Note: Severe: a problem where there is substantial or nearly complete interference with recreational opportunities or other desired uses of the water--where physical or chemical character of the stream, lake, or reservoir has been severely changed, resulting in a substantial alteration of fish or invertebrate populations.

Moderate: a problem which interferes with the desired uses of the water body or interferes with the normal life history or composition of aquatic populations.

Sources: ODEQ 1978

VEGETATION

data are drawn from that source or from data prepared in the Medford District. Common names are used where possible for all plants discussed in this section. In some cases, such as several of the endangered plants, no common names exist, and therefore scientific names were used in the text. A complete list of common and scientific names for all plants discussed is available upon request.

Major vegetation zones within the planning area are the Interior Valleys Zone, the Mixed Conifers Zone, and the White Fir Zone.

2.7.1 Interior Valleys Zone

This zone consists of the lowlands and valley bottoms enclosed by the Siskiyou (Klamath) Mountains. Plant communities include grasslands, oak woodlands, evergreen shrub lands (sometimes called chaparral), and scattered conifer forests. The occurrence of these communities is dependent upon temperature, moisture, and soil factors. Each of these plant communities is described in

Grassland communities generally occur on low elevation foothills and steep, south facing slopes. The dominant grass is Idaho fescue. Bluebunch wheatgrass, prairie junegrass, and pine bluegrass are common. Alaska oniongrass and mountain brome are frequently found are frequently found on more moist sites in the foothills. Other commonly occurring grasses include blue wildrye, western fescue, California fescue, California oatgrass, and Canada bluegrass. A wide variety of forbs are present including Collomia spp., Brodiaea spp., bedstraw, Lomatium spp., dusty pink, western yarrow, coyote mint, and common woolly sunflower (Hickman 1976).

2.7.1.2 Oak Woodlands

The Interior Valleys Zone is characterized by forest stands, groves, and savannas dominated by the deciduous Oregon white oak, California black oak, and the evergreen Pacific madrone. Typical shrubby species, though occurring infrequently, include Pacific poison oak, California honeysuckle, white-leaved manzanita, and birchleaf mountain mahogany (Hickman 1976). The grasses and forbs growing beneath the oaks are similar to those found in the open grasslands. On more moist sites and northeast slopes, Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, and incense-cedar penetrate the oak canopy. On drier sites, the oak canopy decreases and annual grasses and forbs increase. South and southwest slopes are commonly grasslands with only a few scattered oaks or none at all.

Numerous evergreen shrub communities occur within the Interior Valleys Zone. Some of these chaparral communities are climax, whereas others are maintained by recurring fires. Predominant species include deerbrush, Pacific poison oak, skunkbrush sumac, white-leaved manzanita, hoary manzanita, curlleaf mountain mahogany, pale serviceberry, and whitestem gray rabbitbrush. The understory is dominated by Idaho fescue. A variety of forbs such as Brodiaea spp., bedstraw, and Collomia spp. are also present (Hickman 1976).

2.7.1.4 Conifer Forests

The composition of coniferous stands in the interior valleys of the planning area include Douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, sugar pine, and incense-cedar. Waring (1969) recognized a ponderosa pine type that occurs in those portions of the planning area which are within the eastern Siskiyou Mountains. Steep slopes of south or southwestern exposure support a xeric ponderosa pine type with Douglas-fir, Pacific madrone, and sometimes white fir growing in association with ponderosa pine. Typical understory species include whiteleaved manzanita, green manzanita pine-mat manzanita, western yarrow, Canada goldenrod, low dogbane, and various species of lupine.

2.7.2 Mixed Conifers Zone

The Mixed Conifers Zone occupies mid-elevations in the southwestern Oregon Cascade Range and eastern Siskiyou Mountains (Waring 1969). It is bounded by the Interior Valleys Zone at its lower limit and by the White Fir Zone at its upper limit.

Major tree species in this zone are Douglas-fir, sugar pine, ponderosa pine, incense-cedar, and white fir, with Douglas-fir the most abundant. The white fir, as discussed here, is part of the grand fir-white fir species complex common in southwestern Oregon. Some populations of trees resemble grand fir while others resemble white fir. In this statement both species are referred to as white fir.

Sugar pine and ponderosa pine usually occur as scattered individuals. The proportion of incense-cedar is greatest on the drier sites. White fir is often present mainly as seedlings and saplings in existing mixedconifer stands. Other typical tree species include bigleaf maple, Pacific yew, golden chinkapin, and Pacific madrone. Characteristic understory species include California hazel, creambush oceanspray, creeping snowberry, trailing blackberry, and baldhip rose.

