Newfoundland Mountains Water Development FY26
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Project ID: 7631
Status: Draft
Fiscal Year: 2027
Submitted By:
N/A
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Project Manager: Shane Hill
PM Agency: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
PM Office: Northern Region
Lead: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
WRI Region: Northern
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Description:
Install two guzzlers on the Newfoundland mountain range to expand the bighorn sheep summer range.
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Location:
Newfoundland Mountains west of the Great Salt Lake
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Project Need
Need For Project:
The bighorn sheep on the Newfoundland mountain range are beginning to use more of the range due to guzzler being installed in strategic location over the past 7 years. This particular bighorn sheep herd is one of the few herds in the state that is free of the most concerning pathogen causing respiratory disease in bighorn sheep. It may serve as a critical source herd to other population in the future. By adding additional water sources along the range the sheep will be able to spread out thus reducing the risk of disease and reduce the demand on the critical Big Pass Guzzlers.
Objectives:
To install three additional guzzlers on the sites that have already been selected and received arc clearance.
Project Location/Timing Justification (Why Here? Why Now?):
Site were selected ~5 years to do arch clearance. We will continue to use the cleared sites as project locations until we have installed guzzlers at each of them. This particular bighorn sheep herd is one of the few herds in the state that is free of the most concerning pathogen causing respiratory disease in bighorn sheep. It may serve as a critical source herd to other population in the future.
Relation To Management Plan:
Utah Bighorn Sheep Statewide Management Plan Habitat Goals - f. Improve or maintain existing water sources and develop new water sources as needed to improve distribution and abundance of bighorn sheep.
Fire / Fuels:
N/A
Water Quality/Quantity:
We will increase available water to wildlife on the mountain range.
Compliance:
DWR archeologist has visited and cleared sites. BLM has completed necessary NEPA requirements.
We will get airspace clearance from Hill Airforce base prior to work starting
Methods:
Due to the remote and rugged terrain of the guzzler locations we will fly the DWR staff and volunteers into the sites and back out.
Monitoring:
Game monitoring cameras will be placed at both guzzlers. As the number of guzzlers increase on the mountain range it would be beneficial to contract a monitoring flight each year for DWR staff and volunteers to check guzzlers for repairs
Partners:
Utah Wild Sheep Foundation Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife BLM Hill Airforce Base
Future Management:
Our goal is to maintain these water sources so that they will continue to be valuable to the bighorn sheep, chukars, and other wildlife in the area. To continue with the plan of installing a total of 10 guzzlers to spread out sheep use during the summer months. To create an additional water source that is near a road to facilitate bringing water to the sheep in emergency situations.
Sustainable Uses of Natural Resources:
As long as these water sources are maintained, then they will continue to provide valuable water to all wildlife species in the area. We are effectively increasing the carrying capacity of the Newfoundland Mtns which will provide more opportunity for the public to view and hunt this population of bighorn sheep.
| Budget | WRI/DWR | Other | Budget Total | In-Kind | Grand Total |
| $73,500.00 | $0.00 | $73,500.00 | $8,000.00 | $81,500.00 |
| Item | Description | WRI | Other | In-Kind | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials and Supplies | Guzzlers, apron materials, monitoring cameras, required hardware and tools. | $50,000.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 2026 |
| Contractual Services | Helicopter flights for materials and personnel $2,000.00 / hr @ 10 hrs | $20,000.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 2026 |
| Personal Services (permanent employee) | transport of materials and installation labor | $3,500.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 2026 |
| Other | volunteers from SFW/UWSF and dedicated hunters for installation of guzzlers and aprons 10 people @$30/hr for 10 hours | $0.00 | $0.00 | $3,000.00 | 2026 |
| Personal Services (permanent employee) | DWR staff coordination, planning and implementation | $0.00 | $0.00 | $5,000.00 | 2026 |
| Funding | WRI/DWR | Other | Funding Total | In-Kind | Grand Total |
| $73,500.00 | $0.00 | $73,500.00 | $8,000.00 | $81,500.00 |
| Source | Phase | Description | Amount | Other | In-Kind | Year |
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| Utah's Watershed Restoration Initiative (UWRI) | $73,500.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 2026 | ||
| Utah Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF) | $0.00 | $0.00 | $3,000.00 | 2026 | ||
| Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) | $0.00 | $0.00 | $5,000.00 | 2026 |
Species
| Species | "N" Rank | HIG/F Rank | ||||
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| Bighorn Sheep | N4 | R2 | ||||
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Habitats
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Project Comments
Completion
Start Date:
End Date:
FY Implemented:
Final Methods:
Project Narrative:
Future Management:
Map Features
| ID | Feature Category | Action | Treatement/Type |
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| 3194 | Guzzler | Construction | Big game |
Project Map
