BROWNS PARK NWR - NARRATIVE REPORT - 1968 / NARRATIVE REPORT BROWNS PARK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE 1968 (Managed from Ouray Refuge Office in Vernal, Utah) Personnel H. J, Johnson Refuge Manager Robert L, Pearson Assistant Refuge Manager Norma A. Miracle Clerk Jack Leonard Maintenanceman ?emporary Employees Cheston L. Solace Farm Laborer W. Riley Roland Farm Laborer Richard Jeannerett Laborer TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No, I. GENERAL Weather Conditions 1 Habitat Conditions 2 II. WILDLIFE jyjigratory birds 8 Other Water Birds and Shorebirds 13 Upland Game Birds 14 Big Game 14 Fur Animals, Predators, Rodents and Other Mammals 16 Predators 16 Hawks, Eagles, Owls 17 Other Birds 18 Fish 18 Reptiles 19 Disease 19 III, REFUGE DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE Physical Development 19 Plantings 22 Collections and Receipts 23 Control of Vegetation 23 Planned burning 23 Fires 23 IV. RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Grazing 24 Haying 24 Fur Harvest 24 Timber Harvest 24 Commercial Fishing 24 V. FIELD INVESTIGATIONS OR APPLIED RESEARCH Goose Nesting Status on the Green River 24 Waterfowl Use of Artificial Nesting Structures 24 Banding Program 26 VI. PUBLIC RELATIONS Recreational Use 28 Refuge Visitors s 28 Refuge Participation 30 Hunting 30 Violations 31 Safety 31 I ITEMS 31 NR REPORTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS BROWNS PARK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE UNITED STATES MOFFAT COUNTY. COLORADO FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREAU OF SPORT FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE R25E R 104 W R 103 W R 102 W R 25 E R 104 W R 103 W R 102 W COMPILED IN THE BRANCH OF ENGINEERING 6TH PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN FROM AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS. B. L. M. PLATS, fllii TOWNSHIP AND U. S.G. S. QUADRANGLES ^".'l DIAGRAM Scale 1965 ALBUQUERQUE. NCW MEXICO OCTOBER 1967 2R COLO. 732 40 NARRATIVE REPORT BRCWN3 PARK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE 1968 I. GENERAL A. Weather Conditions The weather was basically the same as in past years. This low river valley surrounded by high mountains receives scanty precipitation while the mountains receive considerably more. Precipitation this year is characterized by extremes. January received only a trace, while April was way above normal with 2,01 inches. July, September and Decemoer were also abnormally dry. Snowfall from January through toay was about normal, but was abnormally low in December. Temperatures in December were warmer than normal providing easier access to range feed for wildlife and livestock. Mild weather in February caused an early local runoff on the 18th and 19th. Marshes thawed and open water areas appeared soon after. The marshes froze over again the last of November. We had freezing temperatures every month this year. Spring (March, April and Way) was quite windy and cold, delaying plant development approximately two weeks. Table 1. Temperatures and precipitation in browns Park Refuge, 1968: Snowfall Precipitation Temperatures (Inches) (Inches) Max. MLn. BPR BC BPR BC BPR BC BPR BC January T 1 T .04 45 48 -15 -14 February 4.2 8 .51 1.24 55 56 - 6 - 7 March T T .68 .60 67 70 14 13 April 5 9 2.01 1.95 73 73 16 14 May T 2 .64 .75 82 87 19 24 June wm - .72 1.03 91 96 28 30 July -- .01 .10 92 96 31 30 August - - .63 1.64 92 92 29 33 September -- .09 .44 89 88 23 26 October T - .47 .40 75 78 14 16 November 6 6 .37 .66 67 58 - 1 0 December 4.4 - .20 .48 51 54 - 9 -11 1968 19.6 26. 6.33 9.33 -15 -14 92 96 1967 36.6 7.32 -15 92 Jun Aug Oct Dec J , L 1 L L Precipitation 2 - 1968 03 ^ 1 - 196? J LL Figure lo Weather Comparisons for 196? and 1968. Brown's Park National Wildlife Refuge The Beaver Creek unofficial weather station is located near the future headquarters site some ten miles west-northwest of the current headquarters site and is at an elevation of 5,700 feet. It is some 2,5 miles from the Green River, The official station is 200 feet from the Green River at an elevation of 5,354 feet. B. Habitat Conditions 1, Water. Local runoff occurred on February 18th and 19th and was rapid enough to provide some valuable water into the marshes. An estimated 4-6 inches of water collected on top of the ice cover in Hog Lake and Spitzie Marsh, It created a forty-acre marsh in Warren Bottom which lasted into July and received good duck and coot use. Straddle. Bottom received enough water to make a shallow pond of twenty acres which lasted only to the first of June, but which attracted several hundred ducks for the purpose of