California Code of Regulations
Title 14 - Natural Resources
Division 1.5 - Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Chapter 4 - Forest Practices
Subchapter 5 - Northern Forest District Rules
Article 11 - Logging Roads, Landings, and Logging Road Watercourse Crossings
Section 943.9 - Watercourse Crossings
Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 38, September 20, 2024
Watercourse crossing drainage structures on Logging Roads shall be planned, constructed, reconstructed, and maintained or removed according to the standards provided in this rule section.
(a) The planning for and use of Logging Road Watercourse crossings shall include the evaluation and documentation of significant existing and potential erosion sites consistent with 14 CCR § 943.1(e).
(b) The number of crossings shall be kept to a Feasible minimum. Existing Logging Road Watercourse crossing locations shall be utilized where Feasible and appropriate.
(c) All new drainage structures and facilities on Watercourses that support fish or listed aquatic Species shall allow for unrestricted passage of all life stages that may be present, and allow for the natural movement of bedload to form a continuous bed through the crossing. Such structures and facilities shall be fully described in the Plan in sufficient clarity and detail to allow evaluation by the review team and the public, provide direction to the LTO for implementation, and provide enforceable standards for the inspector.
(d) In Watersheds with Listed Anadromous Salmonids, a description of all existing permanent Class I Watercourse crossings shall be provided, where fish are always or seasonally present or where fish passage is restorable. Where it is determined that current crossing conditions may be adversely affecting fish passage at any life stage, the RPF shall disclose such conditions in the Plan and propose measures, if Feasible, to address these conditions subject to the Director's review and determination.
(e) The location of all new permanent constructed and reconstructed, and temporary Logging Road Watercourse crossings, including those crossings to be abandoned or deactivated, shall be shown on a map. If the structure is a culvert intended for permanent use, the minimum Diameter of the culvert and the method(s) used to determine the culvert Diameter shall be specified in the Plan.
(f) All Permanent Watercourse Crossings that are constructed or Reconstructed shall accommodate the estimated 100-year Flood Flow, including debris and sediment loads.
(g) All culverts used for new and replacement Logging Road Watercourse crossings shall be installed at or as close as practical and Feasible to the natural Watercourse grade. Culverts shall be installed in alignment with the Watercourse channel to the extent Feasible, and of the appropriate length to prevent Fill erosion.
(h) Logging Road Watercourse crossings shall not discharge water onto erodible Fill or other erodible material without the installation of Energy Dissipaters and other necessary protective structures.
(i) Fills for constructed and Reconstructed Logging Road Watercourse crossings shall be thoroughly compacted in approximately one-foot lifts during installation. The face of crossing Fills shall be no greater than 65% (1.5:1, horizontal to vertical). Excavated material and cut banks resulting from construction or reconstruction which has access to a Watercourse shall be sloped back from the channel to prevent slumping, to minimize soil erosion, and to prevent Significant Sediment Discharge.
(j) Critical Dips shall be incorporated into the construction or reconstruction of Logging Road Watercourse crossings utilizing culverts, except where diversion of overflow is addressed by other methods stated in the Plan.
(k) Watercourse crossings and associated Fills and approaches shall be constructed and maintained to prevent diversion of Stream overflow down the road, and to minimize Fill erosion should the drainage structure become obstructed. Methods to mitigate or address diversion of Stream overflow at Logging Road Watercourse crossings shall be stated in the Plan.
(l) Any necessary protective structures associated with Logging Road Watercourse crossings such as wing walls, rock armored headwalls, and downspouts shall be adequately sized to transmit runoff, minimize erosion of crossing Fills, and prevent Significant Sediment Discharge. Rock used to stabilize the outlets of crossings shall be adequately sized to resist mobilization, with the range of required rock dimensions described in the Plan.
(m) The following drainage standards shall apply to Logging Road Watercourse crossings:
(n) Where a significant volume of sediment is stored upstream from a Logging Road Watercoursecrossing that is proposed to be Reconstructed or removed, the stored sediment shall be removed or stabilized, to the extent Feasible, as described in the Plan and in conformance with the conditions of required CDFW F&GC. § 1600 agreements, where applicable.
(o) Where crossing Fills over culverts are large, or where Logging Road Watercourse crossing drainage structures and Erosion Control features historically have a high failure rate, such drainage structures and Erosion Control features shall be oversized, designed for low maintenance, reinforced, or removed before the completion of Timber Operations or as specified in the Plan. Guidance on reducing the potential for failure at high risk Watercourse crossings may be found in "Board of Forestry Technical Rule Addendum Number 5: Guidance on Hydrologic Disconnection, Road Drainage, Minimization of Diversion Potential, and High Risk Crossings" (1st Edition, revised 04/21/15), hereby incorporated by reference.
