Land Resource Use Plan and Policies
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22001155--22002200 NNiioobbrraarraa CCoonnsseerrvvaattiioonn DDiissttrriicctt LLaanndd && RReessoouurrccee UUssee PPllaann aanndd PPoolliiccyy Board of Supervisors: Kevin Gaukel Matt Dockery Mark Groh Terrance Browder Dale Jordan Niobrara Conservation District PO Box 659 Lusk, WY 82225 307-334-9957 2 | P a g e TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................... ……..5 OVERVIEW ....................................................................................................................................... 5 AUTHORITY ...................................................................................................................................... 6 LEGISLATIVE DECLARATIONS ............................................................................................................ 6 PRIMARY COORDINATION GUIDELINES ............................................................................................6 DISTRICT DESCRIPTION ........................................................................................................ ………….9 NIOBRARA COUNTY ........................................................................................................................ 10 History ........................................................................................................................................ ....10 Location ........................................................................................................................................ ..10 Physical Setting ............................................................................................................................... 11 Elevations ....................................................................................................................................... 11 Geography……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..11 Minerals………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...12 Metals…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….12 Soils ................................................................................................................................................ 12 Vegetation ................................................................................................................................ ……12 Watersheds .............................................................................................................................. …….13 Climate .......................................................................................................................................... .13 Municipalities ................................................................................................................................. 13 Land Ownership and Administration .............................................................................................. .13 CONSULTATION, COOPERATION, COORDINATION AND CONSISTENCY WITH LOCAL LAND USE PLANS ........................................................................................................................................................ 16 CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES: DUE PROCESS AND PROTECTION OF PRIVATE PROPERTY........................................................................................................................................ 19 LAND TENURE, DISPOSITION, ACQUISITION, AND USE ..................................................................... 20 ACCESS AND TRANSPORTATION ................................................................................................. …...22 ECONOMIC PROFILE AND DEVELOPMENT .................................................................................. …… 22 ENERGY / MINERAL RESOURCES……………………………………………………………………………………………………..25 NATURAL GAS PIPELINES…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………26 ALTERNATIVE ENERGY ………………….................................................................................................. 30 WATER RIGHTS ................................................................................................................................ 31 WATER QUALITY .............................................................................................................................. 32 WATER / WATERSHEDS ........................................................................................................ ………….33 IRRIGATION / AGRICULTURE ............................................................................................................ 36 FLOODPLAINS / RIVER TERRACES & WETLANDS ............................................................................... 38 RIPARIAN AREAS .............................................................................................................................. 39 RANGELANDS, WOODLANDS, FORESTS, AND OTHER ........................................................................ 40 Rangelands .............................................................................................................................. ……...40 Forests & Woodlands ....................................................................................................................... 40 FLORA AND MANAGEMENT OF VEGETATION ................................................................................... 43 CONTROLLING WEEDS & PESTS ........................................................................................................ 45 LIVESTOCK GRAZING ........................................................................................................................ 46 FIRE MANAGEMENT ......................................................................................................................... 51 WILDLIFE .......................................................................................................................................... 52 RECREATION ........................................................................................................................... ……….56 PREDATOR CONTROL ........................................................................................................................58 3 | P a g e AIR RESOURCES .............................................................................................................................. .59 VISUAL RESOURCES ......................................................................................................................... 60 WASTE MANAGEMENT ................................................................................................................... .61 WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS ................................................................................................................ 61 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED / SENSITIVE SPECIES ..................................................................... 62 CULTURAL,ARCHEOLOGICAL,GEOLOGICAL,ANDPALEONTOLOGICALRESOURCES................................ 66 COMMUNICATION / TECHNOLOGY ................................................................................................... 68 THE CONTINUING PROCESS .............................................................................................................. 69 GLOSSARY OF TERMS ....................................................................................................................... 70 GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS ................................................................................................................ 87 4 | P a g e INTRODUCTION The Niobrara Conservation District (“the District”) developed the Niobrara Conservation District Land and Resource Use Plan and Policy (“Plan”) to translate its statutory mandate into land management policy and direction. The Plan identifies and applies goals, objectives, and policies to the state and federal regulatory framework that governs the management of private, state, and federal land and the rangeland, soil, water, and wildlife resources. The Plan will guide County, private, state, and federal decision makers in addressing federal and state natural resource management issues. OVERVIEW The District has a broad mandate to assist, promote, and protect public lands and natural resources, soil, water, and wildlife resources, to develop water and to prevent floods, to stabilize the ranching and agriculture industry, to protect the tax base, and to provide for the public safety, health, and welfare of the citizens. The District is charged with conserving, protecting, and developing these resources on all lands within the District and, thus, it is one of the few governmental entities with express authority to address resource issues, in cooperation with private landowners or state or federal land management agencies on private, state, and federal lands. State law also gives the District broad powers to accomplish these policies and mandates, through research and education, implementation of erosion control, water, and range projects with landowners, development of comprehensive plans, demonstration projects, providing financial and other assistance to landowners, management of flood control projects or lands under cooperative agreements with the United States, and adoption of rules and ordinances. Both federal and state laws authorize intergovernmental coordination and cooperation, which provide a mechanism for the District to meet its mandate and polices for all lands within the District. This Plan is based on the District policy to facilitate,