Cattle typically graze this pasture during the summer months and they water from the creek. The uplands are short on water supply and are therefore not utilized efficiently by the cattle. this situation creates greater pressure on the riparian areas. This project is needed to get cattle distributed across the landscape relieving pressure from the riparian areas and more evenly utilizing the range resources. This will improve range land health and sage grouse habitat.

Pump water from the riparian area to the uplands and distribute water across the landscape to improve grazing distribution, wildlife habitat and watershed health. The Grazing improvement Program (GIP) has committed funding for part of this project and will be an active partner.

Without this project the watershed, upland and riparian health will remain at status quo. The riparian area will continue to show signs of stress lacking diversity such as willows and other cover for wildlife. Proper grazing distribution would help to improve the riparian, Sage Grouse habitat and overall watershed health.

West Box Elder CRMP Objectives/Strategies (4 objectives): a) Implement improvements to improve forage and grazing opportunities. b) Grazing invasive plants- initiate early season grazing of cheatgrass or other annual non-native invasive plants. c) Recognize and publicize successful treatments in maps, on websites, and in end-of-season press releases. d) Winter Range land Improvement. Implement Forage Improvements. Based on the results of the forage assessment, seek funding for recommended improvements. Start with projects on private land to avoid extended time frames associated with NEPA review and other agency procedures. This project addresses improving grazing management and controlling invasive species to improve species diversity of understory species and browsing species in sage-steppe. This is a cooperative effort involving a CWMU and a grazing association within important sagebrush habitat and have been discussed in the CRMC members. http://www.utahcbcp.org/htm/groups/boxelder Utah Greater Sage grouse Mgt. Plan 2013 Objectives/Strategies (11 objectives): a) Enhance an average of 25,000 acres of sage-grouse habitat in Sage-grouse Management Areas annually. b) Increase the total amount of sage-grouse habitat acreage within Sage-grouse Management Areas by an average of 50,000 acres per year, through management actions targeting Opportunity Areas. c) 5.2 Invasive Species- Habitat loss due to invasive species, such as... cheatgrass and others are a serious threat to greater sage-grouse habitat. These species displace native communities, and alter the soil and environment in a way that makes reestablishment of native ecosystems very difficult. An aggressive response to new infestations is key to keeping invasive species from spreading. Every effort should be made to identify and treat new infestations before they become larger problems. Additionally containment of known infestations in or near sagebrush habitats should be a high priority for all land management agencies. d) Livestock grazing is a major resource use in most SGMAs, and can be an effective tool to improve habitat quality and seasonal nutrition, and thereby enhance local populations. e) 5.1.5 Consider the use of prescriptive grazing to specifically reduce fire size and intensity. This could be particularly effective in areas where cheatgrass is encroaching on sagebrush habitat. This will require cooperation and coordination among different land managers and owners and livestock owners. f) .9 Improper Livestock Grazing- Livestock grazing is a major resource use in most SGMAs, and can be an effective tool to improve habitat quality and seasonal nutrition, and thereby enhance local populations. Existing grazing operations which utilize recognized rangeland best management practices increase the necessary vegetation, and thereby increase the potential for nesting success and population recruitment. Should concerns be raised about the effect of grazing on sage-grouse, and such effects are documented over a sufficiently long time-frame, corrective management actions should be addressed through the best management practices identified by the Department of Agriculture and Food's Grazing Improvement Program. (UDAF GIP). g) .9.1 Rangeland habitat treatments to improve grazing should fully consider the impact on sage grouse seasonal habitat during planning and implementation. h) 9.2 Address incompatible grazing strategies through established rangeland management practices consistent with the maintenance or enhancement of habitat. i) .9.3 Allocate funds and effort to the development of grazing strategies that will enhance or improve habitat for the preservation of greater sage-grouse. j) Maintain forb cover greater than 10% and grass cover greater than 10% during nesting/brood-rearing season; k) Maintain or improve wet meadows, when present; and This plan will help toward the acreage goals for enhancement and increased Sage grouse habitat by improving rangeland health and diversity with improved grazing management. Part of the plan is to enhance wet meadows by relieving grazing pressure from the riparian corridor. The fire risk and invasive species invasion will also benefit from this