(p) All Logging Road Watercourse crossings that are proposed by the Plan submitter to be removed, including temporary crossings and those along abandoned or Deactivated Roads, shall be removed as described in the Plan and shall apply the following standards:
(q) Logging Road Watercourse crossings shall not be constructed or Reconstructed under Saturated Soil Conditions or when such activities could result in Significant Sediment Discharge.
(r) Temporary Logging Road Watercourse crossings shall be removed and stabilized prior to the Winter Period or as specified in the Plan.
(s) In Watersheds with Listed Anadromous Salmonids and in Planning Watersheds immediately upstream of, and contiguous to, any watershed with listed anadromous salmonids, where construction or reconstruction is proposed during the Extended Wet Weather Period, no Timber Operations shall take place unless the approved Plan incorporates a complete Winter Period operating Plan pursuant to 14 CCR § 934.7(b) that specifically addresses such construction or reconstruction.
(t) The following stabilization standards shall apply to Logging Road Watercourse crossings:
(u) Logging Road Watercourse crossings shall be monitored and maintained during Timber Operations and throughout the Prescribed Maintenance Period as needed, to comply with 14 CCR § 1050. The Prescribed Maintenance Period is specified in 14 CCR § 943.7(i)-(j). Monitoring inspections shall be conducted, when access is Feasible during the Prescribed Maintenance Period, a sufficient number of times during the Extended Wet Weather Period, particularly after large winter storm events and at least once annually, to evaluate Watercourse crossing function. The Department shall also conduct monitoring inspections at least once during the Prescribed Maintenance Period to assess Watercourse crossing conditions.
(v) Logging Road Watercourse crossings shall be maintained as designed, constructed, and Reconstructed during Timber Operations and throughout the Prescribed Maintenance Period. Crossings used in connection with Stocking activities shall be maintained throughout such use, even if this extends beyond the Prescribed Maintenance Period.
1. New
section filed 5-31-2000; operative 7-1-2000 (Register 2000, No.
22).
2. Amendment of subsection (g) filed 11-30-2000; operative
1-1-2001 pursuant to Public Resources Code section
4554.5
(Register 2000, No. 48).
3. Amendment of subsection (g) filed
11-20-2001; operative 1-1-2002 pursuant to Public Resources Code section
4551.5
(Register 2001, No. 47).
4. Amendment of last paragraph filed
7-12-2002; operative 1-1-2003 pursuant to Public Resources Code section
4554.5
(Register 2002, No. 28).
5. Amendment of subsection (g) filed
12-1-2003; operative 1-1-2004 pursuant to Public Resources Code section
4551.5
(Register 2003, No. 49).
6. Amendment of subsection (g) filed
9-20-2006; operative 10-20-2006 (Register 2006, No. 38).
7.
Amendment of subsection (g) filed 10-24-2007; operative 1-1-2008 pursuant to
Public Resources Code section
4554.5
(Register 2007, No. 43).
8. Amendment of first paragraph filed
11-29-2007; effective 1-1-2008 pursuant to Public Resources Code section
4554.5(a);
operative the date Department of Fish and Game regulations 14 CCR sections
787.0-787.9 become effective (Register 2007, No. 48).
9. Amendment
of subsection (g) filed 11-7-2008; operative 1-1-2009 pursuant to Public
Resources Code section
4554.5(a)
(Register 2008, No. 45).
10. Amendment of section heading and
section filed 12-1-2009; operative 1-1-2010 (Register 2009, No.
49).
11. Change without regulatory effect amending introductory
paragraph filed 8-11-2010 pursuant to section
100, title 1, California Code of
Regulations (Register 2010, No. 33).
12. Amendment of section
heading, repealer and new section and amendment of NOTE filed 6-11-2014;
operative 1-1-2015 pursuant to Public Resources Code section
4554.5
(Register 2014, No. 24).
13. Change without regulatory effect
amending subsections (m)(2) and (o) filed 11-26-2014 pursuant to section
100, title 1, California Code of
Regulations (Register 2014, No. 48).
14. Amendment of subsections
(m)(2) and (o) and amendment of NOTE filed 6-2-2017; operative 1-1-2018
pursuant to Public Resources Code section
4554.5(a)
(Register 2017, No. 22).
15. Change without regulatory effect
amending section filed 12-20-2017 pursuant to section
100, title 1, California Code of
Regulations (Register 2017, No. 51).
Note: Authority cited: Sections 4551, 4551.5 and 21004, Public Resources Code. Reference: Sections 4512, 4513, 4551, 4551.5, 4562.5, 4562.7 and 4597, Public Resources Code; 40 CFR 130.2(q); and Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. v. Arcata Natl. Corp. (1972) 59 Cal. App. 3d 959, 131 Cal. Rptr. 172.