feeding, Vermi 11 ion Greek; Similar flow patterns and silt load as last year with no surface flow reaching the Green River in August and the last of July, i\io unusually high dis­ charges noted during spring run-off or summer thunder showers. Beaver Creek; The high flow period lasted from April 15 to May 30 this year with peak flows on May 5th and 6th, This represents a longer run-off period with considerably more total run-off volume than last year. The cold spring weather prevented serious flood damage along this creek. Green River; River flows, as released by the Bureau of Reclamation from the Flaming Gorge Dam, were quite favorable this year. Low flows of 400-600 c.f0s. occurred most of the months of March and April. Flows during the rest of the year ranged from 1,000 c,f,s. to 3,700 cf.s. and were generally quite steady with only small fluctuations noted. The siltation load caused by Red Creek run^off started in early March and continued through spring. Fishing is adversely affected during this period. Water Management: The refuge acquired its fifth and sixth pumping units this summer. A 5,000 g.p.m. Cascade pump with a 20 h.p. electric motor was installed at the Spitzie ptunpsite on July 18th„ The second unit, a Crisafulli pump, and 50 h.p. electric motor mounted on two tandem trailers, was installed at the Warren pumpsite but was then taken to Ouray NWR to help maintain water in the Leota Bottom units while their main pumping unit was being repaired before any water was pumped into Warren Bottom. The Nelson pumpsite was rebuilt in April and the 5,000 g.p.m. Cascade pump acquired last year was installed. Minor repairs were undertaken on the Horseshoe and Spitzie pumpsites. Water management facilities were improved in Horseshoe and Spitzie Bottoms and water levels were lowered to facilitate the work on ditches and access roads. Hog Lake; The water level was allowed to drop through evaporation to the end of July so that the developing thickets of tamarix could be mowed from the peripheral areas. The small 1,600 g.p.m. pump was then operated full time to the end of the pumping season on November 1. The lake level gradually rose to approximately six inches above "normal," flooding over the stand of salicornia in late September. The pool size in late July was down to approximately 50 acres with maximum depth of 18 inches. Spitzie Marsh: Snow melt run-off maintained desirable water levels until late April. Water was then brought up to a high level to act as a reserve until the new pumping unit was received and installed. Water levels then gradually decreased until July 20 when water levels were brought back up to normal for duck brooding purposes. The unit was then allowed to dry up to facilitate work on the drainage ditch. Mud stage was reached by the end of August. Horseshoe Marsh; This marsh unit has a very porous sub­ soil. We were surprised that it was able to retain most of its water over winter. Water level control in this unit is difficult at best, requiring frequent pumping. Fluctuations up to one foot occur regularly. Levels were maintained as well as could be expected to the first of August. The unit then dried up and cattail stands were mowed. A drain ditch was cut between two portions of the marsh and a splash board control structure was installed. The main marsh area was then refulled in mid-September. Bank stabilization work near the pumpsite prevented pumping the first two weeks in October, then the unit was brought up near the top of the control structure to determine water distribution and additional fill needs along the access road the last of October, By Decemoer 31 there was little water left in the unit. Hoy Marsh; This unit was dry last fall. By spring local run-off, coupled with inflow from Sterling (sub-surface) had developed 20 to 30 acres of surface water. The unit was filled by pumping in early March. Maintenance of water levels was fairly consist ant up to mid-July when weed growth clogged flood ditches. Water levels dropped rapidly to near mud stage before the ditch problem was corrected and additional water pumped. Optimum water level was main­ tained until the end of the pumping season, Nelson Bottom; Initial flooding of this unit started on May 22nd after the pumpsite was rebuilt and the 5,000 g.p.m. Cascade pump, which was purchased last year, was installed. This created a shallow marsh very similar in configuration to Hoy Marsh, flat and round. Water levels were maintained by frequent pumping up to the first of October. Water levels were then allowed to gradually drop until the unit froze over in late November. Table 2, KLectrical Costs of Pumping Operations - 19bb.