Currently water distribution across the Cottonwood Spring allotment is lacking. There are a few springs and wet weather seeps that provide water to wildlife and cattle during summer months that often do not produce adequate water and sometimes go dry. During summer months the livestock operator often hauls water to supplement the existing springs and water sources.

1. Provide reliable, year around, water to sage grouse, mule deer, elk, and other wildlife species. 2. Provide reliable water for livestock in the Cottonwood Springs grazing allotment 3. Provide reliable water for sage brush obligates such as sage thrashers, bewicks wrens, etc.. and other wildlife species year round.

WRI has completed approximately 8,000 acres of treatment within the Cottonwood Springs area over the past 5 years. Currently water is not distributed evenly across the project area and grazing pressure is not distributed as evenly as it could be. By not doing a water system we continue to graze in an uneven pattern. This will also allow year around water for wildlife and allow them to spread out and use the entire range.

This project is in conformance with the Kanab Field Office Record of Decision and Resource Management Plan (RMP), signed October 31, 2008. Numerous other management plans have identified the need for these projects, including the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Statewide Management Plan for Mule Deer (2008). Utah Wildlife Conservation Strategy (2005). Of particular concern within this area are: Mule deer, and shrub steppe (key habitat). Other plans that relate to the proposed project are: Utah Wildlife Conservation Strategy (2005), and Coordinated Implementation Plan for Bird Conservation in Utah (2005), Paunsaguant deer herd management plan.

The project would provide for proper distribution throughout the project area, which would reduce fuel loads throughout the affected allotments.

Improvements to the Standards and Guidelines for Healthy Rangelands (Standard 1 and Standard 3) are expected through project implementation. It is expected that Standard 1 (Soils) will improve by allowing soils to exhibit permeability and infiltration rates that will sustain/improve site productivity throughout the area. This will be accomplished by making improvements to the Biotic Integrity of the community by ensuring proper distribution of livestock throughout the affected allotments. Indicators will include sufficient cover and litter to protect the soil surface from excessive water and wind erosion, limiting surface flow and limiting soil moisture loss through evaporation, which will promote proper infiltration.

Most of the affected are has been surveyed for Archeolgy as a part of the WRI vegetation work that has taken place. BLM will complete the survey on the remaining portions and complete SHPO consultation before implementation of the project. NEPA for this project was started on April 1, 2019 and should be complete in the summer/early fall. The grazing permittee holds water right number that the would be used to provide water for this system. Upon word that this project is funded a change application to add a point of diversion out of Kanab creek will be submitted. This change has been discussed with the state engineer in Cedar City, In discussing this with the state engineer it is assumed that the change will be approved.

Pipe would be ripped into the ground using a dozer and a ripper. Troughs and tanks would be installed with covers or escape ramps to facilitate the use and protection of wildlife species.

Availability of water for use by wildlife and livestock and the pipeline functionality will be conducted regularly by the grazing permittee, BLM, and UDWR employees. Vegetative monitoring will be conducted by BLM on BLM lands as it relates to prescribed grazing program.

BLM is partnering on this project with the UDWR, and the permittee Merlin Esplin that grazes cattle on the allotment.

After the installation of the pipe and troughs BLM will assign the maintenance to the Permittees through a Cooperative Range improvement agreement. The Permittee on the allotment will then be responsible for maintenance on the system.

Domestic Livestock will see a large benefit from this project as it will serve the Cottonwood Springs allotment with reliable water. Currently permitees have to haul large amounts of water in the summer months to supplement the springs and seeps that dry up or produce limited water in the late summer and fall.