Biological Assessments

Biological assessments are technical documents describing the potential effects of proposed federal actions on species listed under the Endangered Species Act. These documents are provided as part of consultation with the appropriate federal regulatory agencies, particularly NOAA for anadromous fish and USFWS for resident fish. I wrote and/or reviewed several of these, sometimes as the primary analyst and sometimes as the official responsible for approving the analysis and the determination of effect. I also provided data analyses for BAs written by other Forest fisheries biologists that do't appear in this list. These documents are generally not available to the public unless formally requested from the Forest, which may require use of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

NOAA Fisheries posts Biological Opinions produced as a result of formal consultations (i.e., effects determination of likely to adversely affect the listed species with their Public Consultation Tracking System; results of some of these consultations can be found there.

Biological Assessments

As Lead Author or Principal Analyst

1.      Armstrong, R.; Zurstadt, C.; Nelson, R.L.; Nalder, C. 2012. Biological Assessment of the Potential Effects of Managing the Payette National Forest in the Middle Fork Salmon River Tributaries NW and Main Salmon River Tributaries SE Section 7 Watersheds on Snake River Spring/Summer Chinook Salmon, Snake River Basin Steelhead, and Columbia River Bull Trout and Biological Evaluation for Westslope Cutthroat Trout. Volume 13. Big Creek Water Diversions. McCall, ID: USDA Forest Service, Payette National Forest, Fisheries Program. 83p. 128p.

•    Although listed as only the third author on this BA, I did an extensive revision of the drafts and was responsible for the bulk of the technical analysis and all of the formatting.

2.      Nelson, R.L. 2011. Biological Assessment for the Potential Effects of Managing the Payette National Forest in the Middle Fork Salmon River Tributaries NW on Snake River Spring/Summer Chinook Salmon, Snake River Basin Steelhead, and Columbia River Bull Trout and Biological Evaluation for Westslope Cutthroat Trout. Volume 12. Big Creek Bridge and Big Creek Ford Reclamation. McCall, ID: USDA Forest Service, Payette National Forest, Fisheries Program. 122p.

3.      Nelson, R.L.; Egnew, A.E. 2011. Including Aminopyralid in the List of Herbicides Approved for Use in Noxious Weed Treatment on the Payette National Forest, Fisheries Program. Amendment to the Noxious Weed Treatment Action in Multiple Biological Assessments of Ongoing Programmatic Federal Actions. McCall, ID: USDA Forest Service, Payette National Forest, Fisheries Program. 15p.

4.      Nelson, R.L. 2011. Amendment to Biological Assessment for the Potential Effects of Managing the Payette National Forest in the Main Salmon River Southwest Section 7 Watershed (Volume 21) and in the South Fork Salmon River Section 7 Watershed (Volume 32) on Snake River Spring/Summer Chinook Salmon, Snake River Basin Steelhead, and Columbia River Bull Trout and Biological Evaluation for Westslope Cutthroat Trout. Calumet and Bear Track Mines — Plans of Operations. McCall, ID: USDA Forest Service, Payette National Forest, Fisheries Program. 3p.

5.      Nelson, R.L. 2010. Biological Assessment for the Potential Effects of Managing the Payette National Forest in the Little Salmon River Southwest Section 7 Watershed (Volume 23) and in the North Fork Payette River Section 7 Watershed (Volume 3) on Snake River Spring/Summer Chinook Salmon, Snake River Basin Steelhead, and Columbia River Bull Trout and Biological Evaluation for Westslope Cutthroat Trout. Travel Plan – Changes to Winter Season Motorized Travel. McCall, ID: USDA Forest Service, Payette National Forest, Fisheries Program. 55p.

