Water is crucial for wildlife populations in Southern Utah. Research has shown that body condition of Mule Deer going into winter is directly correlated to their survival. By improving water storage on summer range we can disperse wildlife on the landscape allowing them to access better feed along with not having to travel long distance for water. This will improve body condition and overall survival.

Repair holding tanks and plumbing to wildlife drinker that was burned in the France Canyon Fire. Clean and Bentonite 10 ponds near table mountain, that are silted in and in need of repair. Repair springs and pertinent infrastructure that was damaged in the France Canyon fire.

Proctor canyon has great habitat for wildlife, but lacks perennial water. This guzzler will provide water to keep wildlife distributed across the landscape. Table mountains has great wildlife habitat but lacks live water. There are some existing ponds, but they are no longer working. By repairing these ponds we can distribute wildlife across the landscape allowing them to access better forage, resulting in better body condition and overall survival.

The proposed project is consistent with and supported by the following management plans: I. 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. II. 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. III. 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. IV. Utah Mule Deer Statewide Management Plan, 2025. pp. 20-22 - 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: B. Habitat Management and Conservation a. Work with local, state and federal land management agencies via land management plans and with private landowners to identify and actively manage and protect crucial mule deer habitats including summer (especially fawning), winter, and migration areas as defined in Sawyer et al. 2009 I. Wildlife-Friendly Fencing a. Consider installing or modifying wildlife-friendly fencing for effective and safe mule deer movements. Habitat Objective 2: Improve the quality and quantity of vegetation for mule deer on a minimum of 600,000 acres of crucial range by 2030. A. Utah's Watershed Restoration Initiative (WRI) a. Utilize WRI as a tool to improve deer habitat with all partners across the state b. Continue to support and provide leadership for WRI, which emphasizes improving sagebrush-steppe, aspen, and riparian habitats throughout Utah c. Work with land management agencies, conservation organizations, private landowners, and local leaders through the regional WRI teams working groups to identify and prioritize mule deer habitats that are in need of enhancement or restoration (Figure 6). Emphasis should be placed on crucial habitats which include summer range habitats such as improving aspen, winter ranges sagebrush habitats, and improving riparian areas e. Initiate broad scale vegetative treatment projects to improve and restore mule deer habitat with emphasis on drought or fire damaged sagebrush winter ranges, ranges that have been taken over by invasive annual grass species, and ranges being diminished by encroachment of conifers into sagebrush or aspen habitats, ensuring that seed mixes contain sufficient forbs and browse species V. Plateau Boulder Deer Herd Management Plan Unit #25C- Objectives: 1) Maintain mule deer habitat throughout the unit by protecting and enhancing existing crucial habitats and mitigating for losses due to natural and human impacts. 2) Encourage vegetation manipulation projects and seeding to increase the availability, abundance and nutritional content of browse, grass, and forb species. Map 2.5: 2018 Desirable Components Index (DCI) ranking distribution by study site for WMU 25B, Thousand Lakes Plateau. 3) Seek cooperative projects and programs to encourage and improve the quality and quantity of deer habitat, with public and private land managers to maintain a stable or upward trend in vegetative composition. 4) Provide improved habitat security and escapement opportunities for mule deer keeping habitat restoration projects a priority for wildlife VI.Utah Elk Statewide Management Plan This project helps to meet Population Objective 2 - Foster support among stakeholders for Utah's elk management program. Specifically, the project helps increase tolerance of public land grazers not enrolled in a CWMU or LOA by conducting habitat projects that will benefit livestock and wildlife. The proposed treatments will also assist with meeting Habitat Objectives 1 - Maintain sufficient habitat to support elk herds at population objectives and reduce competition for forage between elk and livestock.

Not applicable to the threat of fire and fuel loading, although the increasing encroachment of pinyon-juniper in the area may take away from the run off of existing snow and rain in the area, allowing for loss of water through overland flow

Table Mountain has no live water and through this project we will have a positive impact on water quality and quantity, the re-claying of the ponds, fixing guzzlers and pipelines that were burned during the France canyon fire, will allow for more storage capacity of the water resource and availability of it over the summer months. By catching winter snow loads and seasonal rains we are able to store the water for critical time of year that will benefit wildlife that will use these ponds, guzzlers and pipelines for their watering needs. By the use of re-claying these ponds additional water will allow for better utilization by wildlife.

Dixie National Forest Powell Ranger District has identified the existing these locations as maintenance and no NEPA is required.

Use a excavator to dig up the existing damaged tanks in proctor canyon. We will need to use a Helicopter to bring in the new tanks and fly the old tanks out. We will then set the new tanks run new plumbing to the drinker and do any other repairs that are needed. To clean the ponds on table mountain we will rent a dozer to repair the road along with pushing and cleaning the ponds. We will then haul in bentonite clay to line the ponds so they can better hold water into the future. Replacing 7920 feet of water pipeline that was damaged in the France Canyon fire.

Monitoring will continue on an annual basis, to make sure the projects are functioning properly.

Dixie National Forest Powell Ranger District

We will continue to manage this to be a long term sustainable water source into the future.

These water projects will allow wildlife to disperses onto the landscape and utilize forage that would not be available if the water was not available.