Elk Mountain Water Development Project

Transcription

1 Elk Mountain Water Development Project Project Progress Report Fall 2016 Submitted by The Wyoming Game and Fish Department

2 Introduction The Hell Canyon Ranger District of the Black Hills National Forest is in the process of installing a water line on Elk Mountain, near Newcastle, WY to better manage grazing in its allotments. Currently, reliable water sources are limited on Elk Mountain. Many of the existing water sources consist of earth dams which catch run-off during periods of heavy precipitation. These dams have proven to be unreliable sources of water for both livestock and wildlife, as the availability of water depends on local precipitation patterns. Due to the limited annual budget on rangeland improvement projects, the US Forest Service, Hell Canyon Ranger District asked the South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks (SDGFP) and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) if they would be interested in providing funds for this waterline. Due to the benefit to wildlife the proposed waterline could provide, the SDGFP and WGFD agreed to seek additional funding. The major concern that SDGFP and the WGFD had with this project was that the livestock water tanks would only be turned on and available to wildlife when cattle were in the allotments, which is during the summer months. On a normal precipitation year, water is typically limited on Elk Mountain during the fall and winter months, so only having water available to wildlife during the summer would not be ideal. Discussions with the Hell Canyon District and the permittees were conducted to see if this problem could be addressed. It was decided in addition to the water line and livestock tanks, each water line would have a guzzler attached to the line in a location that would provide the best benefit for wildlife. In addition to providing a reliable water source for wildlife, the installation of water tanks and guzzlers can possibly reduce the threat of disease transmission to bighorn sheep. Bighorn sheep are affected by the wildlife disease EHD (Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease) and there have been observed deaths by EHD in the Kouba Canyon Bighorn sheep herd found on Elk Mountain. EHD is spread by a biting midge that transmits the disease to ungulates. These midges need mud to complete their reproductive cycle, so as the summer progresses and stock dams dry up and recede the remaining mud increases the amount of breeding habitat for biting midges, thus increasing the prevalence of the transmission of EHD to wildlife watering in the stock dams. By installing water systems and watering tanks, the USFS can reduce its dependence on dirt stock dams and provide watering sources that do not attract biting midges and potentially reduce the susceptibility of bighorn sheep from contracting EHD. In addition to the four guzzlers, funding was sought to restore a defunct well on the LAK Ranch located in the center of bighorn sheep winter range. The funding was provided as cost share to the LAK ranch to restore the functionality of well and install a solar pump and water heater so the well could provide a water source for bighorn sheep wintering on the LAK Ranch.

3 SDGFP agreed to provide funds for the United States Forest Service (USFS) water line if WGFD agreed to seek funding for all of the costs related to the guzzlers and the cost share for the well on the LAK Ranch. Project Area The project area is located in Weston County, Wyoming and Custer County, South Dakota approximately 20 miles southeast of Newcastle Wyoming. Two guzzlers are planned to be installed on the Wyoming side of Elk Mountain, and two are planned to be installed on the South Dakota side of Elk Mountain. The well planned for restoration is located on the LAK ranch on the Wyoming side of Elk Mountain. All guzzlers are planned to be placed on USFS land, and the well is located on the LAK ranch in Wyoming. The treatment area contains winter/yearlong elk habitat, winter/yearlong mule deer habitat, and bighorn sheep winter/yearlong habitat. Project Design The USFS is currently installing a water system with 4 pipelines and 31 stock tanks on Elk Mountain that meander between Wyoming and South Dakota. Four Dometop Guzzlers from Boss Tanks (Elko, Nevada) are planned be connected to the main water lines and filled with water during the summer when livestock are on the allotment. When livestock leave the allotment in the fall, the water lines will need to be drained, however the guzzlers (and livestock tanks) would be left full which will continue to provide a water source for wildlife into the winter. The guzzlers will be placed on southwestern facing slopes to ensure that they are able to thaw and provide a water source in the winter. Also, due to the design, these guzzlers are able to collect rainwater and snow melt while at the same time reducing evaporation from the tank. The addition of the guzzlers to the line will assure that there is dependable water source year around for bighorn sheep and other wildlife on Elk Mountain. The guzzler locations were chosen based on the highest likely use by bighorn sheep, but we anticipate these locations will also be beneficial to elk and deer found on Elk Mountain, as they utilize the entire mountain. The well on the LAK ranch used to have a windmill pump on it, but it has long since been nonoperational. The well is operational, but needs a new pump. Plans are in place to install a solar pump into this well and equip the tank with a de-icer that will be powered by the solar panel. The de-icer will keep the stock tank, located at the well, ice free during the winter months. This will provide a constant water source for the bighorn sheep wintering on the LAK ranch. Wildlife use of the watering facilities will be monitored by trail cameras set at the guzzlers and solar well on the LAK ranch.

4 Project Progress and Expenditures Four guzzlers were purchased during the spring of On August 31 st and September 1 st, the USFS, SDGFP, and WGFD put in two of four guzzlers (see Figures 1-3). The other two guzzlers are scheduled to be installed in either the summer of 2017 or Installation of the other two guzzlers is dependent on the completion of the last two pipelines. The USFS and SDGFP are currently seeking funding for the remaining two pipelines. Once funding is secured, the pipelines are planned on being installed during the summer of If the pipelines are completed before the start of winter, the two remaining guzzlers can be installed at the end of summer/early fall of 2017, however, if pipeline installation is not completed by the end of the summer 2017, they will be installed summer of We would like to include the partner organizations in the installation of the last two guzzlers. When the plans for installing the last two guzzlers are made, partner organizations will be notified. The well installation on the LAK ranch will be completed by the end of summer Project expenditures for 2016 totaled $24, Details of expenditures are listed in Table 1. Contributions This project was made possible by cash contributions from the Water For Wildlife Foundation, the Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation, the Wyoming Governor s Big Game License Coalition- Bighorn Sheep Account, and the Black Hills Mulies Chapter of the Mule Deer Foundation. Inkind funding was provided by the USFS, SDGFP, and WGFD in the form of workforce for guzzler installation and fuel and equipment for installing the guzzlers. Details on project contributions are listed in Table 2.

5 Figures and Tables

6 Figure 1

7 Figure 2

8 Figure 3

9 Table 1 ELK MOUNTAIN WATER DEVELOPMENT PROJECT 2016 EXPENSE RECORD Expense Description Cost Funds Guzzlers 4 Dometop Guzzlers $ 22, Grant Materials Fittings, pipe, floats, wood for protective fences $ 2, Grant $ 24, TOTAL COST Table 2 WYOMING GAME AND FISH ELK MOUNTAIN WATER DEVELOPMENT PROJECT INCOME STATEMENT Income Income Grant Use Wyoming Governor's Big Game License Coalition- $5, Cost-Share for LAK Bighorn Sheep Well Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation $10, Guzzlers Water For Wildlife Foundation $10, Guzzlers/Materials Mule Deer Foundation $5, Guzzlers Wyoming Game and Fish Department In-Kind Installation South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks In-Kind Installation and equipment United States Forest Service In-Kind Installation and equipment Total $30,000.00

10 Photos