BLM U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Preliminary Environmental Assessment Grazing Permit Renewals for the Wilson Creek Allotment DOI-BLM-NV-L020-2016-0001-EA July 2018 PREPARING OFFICE Bristlecone Field Office U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Ely District Office, Nevada Table of Contents Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 1 Identifying Information .............................................................................................................. 2 Title, Environment Assessment Number and type of Project ........................................... 2 Location of Proposed Action ............................................................................................ 2 Name and Location of Preparing Office ........................................................................... 2 Background Information ............................................................................................................ 4 Grazing Permit History .................................................................................................... 4 BLM Interdisciplinary Review and Assessment of Rangeland Health ............................. 5 Standards for Rangeland Health Achievement ............................................................... 5 Guideline Conformance for the Wilson Creek Allotment .............................................. 5 Purpose and Need for Action ..................................................................................................... 5 Decision to be Made ......................................................................................................... 6 BLM Land Use Plan(s) ..................................................................................................... 6 Relationship to Statues, Regulations or Other Plans ......................................................... 7 Public Involvement, and Issues .................................................................................................. 8 Proposed Action and Alternatives ..................................................................................... 9 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 9 Actions Common to All Action Alternatives ............................................................................. 9 Grazing Permit Renewals .................................................................................................. 9 Atlanta and Muleshoe Use Areas ...................................................................................... 9 Fairview Use Area and Pony Seeding Pasture ................................................................ 10 Thorley Use Area ............................................................................................................ 10 Cultural Design Features ................................................................................................. 10 Minimum Required Decision Guide (MRDG) ............................................................... 10 Range Improvements ...................................................................................................... 10 Vegetation Treatments .................................................................................................... 11 Wildlife Required Design Features ................................................................................. 11 Coordinated Resource Management Plan (CRMP) ........................................................ 11 Alternative A –Agency Alternative .......................................................................................... 11 Dry Lake Valley Use Area .............................................................................................. 12 Thorley Use Area ............................................................................................................ 18 Deadman Use Area (White River) .................................................................................. 19 South Lake Valley Use Area (includes area referred to as Pioche Bench) ..................... 20 Patterson Wash Seedings Use Area ................................................................................ 23 Brown Spring Use Area .................................................................................................. 27 Summer Native Use Area................................................................................................ 28 Meadow Valley Seedings Use Area ................................................................................ 30 Hamblin Valley Use Area ............................................................................................... 34 Miller Use Area (including the Delmue Burn)................................................................ 35 U-4 Use Area .................................................................................................................. 36 Alternative B –Cattle Operator’s Alternative ........................................................................... 39 Dry Lake Valley Use Area .............................................................................................. 40 Thorley Use Area ............................................................................................................ 42 Summer Native Use Area................................................................................................ 44 Hamblin Valley Use Area ............................................................................................... 45 Alternative C –Sheep Operator’s Alternative ........................................................................... 46 Dry Lake Valley Use Area .............................................................................................. 47 Deadman Use Area (White River) .................................................................................. 48 South Lake Valley Use Area (Pastures 1 and 2) ............................................................. 49 Alternative D –No Action Alternative...................................................................................... 50 Alternatives Considered but Not Analyzed in Detail ............................................................... 58 No Grazing Alternative ................................................................................................... 58 Blue Diamond Oil Corporation’s Alternative ................................................................. 58 No Range Improvements Alternative .............................................................................. 58 50/50 Split for Dry Lake Valley Use Area ...................................................................... 59 Affected Environment and Environmental Effects ........................................................ 60 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 60 Resources Considered .............................................................................................................. 61 General Setting ......................................................................................................................... 65 Resources .................................................................................................................................. 65 Cultural Resources .......................................................................................................... 65 Socioeconomic Values .................................................................................................... 66 Lands with Wilderness Characteristics (LWC) ............................................................... 69 Soil Resources ................................................................................................................. 73 Vegetation Resources/ Rangeland Health ....................................................................... 74 Non-Native Invasive and Noxious Species ..................................................................... 89 Wetlands/Riparian Zones ................................................................................................ 90 Livestock Grazing ........................................................................................................... 91 Fish and Wildlife, Special Status Species ..................................................................... 104 Wild Horses................................................................................................................... 113 Visual Resources ........................................................................................................... 116 Fire/Fuels ...................................................................................................................... 119 Cumulative Effects .......................................................................................................... 121 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 121 Past, Present, and Reasonably Foreseeable Future Actions