Project Details

Provide evidence about the nature of the problem and the need to address it. Identify the significance of the problem using a variety of data sources. For example, if a habitat restoration project is being proposed to benefit greater sage-grouse, describe the existing plant community characteristics that limit habitat value for greater sage-grouse and identify the changes needed for habitat improvement.

Provide an overall goal for the project and then provide clear, specific and measurable objectives (outcomes) to be accomplished by the proposed actions. If possible, tie to one or more of the public benefits UWRI is providing.

LOCATION: Justify the proposed location of this project over other areas, include publicly scrutinized planning/recovery documents that list this area as a priority, remote sensing modeling that show this area is a good candidate for restoration, wildlife migration information and other data that help justify this project's location.

TIMING: Justify why this project should be implemented at this time. For example, Is the project area at risk of crossing an ecological or other threshold wherein future restoration would become more difficult, cost prohibitive, or even impossible.

The pinyon-juniper and big sagebrush areas lie within the Lowland Sagebrush steppe habitat type which is one of the key habitats identified in the 2015 WAP.

#1) The proposed projects will address some of the habitat management strategies outlined in the deer and elk management plans for herd unit 21A (Oak Creek Unit ) including: Continue to improve and restore sagebrush steppe habitats critical to deer according to UDWRs Habitat Initiative. 
#2) Maintain habitat quantity and quality at a level adequate to support the stated population objectives while at the same time not resulting in an overall downward trend in range condition and watershed quality. 
#3) Work cooperatively with land management agencies and private landowners to plan and implement improvement projects for the purpose of enhancing wildlife habitat and range resources in general.
#4) The project also helps fulfill the state mule deer management plan section IV Habitat Goal: Conserve and improve mule deer habitat throughout the state with emphasis on crucial ranges.

The proposed projects will address the following goals and objectives of the Division of Wildlife Resources most recent strategic management plan: 
#5) Resource Goal: expand wildlife populations and conserve sensitive species by protecting and improving wildlife habitat.
#6) Objective 1: protect existing wildlife habitat and improve 500,000 acres of critical habitats and watersheds throughout the state.
#7) Objective 3: conserve sensitive species to prevent them from becoming listed as threatened or endangered.
#8) Constituency Goal: Achieve broad-based support for Division programs and budgets by demonstrating the value of wildlife to all citizens of Utah.
#9) Objective 2: improve communication with wildlife organizations, public officials, private landowners, and government agencies to obtain support for Division programs.

UDWR SR critical big game winter range are important browse communities that need to be enhanced and improved.  
#10) The Division will employ a variety of methods to achieve this including prescribed grazing, prescribed burning, reseeding and seedling transplants, also mechanical treatments.  Priority areas will include sagebrush-steppe and mountain browse communities. Falls within the rangeland focus area for WRI wildlife species for mule deer and elk. 
#11) This plan is consistent with the Fishlake National Forest Plan for wildlife habitat enhancement and fuels management to improve habitat, reduce fuel loading, and protect against catastrophic wildfire.  
Other water enhancement projects have been completed by the Forest Service and UDWR in past years within the John Williams, Whiskey Creek, Ebbs Cyn and Upper Eight Mile HUC 12 areas.
#12) Management Plans are also in conjunction with NRCS overall goals of healthy rangelands and communities, improving watersheds and reducing erosion and sediment. The Natural Resources Conservation Service provides leadership in a partnership effort to help people
conserve, maintain, and improve our natural resources and environment.
#13)Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003 (HFI) identifies the following objective; reduce the risks severe wildfires pose to people, communities, and the environment. This project will further decrease the risk of catastrophic wildfire. 
#14) National Fire Plan (2000) The National Fire Plan provides national direction for hazardous fuels reduction. This direction emphasizes measures to reduce the risk to communities and the environment.

*FFSL CWPP Process is a local Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) is a collaborative plan created by the fire department, state and local forestry, land managers, community leaders, and the public.The planning process maps values at risk, and requires actions to reduce risk, such as prescribed burning, fuel reduction, or other measures that adapt a community to better confront their wildfire threat.  Area is also part of the Millard RWPP FFSL Plan which was implemented in 2014, there are Wildfire Codes and Ordinances associated with this plan.  Project would also be relevant to NCS Goals and supported through the FS National Cohesive Strategies. CAT FIRE Objectives and Strategies:
In 2013, the State of Utah developed the Catastrophic Wildfire Reduction Strategy (CAT FIRE) in response to the severe 2012 fire season. Reducing the catastrophic wildfire requires attention to three interdependent goals identified in the National Cohesive Wildfire Management Strategy -- Restore and Maintain Landscapes, Fire Adapted Communities, and Wildfire Response. These goals have been embraced throughout the development of the state's CAT  FIRE strategy. Mitigation of hazardous fuels can change fire behavior making it easier to suppress. The effects of the mitigation, however, are not limited to life and property safety but will also affect forest health, water quality, vegetative species abundance, etc. As we continue to implement projects across the landscapes in Utah, the only way to truly be successful is to integrate existing programs, utilize local and federal partners and continue to educate the general public to create the desired shift towards more resilient communities and ecosystems.

