WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT PLAN SOUTHEAST IDAHO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE COMPLEX 2001 AUGUST 2001 WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT PLAN SOUTHEAST IDAHO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE COMPLEX Prepared: ____________________________________ _____________ Lance Roberts Date Fire Management Officer Southeast Idaho NWRC ____________________________________ _____________ Richard Munoz Date Project Leader Southeast Idaho NWRC Concurred: ____________________________________ ____________ Pam Ensley Date Regional Fire Management Coordinator Pacific Region, US Fish and Wildlife Service Approved: ____________________________________ ____________ Anne Badgley Date Regional Director Pacific Region, US Fish and Wildlife Service TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Tables ............................................................................................................................................. v EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................................... vi INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................ 1 COMPLIANCE WITH USFWS POLICY ................................................................................................... 2 FIRE MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES........................................................................................................ 4 DESCRIPTION OF REFUGE...................................................................................................................... 5 Bear Lake NWR............................................................................................................................... 5 Cultural Resources..............................................................................................................6 Fish and Wildlife ................................................................................................................ 7 Vegetation........................................................................................................................... 7 Soils .................................................................................................................................... 8 Climate................................................................................................................................ 8 Hydrology ........................................................................................................................... 8 Structures and Facilities...................................................................................................... 8 Camas NWR .................................................................................................................................... 8 Cultural Resources..............................................................................................................9 Fish and Wildlife .............................................................................................................. 10 Vegetation......................................................................................................................... 10 Sandy soils........................................................................................................... 11 Wet Meadow........................................................................................................ 11 Saline Wet Meadow............................................................................................. 11 Marsh ................................................................................................................... 11 Open Water.......................................................................................................... 11 Crops.................................................................................................................... 12 Riparian................................................................................................................ 12 Soils .................................................................................................................................. 12 Climate.............................................................................................................................. 13 Hydrology ......................................................................................................................... 13 Structures and Facilities.................................................................................................... 14 Grays Lake NWR........................................................................................................................... 15 Cultural Resources............................................................................................................ 15 Fish and Wildlife .............................................................................................................. 15 Vegetation......................................................................................................................... 15 Emergent.............................................................................................................. 16 Semi-Wet Meadow .............................................................................................. 16 Grasslands and Grainfields .................................................................................. 16 Wet Meadows ...................................................................................................... 16 Open Water.......................................................................................................... 17 Sagebrush/Grassland............................................................................................ 17 Aspen/Conifer ..................................................................................................... 17 Mountain Brush ................................................................................................... 17 i Riparian................................................................................................................ 17 Soils .................................................................................................................................. 17 Hydrology ......................................................................................................................... 18 Structures and Facilities.................................................................................................... 18 Minidoka NWR.............................................................................................................................. 18 Fish and Wildlife .............................................................................................................. 19 Vegetation......................................................................................................................... 20 Soils .................................................................................................................................. 20 Climate.............................................................................................................................. 20 Structures and Facilities.................................................................................................... 21 Oxford Slough WPA...................................................................................................................... 21 Cultural Resources............................................................................................................ 21 Fish and Wildlife .............................................................................................................. 21 Vegetation......................................................................................................................... 21 Soils .................................................................................................................................. 22 Climate ............................................................................................................................ 22 WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT SITUATION ................................................................................. 23 Historic Role of Fire ...................................................................................................................... 23 Pre-settlement fire history................................................................................................. 23 Post-settlement Fire History ............................................................................................. 24 Prescribed Fire History ..................................................................................................... 26 Responsibilities.............................................................................................................................. 27 Agency Administrator/ Project Leader (PL)..................................................................... 27 Refuge Manager (RM).......................................................................................................... 27 Biologist................................................................................................................................ 27 Fire Management Officer (FMO) ..................................................................................... 28 Supervisory Range Technician (SRT) .............................................................................