMP's are identified for the timber sale portion of the project, along with an estimation 

of the ability to implement them, as well as their anticipated effectiveness, timing and responsibility for 

monitoring. 

T-1 - Timber Sale Planning Process 

Estimates will be made on the potential changes to water quality and instream beneficial uses. 

Responsibility: Hydrologist and Fisheries Biologist 

Timing: Prior to activity 

Ability to Implement: High 

Effectiveness: High 

T-2 - Timber Harvest Unit Design 

Unit design will ensure favorable conditions of water flow, water quality, and fish habitat through 

PACFISH RHCAs. 

Responsibility: Hydrologist and Fisheries Biologist 

Timing: Prior to activity 

Ability to Implement: High 

Effectiveness: High 

T-4 - Use of Sale Area Maps for Designating Water Quality Protection Needs 

The Sale Area Map will include locations of streams to be protected and the required harvest method 

(ephemeral draws would be protected during forwarder route design, but not under the protected 

stream course provision). 

Responsibility: Presale Technician 

Timing: Prior to activity 

Ability to Implement: High 

Effectiveness: High 

T-10 - Log Landing Location 

Harvest plans will include proposed landing locations. Landing locations and size will be approved 

by the Forest Service in advance. 

Responsibility: Presale Technician and Sale Administrator 

Timing: Prior to and during activity 

Ability to Implement: High 

Effectiveness: High 

T-11 – Yarding and Skidding Trail Location and Design 

Harvest plans will include proposed yarding patterns. Trails will be approved in advance by Forest 

Service personel. 

 Responsibility: Presale Technician and Sale Administrator 

Timing: Prior to and during activity 

Ability to Implement: High 

Effectiveness: High 

T-12 - Suspended Log Yarding in Timber Harvesting 

Full suspension will occur where forwarder and helicopter logging is required and partial suspension 

will occur where skyline logging is required so as to create minimal soil disturbance. 

Responsibility: Presale Technician and Sale Administrator 

Timing: Prior to and during activity 

Ability to Implement: High 

Effectiveness: High 
South George Vegetation and Fuels Management Project - DEIS 

D-3 

T-13 - Erosion Prevention Measures During Timber Sale Operations 

Equipment shall not operate when ground conditions are susceptible to detrimental soil disturbances 

(not more than 15% of the logged area is permitted to have detrimental soil disturbance). Erosion 

control work will be kept current. 

Responsibility: Sale Administrator 

Timing: During activity 

Ability to Implement: High 

Effectiveness: High 

T-15 - Log Landing Erosion Prevention and Control 

The Forest Service will designate areas for landing scarification and erosion control seeding as well 

as any necessary water bars or other drainage structures. 

Responsibility: Sale Administrator 

Timing: During activity 

Ability to Implement: High 

Effectiveness: High 

T-18 - Erosion Control Structure Maintenance 

The Purchaser will provide maintenance of soil erosion control structures as required in the TSC. 

Responsibility: Sale Administrator 

Timing: During activity 

Ability to Implement: Moderate 

Effectiveness: High 

T-19 - Acceptance of Timber Sale Erosion Control Measures Before Sale Closure 

The effectiveness of erosion control measures will be evaluated periodically during the life of the 

sale. 

Responsibility: Sale Administrator and Hydrologist 

Timing: During activity 

Ability to Implement: High 

Effectiveness: High 

T-20 - Reforestation 

Suitable land will be reforested within five years of harvest. 

Responsibility: Reforestation Technician 

Timing: Prior to activity 

Ability to Implement: High 

Effectiveness: High 

T-21 - Servicing and Refueling of Equipment 

The Forest Service will designate refueling and servicing areas. A Spill Prevention Control and 

Countermeasures Plan is required if on site fuel storage exceeds 660 gallons in a single container or if 

total storage exceeds 1320 gallons. 

Responsibility: Sale Administrator 

Timing: During activity 

Ability to Implement: High 

Effectiveness: High 
South George Vegetation and Fuels Management Project - DEIS 

D-4 

R-1 - General Guidelines for the Location and Design of Roads 

Road reconstruction will assure design creates minimal resource damage. 

