Repair and replace the current watering system that is crucial to the Grass Valley grazing Allotment area. There are 5 different permittee's that use the Grass valley area with 786 permitted cattle for use June 1- October 15th. Currently the old system cannot keep up with demand as the pipeline is always breaking and the earthen tanks will not hold well enough to keep the livestock and wildlife in water. The system is crucial to not only grass valley but Gray's Bench Valley. This area is crucial to mule deer, turkey and other wildlife. This area is a major fawning area for mule deer. Water is very valuable to the area for wildlife and livestock. The improvement of the system will eliminate the need of supplemental water hauling when the water gets short.

Redevelop wide hallow spring, install new HDPE pipeline for approximately 5.25 miles, install 2-30 ringtanks to replace the dirt drinkers or small ponds, and fix and repair a bottomless ring currently on the system. The improvement of the system will eliminate the need of supplemental water hauling when the water gets short.

Threats may include not having enough water for grazing livestock and wildlife, the current pipeline cannot pack enough water, due to breaks and leaks. Improper livestock grazing could lead to over use in areas, livestock distribution not being as good as it should be. There is a potential for fire in the area and grazing livestock could help reduce hazardous fuels.

Pine Valley Deer Herd Management Plan, Deer Herd Unit # 30 -Habitat management objectives: Maintain and/or enhance forage production through direct range improvements throughout the unit on winter and summer range to achieve population management objectives. Project will help improve crucial summer range forage for wildlife. Utah Statewide Management Plan for Mule deer. Strategic Management Plan for Wild Tukey-Division of Wildlife Resources Grasses provide food for adults and are especially important to poults as an evironment where they can effectively forage for insects. Poults need an environment that produces insects and in which they can efficiently forage. Poults need an area that provides enough cover to hide them, but allows the adult hen unobstructed vision for protection from predators. Project area will be seeded to provide grasses and forbs for prey habitat for turkey. Pine Valley Allotment Management Plan-Coordination of with other uses (IX-b.) "This area supports a sizable deer herd, some turkeys, grouse, cougar, and many small predator, rodent, and avian species. The re-vegetation projects and water developments are benefiting the wildlife, in terms of increased forage, increased "edge", lower successional stages of vegetation and better water distribution."

There have been several vegetation treatments with the area to help reduce fuel loading within the area to help protect the communities within the area. Proper livestock grazing can and will reduce the fine fuel loads.

The project area is within the Mahogany Creek-Santa Clara River and Pinto Creek HUC 6th watersheds which drains into the Santa Clara River system (3 miles south). Proper grazing and suitable forage and will help maintain adequate ground cover to reduce the risk of detrimental run-off and erosion. By redoing the spring and fence the head off livestock and wildlife will not degrade the spring head, thus keeping the quality of the water clean. Quantity will be increased to the current system and water more available because of new tanks.

Clearances will be completed before installation, the project will stay within the current footprint and will qualify as maintenance.

The permittee's will start at Wide Hallow spring and redevelop the spring, then begin with installation of the pipeline and troughs along the system. They would start as soon as funding is available if they are funded.

This area is monitored by Forest Service personnel every five years for long term vegetation trends. The area is also monitored by the UDWR range trend crew for Utah Big Game Range Trend Studies. The permittees are willing to do photo point monitoring of the allotment to have data to supplement or strengthen the USFS data. or to combat if needed.

Permittee's USFS UDWR UGIP

The new water system in the allotment will be grazed in a better rotational system and allow grass valley to be managed according to USFS. Livestock distribution will become better with a functioning system and having water in each pasture. This reconstructed system will allow the permittee's to better utilize the pasture and to rotate there grazing better and give time for regrowth and rest.

Livestock distribution will be improved on the Pine Valley Allotment with reliable water being available on Gray's Bench and Grass valley. By having a more reliable watering system the livestock can be used better as a tool for fire reduction and rangeland health. The new system will allow for better overall use of the allotment, better livestock distribution and more even use of the available forage.

07/01/2017

05/10/2018

2018

Installed over 5.5 miles of pipeline, redeveloped the spring, installed 2 new 30 foot ringtanks and reconstruction of the an existing trough.

Wide hallow spring near grass valley was in poor functioning condition, the old existing pipeline was in poor shape, only following water when it was clogged or broken. The watering systems where earthen ponds. At these conditions the system was in poor condition and not providing the water needed for livestock and wildlife. With the WRI water funds Mr Hughes was able to re-develop Wide Hallow spring, a mini X and backhoe where taken in to accomplish the work. After cleaning the spring, installing new leach lines and gravel as well as a new collection system the spring was flowing double to triple the amount of water. Approx. 10-12 gpm. Not all water was captured to allow water to stay at the spring site. At the collection box a new HDPE pipeline was started to replace the poorly functioning one. At the first earthen pond a 30 foot ringtank was installed with a cement floor and ring to keep livestock and wildlife from having to drink in the muddy water, also keeping livestock and wildlife from the possibility of miring down in the mud. The line then travel to the heart of Grass valley where another 30 foot ring was installed for drinking with an over flow earthen pond. Another ringtank was reconstructed with a new concrete floor as well as new outer ring for the livestock and wildlife to stand on while drinking. The new system was a huge increase in water savings as well as water quality. With the project complete the livestock and wildlife will have a more consistent, reliable water source through the critical times of the year.

The Livestock producer will maintain and keep the system flowing an going for the benefit of livestock and wildlife, he will maintain the spring for maximum flow, fix all leaks if they occur and make sure the troughs stay full and not leaking valuable water.