Title 11 . Natural Resources

Chapter 95 . (No Regulations Filed)

Section 360. Cable yarding

11 AAC 95.360. Cable yarding

(a) During yarding, an operator shall keep a log fully suspended above or yarded away from surface waters where feasible, in light of the necessary equipment being reasonably available to the operator and the importance of the surface water to fish habitat and water quality, unless full suspension or split yarding would likely cause greater degradation of surface water quality or impact to fish habitat than cross-stream yarding.

(b) When full suspension or split yarding is not used under (a) of this section, operations are subject to the following standards:

(1) unless logs are completely suspended above surface water, no timber may be yarded across anadromous fish waters catalogued under AS 41.14.870 without written approval from the deputy commissioner; no timber may be cable yarded across other anadromous or high value resident fish waters without prior notice to the division;

(2) cable yarding across surface waters must be conducted in a manner to avoid degrading water quality;

(3) where any cross-stream yarding occurs, an operator shall minimize damage to stream channels, stream banks, retained trees, understory vegetation, stumps, and root systems by a technique such as

(A) when 50 percent or more of a tree that is to be yarded across a stream will bridge the stream and lie on the side on which the yarder is located, the tree is directionally felled across the stream at right angles to the stream channel;

(B) minimizing the number of yarding corridors across streams;

(C) using bumper logs to protect stream banks;

(4) yarding up, down or across a V-notch channel must be accomplished in a manner that does not create significant erosion; and

(5) consistent with good safety practices, the direction of log movement between stream banks must be as close to right angles to the stream channel as is feasible.

(c) The following standards apply to cable yarding operations:

(1) when feasible, an operator shall use maximum available deflection;

(2) where feasible, an operator shall use uphill yarding techniques;

(3) where downhill yarding is used, an operator shall use deflection to lift the leading end of the log and minimize downhill movement of slash and soils;

(4) when yarding parallel to surface waters, and when in or near a riparian area, an operator shall make an effort to minimize soil disturbance and to prevent logs from rolling into surface waters or the riparian area; and

(5) when yarding across marshes and non-forested muskegs, an operator shall make an effort to minimize damage to vegetative cover.

(d) This section also applies to unconventional cable yarding systems.

History: Eff. 6/10/93, Register 126

Authority: AS 41.17.010

AS 41.17.055

AS 41.17.080

Editor's note: As of Register 166 (July 2003), and acting under AS 44.62.125 (b)(6), the regulations attorney made technical changes to 11 AAC 95.360(b) (1), to reflect Executive Order 107 (2003). Executive Order 107 transferred functions related to protection of fish habitat in rivers, lakes, and streams from the Department of Fish and Game to the Department of Natural Resources.