On the Dixie National Forest, water is the limiting factor in wildlife population levels and distribution. As demand for human related water use has increased, water sources available for wildlife use have decreased substantially. There is a need to increase water availability and distribution across the Forest for wildlife. The purpose of this project is to develop water sources on the Forest to provide for wildlife use, improve habitat suitability, and reduce competition between resources for currently available water. Providing and restoring water availability for wildlife will allow wildlife access to habitat where water is currently scare. Distributing wildlife across the landscape will also help reduce the risk of disease transmission in localized populations.

Water developments will consist of guzzlers designed for rain water collection and storage in holding tanks up to 2,500 gallons. Water will be dispersed through a drinker for wildlife use. Objectives are to disperse water in drier habitat areas where it will facilitate better use of the existing habitat.

As local wildlife populations expand so does the human uses of the surrounding habitat. As humans interact and disturb existing population they are constantly being pushed to find new areas. Guzzlers fill this niche and help offset some to the pressure from human disturbance. Placing guzzlers in these drier sites helps facilitate the use of areas that would normally not be available do the lack of water. Many of the guzzlers will provide water to wildlife that are at risk. In some locations they will help provide water for Greater Sage Grouse. In all areas monitoring shows that drinkers will provide water for a wide variety of Non-game animals, birds, bats, and large mammals.

Any water development sites within Greater sage-grouse priority habitat will be designed to be beneficial to Greater sage-grouse in accordance with the 2015 Greater Sage-Grouse Record of Decision as described in project design feature WL-3. The proposed project is consistent with and supported by the following management plans: 1)Conservation Plan for Greater Sage-Grouse in Utah - Feb 14, 2013. pp. 4 Objective 2.0.3 Habitat: Enhance an average of 25,000 acres of sage-grouse habitat in Sage-grouse Management Areas annually. (Water Development will enhance the birds habitat) 2) Dixie National Forest - Land and Resource Management plan - pp. IV-84, Standard: A. Maintain habitat capability at a level at least 80 % of potential capability for all emphasized species. And. pp. IV-112, 6A management direction, (1) Maintain and manage forested inclusions to provide a high level of forage production, wildlife habitat, and diversity. 5) Conservation Plan for Greater Sage Grouse in Garfield County, Adopted January 27, 2014. pp. 6: 2.0.2 Objective 2 - Habitat: Enhance 500 acres of sage-grouse priority habitat on federal lands annually through conservation efforts evaluated by the NRCS Sage Grouse Habitat Evaluation criteria, with emphasis on areas of priority habitat. 2.0.3 Objective 3 - Habitat: Enhance an average of 1,000 acres of sage-grouse habitat on federal lands in Sage-grouse Management Areas annually. 2.0.4 Objective 4 - Habitat: Increase the total amount of sage-grouse habitat acreage within Sage-grouse Management Areas by an average of 500 acres per year, through management actions targeting Opportunity Areas. 6) Garfield County current desired future conditions and Draft resource management plan. pp. 5 Wildlife Goal: Prior to December 31, 2025, land managers will seek to have habitats supporting important fish and wildlife species. 7) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Utah Prairie Dog Recovery Plan. pp.79, (2.3.1) Plan and implement vegetation treatments in strategic locations (including translocation sites) that benefit Utah Prairie Dogs and their habitat. 8) Utah Statewide Elk Management Plan pp. 16, Strategies: C. Watershed Restoration Initiative, a) Increase forage production by annually treating a minimum of 40,000 acres of elk habitat. and b) Coordinate with land management agencies, conservation organizations, private landowners, and local leaders through the regional WRI working groups to identify and prioritize elk habitats in need of enhancement or restoration. 9)Greater Plateau Elk Complex, Elk management plan, (24 Mt. Dutton): pp.4 Range Improvements: Maintain and/or enhance forage production on elk summer and winter range throughout the units. Coordinate with the USFS, SITLA, BLM and private land owners to complete projects designed to improve forage production for both elk and livestock and to improve elk distribution across the unit. Identify higher elevation habitat projects that would encourage elk to winter higher and potentially away from traditional deer wintering areas. (Water development will spread out elk distribution and utilization). 10)Utah Mule Deer Statewide management plan, Dec 01 2014. pp.18 - Habitat Goal: Conserve, improve, and restore mule deer habitat throughout the state with emphasis on crucial ranges. Habitat Objective 1: Maintain mule deer habitat throughout the state by protecting and enhancing existing crucial habitats and mitigating for losses due to natural and human impacts. Strategies: c. 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. d. Minimize impacts and recommend mitigation for losses of crucial habitat due to human impacts. Habitat Objective 2: Improve the quality and quantity of vegetation for mule deer on a minimum of 500,000 acres of crucial range by 2019. e. Continue to support and provide leadership for the Utah Watershed Restoration Initiative, which emphasizes improving sagebrush-steppe, aspen, and riparian habitats throughout Utah. g. Encourage land managers to manage portions of pinion-juniper woodlands and aspen/conifer forests in early successional stages using various methods including timber harvest and managed fire. 11)DEER HERD UNIT MANAGEMENT PLAN, Deer Herd Unit # 24, (Mt. Dutton), February 2015: Maintain or enhance forage production through direct range improvements on winter and summer deer range throughout the unit to achieve population management objectives. In addition, these water development sites are consistent with the Dixie National Forest Land and Resource Management plan.

