EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Browns Park Waterfowl Management Area Habitat Management Plan March 2017 Primary Purpose of BPWMA: The primary purposes of the Browns Park WMA are to: preserve, restore, and enhance both aquatic and terrestrial habitat for wildlife; protect cultural resources; and provide for recreational opportunities that are compatible with the purpose of a wetland ecosystem. Management of this area is directed to maintain a diversified plant community with a diversified structural component. Public access is managed to reduce disturbance during the critical reproductive period for wildlife that utilize this area. This approach will benefit many of the upland and wetland wildlife species that occupy or visit the area, while providing for recreational opportunities during prescribed waterfowl, mourning dove, and pheasant hunting seasons. Wildlife Species: Browns Park WMA provides crucial year-round habitat for a variety of avian species, but particularly for waterfowl, pheasants, and shorebirds. Wintering bald eagles utilize the area for foraging as well as tundra swans and trumpeter swans. American white pelicans visit the area to forage during spring, summer, and fall. Browns Park WMA provides critical wintering habitat for mule deer and elk. The WMA is also within the Uintah Sage Grouse Management Area. Habitat Conditions/Problems: Water quantity and water quality is fairly constant to Browns Park WMA due to the Flaming Gorge Dam and Reservoir upriver. However, flash flooding can be a problem for the infrastructure, including roads, fences, and canals. Thunderstorms also cause increased silt in the Green River from several tributaries upriver. Soil condition is a limiting factor in keeping ponds full on several units. Soil is very sandy and water seeps out quickly. Muskrat and beaver control is required to prevent damage to dikes and canals. Carp and white sucker introduction comes from the Green River and requires some control to decrease competition for food and water turbidity. Noxious and invasive weeds are present and need to be monitored and treated annually. Cattails also need to be controlled to maintain open water on the units. One unit is being leased for crop production to increase habitat for Canada geese and mule deer. There is potential to increase the lease acres on this and other units pending maintenance of pumps and road improvements. Access Plan: Public access is limited on Browns Park WMA. Vehicles are restricted year round and the units are closed to the public except during listed hunts, which include waterfowl, mourning dove, pheasant, and archery mule deer seasons. Direct access to the Green River for fishing is allowed year round as well as direct access to the Parsons Homestead. There are parking areas at each entrance that allow room for several vehicles. There are no blinds or maintained toilets. Camping is allowed on adjacent public lands and there are pit toilets at BLM administered campgrounds and boat ramps. Maintenance Activities: Boundary structures, which include fences and gates, are maintained to control access and reduce livestock trespass. Information and regulatory signs are placed and replaced as needed. Roads and dikes are mowed, graded, and maintained. Water control structures are placed and replaced as needed. Habitat is monitored for noxious and invasive weeds and control efforts are implemented on an annual basis. Buildings at the headquarters site and water pumps are maintained and kept in good functioning condition. Equipment is maintained and kept at an operational level. Public use facilities are maintained and repaired as necessary, which includes parking lots and boat launches. Habitat Improvement: Habitat is evaluated and enhancement, restoration, or development activities are selected for implementation on selected sites. Numerous methods are used for these activities including planting, mechanical manipulation, burning, herbicide treatments, and introduction of biological control agents. Wetland habitats need prescribed fire or other manipulation used to remove residual vegetation on a three-five year rotational schedule. Dewatering should be accomplished when opportunity exists and conditions are appropriate on the Parson’s Unit to help with carp control and vegetation management. Rotational scheduling every three to five years would allow for less impact to nesting and brood rearing birds. The Butch Cassidy Unit is managed in coordination with Browns Park National Wildlife Refuge because it straddles the Utah-Colorado state line. Browns Park Waterfowl Management Area -Habitat Management Plan- March 2017 Prepared by: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Northeastern