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Dugway Proving Ground Range Restoration FY25
Region: Central
ID: 7009
Project Status: Current
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Project Details
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Need for Project
Through a wide range of impacts, both natural and human caused, parts of the Dugway Proving Ground Range have become degraded. The focus of this project is to improve some of these areas through the use of fencing, seeding and plantings. Most of the natural springs on Dugway have become degraded through overuse of horses. Fencing will be required to prevent this overuse, and to allow wildlife to have access to valuable water resources. The western foothills of the cedar mountains have seen fire on a regular basis over the last several decades, which has allowed for invasion by fire prone annual weeds to the point that there is very little or no native seed source in many areas. Outside seed is required in order to bring this back to a desired state as habitat for wildlife.
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
Prevent further damage and increase the overall health of our desert springs by installing fencing to remove any horse utilization. Increase beneficial, fire resistant, species on the landscape and reduce fire prone species such as cheatgrass and Russian thistle, through a helicopter aided broadcast seeding. Increase shrub species on the landscape to improve big game habitat through both helicopter aided broadcast seeding and planting contracted container stock. Utilize the expertise of GBRC to have a tire roller fabricated. Fencing at the spring will benefit Monarch Butterfly by eliminated excessive horse use, the vegetation including milk weed will be able to grow and provide habitat. Fencing at the spring will benefit Little Brown Myotis, Townsend's Big-Eared and Fringed Myotis as it is anticipated that open water will return to the area once horses are excluded. All 3 species were recorded at the spring when there was last open water over 10 years ago. Golden eagles will be benefited with the seeding efforts as it should improve rabbit habitat and is also hypothesized that reducing the Russian Thistle and resultant tumbleweed accumulations will provided better hunting areas. Mule deer and Pronghorn antelope will be benefited from the conversion of cheatgrass and Russian thistle to a beneficial habitat that provides forage value.
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?)
Phase II of spring fencing is critical to avoid prolonged and increased pressure on unfenced springs. For the aerial seeding we would prefer to conduct ground prep activities but that is currently not possible. But with the potential for a transition from a cool wet spring to warmer dry one that will likely result in a reduction in Russian Thistle and increase in Cheatgrass. Hopefully having seed on the ground takes advantage of that transition.
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
DPG Integrated Management Plan -Restore and protect springs DPG Integrated Fire Management Plan -Reduce invasive vegetation, particularly cheat grass. Statewide and Unit Deer Management Plans for water availability and habitat improvement. Statewide and Unit Pronghorn Management Plans for water availability and habitat improvement. UDWR WAP - Key Habitat and Species
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
The areas being targeted burned in 1994, and then occasionally from then. These areas are dominated by fire prone invasive species, primarily cheatgrass, Russian thistle and tumble mustard. Our goal is to reduce these species and replace them with fire resistant species.
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
By reducing horse access to the springs there will be an increase in water quality and quantity. Not just in the amount of gallons that herds or horses consume but by preventing the damage from hooves and pawing at the water sources there will be a marked increase in hydric vegetation and water flow. Cane Springs is not as disturbed as the others in the area, but with those springs being protected in phase one, we fear that horse pressure will increase at this spring without protection.
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
NEPA and all associated compliance, UXO (Unexploded Ordinance) will be handled by Army staff.
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
To complete all NEPA requirements and hire a fence contractor through state contracting to construct the fences. Fences will be a combination of slick wire and steel T posts with heavy duty panel gates to provide periodic horse access to water and facilitate escape if needed. Hire a aerial seed contract via the state contracting process and have winning bid transport seed from GBRC to DPG and apply seed. Potted plants will be planted by Dugway staff using hand tools.
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
An intensive spring monitoring protocol has been put in place and is implemented by both DPG staff and summer interns. This protocol will be used to monitor springs post-treatment. Seeding and plantings will be monitored by DPG staff to determine future management actions.
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
Possible partners on the other side of the Dugway boundary are primarily the BLM and STLA. We reached out to both to see if there was interest in extending work across the border. Both did not have any plans to complete work in the area and will not be collaborating on this project.
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
Our office is directed to sustainably manage Dugway Proving Ground. This requires us to continually provide management on areas that have been degraded such as these. These areas will be revisited as often as needed with additional seed, herbicide or other treatments, to ensure a successful rehabilitation.
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
Deer move between the Army base and public land in the Cedar Mtns. Improved spring heath and habitat improvement should be beneficial to the overall deer population. Shrub seeding is targeting an area around a wildlife guzzler and will help create continuous habitat between two areas of high value mule deer habitat inside the proposed Military Hunting Unit. A deer hunting program was 85% completed for the area on the base but has been placed on hold due to low deer numbers. Once the population recovers this option will be pursued again.
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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