Howard Prairie Rangeland Health Analysis
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Medford Bureau of Land Management July 2009 3040 Biddle Road Medford, Oregon 97501 Howard Prairie Allotment – STANDARDS OF RANGELAND HEALTH ANALYSIS Table of Contents Introduction Overview of the Evaluation area and principle findings Assessment The Existing Environment and an Overview of Rangeland Health Assessment Process Figures Figure 1 – Nested Frequency Data Figure 2– Actual Use Data Maps Map 1- Howard Prairie Allotment map Tables Table 1- Elevational zones within the Howard Prairie Allotment Table 2 - Known or Suspected Special Status Species (Terrestrial Wildlife) Table 3 - Bird Species of Conservation Concern Table 4 - Special Status Species (Aquatic Wildlife) Table 5- Rangeland Health Field Assessment - Location 1 Wet Meadow Summary Table 6 – Rangeland Health Field Assessment - Location 2 Wet Loamy Terrace Summary Assessment Participants (Name and Discipline): Steve Slavik -Rangeland Management Ted Hass - Soils Steven Godwin - Terrestrial Wildlife Kevin Kocerak - Aquatic Wildlife/Fisheries Mike Derrig - Hydrology Dulcey Schuster - Botany 2 INTRODUCTION This is an Oregon/Washington Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Standards of Rangeland Health Evaluation that addresses the Howard Prairie Allotment (10116). The analysis area is 320 acres with 60 cows permitted from October 16-November 15, totaling 61 Animal Unit Months (AUMs). The Howard Prairie Allotment is located on Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) land and the grazing lease is managed by the Bureau of Land Management under a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA No. 83-168) dated March 31, 1983. Under the agreement, the grazing lease issued by BLM shall be issued for the BLM’s lease period, but shall include such special stipulations as determined necessary for BOR to protect the land or facilities for Reclamation project purposes. The lands in this lease are withdrawn for reclamation purposes except for the 32 acres in Section 23. In the event these are needed for the specific purposes for which they are withdrawn, they will be cancelled from the lease. The late season of use on this allotment reduces (or eliminates) conflicts between cattle grazing and recreation use associated with the Lily Glenn horse camping facility that is adjacent and used in conjunction with this piece of BOR land. Map 1. Howard Prairie Allotment map 3 Vegetation The eastern portion of this allotment is dominated by dense stands of conifer forest comprised primarily of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) and white fir (Abies concolor). Dominant graminoids in this portion of the allotment include blue wild rye (Elymus glaucus), and Alaska oniongrass (Melica subulata), with dominant forb species such as insideout flower (Vancouveria hexandra), broadleaf starflower (Trientalis latifolia), and prince’s pine (Chimaphila menziesii). The remaining portion of the allotment is dominated by wet and semi-wet meadow plant communities with a small area of ponderosa pine and white fir forest in the northwest corner of the Bureau of Reclamation owned land. Open wetland areas incorporate grasses such as meadow barley (Hordeum brachyantherum), colonial bentgrass (Agrostis capillaris), tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia caespitosa) and seeded pasture grasses. Shallow soils define open meadows that may be dominated by California oatgrass (Danthonia californica) on clayey sites or Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis), Secund’s bluegrass (Poa secunda) and Lemmon’s needlegrass (Achnatherum lemmonii) on soils with more sand or silt. Non-native grasses such as bulbous bluegrass (Poa bulbosa) and cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) are also documented to occur in this area. Other open meadows may be dominated by shrubs such as common snowberry (Symphoricarpus albus), rose spiraea (Spiraea douglasii), and several species of buckbrush. Soils The soils identified in this allotment are Farva, Kanutchan, Pinehurst, and Sibannac series. These soils are found on slope ranging from 5 to 30 percent. The Farva soil is moderately deep, well drained soil is on hillslopes. Permeability is moderately rapid and available water capacity is about 3 inches. The effective rooting depth is 20 to 40 inches. Runoff is medium, and the hazard of water erosion is moderate. The Kanutchan soil is deep, somewhat poorly drained soil is in basins. Permeability is very slow and available water capacity is about 7 inches. The effective rooting depth is limited by the water table, which is within a depth of 1.5 feet from December through May. Runoff is slow, and the hazard of water erosion is slight. The Pinehurst soil is very deep, well drained soil is on plateaus. Permeability is moderately slow and available water capacity is about 10 inches. The effective