Region 318 North Vernal Avenue Vernal, Utah 84078 Browns Park Waterfowl Management Area Habitat Management Plan March 2017 I. Background Information Property Description Browns Park Waterfowl Management Area (BPWMA) is located in Daggett County, Utah. The area is 47 miles northeast of Vernal, UT and 17 miles east of Dutch John, UT. The WMA lies along the Green River and consists of four geographically separated units: Headquarters Unit, Butch Cassidy Unit, Bridgeport Unit, and Parson’s Unit. The areas lie within or part of the following sections: Sections 13, 24, 25, & 36, T2N, R24E; Sections 19, 21, 30, & 31, T2N, R25E; Sections 2, 3, 10, &11, T1N, R25E;. The total acreage of these sections equals approximately 2,668.7 acres. BPWMA also includes approximately 624.64 acres of leased Bureau of Land Management (BLM) property. Leased BLM property lies within or part of the following sections: Sections 24 & 25, T2N, R24E; Sections 3, 11, & 15, T1N, R25E; Sections 19 & 31, T2N, R25 E. See maps in Appendix A. Butch Cassidy Unit-657.7 acres Headquarters Unit-559.2 acres Bridgeport/Meyers/Parson’s Units-1451.8 acres Encumbrances: Minerals All mineral rights are held in reservation to the United States of America. Water rights/shares The UDWR currently has 19 water rights for the WMA. These rights include water rights for irrigation, stock watering, wildlife propagation, and domestic water use. Water rights pertaining to BPWMA are detailed in Table 1 below. Table 1. BPWMA Water Right Information WUCNO Flow (cfs) Source Priority Period of Use* 41-373 3.1 Crouse Creek 1888 S: 01/01 to 12/31 I: 4/15 to 10/15 41-376 0.125 Crouse Spring 1888 S: 01/01 to 12/31 I: 4/15 to 10/15 41-417 0.25 Watson Spring 1888 S: 01/01 to 12/31 I: 04/01 to 11/01 41-420 3.0 Crouse Creek 1888 S: 01/01 to 12/31 I: 04/01 to 11/01 41-423 4.0 Green River 1870 S: 01/01 to 12/31 I: 04/01 to 11/01 41-424 5.0 Sears Creek 1888 S: 01/01 to 12/31 I: 04/01 to 11/01 41-428 4.0 Green River 1870 S: 01/01 to 12/31 I: 04/01 to 11/01 41-430 2.5 Green River 1870 S: 01/01 to 12/31 I: 04/01 to 11/01 41-577 3.0 Crouse Creek 1888 S: 01/01 to 12/31 I: 04/01 to 11/01 41-585 4.0 Green River 1870 S: 01/01 to 12/31 I: 04/01 to 11/01 41-1019 1160.15 acft Pot Creek 19230813 S: 01/01 to 12/31 I: 04/01 to 11/01 41-1117 0.4 Crouse Creek 1888 S: 01/01 to 12/31 I: 04/01 to 11/01 41-1120 0.75 Crouse Creek 1888 S: 01/01 to 12/31 I: 04/01 to 11/01 41-1203 1.0 Green River 1870 S: 01/01 to 12/31 I: 04/01 to 11/01 41-2974 2.0/99.516 Green River 19561216 I: 04/01 to 11/01 acft 41-3026 0.015 Crouse Spring 1870 S: 01/01 to 12/31 D: 01/01 to 12/31 41-3070 1.5/79.32 Green River 19630924 I: 04/01 to 11/01 acft W: 01/01 to 12/31 41-3138 10/577.215 Green River 19680319 I: 03/01 to 03/31 and 11/02 to acft 12/31 W: 01/01 to 12/31 41-3304 5/1050 acft Green River 19570327 I: 04/01 to 11/01 W: 01/01 to 12/31 *S(Stock Water), W(Wildlife), O(Other), I(Irrigation), D(Domestic) Easements/ROWs/MOUs The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources has a Recreation or Public Purpose lease with the BLM on 624.64 acres; serial number UTU-37403. Deed #26143 allows for 2 cell towers and access to them and is located on the Butch Cassidy Unit. A natural gas pipeline crosses the Parsons and Meyers Units. Moon Lake Association has a power line right of way to the buildings on the Headquarters Unit. Grazing There are currently no grazing leases on any unit within fenced areas on the Browns Park WMA. The Bridgeport Unit is currently under a cropshare agreement, but does not allow for grazing. The unfenced portion of the Butch Cassidy Unit will follow the BLM grazing allotment that surrounds that parcel. Future grazing will be considered if benefits can be derived from the practice. Appropriate measures would have to be taken to reduce impacts to wetlands and waterfowl nesting habitat which may include fencing. All grazing requests, including trailing cattle through the WMA, will be considered on a case by case basis and may or may not be approved. Land acquisition history Most of the property was deeded to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources from United States of America Fish and Wildlife Service under Section 8 of the Colorado River Storage Project Act. Section 8 “authorizes and directs the Secretary of the Interior to investigate, plan, construct, operate and maintain (1) public recreational facilities…and (2) facilities to mitigate losses of, and improve conditions for, the propagation of fish and wildlife, and …whereas, a conveyance to the State of title to these acquired lands so as to allow intensive wildlife management by the State would be in the public interest…” The Fish and Wildlife Service originally acquired the lands through land sales.