project. https://wildlife.utah.gov/uplandgame/sage-grouse/pdf/greater_sage_grouse_plan.pdf Utah's Comprehensive Wildlife Management Strategy or Wildlife Action Plan (WAP) Objectives/Strategies (4 objectives): Mountain Sagebrush and Lowland Shrub a) Funding restoration that reduces older age classes and stimulate younger age classes...treat non-native invasive species... b) Continue the development of new restoration techniques suited to this habitat. c) Deploying techniques to diversify the understory species composition and age classes of decadent even-aged sagebrush stands. d) Promoting management that includes ... that will lead to increased resiliency and resistance in the plant community. This plan addresses invading cheatgrass, mitigation of non-native invasive species, new restoration techniques (grazing management with this project), and diversification through grazing of understory species composition in mountain and lowland sagebrush steppe. http://wildlife.utah.gov/cwcs/ Governor's Executive Order EO/2015/001 Objectives/Strategies (1 objective): The Order ensures state agencies will conform to the Conservation Plan and make management and policy decisions that (1) "maintain, improve and enhance Greater Sage-Grouse habitat." State agencies will continue to work with federal agencies to assure the conservation needs of the bird. The purpose of this plan is to improve and enhance Sage grouse habitat through improved grazing management. http://www.rules.utah.gov/execdocs/2015/ExecDoc156045.htm NRCS SGI 2.0 Objectives/Strategies (2 objectives): a) Reduce threats...by grazing sustainably ...re-vegetating disturbed areas and combatting noxious weeds. Avoid further loss of sagebrush grazing lands to wildfire by reducing annual grass threat. c) Avoid further loss of riparian edges, wet meadows, restore and enhance degraded mesic areas to help increase (Sage grouse) populations." This plan will support this initiative by improving grazing distribution, management, sustainability and enhancing degraded wet meadows. http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0ahUKEwjcn47rzK_KAhWLaz4KHVyACisQFggiMAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nrcs.usda.gov%2Fwps%2FPA_NRCSConsumption%2Fdownload%3Fcid%3Dnrcseprd391816%26ext%3Dpdf&usg=AFQjCNHWGtF7AMa-Zb9dz3eZ82IG9FdBbQ Utah Smoke Management Plan (1999, 2006 revision) Objectives/Strategies (1 objective): a) The proposed action will accomplish Goal #5, Use of alternative methods to burning for disposing of or reducing the amount of wildland fuels on lands in the State (p3). State of Utah Hazard Mitigation Plan (March 2011) Objectives/Strategies (1 objective): a) The proposed action accomplishes statewide goals including 1) Protection of natural resources and the environment, when considering mitigation measures and 2) Minimize the risk of wildfire (p12). http://publicsafety.utah.gov/emergencymanagement/documents/IntroductionMarch2011.pdf The Fire Management Planning (FMP) for the Salt Lake District Office (SLDO) 1998 EA UT-020-1998-0008 as amended by the interim implementation guidance (FMP 2004). Objectives/Strategies (1 objective): a) This project is within the Fire Management Unit B04 26. Within this Unit vegetation management would include a wide variety of management activities including mechanical manipulation, seeding to less flammable and more desirable species, fuel break establishment, and other strategies which will improve the fire regime condition class. Treatments will be located in areas where they will reduce the threat of large uncontrolled fires, create and improve wildlife and plant diversity, and mitigate impacts to local wildlife. Utah DWR Statewide Management Plan for Mule Deer Objectives/Strategies (7 objectives): a) Programs that provide incentives to private landowners to manage their properties for mule deer and other wildlife are critical to the success of the state's deer management program. b) Conserve, improve, and restore mule deer habitat throughout the state with emphasis on crucial ranges. c) Maintain mule deer habitat throughout the state by protecting and enhancing existing crucial habitats and mitigating for losses due to natural and human impacts. d) Work with local, state and federal land management agencies via land management plans and with private landowners to identify and properly manage crucial mule deer habitats, especially fawning, wintering and migration areas. e) Improve the quality and quantity of vegetation for mule deer on a minimum of 500,000 acres of crucial range by 2019. f) Initiate broad scale vegetative treatment projects to improve mule deer habitat with emphasis on drought or fire damaged sagebrush winter ranges, ranges that have been taken over by invasive annual grass species, and ranges being diminished by encroachment of conifers into sagebrush or aspen habitats, ensuring that seed mixes contain sufficient forbs and browse species. g) Continue to support and provide leadership for the Utah Watershed Restoration Initiative, which emphasizes improving sagebrush-steppe, aspen, and riparian habitats throughout Utah. His plan addresses improving and restoring Mule deer habitat, by working in cooperation with partners, mitigating invasive annual species, and improving sagebrush-steppe. https://wildlife.utah.gov/hunting/biggame/pdf/mule_deer_plan.pdf