rooting depth is 60 inches or more. Runoff is slow, and the hazard of water erosion is slight. The Sibannac soil is very deep, poorly drained soil is in basins. Permeability is moderately slow and available water capacity is about 12 inches. The effective rooting depth is limited by the water table, which is within a depth of 1 foot from January through June. Runoff is slow, and the hazard of water erosion is slight. Hydrology This allotment lies within the Grizzly Creek watershed, which drains to Jenny Creek and ultimately the Klamath River. The allotment occupies the upper portion of Howard Prairie Reservoir, a portion of which is seasonally inundated. There are approximately 1.7 miles of perennial and 2.6 miles of intermittent and ephemeral streams on BLM/BOR managed land within the allotment. In addition, there is approximately 0.1 miles of perennial and 0.4 miles of intermittent/ephemeral located on private land. All the streams are unnamed and drain into Howard Prairie Reservoir. Elevation within the allotment ranges from 4,560 to 4,600 feet. Cool wet winters, and hot dry summers characterize the climate. During the winter months, the moist, westerly flow of air from the Pacific Ocean results in frequent storms of varied intensities. Winter precipitation usually occurs as snow, which ordinarily melts during the spring runoff season from April through June. Average annual precipitation within the allotment is approximately 32 inches. 4 Nested Frequency Data The collection of trend data using the Nested Frequency Method began in 1990. Data was subsequently collected in 2001, 2005 and 2008. Figure 1. Nested Frequency Data Species showing significant change in the frequency of occurrence include a decrease in Lemmon’s needlegrass (Achnatherum lemmonii), California brome (Bromus carinatus), and Sandberg bluegrass (Poa secunda) these species are native, perennial bunchgrasses. An invasive, non-native annual grass cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and a native annual grass small fescue (Vulpia microstachys) have increased. Yellow rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus) a native subshrub and two forbs; western buttercup (Ranunculus occidentalis) and streambank bird’s foot trefoil (Lotus cupreus) increased. Other species showing change that were not significant include increases in other shrub and forb species. The percent bare ground appears (from the transect photos) to have decreased. The plant community at this site is shifting; as seen by the number of species that are changing in frequency. The trend for this site is unknown. Utilization Data Utilization data is collected using the key species method (using ocular estimates of forage removed by weight) and mapping use zones (TR 4400-3, 1996). A six class delineation is used (No Use: 0-5 percent, Slight Use: 6-20 percent, Light Use: 21-40 percent, Moderate Use: 41-60 percent, Heavy Use: 61-80 percent, Severe Use: 81-100 percent). The utilization patterns in the allotment can be categorized as most of the grazing use occurring around Howard Prairie Reservoir. Utilization data has not been collected since 1995. Utilization mapping data collected in 1989, 1991 and 1995 shows Moderate Use around the reservoir and Slight and Light Use away from the reservoir. Utilization mapping data collected in 1992 shows Light Use around the reservoir and Slight away from the reservoir. Actual Use Data Actual use data has been collected since 1985, however data is missing for the years 1985-1986, 1990-1991, 1996, and 2001-2002. A review of the actual use data shows that the allotment has not been grazed for 3 out of the last seventeen years. The average actual use is 31 AUMs in the years that the allotment has been grazed or where actual use data is available. Unauthorized livestock have been found in the allotment periodically with livestock moving into the allotment from the Deadwood (by way of the Keno Access Road), Keene Creek, and Deadwood 5 USFS Allotments. Figure 2. Actual Use Data ASSESSMENT Rangeland Health Assessments are being completed on each allotment prior to consideration of grazing lease renewal. These assessments are conducted by an interdisciplinary team of resource specialists who assess ecological processes, watershed functioning condition, water quality conditions, special status species, and wildlife habitat conditions on an allotment. Assessments include field visits to the allotments and evaluation of all available data. All available data will be used to make an overall assessment of rangeland health as described in the Standards for Rangeland Health and Guidelines and Livestock Grazing Management for Public Lands Administered by the Bureau of Land Management in the States of Oregon and Washington (Standards and Guidelines) (USDI 1997), in light of the Fundamentals of Rangeland Health at 43 CFR § 4180.1. The Standards and Guidelines identify five specific standards