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Wind River Basin Wetland Complex

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Wind River Basin Wetland Complex WIND RIVER BASIN WETLAND COMPLEX Regional Wetland Conservation Plan The Wyoming Wetlands Working Group Wyoming Joint Ventures Steering Committee Version 1.0 January 10, 2018 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 1 GENERAL DESCRIPTION AND LAND USE ........................................................................................ 1 Ecological Cover Types .............................................................................................................. 2 Hydrology .................................................................................................................................... 3 Wetlands and Other Water Resources ......................................................................................... 4 Wetlands on Wyoming Game and Fish Department Managed Lands ...................................... 10 Ocean Lake Wildlife Habitat Management Area ................................................................... 10 Sand Mesa Wildlife Habitat Management Area .................................................................... 11 Wetland-Associated Wildlife .................................................................................................... 12 Bird Species ........................................................................................................................... 12 Mammal Species .................................................................................................................... 12 Amphibian Species................................................................................................................. 12 OTHER PLANS AND INITIATIVES ................................................................................................... 12 NRCS: Agricultural Conservation Easement Program, Wetland Reserve Easements .............. 12 North American Wetlands Conservation Act and Grant Program. ........................................... 13 Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program. .................................................................................... 13 Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program ........................................................................... 14 Wind River Reservation (WRR): Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes ................ 14 Wyoming Partners in Flight (PIF): Wyoming Bird Conservation Plan: Version 2.0 ................ 14 Wyoming 2917 State Wildlife Action Plan ............................................................................... 14 Wyoming Wetlands Conservation Strategy .............................................................................. 15 Wetland Program Development Grants: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency .................... 15 Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resources Trust ...................................................................... 15 Wyoming Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan ................................................ 16 Wyoming State Water Plan ....................................................................................................... 16 THREATS TO WETLANDS ............................................................................................................... 16 Climate Change, Short and Long Term Drought ...................................................................... 17 Wetland Conversions ................................................................................................................ 19 Local Aquifer Alterations .......................................................................................................... 19 Stream Degradation ................................................................................................................... 19 i Management/Maintenance of Existing Wetlands Projects ........................................................ 20 Surrounding Land Use Changes ................................................................................................ 20 Effectiveness of Regulatory Programs ...................................................................................... 21 Invasive Species ........................................................................................................................ 21 CONSERVATION OBJECTIVES ........................................................................................................ 22 CONSERVATION STRATEGIES........................................................................................................ 22 REFERENCES: ................................................................................................................................. 24 Tables Table 1. Composition of wetlands within the Wind River Complex based on National Wetland Inventory (NWI) maps. .................................................................................................... 6 Table 2. Large reservoirs within the Wind River Complex............................................................ 6 Table 3. Species of greatest conservation need that use wetland, riverine, or riparian habitats in the WRWC based on WGFD (2017). ............................................................................ 12 Table 4. Threats to wetlands in the Wind River Complex ........................................................... 17 Figures Fig. 1. Wind River Diversion Dam and associated canal systems. ................................................ 4 Fig. 2. Changes in mean peak stream discharge pre- and post-construction of major irrigation infrastructure. ...................................................................................................................... 5 Fig. 3. National Wetland Inventory Overlay of the Wind River Wetland Complex. ..................... 7 Fig. 4. Riverton Reclamation Project/Ocean Lake area ................................................................. 7 Fig. 5. Wetlands around the perimeter of Ocean Lake. .................................................................. 8 Fig. 6. Wetlands associated with the Wind River Floodplain. ....................................................... 8 Fig. 7. Wetlands within the Little Wind River/ Ocean Lake. ......................................................... 8 Fig. 8. Foothills wetland associated with irrigation. ....................................................................... 8 Fig. 9. Riverine/riparian wetlands along the lower Wind River. .................................................... 8 Fig. 10. Montane wetlands of the Wind River Range. ................................................................... 9 Fig. 11. Example of Wind River montane wetland. ....................................................................... 9 Fig. 12. Wind River montane lake. ................................................................................................. 9 Fig. 13. Alkali Lake wetland. ......................................................................................................... 9 Fig. 14. East Ray Lake wetland. ..................................................................................................... 9 Fig. 15. Ray Lake wetland. ........................................................................................................... 10 Fig. 16. Two constructed wildlife ponds. ..................................................................................... 10 Fig. 17. Ocean Lake and Ocean Lake WHMA. ............................................................................ 10 Fig. 18. Sand Mesa WHMA. ........................................................................................................ 11 Fig. 19. Palmer Drought Hydrological Index. .............................................................................. 18 ii Acronyms and Abbreviations BLM ……………………… U.S Bureau of Land Management BOR……………………….. U.S. Bureau of Reclamation BMP ………………………. Best Management Practice BOC ………………………. Board of Control (State Engineer’s Office) CRP ……………………….. Conservation Reserve Program CWA ……………………… Federal Clean Water Act of 1972 DEQ ………………………. WY Department of Environmental Quality DEQ/WQD ……………….. DEQ Water Quality Division DU ………………………… Ducks Unlimited EPA ……………………….. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency EQIP ………………………. Environmental Quality Incentives Program IWJV ……………………… Intermountain West Joint Venture LWCF …………………….. Land and Water Conservation Fund NAWCA ………………….. North American Wetland Conservation Act NGO ………………………. Nongovernmental Organization NGPJV ……………………. Northern Great Plains Joint Venture NPS ……………………….. Nonpoint Source NRCS ……………………... Natural Resources Conservation Service PFW ……………………….. Partners for Fish and Wildlife PIF ………………………… Partners in Flight SCORP ……………………. Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan SEO ……………………….. WY State Engineer’s Office SGCN ……………………... Species of Greatest Conservation Need SWANCC …………………. Solid Waste Agency of Northern Crook County, Illinois SWAP ……………………… State Wildlife Action Plan SWG ………………………. State Wildlife Grants TNC ……………………….. The Nature Conservancy USACE or COE …………… U.S. Army Corps of Engineers USDA ……………………… U.S. Department of Agriculture USFWS ……………………. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service USGS ……………………… U.S. Geological Survey UW ………………………… University of Wyoming WGFD …………………….. Wyoming Game and Fish Department WHIP ……………………… Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program WHMA ……………………. Wildlife Habitat
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