Dames & Moore, 1999 - USDA Forest Service

Salamanders
Both of the survey and manage salamanders, Van Dyke's (Plethodon vandykei) and Larch Mountain
(Plethodon larselli) salamanders, are rare terrestrial salamanders with patchy distributions. The current
range for Van Dyke's salamander includes the Olympic Mountains, the southern Cascades, and the
Willapa Hills. This salamander is considered the most aquatic of the Plethodon genus. Suitable habitat
includes the splash zones of creeks, streams, or falls, the undersides of rocks or logs, and seepages over
talus slopes on moss-covered, north-facing slopes (Leonard et al. 1993). The Larch Mountain salamander
has been found in the Columbia River Gorge area and the Central Cascades (Blaustein 1995). This
species generally inhabits steep forested and non-forested talus slopes, and has also been found in non-
talus areas underneath large woody debris. If either of these salamander species were found in the
Railroad Creek watershed, the siting would represent an extension of their range.
Although the Holden Mine Site is beyond the current range of the survey and manage salamanders,
potential habitat does exist here, especially along Railroad Creek for Van Dyke's salamander and on the
steep north-facing slopes of the valley for the Larch Mountain salamander. The tailings piles which
intersect the Creek and the tailings deposits on the north-facing slope do not contain suitable habitat for
either species of survey and manage salamander. During the September 1997 opportunistic surveys for
amphibians upstream and downstream of the tailings, a long-toed salamander larva was observed
upstream, but no amphibians were found in downstream reaches of the Creek.
Mollusks
Table 4.6-13 presents the USFS survey and manage component 2 mollusk species with the potential to be
found in the Railroad Creek watershed and the Holden Mine Site.
All of these survey and manage mollusk species, with the exception of the masked duskysnail, are
identified as old growth associates, and all are riparian associates. In general, the land species require
some'deciduous leaf litter, although many are found in old coniferous forests. Three of these species, the
Chelan mountain snail, papillose tail-dropper, and masked duskysnail are known to occur in the
Wenatchee National Forest. Masked dusky snails are possibly found in the Railroad Creek watershed in
small pools associated with the creek. Surveys in the Wenatchee National Forest, Chelan Ranger District
are required for projects which may impact the habitat of these species.
Potential habitat for these survey and manage mollusk species is found primarily upstream and
downstream of the mine in the moist microhabitats of the mixed deciduous and coniferous forest areas
near and in the Railroad Creek riparian area. Survey and manage mollusks are unlikely to be found where
the tailings piles are located. Specific surveys for survey and manage mollusks were not conducted
during the September 1997 wildlife surveys in the Railroad Creek area. Survey protocols for these
species were not published at the time of the wildlife surveys.
Plants
A number of the survey and manage plants are likely to exist upstream or downstream of the tailings piles
in the Railroad Creek riparian area or in other forested or alpine habitats in the watershed. Three species
of survey and manage component 1 and 3 fungi have been found in the Lyman Lake camp area (T3 IN
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17693-005-0 I9Uuly 19. 1999.45 1 PM:DRAFT FINAL RI REPORT