Responsibility: Engineering Technician 

Timing: Prior to activity 

Ability to Implement: High 

Effectiveness: High 

R-2 - Erosion Control Plan 

Limit erosion and sedimentation through effective planning and contract administration. 

Responsibility: Engineering Technician 

Timing: Prior to and during activity 

Ability to Implement: High 

Effectiveness: Moderate 

R-3 - Timing of Construction Activities 

Road reconstruction will occur during minimal runoff periods to minimize erosion 

 Responsibility: Engineering Technician 

 Timing: During activity 

 Ability to Implement: High 

Effectiveness: Moderate 

R-18 - Maintenance of Roads 

Ditches and culverts will be kept open and ruts repaired. 

Responsibility: Sale Administrator 

Timing: During activity 

Ability to Implement: High 

Effectiveness: High 

R-20 - Traffic Control During Wet Periods 

Haul and other associated traffic will be controlled when road damage is likely to occur due to 

road/weather conditions. 

Responsibility: Sale Administrator 

Timing: During activity 

Ability to Implement: High 

Effectiveness: High 

R-21 - Snow Removal Controls to Avoid Resource Damage 

Snow removal will assure water can drain from road prism before it develops enough energy to erode 

road surface or fill slopes. 

Responsibility: Sale Administrator 

Timing: During activity 

Ability to Implement: High 

Effectiveness: High 

R-22 - Restoration of Borrow Pits and Quarries 

Borrow Pits will be stabilized such that banks are stable and access road provides necessary drainage. 

Responsibility: Engineering Technician 

Timing: During activity 

Ability to Implement: High 

Effectiveness: High 
South George Vegetation and Fuels Management Project - DEIS 

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R-23 - Obliteration of temporary roads and landings 

Temporary roads and landings will be obliterated at the completion of their intended use to reduce 

chronic sediment sources and restore productivity. Effective obliteration is generally achieved 

through a combination of the following measures: temporary culverts and bridges removed and 

natural drainage configuration reestablished, road surface ripped, sideslopes reshaped and stabilized, 

road effectively drained and blocked, road returned to resource production through revegetation 

(grass, browse, or trees). 

Responsibility: Sale Administrator, with advice from hydrologist 

Timing: At the completion of activity 

Ability to Implement: High 

Effectiveness: High 

F-1 - Fire and Fuel Management Activies 

Activity related fuel will be managed to assure the risk of wildfire is not increased. The timber sale 

contract will be utilized to ensure that LRMP standards and guidelines for down woody material are 

met without necessitating additional impacts due to use of machinery. Some slash should be retained 

on the forwarder trails to reduce the chances of erosion, to trap sediment, and to provide nutrients to 

the soils for productivity. 

Responsibility: Fire Management Officer 

Timing: During activity 

Ability to Implement: High 

Effectiveness: High 

F-2 - Consideration of Water Quality in Formulating Prescribed Fire Prescriptions 

The prescribed fire plan will be developed to assure fire mortality does not exceed 10% of the tree 

canopy or remove effective ground cover from more than 20% of the burn area. Fire ignitions will 

not occur within RHCAs. 

Responsibility: Fire Management Officer 

Timing: Prior to activity 

Ability to Implement: High 

Effectiveness: High 

F-3 - Protection of Water Quality During Prescribed Fire Operations

The prescribed fire will follow the burn plan. Adjustments will be made during firing operations if 

objectives are not being met. 

Responsibility: Fire Management Officer 

Timing: Prior to and during activity 

Ability to Implement: High 

Effectiveness: High 

W-5 - Cumulative Watershed Effects 

To ensure that the additional effects of the proposed management activities, when added to the 

existing conditions, do not exceed thresholds of concern or result in adverse (degraded) water quality 

or channel/fish habitat conditions. 

Responsibility: Hydrologist 

Timing: Prior to activity 

Ability to Implement: High 

Effectiveness: High