Completion Form

2023

The UDWR worked with the USFS to to plan this project. In October of 2021 contractors were hired to lop and scatter pinyon and juniper on 2,009 acres. (See Map) This was completed in November of 2021. We also planted in October of 2021, 2,702 shrubs near the Benmore Lek to improve mule deer winter habitat and sage-grouse habitat. As part of this planting, we also plowed the ground and seeded within the plowed rows. This area is important for sage-grouse nesting and we hope to improve this nesting habitat. In FY 23, November 2022, we planted additional plantings and seeded plowed rows as well. We planted an additional 7,000 sagebrush seedlings. We purchased additional seedlings for this planting from Premier Seed as well as we hired Vanessa Perezchica's company to come help plant the plants and we paid for that out of this phase of the project. In the spring of 2023, we constructed 35 BDAs in Vernon Creek in April of 2023 as part of a hydrologic study to tell us whether the BDAs are in fact taking water from the system or not. To help build the BDAs we purchased a couple gas powered post-pounders that install the BDA posts from Redidriver. We also purchased waders for DWR and Volunteers to use while building BDAs so that they don't wet while building the BDAs from Sportsman's Warehouse.  In June of 2023, we also purchased materials for a cattle exclosure to be built around a trough that is overflowing water. These materials were purchased from SRC corp or Steve Regan. The exclosure will keep cattle out of the area to allow for vegetation to grow for sage-grouse and mule deer.  We did not have the NEPA completed because the wildlife biologist retired. The work will be done in a future phase of the project when we receive additional funds for contractors to build the fence. Because the fence was not completed it is not mapped on this project.

Robert Edgel

08/31/2023 16:44:08