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Vantage to Pomona Heights Chapter 3
<br />230 kV Transmission Line Project FEIS Affected Environment
<br />PAGE 3-8
<br />Federal and WSDOT lands were considered inaccessible if there was restricted access on the JBLM YTC,
<br />safety issues (e.g., near the interstate), access issues crossing private lands, dangerously steep terrain, and
<br />other logistic concerns. Portions of route segments and the majority of the Route Segment Manastash
<br />Ridge Subroute (MR-1) were not surveyed because of route adjustments that were made following
<br />completion of the surveys. The noxious weed surveys occurred June 22-29, 2011 and May 13-20, 2013;
<br />any additional noxious weeds observed during the special status plant surveys were also documented
<br />(May 16-25 and August 8-10, 2011; and July 27, 2013). State and county-listed noxious weeds
<br />documented during the 2011 and 2013 noxious weed survey are presented in Table 3.2-2.
<br />Noxious weeds within the Project study area are scattered and patchy in distribution, with the exception
<br />of burningbush (Bassia scoparia) which was ubiquitous and often the most dominant plant in the
<br />community across most accessible federal lands (Table 3.2-2). Many of the areas where noxious weeds
<br />were documented during the Project-specific survey were associated with disturbance. The larger
<br />infestations were primarily associated with roads, JBLM YTC’s fire break, and areas with past fire events.
<br />The Noxious Weed Reports are included in their entirety in Appendix B-4.
<br />Several invasive plant species that do not have designation as a noxious weed were also found within the
<br />Project study area; the most prevalent was cheatgrass. Cheatgrass is an invasive annual grass native to
<br />Europe that can significantly alter native sagebrush steppe communities through competition and an
<br />increase in wildland fire frequency (Billings 1994). In some locations, cheatgrass can become so dense
<br />that few perennial grasses or shrub species are present (Mosley et al. 1999). Refer to Section 3.12 -
<br />Wildland Fire Ecology and Management, for more information on cheatgrass and fire cycles.
<br />Table 3.2-2 Noxious Weeds Species Documented in Project Area
<br />SPECIES NAME LEGAL NOXIOUS STATUS1 LOCATION OF SPECIES (ROUTE SEGMENT)
<br />TOTAL NUMBER
<br />OF OCCURRENCES
<br />TOTAL ACRES
<br />DOCUMENTED WITHIN ROW3 WASHINGTON COUNTY2
<br />Russian knapweed
<br />Acroptilon repens Class B B, G, K, Y 3b, NNR-2, NNR-3 15 5.4
<br />Burningbush4
<br />Bassia scoparia
<br />(=Kochia scoparia)
<br />Class B B, G
<br />1b, 1c, 3b, 3c, NNR-2,
<br />NNR-4, NNR-5, NNR-7,
<br />NNR-8
<br />- -
<br />Hoary cress
<br />Cardaria draba
<br />(=Lepidium draba)
<br />Class C G, K 1b, NNR-5 6 0.1
<br />Spiny plumeless thistle
<br />Carduus acanthoides Class B G NNR-5 1 <0.1
<br />Diffuse knapweed
<br />Centaurea diffusa Class B B, G, K, Y
<br />1b, 1c, 2b, 3b, 3c, NNR-2,
<br />NNR-3, NNR-4, NNR-5,
<br />NNR-8
<br />66 65.7
<br />Rush skeletonweed
<br />Chondrilla juncea Class B B, G, K, Y 3c 1 <0.1
<br />Canada thistle
<br />Cirsium arvense Class C B, G, K 1b, 3b, 3c, NNR-2, NNR-5 14 2.7
<br />Bull thistle
<br />Cirsium vulgare Class C B, G, K NNR-5 2 <0.1
<br />Field bindweed
<br />Convolvulus arvensis Class C G, K 2b, 3b, NNR-2, NNR-8 5 0.1
<br />Horseweed
<br />Conyza canadensis Class C K 3c, NNR-2 2 6.3
<br />Russian olive5
<br />Elaeagnus angustifolia Class C G 3b, 3c - -
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