List management plans where this project will address an objective or strategy in the plan. Describe how the project area overlaps the objective or strategy in the plan and the relevance of the project to the successful implementation of those plans. It is best to provide this information in a list format with the description immediately following the plan objective or strategy.

If applicable, detail how the proposed project will significantly reduce the risk of fuel loading and/or continuity of hazardous fuels including the use of fire-wise species in re-seeding operations. Describe the value of any features being protected by reducing the risk of fire. Values may include; communities at risk, permanent infrastructure, municipal watersheds, campgrounds, critical wildlife habitat, etc. Include the size of the area where fuels are being reduced and the distance from the feature(s) at risk.

Describe how the project has the potential to improve water quality and/or increase water quantity, both over the short and long term. Address run-off, erosion, soil infiltration, and flooding, if applicable.

Description of efforts, both completed and planned, to bring the proposed action into compliance with any and all cultural resource, NEPA, ESA, etc. requirements. If compliance is not required enter "not applicable" and explain why not it is not required.

This project will be implemented with the help of the Fillmore Forest Service, UDWR, and Whiskey Creek Grazing Association to re-place a pipeline to deliver water to the Church Hills Allotment, we will tap into the existing East Fork pipeline.  This pipeline will deliver water to 5 existing troughs all within Forest Service and BLM Properties.  This will be done by the use of a D-8 Cat, which is set up to install and carry the spools of pipe, the pipe will be installed below the surface and ripped in with the dozer.  This project will be installed within the Church Hills Allotment, the UDWR and Whiskey Creek Grazing Association will contract with a company that has experience working with this type of pipe and is set up with the proper equipment to have it installed.  Permittees will help the contractor install the pipeline and watering troughs along with working along side the contractor to make sure the project runs smoothly. Fillmore Forest Service has looked at this project and is in favor of helping out the permittee to address the need of distributing water within the allotment. UDWR is also in favor as additional watering locations that will benefit wildlife populations of mule deer, elk, and wild turkeys within the Oak Creek WMU.

Describe the actions, activities, tasks to be implemented as part of the proposed project; how these activities will be carried out, equipment to be used, when, and by whom.

Describe plans to monitor for project success and achievement of stated objectives. Include details on type of monitoring (vegetation, wildlife, etc.), schedule, assignments and how the results of these monitoring efforts will be reported and/or uploaded to this project page. If needed, upload detailed plans in the "attachments" section.

List any and all partners (agencies, organizations, NGO's, private landowners) that support the proposal and/or have been contacted and included in the planning and design of the proposed project. Describe efforts to gather input and include these agencies, landowners, permitees, sportsman groups, researchers, etc. that may be interested/affected by the proposed project. Partners do not have to provide funding or in-kind services to a project to be listed.

Detail future methods or techniques (including administrative actions) that will be implemented to help in accomplishing the stated objectives and to insure the long term success/stability of the proposed project. This may include: post-treatment grazing rest and/or management plans/changes, wildlife herd/species management plan changes, ranch plans, conservation easements or other permanent protection plans, resource management plans, forest plans, etc.

This project will be a great asset to help benefit the livestock portion of the project, by increasing the need for water in critical areas of this allotment it will be able to increase the overall utilization of the allotment as far as grazing additional areas that have not been grazed, reducing impacts of grazing on other areas.  Water is critical within the allotment improved water will allow for longer use of the allotment time during drought situations, and in the fall of the year when water source have run dry, additional storage through the water trough will allow the livestock to maintain body weights and allow for better weighing weights for the producer due to traveling to different areas to water.  Expansion of the water troughs increasing them in size will allow for additional storage, easy to water larger groups of cattle at once.  The pipeline portion just allows better distribution of water decreasing the cost to the permittee of hauling water by truck to different locations.

Potential for the proposed action to improve quality or quantity of sustainable uses such as grazing, timber harvest, biomass utilization, recreation, etc. Grazing improvements may include actions to improve forage availability and/or distribution of livestock.