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BLM Color Country Wildlife Guzzlers FY25
Region: Southern
ID: 6986
Project Status: Current
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Project Details
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Need for Project
The purpose of this project is to provide water on a consistent, dependable basis to benefit wildlife throughout the Escalante Desert and Upper Virgin watersheds as part of the Color Country Converging Landscapes (CCCL) project (IRA funding). There are several locations within CCFO and one within SGFO that have been identified as contributing to the improvement of these watersheds. Additionally, bighorn sheep were transplanted to the Mineral Mountains in 2019 where water was identified through a stakeholder working group. One of the objectives was to improve water distribution and prevent bighorn sheep from using livestock tanks; however since this was a new population, this guzzler was delayed until sufficient telemetry data was collected to identify the most effective location for a bighorn sheep guzzler. In coordination with BLM CCFO, Pinnacle Pass has been identified for a bighorn guzzler; however this location is outside the CCCL IRA boundary.
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
1. Increase utilization of available habitat during seasonal drought conditions. 2. Reduce disease transmission by providing additional water sources which alleviates concentrations of wildlife competing for the limited amount of available natural water resources. 3. Provide constant, dependable water to improve priority habitat for multiple big game species as well as non-game species. 4. Promote and maximize habitat restoration projects conducted throughout the Escalante Desert and Upper Virgin watersheds.
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?)
BLM and UDWR have coordinated wildlife guzzler priorities throughout the CCFO since 2018 in the issuance of the 2018 and 2023 NEPA documents. Prolonged drought and wildfire have elevated the need to provide water for wildlife in priority habitats. The following locations have been identified to be constructed in FY25; 1) Mineral Mountains, Pinnacle Pass (bighorn sheep), 2 boss tanks 2) Tillie Creek (deer/elk/pronghorn), up to 5 boss tanks 3) Sweat Hills (deer), up to 5 boss tanks 4) Blawn (elk, deer, pronghorn), up to 5 boss tanks 5) Lost Hollow (deer, pronghorn), up to 5 boss tanks 6) N Blue Mountain (deer, elk, pronghorn), up to 5 boss tanks 7) SGFO - Dalton Wash (deer), 10,200ga big game system (water right secured by BLM, NEPA pending)
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
Water has been identified in the following management plans within the CCFO and SGFO: Deer Herd Unit Management Plan, Deer Herd Unit #20, Southwest Desert (2020) Deer Herd Unit Management Plan, Deer Herd Unit #22, Beaver (2020) Deer Herd Unit Management Plan, Deer Herd Unit #29, Zion (2020) Deer Herd Unit Management Plan, Deer Herd Unit #30, Pine Valley (2020) Elk Herd Unit Management Plan, Elk Herd Unit #20 (Southwest Desert) (2016) Bighorn Sheep Unit Management Plan, Mineral Mnts (2018) Utah Pronghorn Statewide Management Plan (2017)
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
Guzzler design is fire resistant to minimize maintenance and does not contribute to 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
Water quantity will be increased. Water quality may be improved by distributing competing species to more available water sources thus, reducing competition on the limited resources currently available.
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
All necessary NEPA has been completed for sites located within the CCFO: DOI-BLM-UT-C010-2018-0048-EA DOI-BLM-UT-C010-2023-0012-DNA NEPA for the Dalton Wash site in the SGFO will be completed prior to construction. WATER RIGHTS Steps have been taken to ensure this project is in compliance per Utah Code Title 73-3.Section 1.5. Utah Code 73-3-1.5(3): After registering for the capture and storage of precipitation in accordance with Subsection (5), a person may collect and store precipitation in a container installed in accordance with the State Construction Code or an approved code under Title 15A, State Construction and Fire Codes Act, if: (a) for a person who uses only one container on a parcel, the total capacity of the container is no more than 2,500 gallons; or (b) for a person who uses more than one container on a parcel, the aggregate capacity of the containers is no more than 2,500 gallons. Sites that have water containment larger than 2,500 gallons will use existing water rights held by the BLM SGFO (Dalton Wash).
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
Each boss tank location would consist of an 1,800-gallon polyethylene wildlife catchment tank per site (up to 7 sites) measuring 3.5 ft. high X 8 ft. wide X 16 ft. long, would be installed at each location. All guzzler units would be placed in locations pre-designated by the local wildlife biologist. Water catchment would consist of one tank with a rainwater catchment apron. Rainwater collected on a catchment apron drains into the tank through a 2-inch diameter pipe above ground. The tanks would have an opening in one corner for wildlife to access the water, which is partitioned from the main tank and pre-installed with wildlife escape ramps to eliminate the risk of drowning or entrapment. The drinker tanks would be partially buried into the ground to limit visibility and to allow smaller animals access to the drinker. All water units would be fenced in in order to exclude livestock use of the water and forage surrounding the units. The exclosure surrounding each guzzler would be approximately 1/4 acre and constructed with pole fencing. All water units would be painted in a camouflaged pattern of dark gray, dark green, and rusty brown colors to match the surrounding area. This would lessen the visual impact and obscure the units to not attract attention, which could potentially disturb wildlife.
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
Wildlife crews with both the BLM and UDWR would monitor these sites throughout the year to ensure function and general use. The placement of trail cameras may also be utilized to assess specific usage and seasonal rain collection trends.
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
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife Mule Deer Foundation Utah Foundation for North American Wild Sheep
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
Guzzlers will be fenced to provide access for wildlife while excluding livestock. Guzzlers will be added to UDWR/BLM inventory list and visited regularly to monitor use and repair needs.
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
The BLM has the objective of improving, enhancing, and expanding wildlife habitat on public lands. Increased availability of surface water will increase the distribution and or abundance of popular and economically important game species such as mule deer, bighorn sheep, elk, pronghorn, and several species of upland game birds. Water developments also benefit non-game wildlife, particularly birds, and bats. Wildlife will use waters from springs and streams and those developed for livestock, such as tanks and troughs. However, persistent drought conditions have limited water available for wildlife thus, reducing the utilization and distribution of all ungulates. The construction of guzzlers throughout the Escalante Desert and Upper Virgin watersheds will ensure that wildlife have access to water throughout the year.
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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