Guzzlers will help wildlife better utilize existing habitat types. In some areas fuels are increased because wildlife and livestock do not have access to the forage due to the lack of water availability in the area. The placement of guzzlers into these types of areas will help reduce fuels as wildlife better utilize the existing forage.

Adding guzzlers to existing habitat helps improve water quality by distributing wildlife across the landscape. Large game animals such as elk and mule deer may concentrate on a single water resource when water is scarce. Additional water sources such as guzzlers and ponds help distribute wildlife across the landscape which allows them to better utilize the existing forage but also alleviates impacts from concentration areas.

NEPA has been conducted and a Decision Memo was issued in the Fall of 2017 approving the placement of these guzzlers on National Forest System lands. All sites have had Archaeological and cultural clearances. Utah law allows for construction of guzzlers under 2500 gallon capacity with a simple rain water harvesting permit, without a water right. Guzzlers were approved up to 2,500 gallon capacity to be consistent with Utah state law. https://www.waterrights.utah.gov/forms/rainwater.asp

Dixie National Forest biologist prefer to utilize galvanized umbrella style tank guzzlers due to their low maintenance needs and ease of installation. It is proposed to purchase (4) tank style guzzlers and transport them from the manufacturer to Cedar City Utah where they will be distributed from there to various sites. We typically utilize local Forest Service summer crews and Dedicated hunters to install the guzzlers on site. Dedicated Hunters seem to love working on guzzler projects.

Guzzlers are monitored annually by USFS biologist for maintenance needs. Utilization is monitored with remote trail cameras. Some of the galvanized umbrella tank style guzzlers on the Dixie National Forest have been functional now for over 30+ years. We expect a similar life from the tanks that are proposed.

Partners include Dedicated Hunters, Friends of the Paunsaugunt (Mule deer working group), Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Local Sportsmens for Fish and Wildlife groups, Mule Deer Foundation, and National Wild Turkey Federation, and Boy Scouts of America. Several of the proposed projects have generated interest from local youth as a Eagle scout projects.

Future management includes constant monitoring to ensure drinkers stay functional and are maintained annually. Biologist monitor existing sites now and conduct maintenance when necessary. In addition, there are over 20 approved sites on the Dixie National Forest now that we will be seeking additional funding for in the future.

Livestock benefit from the placement of these guzzlers as most sites will have an overflow into a pond or reservoir that facilitates livestock use. Excess rainwater harvested then allows for livestock to better utilize the surrounding forage.

05/15/2019

07/10/2020

2021

Guzzlers were obtained during early spring of 2019. Tanks and supplies were transported to the Powell Ranger District and Cedar City Ranger District. Sites were prepared for each tank and then local crews conducted the final install.

2 guzzlers were placed on Powell RD, and 1 on Cedar city. Dedicated hunters and local Forest Service crews excavated holes for the tanks and then built the final guzzler. Pole fences were placed around guzzlers to prevent livestock over-use. The work on this project was completed by September 2019, however final invoices from the USFS were not received until after July 1, 2020 so project was carried over into FY21.

Crews will monitor use and maintenance needs at each guzzler location. Because they are large galvanized tanks, maintenance should be minimal the first few years.