JUN i 5 ?nm & Aoi\pu\a*Dep<trtn\ei\t of TisHi'/Wildtife (Si ‘ParK§ March 20, 1995 1420 East Sixth Avenue P.O. Box 200701 Helena, MT 59620-0701 Environmental Quality Council, Capitol Building, Helena 59620 Director's Office, Dept, of Health and Environmental Sciences Montana Dept, of Fish, Wildlife and Parks Resource Assessment Regional Offices State Historic Preservation Office, Montana Historical Society State Library Jim Jensen, Montana Environmental Information Center, P.O. Box 1184, Helena, Montana 59624 Janet Ellis, Montana Audubon Council, P.O.Box 595, Helena, MT 59624 George Ochenski, Government Affairs and Consulting, P.O. Box 689, Helena, Montana 59624 Montana Wildlife Federation, P.O. Box 1175, Helena, Montana 59624 Ladies and Gentlemen: The enclosed Environmental Assessment (EA) has been prepared for the Big Spring Creek Fishing Access Site acquisition and development. The scope of the proposed project has been determined to be sufficient to initiate the H.B.495 (Section 23-1-110, MCA) process. Both the Montana Environmental Policy Act and H.B. 495 report considerations are included in the following document. The specific items required in H.B. 495 are identified on the EA checklist and addressed in the comments of those respective sections. Any questions or comments on this project should be addressed to the undersigned by April 30, 1995. STATE DOCUMENTS COLLECTION Bruce J. Rehwinkel JUL 1 1 1995 Fisheries Division MDFW&P MONTANA STATE LIBRARY (406) 444-2432 1515 E. 6th AVE. HELENA, MONTANA 59620 Enclosures DEPARTMENT OF FISH, WILDLIFE AND PARKS 1420 E 6th Ave, PO Box 200701 Helena, MT 59620-0701 (406) 444-2535 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Project Title Acquisition of Big Spring Creek Fishing Access Division/Bureau FISHERIES DIVISION Description of Project The Department is proposing to purchase 46 acres on Big Springs Creek. This parcel is less than one mile northwest of Lewistown. The property is being proposed as a Fishing Access Site. POTENTIAL IMPACT ON PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT COMMENTS ON ATTACHED MAJOR MODERATE MINOR NONE UNKNOWN PAGES 1. Terrestrial & aquatic X X life and habitats 2. Water quality, quantity X X & distribution 3. Geology & soil quality, X X stability & moisture 4. Vegetation cover, X X quantity & quality 5. Aesthetics X X 6. Air quality X 7. Unique, endangered, X H.B. 495 fragile, or limited site environmental resources capacity 8. Demands on environmental X H.B. 495 resources of land, water, resource air & energy demands 9. Historical & X H.B. 495 archaeological sites site features . ai • . ; . ' ‘ POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON HUMAN ENVIRONMENT COMMENTS ON ATTACHED MAJOR MODERATE MINOR NONE UNKNOWN PAGES 1. Social structures & X mores 2. Cultural uniqueness X & diversity 3. Local & state tax X base & tax revenue 4. Agricultural or X X industrial production 5. Human health X 6. Quantity & X distribution of community & personal income 7. Access to & quality X X . of recreational and wilderness activities 8. Quantity & X distribution of employment 9. Distribution & X density of population & housing 10. Demands for X H.B. 495 government services maintenance 11. Industrial & X X commercial activity 12. Demands for energy X 13. Locally adopted X environmental plans & goals 14. Transportation X networks & traffic flows 15. Site Specific x H.B. 495 Modification System Wide Other groups or agencies contacted or which may have overlapping jurisdiction Soil Conservation Service. Dept, of Health & Environmental Sciences Individuals or groups contributing to this EA STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE. MDFWP Recommendation concerning preparation of EIS No EIS required, EA prepared by Bruce J. Rehwinkel : Date: March 20 1995 , Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2017 with funding from Montana State Library s https://archive.org/details/environmentalas1995mont_5 . ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ACQUISITION AND DEVELOPMENT OF A FISHING ACCESS SITE NEAR LEWISTOWN Prepared by Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks March 20, 1995 General Purpose? The 1977 Montana Legislature enacted statute 87- 1-605 which directs the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks (MDFWP) to acquire, develop and operate a system of fishing accesses. The legislation established an earmarked funding account to ensure that this function would be accomplished. Acquisition and development of a site on Big Spring Creek will assure public access to this top quality fishery forever. I. DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED ACTION A. Location of the Property The proposed Fishing Access Site is located on approximately 38 acres of property in Township 15 North, Range 18 East, Section 9 (Fergus County) . The most commonly used travel route is to use the Lewistown City streets to move to the most northwest city limits. At that point, continue out of town on the county road that passes the Berg sawmill. The property is immediately north and adjacent to the Berg sawmill property. Road access is via the same road used by Julius Tresch for residential access. See Appendix A for a general map of the area. B. Need for the Action The total estimated fishing pressure in Montana for 1993 was 2,300,763 angler days. The Fishing Access Site program currently has 312 sites distributed across the state in all major drainages. This program is an essential component of fisheries management in Montana because a large percentage of the angler use is achieved through these sites. The estimated fishing pressure on Big Spring Creek between the headwaters and the mouth of Cottonwood Creek is 6,920 angler days per year. This reach of Big Spring Creek is 17.6 miles long. The angling pressure averages 393 days per mile per year. Approximately 90% of the angling use on this stream is by Montana residents . . ?£ i ' . . . . - - 2 Big Spring. Creek is really not large enough to be easily and safely floated (the stream is crossed by many fences) The creek . is usually bank full with deep, fast water and is considered a very difficult stream to wade. Bank fishing appears to be the most feasible angling approach. This style of fishing requires more and closer access points to allow anglers to legally walk above the normal high water mark to access fishing spots. Traditionally, landowners along Big Spring Creek have granted anglers access for the asking. However, Lewistown appears to be growing in population and experiencing substantial demand for recreational property. The Department is concerned about the continued fishing opportunity on private lands along Big Spring Creek Public operated sites periodically positioned along Big Spring Creek should assure the angling public continued opportunity. At present, the Department has three Fishing Access Sites on the creek. Two of these sites are located above Lewistown (Brewery Flats and Kramlich) The third site is Hruska and is downstream . (at Stilson Bridge) from this proposed acquisition. C. Scope of the Acquisition and Development Acquisition of the approximate 46 acre property adjacent to Big Spring Creek is being proposed for incorporation into the Department's Fishing Access Site program. Acquisition of this property is intended to provide public access for walk-in bank anglers. The acquisition of this property will eventually require the following: Boundary fencing will be necessary to allow the riparian 1) vegetation to recover from extended season-long livestock grazing. The outside perimeter distance of the proposed acquisition is approximately 1.25 miles. 2) Sawdust excavation and parking area construction is needed in the northwest corner (adjacent to old railroad grade) of the parcel. This location is preferred for parking area construction since almost no road would need to be built. If the chosen location is selected, valuable riparian will not have to be destroyed to provide parking sites. The sawdust fill that exists in the area adjacent to the railroad grade is approximately 400 feet long and 100 feet wide. The sawdust is between 8 and 10 feet deep. Sampling done for the environmental review indicated that the liquid found at the bottom of this fill had not moved vertically in the soil column due to clay soils in the area. The liquid was analyzed and found to be the result of natural breakdown of wood waste. w . . . _ ' : . '