GREAT DIVIDE BASIN/FERRIS MOUNTAIN AND SEMINOE MOUNTAIN WATERSHEDS STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES ASSESSMENT Rawlins Field Office 2012 Field Season High Desert District Office Na Office me and - RawlinsOffice, Field Wyoming State goes here Document for Agency, Permittee and Interested Public Review September 2013 BLM/WY/PL-12/039+1020 The BLM’s multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION… ................................................................................................................................................. 5 BACKGROUND ..................................................................................................................................................... 5 MANAGEMENT CHANGES BETWEEN 2003 AND 2012… ........................................................................................ 13 CLIMATE BETWEEN 2003 AND 2012 .................................................................................................................... 14 SUMMARY OF STANDARDS THAT FAILED IN 2003 ............................................................................................... 16 STANDARD 1 – WATERSHED ............................................................................................................................... 17 Great Divide Basin (Without Upper/Lower Separation Creek, Boggy Meadows) 17 1) Characterization: .................................................................................................................................................... 17 2) Issues and Key Questions: ...................................................................................................................................... 18 3) Current Conditions: ................................................................................................................................................ 18 4) Reference Conditions: ............................................................................................................................................ 19 5) Synthesis and Interpretation: ................................................................................................................................. 19 6) Recommendations: ................................................................................................................................................ 21 Upper/Lower Separation Creek, Boggy Meadows (Within Great Divide Basin) 22 1) Characterization: .................................................................................................................................................... 22 2) Issues and Key Questions: ...................................................................................................................................... 23 3) Current Conditions: ................................................................................................................................................ 24 4) Reference Conditions: ............................................................................................................................................ 24 5) Synthesis and Interpretation: ................................................................................................................................. 25 6) Recommendations: ................................................................................................................................................ 25 Sweetwater River (Within North Platte River Basin) 25 1) Characterization: .................................................................................................................................................... 25 2) Issues and Key Questions: ...................................................................................................................................... 26 3) Current Conditions: ................................................................................................................................................ 26 4) Reference Conditions: ............................................................................................................................................ 27 5) Synthesis and Interpretation: ................................................................................................................................. 27 6) Recommendations: ................................................................................................................................................ 28 North Platte River Basin (Without Sweetwater River) 29 1) Characterization: .................................................................................................................................................... 29 2) Issues and Key Questions: ...................................................................................................................................... 30 3) Current Conditions: ................................................................................................................................................ 30 4) Reference Conditions: ............................................................................................................................................ 31 5) Synthesis and Interpretation: ................................................................................................................................. 31 6) Recommendations: ................................................................................................................................................ 32 Page 1 STANDARD 2-RIPARIAN/WETLANDS ................................................................................................................... 32 1) Characterization: .................................................................................................................................................... 33 2) Issues and Key Questions: ...................................................................................................................................... 33 3) Current Conditions ................................................................................................................................................. 34 4) Reference Conditions: ............................................................................................................................................ 36 5) Synthesis and Interpretation: ................................................................................................................................. 37 6) Recommendations: ................................................................................................................................................ 39 STANDARD 3 – UPLANDS .................................................................................................................................... 39 1) Characterization: .................................................................................................................................................... 39 2) Issues and Key Questions: ...................................................................................................................................... 40 3) Current Conditions: ................................................................................................................................................ 41 4) Reference Conditions: ............................................................................................................................................ 43 5) Synthesis and Interpretation: ................................................................................................................................. 43 6) Recommendations: ................................................................................................................................................ 48 STANDARD 4 – WILDLIFE/THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES/FISHERIES HABITAT AND WEEDS ................. 51 Wildlife/Threatened and Endangered Species 51 1) Characterization ..................................................................................................................................................... 61 2) Issues and Key Questions ....................................................................................................................................... 74 3) Current Conditions: ................................................................................................................................................ 85 4) Reference Conditions: ............................................................................................................................................ 85 5) Synthesis and Interpretation: ................................................................................................................................. 94 6) Recommendations: ................................................................................................................................................ 94 Fisheries 97 1) Characterization ....................................................................................................................................................