Project Description:
The proposed project involves developing reliable water on public lands for the benefit of sage-grouse, wildlife and livestock.
FOAL would like to develop water wells in five allotments (six pasture areas) within the McCullough Peaks HMA. These wells will be used to provide water for wildlife and livestock. Over a period of six years and six yearly phases, a minimum of one well will be drilled each year. A 30 foot bottomless water tank that can hold up to 8,000 gallons of water will be installed with each producing well. These systems will be designed to be frost free.
In addition, these well sites will provide water for sage-grouse, pronghorn and other wildlife throughout the year. These well sites will include one sage-grouse BOSS tank ( see attached BOSS tank description and photos ) and a sage-grouse green strip which will provide forage for sage-grouse and other wildlife along with water for native vegetations at each well site. Each completed site will have one well site, one stock tank, one sage-grouse tank, and one green strip location.
The size of the green strips will be dependant on the amount of water available when the well is developed. The sage-grouse BOSS tanks and green strips will be fenced with exclosures to exclude horses, livestock, and other large mammals and will reflect the design recommended by the local sage-grouse working group and local wildlife biologist in each of the six pastures within the HMA.
The water wells to support the tanks and green strips will be either solar or wind powered as determined by the Cody Field Office-BLM and designed to blend in with the surroundings of the view-shed.
FOAL will also work with the BLM - Cody Field Office to spray for noxious weeds on roads that are heavily used by the public. FOAL will allocate funds to the BLM - Cody Field Office contributed funds account (7122) that has been established for the McCullough Peaks HMA. This allocation of funds will provide for the treatment of 50 acres of sagebrush for habitat enhancement which will directly benefit sage-grouse and other sagebrush dependant species.
Education: Friends of a Legacy (FOAL) members and the Humane Society of the United States
(HSUS) members as well as the Montana Conservation Corps (MCC) youth members will be involved in the installation of these water development systems. This will provide valuable first hand experience in educating the public in the stewardship of public lands and the habitat needs of sage-grouse and other wildlife.
Month/Year of Project Begins: May 2008 Month/Year Project Ends: September 2015
Phase One: Spring of 2008 through Summer of 2009.
Phase One will include:
1 Well Drilled
1 Solar / Wind Power Energy Source
1 Stock Water Tank
1 Exclosure
1 Sage-Grouse Water Tank
1-50 Acre Weed Evaluation and Spraying
McCullough Peaks Herd Management Area (HMA) Waters and Healthy Rangelands