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n!'",', ':l r: 'l t]..) :.. o,.J oJ J Impacts from Salellble Minerals Management. Surface disturbance from mineral material disposal would increase erosion and sediment production, and decrease soil productivity. Operations in close proximity to perennial water courses would have the potential effect of destabilizing and altering natural stream channels and disrupting the beneficial values of floodplains. Springtime seasonal stipulations in this alternative for this activity would lessen potential impacts by eliminating vehicle use and disturbance in wet areas. Impacts from Riparian Zone Management. Managing riparian areas to improve conditions, and to enhance natural values, especially by implementing projects designed to improve streaID hydrologic functions, would result in improved stream channel stability, water quality and quantity, and streamflow duration. Impacts from Special Status Plant and Animal Species and Habitat Management. Stipulations in this alternative aimed at controlling surface- disturbing activities, such as mineral material disposal and rights-of-way construction, would minimi.. accelerated sediment yields and prevent degradation to local surface water quality conditioDS. Impacts from Wildlife Habitat Management. Vegetation treatments and other wildlife management actions designed to increase shrub densities and otherwise improve habitat quality on uplands and to protect, restore, and enhance riparian areas would result in improved hydrologic, soil erosion, and watershed conditions on these areas. Impacts from Livestock Grazing Management. Implementing range readiness criteria, total forage utiJization levels, and minimum stubble heights would result in planning area-wide improvements in general watershed and hydrologic conditions, stream channel stability and soil erosion rates. Short-term sediment yield increases expected from vegetation treatments would be more than offset by the new available forage being used first to satisfy watershed objectives. PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE(E) IMPACTS Managing 320 acres of public land in the Wildcat Creek drainage as unavailable for livestock grazing would help maintain and protect the water quality of Crested Butte. Developing new, or relocating existing water sources to reduce livestock utilization in riparian areas would result in 10caIized hydrologic and soil conditions being improved. Impacts from Forest Management. Harvests of forest products and associated road construction would increase sediment production and soil compaction and erosion. Limiting road construction in riparian areas would maintain the existing soil and hydrologic conditions. Erosion control objectives and mitigating measures required in all timber harvest activity would reduce sediment production and soil compaction and erosion, and nther impacts to water quality and hydrology. Requiring riparian values to be maintained during timber harvests would prevent additional disturbance, and allow existing soil and hydrologic functions to be maintained. Impacts from Recreation Management. Sediment yields and erosion rates would be reduced as a result of 9,923 fewer acres that would be open to OHV use and 5,066 more acres on which OHV use would be limited to designated routes. Impacts from Transportation and Access. Acquiring access into 12 areas for better resource management would indirectly improve soil and hydrologic conditions. Some increase in sediment yield would occur if these actions result in new road construction or extraordinary improvement or maintenance of existing roads. Impacts from Rights-of-Way Management. Excluding rights-of-way development on 51,406 acres, identifying 85,387 acres as avoidance areas, and seasonally restricting rights-of-way construction on 155,870 acres would result in accelerated erosion and sediment yields being minim;7.ed. Impacts from Areas of Critical Environmental Concern. Limitations to surface-disturbing activities as a result of special management attention for 4-57