| Water quality and logging roads in the Applegate River Watershed
Many of the tributaries of the Applegate River (that still support struggling salmon and steelhead populations) located below the Applegate dam have been listed as “water quality limited” under the Clean Water Act due to chronic sediment produced by the vast network of logging roads. The Forest Service is beginning the process of “right-sizing” this network of logging roads and improving water quality through the Applegate River-McKee Bridge Legacy Roads Project. Please take advantage of this window of opportunity to advocate that the Forest Service secure Legacy Roads Initiative funds necessary to improve the water quality and salmon habitat in the Beaver Creek and Palmer Creek tributaries of the Applegate River by closing and decommissioning unnecessary logging roads. Since both Beaver Creek and Palmer Creek are designated as “key watersheds” for salmon recovery under the Northwest Forest Plan, please send an automatic letter below urging the Forest Service to implement Alternative B in the Legacy Roads Project Environmental Assessment. Alternative B would better reduce the Forest’s daunting road maintenance backlog, reduce sediment that is limiting salmon production, and improve the health of riparian reserves in these key watersheds. Click here to use KS Wild’s automated letter option. Thank you, Shane Jimerfield |