The existing guzzler has two small, tin aprons, and a total storage capacity of 4,000 gallons. This has proven time and again to be insufficient to support the amount of wintering mule deer in the area. Furthermore, two fires in 2020 burned over 12,000 acres of critical winter habitat just south of this guzzler. This has forced more deer to winter in the area of this guzzler, exacerbating the lack of water. UDWR and BLM have had to haul water to this guzzler for many years to keep up with the amount of use. Water hauling has proven inefficient, costly, and dangerous.

The objectives for the project are to construct a new, larger apron and store almost five times the current amount of water. This water will be provided to all wildlife at a drinker that will be kept on year-round. Cattle are excluded from this project.

This is a water project. There really is no threat of a threshold being crossed. This is an effort to provide enough water to support the existing numbers of wintering deer in the area.

The Paunsagunt Mule Deer Management Plan (2015) has goal to *"Balance deer herd impacts on human needs, such as private property rights, agricultural crops andlocal economies." While water development is not implicitly stated in the plan, the addition of water will help to achieve this goal by reducing the amount of deer utilizing private property such as as Jepson Pond. The Statewide Management Plan for mule deer states "Water is a fundamental need for mule deer. The spatial distribution of mule deer populations is often positively associated with the availability of water in arid regions of western North America (Hervert and Krausman 1986, Boroski and Mossman 1996). Consequently, recent work by state wildlife agencies depicts large expanses of the Intermountain West ecoregion as water-limiting to mule deer (Wasley et al. 2008). Wildlife water developments, or guzzlers, can help provide water to mule deer in arid areas."

Not applicable to this project.

Benefits to water quality and quantity from this project are extremely localized to the project area itself. This is not a watershed project. Local mule deer and other wildlife species would benefit from the collection and storage of available clean drinking water.

A class III cultural survey has been completed. While three sites were found within the vicinity of the project, none will be impacted. The affected tribes and the Utah SHPO have concurred with BLM's finding of No Adverse Effect. NEPA was completed in December 2021 for this project.

Utilizing the BLM's backhoe, an apron site 110' by 70' will be cleared of all vegetation and sloped. On this cleared area, a reinforced polyethylene apron will be placed. The collected water will flow into a 4-6" pipe that will convey the water into a fully enclosed water storage tank. From the tank, an undergound pipeline will convey the water into a wildlife drinker, controlled by a float valve. The drinker area will be fenced with lodgepole 60' by 60'. The apron area will be fenced with barbed wire. All equipment and personnel will be provided by the BLM.

Occasional camera trap monitoring will occur to document wildlife use.

Coordination with the UDWR has occurred throughout the project planning. The UDWR and BLM biologist have coordinated water hauling efforts in the past at this location, and have looked at the project area on the ground together. The UDWR fully supports the project and has been involved in all aspects of project planning and will continue to be involved through the implementation. The Paunsaugunt Landowners Association is supportive of the project and has already committed to providing monetary support. In past years, this organization has paid for the water hauling effort to this and other locations on Buckskin mountain. By maintaining sufficient water at several locations, the need for deer and other animals to use water at private locations, usually intended for cattle is diminished.

The new guzzler will be maintained several times annually by BLM or volunteer staff to insure that it is functional and is carrying out its intended purpose.

The proposal will sustain the Paunsaugunt mule deer herd and will collect and store sufficient water so that water hauling is no longer needed. Recreation such as hunting, photography and shed-antler gathering will see a benefit by the addition of dependable water.

12/04/2023

05/07/2024

2024

The guzzler apron, large water tank and wildlife drinker were installed in December of 2023 by BLM and UDWR staff.

The project was initiated in December of 2023. A BLM backhoe was used to clear vegetation on the apron area. An apron, 110' by 70' made of reinforced polyethylene (RPE) was laid out over the cleared area and the edges were bermed up to channel water to the low point, where an 8" outlet fed into a pipeline. An 8" pipeline was constructed to convey the water from the apron to a large, fully enclosed water tank. The tank holds approximately 10,000 gallons. From the water tank, a 1.25" poly hose was laid underground to convey the stored water to a wildlife drinker, 3' by 8'. The drinker has a self-contained float to control the water level. A four-strand barbed wire fence was installed surrounding the apron to protect it from cattle intrusion. A lodgepole fence was constructed around the drinker to exclude cattle while allowing wildlife access. After failing to obtain a second large water tank, four smaller septic tanks were purchased in May and installed to increase water storage. The collected moisture from December to May was enough to completely fill all the water tanks and drinker. Numerous deer were observed drinking from the new water source in the spring months (March and April) before they migrated north.

The new catchment will be inspected several times annually to repair the fence and apron, and the drinker if necessary.