6.      Nelson, R.L. 2010. Biological Assessment for the Potential Effects of Managing the Payette National Forest in the Main Salmon River Southwest Section 7 Watershed (Volume 21) and in the South Fork Salmon River Section 7 Watershed (Volume 32) on Snake River Spring/Summer Chinook Salmon, Snake River Basin Steelhead, and Columbia River Bull Trout and Biological Evaluation for Westslope Cutthroat Trout. Calumet and Bear Track Mines — Plans of Operations. McCall, ID: USDA Forest Service, Payette National Forest, Fisheries Program. 95p. Link: No Paywall

7.      Nelson, R.L.; James, C.J. 2009. South Fork Salmon River Emergency Consultation for Post-Fire Culvert Upgrades and East Fork South Fork Salmon River Flood Emergency Consultation for Road Repair Actions Amendment to Biological Assessment of the Potential Effects of Managing the Payette National Forest in the South Fork Salmon River Section 7 Watershed on Snake River Spring/Summer Chinook Salmon, Snake River Steelhead, and Columbia River Bull Trout. Volume 28. Ongoing Actions. McCall, ID: USDA Forest Service, Payette National Forest, Fisheries Program. 48p. Link: No Paywall

8.      Nelson, R.L. 2009. Biological Assessment of the Potential Effects of Managing the Payette National Forest in the South Fork Salmon River Section 7 Watershed on Snake River Spring/Summer Chinook Salmon, Snake River Steelhead, and Columbia River Bull Trout. Volume 31. East Fork South Fork Salmon River Bridge Repair. McCall, ID: USDA Forest Service, Payette National Forest, Fisheries Program. 58p.

9.      Nelson, R.L.; Burns, D.C. 2001. Biological Assessment of the Potential Effects of Managing the Payette National Forest in the Brownlee Reservoir Section 7 Watershed on Columbia River Bull Trout, Volume 3: Ongoing Actions. McCall, ID: USDA Forest Service, Payette National Forest, Fisheries Program.144p.

10.   Nelson, R.L.; Burns, D.C. 2001. Biological Assessment for the Potential Effects of Managing the Payette National Forest in the Main Salmon River Tributaries Section 7 Watershed on Snake River Spring/Summer Chinook Salmon, Snake River Steelhead, and Columbia River Bull Trout. Volume 15: Ongoing and New Actions. McCall, ID: USDA Forest Service, Payette National Forest, Fisheries Program. 235p.

11.   Nelson, R.L.;Burns, D.C. 1998. Biological Assessment of the Potential Effects of Managing the Payette National Forest in the Brownlee Reservoir Section 7 Watershed on Snake River Spring/Summer Chinook Salmon, Snake River Steelhead, and Columbia River Bull Trout and Biological Evaluation for Westslope Cutthroat Trout. Volume 1: Ongoing Actions. McCall, ID: USDA Forest Service, Payette National Forest, Fisheries Program. 226p.

As Technical Reviewer/Approver

1.    Armstrong, R.; Nelson, R.L. 2012. Biological Assessment for the Potential Effects of Managing the Payette National Forest in the South Fork Salmon River Section 7 Watershed on Snake River Spring/Summer Chinook Salmon, Snake River Steelhead, and Columbia River Bull Trout and Biological Evaluation for Westslope Cutthroat Trout. Volume 36. Valley County Forest Road and Trails Act Project. McCall, ID: USDA Forest Service, Payette National Forest, Fisheries Program. 83p.

2.    Greenway, J.R.; Nelson, R.L. 2012. Biological Assessment for the Potential Effects of Managing the Payette National Forest in the Little Salmon River Section 7 Watershed on Snake River Spring/Summer and Fall Chinook Salmon, Snake River Steelhead, and Columbia River Bull Trout and Biological Evaluation for Westslope Cutthroat Trout. Volume 24. Brundage Wildland-Urban Interface/Bear Basin Restoration Project. McCall, ID: USDA Forest Service, Payette National Forest, Fisheries Program. 154p.

3.    Greenway, J.R.; Nelson, R.L. 2012. Biological Assessment for the Potential Effects of Managing the Payette National Forest in the Weiser River Section 7 Watershed on Columbia River Bull Trout and Biological Evaluation for Westslope Cutthroat Trout. Volume 12. East Fork Weiser River Road Repair MP 8.5. McCall, ID: USDA Forest Service, Payette National Forest, Fisheries Program. 147p.

