Lower San Rafael River
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Lower San Rafael River Wildlife Management Area Habitat Management P lan Southeastern Region Habitat Section February 2016 Utah Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife Resources TABLE OF CONTENTS BACKGROUND INFORMATION 1 Property Description 1 Location... I Encumbrances............ 2 Minerals 4 Easements... 4 Grazing 5 Land Acquisition History 5 Historic Background.................. 5 Purpose of UDWR Ownership 6 Conservation Partners Involved in Acquisition.......... 6 PROPERTY INVENTORY 6 Existing Capital Improvements ............ 6 Roads 6 Fences 7 Facilities and Equipment ....... 7 Water Rights 7 Cultural Resources. 9 Important Fish and V/ildlife Habitats....... 9 General Conditions of Habitat. .12 Habitat Limitations l2 Habitat Threats ...........13 Human Use Related Challenges.... ...........t4 Adjacent Land Uses and Potential Impacts ...........15 MANAGEMENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES......... 15 STRATEGIES FOR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT t6 Development Activities ............ l6 Establish Property Boundary/Fence ......... l6 Sign Needs t6 Public Access...... t6 Annual Maintenance Activities ..................... l7 Compatibility of Proposed Uses with Local Government PlanninglZoning Ordinances..lT STRATEGIES FOR HABITAT MANAGEMENT l8 Habitat Improvement Plan...... 20 Access Management Plan............. 20 Fire Management P1an.......... 2l TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) ll V/ood Products 2l Livestock Ctrazing Plan ..... 2t SUMMARY STATEMENT OF PROPOSED USES 22 MONITORING AND EVALUATION 22 ATTACHMENTS 22 I|i4ap# l. Location of Lower San Rafael River V/MA, Emery County, Utah......... 23 Map # 2. Lower San Rafael River WMA, Hatt Ranch Property... 24 Map # 3. Lower San Rafael River V/MA, Frenchman Ranch Property... 25 Map # 4. Lower San Rafael River'WMA, Chaffin Ranch Property.... 26 APPENDICES .......... 27 A. Agreement (Exhibit B to Correction Special V/arranty Deed)..... B. Correction Special Warranty Deed......... C. Memorandum of Understanding............... D. Water Rights Change Application Number 93-340 E. Bill of Sale............... F. Plans and Reports...... 111 LOWER SAN RAFAEL RIVER WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA HABITAT MANAGEMENT PLAN BACKGROUND INFORMATION Property Description Location The Lower San Rafael River'Wildlife Management Area (WMA) includes 4,060 acres located in Emery County, Utah (see Map # 1). It is comprised of three historic ranches, Hatt Ranch, Frenchman Ranch, and Chaffin Ranch, located along the San Rafael River south of I-70 near the confluence with the Green River. Hatt Ranch is located three miles south of the intersection of I-70 with Highway 24.Itis approximately 13 air miles southwest of Green River, Utah. Access to Hatt Ranch is available via Highway 24 with interior access available using the abandoned highway. The Ranch is made up of several 40 acre parcels within the flood plain of the San Rafael River with a total approximated acreage of 841 acres. Elevation is 4,191 ft. The Frenchman Ranch property is accessible from Highway 24 at apoint approximately %mile north of the entrance to Hatt Ranch on a gravel road. It consists of approximately 2,009 acres along the San Rafael River. The property is approximately 7 miles long with all parcels within% to 2 miles of the River. It is primarily flat, gently sloping river bottom property adjacent to rimrock, desert, and sand dunes. Elevation ranges from 4,140 ftto 4,250 ft. Chaffin Ranch is more remote, located at the confluence of the San Rafael and Green Rivers. It is approximately 22 air miles south of Green River, Utah. Access is available along a graveled BLM road that runs south from the Green River airport road along the Green River. The ranch consists of roughly 1,210 acres with river frontage on both the Green and San Rafael rivers. Elevations range from 3,960 ftto 4,200 ft with mostly flat topography consisting of some rock outcroppings. The legal description for the Hatt Ranch property is: Township 22 South, Range 14 East, Salt Lake Base and Meridian Section 27 E2NW4, SW4NW4, N2SV/4, SW4SV/4 Section 28 NE4SE4, SE4SE4 Section 33 SE4NE4, NE4NE4 Section 34 NV/4NW4, SW4NW4, SE4NW4, W2SW4, E2SV/4 1 Less Utah State Road Right of Way and the County Road Right of Way Township 23 South, Range l4 East, Salt Lake Base and Meridian Section 3 Lots 3 and 4, SE4NW4, NE4SV/4 The legal description for the Frenchman Ranch property is: Township 23 South, Range 14 East, Salt Lake Base and Meridian Section 14 SV/4NW4, SW4, SV/4SE4 Section 15 W2NE4, SE4NE4, NE4SE4 Section 23 NW4, W2NE4, SE4NE4, E2SW4, V/2SE4, SE4SE4 Section 25 NW4SW4, SW4NW4, NE4SV/4, SW4SW4 Section 26 E2NE4, NV/4NE4, SE4SE4 Section 35 E2NE4 Section 36 W2NW4, SE4NW4, SW4SV/4, E2SV/4 Township 24 South, Range 14 East, Salt Lake Base and Meridian Section 1 E2NE4, SW4NE4, NE4SE4 Township 24 South, Range 15 East, Salt Lake Base and Meridian Section 