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Browns Draw Fishing Access Improvements
Region: Northeastern
ID: 5895
Project Status: Completed
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Project Details
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Need for Project
The boat ramp at Browns Draw has had some serious erosion issues for at least the last 10 years, maybe longer. The erosion makes it difficult for boats, especially smaller boats to launch. The reservoir is a coldwater trout fishery (Rainbow Trout and tiger trout) and does not see much in the way of "rec" boaters; however, it does have quite a bit of fishing visitation (anecdotal info, no recent creels). Improving the ramp will aid these anglers in accessing the reservoir for the open water season.
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.
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Objectives
The goal of this project is to improve boat angler access at Browns Draw. We will do this by straightening the road leading down to the water, grading the parking lot to prevent water running down the ramp, adding a culvert to more appropriately deal with any water that does go down the ramp, adding and packing down 6" of road base to the road surface, and adding and packing down a layer of 3/4" minus gravel 2" thick. These simple measures should improve the ramp substantially and keep it operational far into the future.
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.
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Project Location/Timing Justification (Why Here? Why Now?)
The ramp has needed improvement for a long time; however, with recent fall rains, the erosion has gotten worse through time. It will continue to get worse until boats, especially small ones, are no longer able to launch. Just by improving drainage there and fixing the damage that has been done, we should be able to improve the ramp and keep it operational for a long time.
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.
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Relation to Management Plans
We do not have a finalized management plan for Browns Draw; however, the draft plan does include improving and increasing angler access as a goal. Repairing the ramp will improve angler access and allow all vehicles and all boats to more easily access the water, as access is difficult for some folks at this time due to the water erosion there.
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.
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Fire/Fuels
This project will have no impact on fire or fuels.
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.
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Water Quality/Quantity
Improving the boat ramp and reducing the potential for water damage may improve water quality locally around the boat ramp, at least immediately after storms. And while we do not typically see water quality issues at Browns Draw at this time, it would behoove us to maintain good water quality there into the future and not let it decline. It will not impact water quantity at all.
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.
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Compliance
The land is not federally owned and no federal agencies are involved so NEPA is not required. This project will only improve the already existing boat ramp; it will not impact any undisturbed areas therefore an arch survey is not required. The project will be completed at low water when the entire boat ramp is exposed and dry. No work will be done below the water line and no fill material will be placed in the water; therefore an Army Corps permit is not required.
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.
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Methods
On November 18, 2021, we visited the site with the heavy equipment crew. We determined we would need to add material to and grade the parking area to prevent water from running down the ramp. We would also purchase a culvert and place it where the water naturally wants to flow across the ramp, preventing future erosion at this same location. Placing the culvert would require a bit of excavation to site it adequately. After placing the culvert, and filling it in with pit run and road base, straighten the ramp and knock out a small amount of fill material at the top and bottom of the ramp. This material would be placed on the ramp as it is basically pit run and would be helpful as a bottom layer on the ramp. Next, we will smooth out the surface and add 6" of road base over all of it and pack it down really well and then bring in 3/4" minus gravel and put that down 2" thick on top of the road base. The ramp would be packed in extensively to keep material in place. This would all be done in the fall (October) at low water.
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.
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Monitoring
Monitoring will be done annually and will be an assessment each fall of how the ramp is holding up and whether any issues need to be addressed (erosion, washboarding, loss of gravels below the high water mark).
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.
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Partners
Moon Lake Water Users Association is aware of and approves of this project. They will not be an active partner (they will not donate time or money to the project), but they are willing to allow it to happen as the landowner.
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.
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Future Management
Any issues detected during annual monitoring will be addressed as quickly as possible. If issues are inexpensive to address, we will deal with them within the regional budget as possible. If it is too expensive to go that route, we'll apply for funds and complete any repairs needed as soon as we receive funding. Past improvements to the ramp have included application of 3/4 minus gravels and many of these have been washed away below the high water mark. We will therefore plan to bring in a load of new gravels every 3-5 years for application below the high water mark. Our monitoring will determine how often this will be required. No additional management prescriptions should be necessary to keep the ramp functional.
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.
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Sustainable Uses of Natural Resources
This project will directly improve recreation and boater access to fishing at a regionally important trout fishery. Without these improvements, the ramp will continue to experience water erosion and will become worse and worse. Eventually, no boats will be able to launch at this location. This project has been a long time coming and probably should have been done 10 years ago.
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.
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