VEGETATION

2.7.3 White Fir Zone

This zone occupies a relatively narrow elevational band, occurring at about 4,600 to 5,200 feet in the Cascade Range and 5,400 to 5,900 feet in the eastern Siskiyou Mountains.

White fir is the major tree species within this zone, often forming pure or nearly pure stands. The most common associate is Douglas-fir. Sugar pine, ponderosa pine and western white pine may also be present in small numbers. Incense-cedar is often found on moderately moist sites. Shasta red fir is increasingly common toward the upper limit of the zone. Lodgepole pine is encountered as a pioneer species in the Cascade Range.

Characteristic understory species include creambush oceanspray, baldhip rose, Oregon grape, California hazel, Rocky Mountain maple, trailing blackberry, snow dewberry, Saskatoon serviceberry, and golden chinkapin.

2.7.4 Other Significant Vegetation Areas

2.7.4.1 Ponderosa Pine Zone

Ponderosa pine forests occupy a narrow band along the breaks of the Klamath River. At their upper limits these forests grade into the White Fir Zone. To the east of the Chicken Hills and south of Soda Mountain they abut a white oak/wedge leaf association with scattered juniper.

Specific habitat within this zone support western juniper, quaking aspen, lodgepole pine, and Oregon white oak. Commonly found shrubs include deerbrush, narrow-leaved buckbrush, and bitterbrush. Perennial grasses include bluebunch wheatgrass, blue wildrye, Idaho fescue, prairie junegrass, various bluegrasses, bottlebrush squirrel-tail, and Columbia needlegrass. The most common annual grasses are cheatgrass brome, medusa-head wildrye, ripgut brome, and California brome.

2.7.4.2 Serpentine Soils

Serpentine areas in this discussion are habitats with soils low in calcium and high in magnesium, chromium, and nickel. They are characterized by unusual plant communities, and vegetation is invariably stunted in comparison with that on adjacent nonserpentine soils.

The outstanding feature of serpentine sites is the Jeffrey pine/grass/ woodland which occupies the driest serpentine sites between 1,000 and 6,500 feet in elevation. Jeffrey pine is typically the only tree species present, along with a sparse growth of grasses (e.g., lemon needle grass, big squirreltail, Geyer oniongrass, blue wildrye, and sheep fescue, and an occasional white-leaved manzanita,

Serpentine areas intermediate in elevation and moisture are typified by a sparse, dry appearance and are dominated by a mixture of Douglas-fir, incensecedar, Jeffrey pine, western white pine, sugar pine, and knobcone pine. Associated with these trees is evergreen brush including huckleberry oak, tanoak, red huckleberry, box-leaved garrya, and Oregon myrtle.

A community type consisting of Port-Orford-Cedar/western white pine/Douglas-fir with a dense, shrubby understory occupies serpentine areas in ravines and draws. Higher elevation serpentine areas may support forests dominated by white fir, Douglas-fir and western white pine. Common beargrass and pine-mat manzanita dominate the understory.

Common serpentine indicator plants include Jeffrey pine, podfern, dwarf ceanothus, common woolly sun-flower, and small-flowered willowweed.

2.7.4.3 Streamside (Riparian) Vegetation

Oregon ash is a very characteristic species of streamside habitats in the interior valleys as well as in the adjacent, higher elevation forest zones within the planning area. Bigleaf maple also commonly occurs. Understories may be composed of herbaceous types, particularly sedges or dense shrubs.

2.7.4.4 Aquatic Vegetation

The predominant aquatic plant habitats on BLM lands within the JKS YUS include reservoirs, streams, rivers, seeps, and springs.

In streams and other moving waters two major habitat zones are generally evident: the rapids zone and the pool zone. The rapids zone is usually shallow water where the speed of the current is great enough to keep the bottom clear of silt and other loose materials, thus providing a firm bottom. This zone is occupied largely by specialized rooted or clinging plants.

The pool zone is generally deeper water with a reduced current; silt and other loose materials tend to settle here, providing a soft bottom. Rooted plants are not generally found in the deeper pools, but do grow around the edges in areas of shallow water.

In small streams, plankton originates in ponds or backwaters connected with streams and is carried downstream, being reduced as it passes through rapids. Only in slow-moving portions of streams and in the larger Klamath, Applegate and Rogue Rivers is plankton able to grow and multiply.

Permanently attached plants often found in streams and rivers include algae, encrusting diatoms, and mosses.

Seeps and springs are numerous and widespread in the JKS YUS. The plant communities associated with seeps and springs seem to be in a steady state