California Code of Regulations › Title 14 - Natural Resources › Division 1.5 - Department of Forestry and Fire Protection › Chapter 4 - Forest Practices › Subchapter 6 - Southern Forest District Rules › Article 12 - Logging Roads, Landings, and Logging Road Watercourse Crossings › Section 963.7 - Maintenance and Monitoring of Logging Roads and Landings

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 28, July 12, 2024
The following maintenance and monitoring standards shall
						apply to Logging Roads and Landings:
(a) Logging Road and Landing surfaces shall
					 be monitored and maintained during Timber Operations and throughout the
					 Prescribed Maintenance Period to ensure Hydrologic Disconnection from
					 Watercourses and Lakes to the extent Feasible, minimize soil erosion and
					 sediment transport, and to prevent Significant Sediment Discharge.
(b) Logging Roads that are used in connection
					 with Stocking activities shall be maintained throughout such use, even if this
					 extends beyond the Prescribed Maintenance Period.
(c) During Timber Operations, road running
					 surfaces in the Logging Area shall be treated as necessary to prevent excessive
					 loss of road surface materials by methods including, but not limited to,
					 rocking, watering, paving, chemically treating, or installing commercial
					 Erosion Control devices to manufacturer's specifications.
(d) Grading of Logging Roads or Landings to
					 obtain a drier running surface more than one time before reincorporation of any
					 resulting Berms back into the road surface is prohibited.
(e) Drainage Facilities and drainage
					 structures, including associated necessary protective structures, shall be
					 maintained to allow free flow of water, and minimize soil erosion and slope
					 instability. Drainage Facilities and structures shall be repaired, replaced, or
					 installed as needed to protect the quality and Beneficial Uses of
					 water.
(f) Soil stabilization
					 treatments on Logging Road or Landing cuts, Fills, and Sidecast shall be
					 maintained as needed to reduce the potential for slope instability, minimize
					 soil erosion and sediment transport, and to prevent Significant Sediment
					 Discharge.
(g) Heavy equipment
					 shall not be used in a WLPZ for maintenance during wet weather, except in
					 emergencies to protect the road, to reduce erosion, to protect water quality,
					 or in response to public safety needs.
(h) Where there is evidence of Significant
					 Sediment Discharge along a Logging Road or Landing used for Timber Operations,
					 additional measures shall be implemented to minimize soil erosion and sediment
					 transport, and to prevent Significant Sediment Discharge.
(i) The Prescribed Maintenance Period for
					 Erosion Controls on Logging Roads and associated Landings and drainage
					 structures, including appurtenant, abandoned, and deactivated Logging Roads and
					 Landings, shall be at least one year. The Director may prescribe a maintenance
					 period extending up to three years in accordance with
					 14 CCR
					 §
												1050.
(j) In Watersheds with Listed Anadromous
					 Salmonids and in Planning Watersheds immediately upstream of, and contiguous
					 to, any watershed with listed anadromous salmonids, the Prescribed Maintenance
					 Period for deactivated or Abandoned Roads shall be one year unless otherwise
					 prescribed by the Director pursuant to
					 14 CCR
					 §
												1050. The Prescribed Maintenance
					 Period for Logging Roads and associated Landings, including Appurtenant Roads,
					 shall be three years.
(k) All
					 Logging Roads, including abandoned, deactivated, and Appurtenant Roads,
					 Landings, and associated drainage structures used for Timber Operations shall
					 be monitored as needed to comply with
					 14 CCR
					 §
												1050. Monitoring inspections shall be
					 conducted, when access is Feasible during the Prescribed Maintenance Period, a
					 sufficient number of times during the Extended Wet Weather Period, particularly
					 after large winter storm events and at least once annually, to evaluate the
					 function of Drainage Facilities and structures. The Department shall also
					 conduct monitoring inspections at least once during the Prescribed Maintenance
					 Period to assess Logging Road and Landing conditions.
(1) Inspections shall include checking
					 Drainage Facilities and structures for evidence of downcutting, plugging,
					 overtopping, loss of function, and sediment delivery to Class I, II, or III
					 Watercourses and Lakes. If evidence of sediment delivery or potential sediment
					 delivery is present, and the implementation of Feasible corrective measures
					 could reduce the potential for Significant Sediment Discharge, such additional
					 measures shall be implemented when Feasible.
(2) Inspections conducted pursuant to
					 California Regional Water Quality Control Board requirements may be used to
					 satisfy the inspection requirements of this section.