Sierra Pacific Industries to clearcut log on steep and unstable slopes NE of Lake Oroville.

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THP 2-14-012 BUT (Midrock THP) Sierra Pacific Industries, 808 acres; 66% clearcut, 26% fuelbreak, 8% selection, misc roadside logging.  Upper Fall River, Rock Creek, Upper Sucker Run, Middle Fall River (MD: T20N R7E Sec.2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 15, 16, 21; T21N R7E Sec.9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 34, 35, 36; T21N R8E Sec.18, 19, 30, 31).  Winter operations, high erosion hazard, steep slopes up to 70%, landslide terrain, road failures sites, 51 road drainage work sites, impaired 303.d watershed, oversized units, herbicides, 11 CA spotted owls within 1 mi, 5 sensitive plant species, scattered large trees.  Estimated public comment deadline: 05/03/14. VIEW

This THP is about 15 miles NE of Lake Oroville and about 5 miles NE of the town of Feather Falls, CA at an elevation of 2,800 to 4,750 feet.  Sierra Pacific Industries is planning a mostly clearcut tractor and cable logging operation on steep and unstable slopes in white fir, Douglas fir, sugar pine, ponderosa pine and incense cedar forests.  There are 8 road failure sites including fill slope and cut bank failures along roads and several skid trail related failures, and multiple landslide terrain features including hummocky ground, steep streamside slopes, steep scarps, and disrupted ground.  SPI is planning to use a tractor road inside a class II watercourse, a skid road between a class II and class III watercourse, and 2 tractor roads inside a class II and class III watercourse.  They also want to be able to build temporary roads less than 500 feet without prior designation on THP maps.  51 road drainage sites are planned for work including rocking, dip construction, culvert repair/replacement and road bed stabilization.  Upswept moonwort was found .22 mi SW of unit 25; Mildred’s clarkia was found in unit 27, within a plantation adjacent to unit 26, and in sections 14 and 23; Mosquin’s clarkia was found in units 26, 18 and 20, and in section 30; Coleman’s piper was found in units 27 and 29; and obtuse starwort was found in section 22, .15 mi SE of unit 25. More information is available on the THP Tracking Center website.
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