WAC 222-24-010
Policy. *(1) A well designed, located,
constructed, and maintained system of forest roads is
essential to forest management and protection of the public
resources. Riparian areas contain some of the more productive
conditions for growing timber, are heavily used by wildlife
and provide essential habitat for fish and wildlife and
essential functions in the protection of water quality. Wetland areas serve several significant functions in addition
to timber production: Providing fish and wildlife habitat,
protecting water quality, moderating and preserving water
quantity. Wetlands may also contain unique or rare ecological
systems.
*(2) To protect water quality and riparian habitat, roads
must be constructed and maintained in a manner that will
prevent potential or actual damage to public resources. This
will be accomplished by constructing and maintaining roads so
as not to result in the delivery of sediment and surface water
to any typed water in amounts, at times or by means, that
preclude achieving desired fish habitat and water quality by:
• Providing for fish passage at all life stages (see
Washington state department of fish and wildlife hydraulic
code Title 220 WAC);
• Preventing mass wasting;
• Limiting delivery of sediment and surface runoff to all
typed waters;
• Avoiding capture and redirection of surface or ground
water. This includes retaining streams in their natural
drainages and routing subsurface flow captured by roads and
road ditches back onto the forest floor;
• Diverting most road runoff to the forest floor;
• Providing for the passage of some woody debris;
• Protecting stream bank stability;
• Minimizing the construction of new roads; and
• Assuring no net loss of wetland
function.
The road construction and maintenance rules in this
chapter must be applied in achieving these goals. Additional
guidance is identified in board manual section 3. If
these goals are not achieved using the rules and the applied
guidance, additional management strategies must be employed.
*(3) Extra protection is required during road
construction and maintenance to protect public resources and
timber growing potential. Landowners and fisheries and
wildlife managers are encouraged to cooperate in the
development of road management and abandonment plans. Landowners are further encouraged to cooperate in sharing
roads to minimize road mileage and avoid duplicative road
construction.
*(4) This section covers the location, design,
construction, maintenance and abandonment of forest roads,
bridges, stream crossings, quarries, borrow pits, and disposal
sites used for forest road construction and is intended to
assist landowners in proper road planning, construction and
maintenance so as to protect public resources.
(Note:
Other laws and rules and/or permit requirements may apply. See chapter 222-50 WAC.)