Better grazing distribution would help to reduce fine fuels like cheat grass and other annual weeds on the uplands and improve the perennial vegetation. it would also allow for improved riparian vegetation that could help buffer and contain any future fires. These actions will increase the lands resistance and resilience to catastrophic wild fire.

The overall water quantity across the landscape would increase, allowing more sites where both livestock and wildlife can access water. The water quality of the riparian area should improve as the grazing pressure and vegetation changes.

This project has the water rights secured (WR# 13-517). The cultural clearance of the purposed disturbed areas is being requested as part of this project. This project will take place on private land where NEPA and other compliance issues are not applicable.

After the cultural clearance process is completed the land owners and GIP will make arrangements to install the needed practices to complete the uplands livestock watering system. An electric pump will be used to push the water 11,500 ft up the canyon to anther holding tank. from that holding tank a solar pump will be used to again lift the water another 800 ft. in elevation up the mountain. Where a third solar pump will be installed to finish pushing the water to the top of the mountain. lateral pipelines and troughs will be installed along the route.

The GIP coordinator will manage this contract, monitor its progress and make sure it is completed according to GIP's standards and specifications. Landowner will monitor its day to day use and provide the needed maintenance of system.

The Grazing Improvement Program will provide partial funding for this project, and technical assistance. The Landowners will also contribute at leats 25% of this projects cost in labor and funding. The West Box CRMP and local Conservation District support and encourage this project.

The landowner (Grouse Creek Livestock Association) will provide maintenance as needed to the systems and GIP will continue to work with them to improve range land health and productivity.

Cattle health and productivity will increase as livestock distribution is improved. There will be an increase in usable AUM's without an increase of cattle, which will encourage overall watershed health and economic sustainability.

03/05/2018

06/30/2018

2018

After the cultural clearance process was completed by UGIP the land owners made arrangements to install the needed practices to complete the WRI portion of the uplands livestock watering system. This is a multiple partner project with GIP, WRI and the Landowner sharing in the costs. The landowner completed the bottom half of the project (WRI water funded) by June 30th and now they are working on the upper half (GIP funded). Currently installed is about 11,000 ft of 2 inch hdpe pipe, a spring development, pumping station, power to pump station and troughs. The solar pumps, another 10,000 ft of pipe, tanks, and troughs will be installed this year and paid for with GIP money.

A 200' plus well was drilled but no water was found. So the planned changed and a large spring development was complete to provided the needed water. The spring was collected, through several hundred feet of trench and pipe work, into a cased dummy well. Power was trenched several hundred feet and installed underground to provide power to a 3hp pump which is installed and pumps water through a 2 inch hdpe pipeline to a trough and holding tank about 2 miles away on the ridge above. This water now provides livestock the incentive to leave the riparian area and graze the uplands. The rest of this project is funded through UGIP and is in the process of being completed.

The landowner (Grouse Creek Livestock Association) will provide maintenance as needed to the systems and GIP will continue to work with them to improve range land health and productivity.