Analysis of the Management Situation for the Canyon Country District
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BLM Mission It is the mission of the Bureau of Land Management to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. Analysis of the Management Situation for the Canyon Country District Office Moab Master Leasing Plan and Associated Environmental Impact Statement Prepared by United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Canyon Country District Office July 2013 This page intentionally left blank Draft AMS Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 —INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................ 1-1 1.2 PURPOSE OF THE ANALYSIS OF THE MANAGEMENT SITUATION ................................................................... 1-1 1.3 GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANNING AREA, GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE, AND RESOURCE/PROGRAMS......... 1-2 1.4 KEY FINDINGS.............................................................................................................................................. 1-3 CHAPTER 2 —AREA PROFILE ............................................................................................................................. 2-1 2.1 AIR RESOURCES ........................................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.1.1 Regional Context ............................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.1.2 Resource Characterization ................................................................................................................. 2-4 2.2 CULTURAL RESOURCES .............................................................................................................................. 2-16 2.2.1 Regional Context ............................................................................................................................. 2-17 2.2.2 Resource Characterization ............................................................................................................... 2-20 2.3 LANDS WITH WILDERNESS CHARACTERISTICS ........................................................................................... 2-25 2.3.1 Regional Context ............................................................................................................................. 2-25 2.3.2 Resource Characterization ............................................................................................................... 2-26 2.4 MINERALS – OIL AND GAS ......................................................................................................................... 2-27 2.5 MINERALS – POTASH ................................................................................................................................. 2-27 2.6 PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCES ................................................................................................................ 2-27 2.6.1 Regional Context ............................................................................................................................. 2-28 2.6.2 Resource Characterization ............................................................................................................... 2-28 2.7 RECREATION .............................................................................................................................................. 2-31 2.7.1 Regional Context ............................................................................................................................. 2-31 2.7.2 Resource Characterization ............................................................................................................... 2-31 2.8 RIPARIAN ................................................................................................................................................... 2-41 2.8.1 Regional Context ............................................................................................................................. 2-41 2.8.2 Resource Characterization ............................................................................................................... 2-42 2.9 SOIL AND WATER ....................................................................................................................................... 2-46 2.9.1 Regional Context ............................................................................................................................. 2-47 2.9.2 Resource Characterization ............................................................................................................... 2-48 2.10 SPECIAL DESIGNATIONS: AREAS OF CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN .............................................. 2-64 2.11 SPECIAL DESIGNATIONS: NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAILS AND BACKWAYS AND BYWAYS............................ 2-67 2.11.1 National Historic Trails ................................................................................................................... 2-67 2.11.2 National Scenic Byways .................................................................................................................. 2-68 2.12 SPECIAL DESIGNATIONS: WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS ................................................................................. 2-68 2.13 SPECIAL STATUS SPECIES........................................................................................................................... 2-70 2.13.1 Regional Context ............................................................................................................................. 2-70 2.13.2 Resource Characterization ............................................................................................................... 2-70 2.14 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS ........................................................................................................ 2-80 2.15 VEGETATION .............................................................................................................................................. 2-80 2.15.1 Regional Context ............................................................................................................................. 2-81 2.15.2 Resource Characterization ............................................................................................................... 2-81 2.16 VISUAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ............................................................................................................ 2-88 2.16.1 Regional Context ............................................................................................................................. 2-88 2.16.2 Resource Characterization ............................................................................................................... 2-88 2.17 WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES .......................................................................................................................... 2-91 2.17.1 Regional Context ............................................................................................................................. 2-91 2.17.2 Resource Characterization ............................................................................................................... 2-91 CHAPTER 3 —CURRENT MANAGEMENT DIRECTION .................................................................................. 3-1 3.1 AIR RESOURCES ........................................................................................................................................... 3-1 3.2 CULTURAL RESOURCES ................................................................................................................................ 3-2 3.3 LANDS AND REALTY .................................................................................................................................... 3-3 3.4 MINERALS .................................................................................................................................................... 3-3 Moab MLP i Table of Contents Draft AMS 3.5 PALEONTOLOGY ........................................................................................................................................... 3-5 3.6 RECREATION ................................................................................................................................................ 3-6 3.7 RIPARIAN ..................................................................................................................................................... 3-8 3.8 SOIL AND WATER ......................................................................................................................................... 3-8 3.9 SPECIAL DESIGNATIONS: AREAS OF CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN .............................................. 3-10 3.10 SPECIAL DESIGNATIONS: NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAILS AND BACKWAYS .................................................. 3-11 3.11 SPECIAL DESIGNATIONS: WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS ................................................................................. 3-11 3.12 SPECIAL STATUS SPECIES........................................................................................................................... 3-12 3.13 VEGETATION .............................................................................................................................................