6 SW4NE4, S2NE4, NE4SV/4 Section 7 NE4NE4 Section I W2NW4, SE4NW4 The legal description for the Chaffin Ranch property is: Township 23 South, Range 16 East, Salt Lake Base and Meridian Section 25 Lot2 Section 26 Lots2,3, and 4, NW4SE4 Section 27 S2N2, N2SW4, NV/4SE4, S2SE4 Section 28 E2NE4, SW4NE4, N2SE4, NE4SW4 Section 34 NW4NE4, S2NE4, N2SE4 Section 35 S2N2, N2SW4, NW4SE4 Encumbrances PacifiCorp Energy (formerly Utah Power and Light Company, or UP&L) donated these ranches and two other properties along the San Rafael River to Utah Division of V/ildlife Resources (UDWR) in 1994, along with accompanying water rights and grazingpermits. UDWR is mandated by the transfer agreement with PacifiCorp to retain title to this property in perpetuity (See Appendix A-correction special warranty deed). An Agreement was made and executed upon the following conditions and covenants: 2 a Title to the property, except for title to that part of the Property located north of the San Rafael river, described as T. 20 S., R 9 E., SLB & M, Section 1: Lots 1, 2, SE ll4NE ll4, shall remain with UDV/R in perpetuity. a UDWR shall abstain from demanding PacifiCorp limit use of, or abstain from using, or release from storage, water owned or controlled by PacifiCorp. a UDWR shall abstain from demanding Pacif,rCorp limit use of, or abstain from using, or release from storage, water owned or controlled by PacifrCorp for the purpose of improving the quality of or mitigating the chemical or biological condition of the water making up the Property Water Rights. a UDV/R shall not initiate, prosecute, maintain or voluntarily aid any action or other proceeding against PacifiCorp based on PacifiCorp's impairment of quality or quantity of the Property'Water Rights caused, or alleged to be caused, by PacifiCorp's usual and customary use of water upstream at PacifiCorp's Hunter and Huntington steam electric generating plants. O UDWR shall use its best efforts to maintain the Property V/ater Rights by using them with such frequency or regularity as to avoid their loss by forfeiture or abandonment. a Only at such time as the Director of the Division of V/ater Rights issues a final Memorandum Decision and Order approving use of that portion of the Property Water Rights descried in Application No. a17629 for instream flow, the Division shall thereafter: o Abstain from demanding any water user owning a perfected and valid water right with a point of diversion and place of use upstream of the Property Water Rights to limit use of, or abstain from using, or release from storage, water which would otherwise supply said Upstream Water Right to supply the Property Water Rights o Abstain from demanding any upstream water Right user to limit use of, or abstain from using, or release from storage, water to improve the quality of or mitigate the chemical or biological condition of the water making up the Property Water Rights. a UDWR will continue to use that part of the property water rights not approved for instream flow use in an authorized manner for the benefit of wildlife, recreation and the property, including, but not limited to, irrigation. a For any of the property water rights not approved for instream flow use, UDV/R agrees to file with Pacif,rcorp annual reports indicating use of the property water rights. o UDWR agrees to evaluate and protest any new application to appropriate water between the highest point of diversion of the property water rights and the confluence of the San J Rafael River with the Green River, and to take any further action UDWR deems necessary to protect the property water rights on such new application after consultation with PacihCo.p, unless otherwise agreed to between UDWR and PacifiCorp at the time said new application is hled. PacifiCorp will make available to UDV/R at its expense its records, personnel, and other expertise to support UDV/R's change application and in any other judicial or administrative proceeding relating to the property water rights. a Upon UDWR's request, PacifiCorp will make its personnel and records available at PacifiCorp's expense to defend the validity and use of the property water rights in the adjudication of the San Rafael River or in any other administrative or judicial proceeding relating to the property water rights. Each party agrees to use its best efforts to defend the validity and continued use of the property water rights in the adjudication of the San Rafael River. Minerals No mineral rights were transferred to Utah Division of Wildlife Resources in this transaction according to the Correction Special Warranty Deed (See Appendix B). Water Riehts The Utah Division of V/ildlife Resources was deeded water rights in the correction special warranty deed executed on June 8, 1994.The Division of Wildlife Resources would protect water rights for continued operation of upstream electric generating plants. The water rights were changed for the nature of use to be in-stream flows for wildlife and recreational purposes, with the option for inigation if preferred.