June 2004 Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation Plan for the Bi-State Plan Area of Nevada and Eastern California First Edition Prepared by: The Bi-State Local Planning Group In Conjunction with: The Nevada Governor's Conservation Team Table of Contents PREFACE .............................................................................................................................vi 1.0 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background ............................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Purpose ................................................................................................................. 1 2.0 CONSERVATION ASSESSMENT APPROACH ....................................................... 2 2.3 Genetic Background for the Bi-State Sage-grouse Populations ............................. 2 2.4 Risk Assessment and Conservation Strategy Approach ......................................... 9 3.0 PINE NUT PMU ........................................................................................................11 3.1 PMU Description ...................................................................................................11 3.1.1. Location and Boundary ..............................................................................11 3.1.2 Land Ownership and Regulatory Jurisdictions ...........................................11 3.1.3 Topography and Climate ...........................................................................14 3.1.4 Vegetation Communities and Distribution ..................................................14 3.2 Sage-grouse Habitat Description and Condition Assessment. ...............................15 3.2.1 Breeding Habitat. .......................................................................................15 3.2.2 Summer – Late Brood Habitat. ..................................................................16 3.2.3 Winter Habitat. ...........................................................................................18 3.3 Sage-grouse Populations ......................................................................................18 3.3.1 Historical Trends .......................................................................................18 3.3.2 Current Distribution....................................................................................19 3.4 Pine Nut PMU Risk Assessment and Conservation Actions ..................................20 3.4.1 Pinyon-Juniper Encroachment ...................................................................20 3.4.2 Predation ...................................................................................................22 3.4.3 Urbanization (Residential Development) ....................................................24 3.4.4 Wildfire ......................................................................................................26 3.4.5 Off Road Vehicle Use and Existing Road Alignments ................................27 3.4.6 Power Lines...............................................................................................28 3.4.7 Wild Horses ...............................................................................................28 3.4.8 Livestock Grazing ......................................................................................29 3.4.9 Poaching ...................................................................................................29 3.4.10 Pronghorn Competition ..............................................................................29 3.4.11 Noxious Weeds and Invasive Vegetation Species .....................................30 3.4.12 Energy Development - Wind ......................................................................30 4.0 DESERT CREEK – FALES PMU .............................................................................32 4.1 PMU Description ...................................................................................................32 4.1.1 Location and Boundary ..............................................................................32 4.1.2 Land Ownership, Land Uses and Regulatory Jurisdictions ........................32 4.1.3 Topography and Climate ...........................................................................33 4.1.4 Vegetation Communities and Distribution ..................................................33 Bi-State Area - Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation Plan 4.2 Sage-grouse Habitat Description and Condition Assessment ................................34 4.2.1 Breeding Habitat ........................................................................................34 4.2.2 Summer/ Late Brood Habitat .....................................................................35 4.2.3 Winter Habitat ............................................................................................36 4.3 Sage-grouse Population ........................................................................................36 4.3.1 Historical Distribution .................................................................................36 4.3.2 Current Distribution....................................................................................36 4.4 Desert Creek - Fales PMU Risk Assessment and Conservation Actions ...............39 4.4.1 Pinyon-Juniper Encroachment ...................................................................39 4.4.2 Urbanization/Land Use ..............................................................................47 4.4.3 Conversion of Rangeland to Agriculture ....................................................49 4.4.4 Human Disturbance ...................................................................................51 4.4.5 Overall Sagebrush Habitat Condition .........................................................53 4.4.6 Power Lines, Roads, and Other Infrastructure ...........................................54 4.4.7 Livestock Grazing ......................................................................................56 4.4.8 Predation ...................................................................................................60 4.4.9 Hunting ......................................................................................................60 5.0 BODIE PMU .............................................................................................................62 5.1 PMU Description ...................................................................................................62 5.1.1 Location and Boundary ..............................................................................62 5.1.2 Land Ownership and Regulatory Jurisdictions ...........................................62 5.1.3 Topography and Climate ...........................................................................63 5.1.4 Sagebrush Associated Vegetation Communities and Distribution ..............64 5.2 Sage-grouse Habitat Description and Condition Assessment ................................66 5.2.1 Breeding Habitat ........................................................................................67 5.2.2 Summer/Late Brood Habitat ......................................................................67 5.2.3 Winter Habitat ............................................................................................68 5.3 Sage-grouse Populations ......................................................................................69 5.3.1 Population Characteristics and Distribution ...............................................69 5.3.2 Population Estimates and Trends ..............................................................69 5.4 Bodie PMU Risk Assessment and Conservation Actions ......................................73 5.4.1 Licensed Hunting .......................................................................................73 5.4.2 Predation ...................................................................................................77 5.4.3 Fences ......................................................................................................80 5.4.4 Utility Lines ................................................................................................81 5.4.5 Permitted Livestock Grazing ......................................................................82 5.4.6 Feral Horses ..............................................................................................86 5.4.7 Land Use Change and Development .........................................................88 5.4.8 Mineral Exploration and Extraction ............................................................89 5.4.9 Recreation .................................................................................................91 5.4.10 Wildfire ......................................................................................................92 5.4.11 Pinyon-Juniper Encroachment ...................................................................95 5.4.12 Water Distribution ......................................................................................98 5.4.13 Quality of Sagebrush Habitats ................................................................. 101 5.4.14 Quality of Meadows and Riparian Habitats .............................................. 101 6.0 WHITE MOUNTAINS PMU ..................................................................................... 102 ii Bi-State Area - Greater Sage-Grouse