4.    Giambra, T.; Nelson, R.L. 2012. Biological Assessment for the Potential Effects of Managing the Payette National Forest in the Weiser River Section 7 Watershed on Columbia River Bull Trout and Biological Evaluation for Westslope Cutthroat Trout. Volume 11. Mill Creek – Council Mountain Landscape Restoration Project. McCall, ID: USDA Forest Service, Payette National Forest, Fisheries Program. 147p.

5.    Zurstadt, C.; Nelson, R.L. 2012. Biological Assessment for the Potential Effects of Managing the Payette National Forest in the South Fork Salmon River Section 7 Watershed on Snake River Spring/Summer Chinook Salmon, Snake River Steelhead, and Columbia River Bull Trout and Biological Evaluation for Westslope Cutthroat Trout. Volume 35. Phoebe Creek Recreation Site Development. McCall, ID: USDA Forest Service, Payette National Forest, Fisheries Program. 57p.

6.    Greenway, J.R.; Nelson, R.L. 2011. Biological Assessment for the Potential Effects of Managing the Payette National Forest in the Weiser River Section 7 Watershed on Columbia River Bull Trout and Biological Evaluation for Westslope Cutthroat Trout. Volume 10. East Fork Weiser River Bridge Replacement Project. McCall, ID: USDA Forest Service, Payette National Forest, Fisheries Program. 115p.

7.    Armstrong, R.; Nelson, R.L. 2010. Biological Assessment for the Potential Effects of Managing the Payette National Forest in the South Fork Salmon River Section 7 Watershed on Snake River Spring/Summer Chinook Salmon, Snake River Steelhead, and Columbia River Bull Trout and Biological Evaluation for Westslope Cutthroat Trout. Volume 34. Bald Hill Prescribed Burn and Rosenbaum Spring Projects. McCall, ID: USDA Forest Service, Payette National Forest. 115p.

8.    Zurstadt, C.; Nelson, R.L. 2010. Biological Assessment for the Potential Effects of Managing the Payette National Forest in the South Fork Salmon River Section 7 Watershed on Snake River Spring/Summer Chinook Salmon, Snake River Steelhead, and Columbia River Bull Trout and Biological Evaluation for Westslope Cutthroat Trout. Volume 33. Golden Meadows Core Drilling – Plan of Operations. McCall, ID: USDA Forest Service, Payette National Forest, Fisheries Program. 49p (plus appendices).

9.    Zurstadt, C.; Nelson, R.L. 2010. Biological Assessment for the Potential Effects of Managing the Payette National Forest in the Brownlee Reservoir Section 7 watershed on Columbia River Bull Trout. Volume 10: Cuprum Fuels Reduction Project Revised. McCall, ID: USDA Forest Service, Payette National Forest, Fisheries Program. 180p.

10. Zurstadt, C.; Nelson, R.L. 2009. Biological Assessment for the Potential Effects of Managing the Payette National Forest in the Brownlee Reservoir Section 7 watershed on Columbia River Bull Trout. Volume 8: Crooked River Vegetation Management Project. McCall, ID: USDA Forest Service, Payette National Forest, Fisheries Program. 54p.

11. Faurot, M.; Nelson, R.L. 2008. Marshall Mountain and Bear Pete Allotments Amendment to the Biological Assessment for the Potential Effects of Managing the Payette National Forest in the South Fork Salmon River Section 7 Watershed on Snake River Spring/Summer Chinook Salmon, Snake River Steelhead, and Columbia River Bull Trout, and Biological Evaluation for Westslope Cutthroat Trout. Volume 28. Ongoing and New Actions. McCall, ID: USDA Forest Service, Payette National Forest, Fisheries Program. 2p.

12. Thompson, R.; Pearson, D. Nelson, R.L. 2008. Biological Assessment for the Potential Effects of Managing the Payette National Forest in the South Fork Salmon River Section 7 Watershed on Snake River Spring/Summer Chinook Salmon, Snake River Steelhead, and Columbia River Bull Trout and Biological Evaluation for Westslope Cutthroat Trout. Volume 30. Warren Wagon Road Improvement Project. McCall, ID: USDA Forest Service, Payette National Forest, Fisheries Program. 54p (plus appendices).