Project Details

The newly acquired Cinnamon Creek WMA needs several enhancements to improve habitat for wildlife and to promote a better experience for those that recreate on the property. Currently, there are no signs that describe who owns the property, what the purpose of the property is, what dates the WMA is open, and what activities are allowed. Additionally, there are no signs along the boundaries or within the WMA that describe new travel restrictions that will put into place during summer of 2022.

The WMA also needs significant road work. Due to the soil types and geology of the location, roads near and within WMA are susceptible to erosion and are easily damage by vehicle traffic when roads are wet. Additionally, little work has been done in the past to maintain and improve the road base and drainage. This combination has created situation where standard vehicle access can be challenging.

Fences and gates are also a critical need for the new WMA. Many of the current fences and gates are not adequate to control access to the property, as they can  be taken down easily or circumvented. There are also many locations without fencing. New fences and gates are needed to prevent illegal access, ensure wildlife habitat is protected during critical seasons, and reduce damage to roads.

In recent years, several of the springs within the WMA have had reduced flows or are not flowing at all. The lack of water in these areas affects the distribution of wildlife and reduces the quality of habitat. We believe that restoration projects can done that will to get these springs flowing again.

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.

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.

Signs: All signs will be ordered, transported, and installed by DWR staff and volunteers. Materials could be purchased in FY22 and work could begin in May.

Roads and parking lot expansion: The majority of the road and parking lot work will be done by the DWR heavy equipment crew and Northern Region DWR staff. Contractors will be used to move road base to the project area. Road base will be added to main roads to decrease rutting and reduce annual road maintenance. Culverts will be added to main roads to improve drainage, reduce erosion and decrease damage from run off. The Ant flat parking area will be flattened and improved. To accomplish this, the perimeter fence will be moved, road based will be added to the lot, and the lot will be graded.  Equipment and materials could be purchased in FY22 and work could begin in June.

Fencing and gates: Fence and gate materials will be purchased and transported by DWR staff. Small repairs and installations will be done by DWR staff. Large sections of new fence and installation of gates with long wing fences will be installed by a contractor. Materials could be purchased in FY22 and installation could begin in June.

Spring Restoration: DWR staff will purchase materials (drains and pipes), rent equipment and transport items to the project location. Construction will be done DWR staff and, where feasible, some volunteers. Materials could be purchased in FY22 and construction could begin in June.

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.

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.