National Forests in North Carolina Pisgah National Forest Appalachian Ranger District Burnsville Station

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1 United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service National Forests in North Carolina Pisgah National Forest Appalachian Ranger District Burnsville Station PO Box 128 US Bypass 19 Burnsville, NC File Code: 1900 Date: May 28, 2009 Dear Interested Members of the Public and Forest Users: The Locust Creek and Colbert Creek areas are in the Hamrick community, South Toe River drainage, Yancey County, North Carolina and are popular with recreationists and Forest visitors (see Figure 1, vicinity map). The Hamrick community is within Forest Plan Management Area 3B and has two Forest Service Roads (FSR) that provide access for various uses: the Locust Creek Road (FSR 239) and the Colbert s Creek Road (FSR 5523). Analysis Area Figure 1: General Vicinity Caring for the Land and Serving People Printed on Recycled Paper

2 Hamrick Area Access Management 2 PROPOSAL The Appalachian Ranger District is proposing to: Close the 2.2 mile Colbert s Creek system road to year-round vehicle use with a gate just past the parking area the first approximately ¼ mile of the road would continue to serve as a hiking/equestrian trail Decommission/obliterate the 1.3 mile portion of the Colbert s Creek non-system road Improve/repair stream crossings and slumps/slides along the Colbert s Creek system and non-system road sections where water quality and aquatic habitat are being adversely impacted Open the Locust Creek Road to year-round vehicle use Close and decommission the first dispersed campsite past the first gate on the Locust Creek Road The Colbert s Creek Road would remain closed year-round until additional evaluation of impacts and costs are completed. Based on the Forest Hydrologist s review, it is expected that the road would need to be outsloped, have rolling dips installed and gravel placed along it prior to the gate being opened. Existing Condition The Colbert s Creek Road is accessed from NC State Road The road provides year-round access to its terminus and its initial ¼ mile also serves as a multi-use hiking and horseback riding trail. About 2.2 miles are system road and receive periodic road maintenance, the remaining 1.3 miles are non-system road and do not receive road maintenance. There are current impacts to aquatic/hydrologic resources due to slumps, slides, stream crossings, and potential impacts from petroleum products due to vehicles damaged by large exposed rocks and boulders in the road prism (see enclosed digital images). There is also unauthorized off-highway-vehicle (OHV) use occurring on both the system and non-system road sections. The Locust Creek Road is accessed from North Carolina (NC) State Road 80 and requires members of the public to cross private land (with permission of the landowners) for about ½ mile to the National Forest System (NFS) lands boundary. The road is closed by two gates: the first gate is at the NFS boundary and is opened seasonally (generally between about April 15 th through December 31 st ); the second gate is about two miles further up the road and closes the road from that point to its terminus year-round. The proposal is located within Forest Plan Compartments 28 & 29. About one mile of the Colbert s Creek system road is located within the Balsam Cone inventoried roadless area (IRA) and all of the non-system section of this road is within the IRA. The western side of the Locust Creek Road abuts the IRA. PURPOSE AND NEED There is a need to ensure existing uses do not degrade water quality and aquatic habitat of Colbert s Creek. The purpose of closing the Colbert s Creek Road with a gate year-round and decommissioning/obliterating the non-system section is to reduce the potential for erosion and sedimentation as well as petroleum products from vehicles to reach streams. There is a need to ensure access to the Hamrick area is maintained. The purpose of opening the Locust Creek Road year-round is to off-set closing the Colbert s Creek Road year-round. The

3 Hamrick Area Access Management 3 Locust Creek Road is currently in a condition that can sustain year-round vehicle access and the Colbert s Creek Road cannot sustain year-round vehicle access. There is a need to ensure existing uses do not degrade water quality and aquatic habitat of Locust Creek. The purpose of closing and decommissioning the first dispersed campsite past the first gate on the Locust Creek Road is to reduce the potential for erosion and sedimentation to reach streams. OTHER I will be closing the Colbert s Creek Road immediately pursuant to 36 Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) 220.6(d)(1). I am proposing to close it long-term and open the Locust Creek Road year-round following issuance of an environmental assessment and decision notice later this year. Pursuant to Forest Service Manual 7710, a roads analysis will be completed and disclosed with the environmental assessment prior to a decision being made. I have attached digital images of sections of the Colbert s Creek Road both the system and non-system segments to display some of the resource concerns I have with the current condition of it. To reduce printing and mailing costs, the digitals are in black and white. To review this document with color digitals please access the Forest s website: I am interested in hearing from you about my proposed changes in access management for these roads. Please return your comments to me by June 29, Comments may be mailed to: Appalachian Ranger District, ATTN. District Ranger, PO Box 127, Burnsville, NC, or ed to: comments-southern-north-carolina-pisgah-appalachian@fs.fed.us. I appreciate your continued interest in management of the Pisgah National Forest. /s/tina Tilley TINA R. TILLEY District Ranger Enclosure

4 Hamrick Area Access Management 4 Figure 2: Hamrick Area Access Management Map

5 Hamrick Area Access Management 5 Creek Figure 3: FSR 5523 System Road Stream Crossing Figure 4: FSR 5523 System Road Undercarriage Damage Figure 5: FSR 5523 Non-System Road User-developed Stabilization with slide to the Right Creek Overflow Figure 6: FSR 5523 Non-System Road Stream Crossing