5. Silver Hills Spring
Land Manager: Sawtooth National Forest
Legal Location: T 15S R 29E Section 28 Cassia County
Forest Division: Black Pine
Dominant Plant Community Type: Shrub-Juniper/Aspen
Impacts: This spring flow has been used to fill a trough immediately across the road from the spring site. Livestock have congregated at the spring, severely trampling the area. Understory removal, loss of the cryptogamic soil crusts, and loss of riparian regeneration has been severe. The loss of understory cover is limiting to wildlife, particularly birds. This spring is one of the few surface water sources in the Black Pine Canyon vicinity that provides water to wildlife, including Sage Grouse.
Recommendations: It is recommended that livestock be permanently excluded from this spring site and the adjacent habitat- including the large aspen grove to the east. The value of this water source and adjacent habitat to wildlife is very high. Recovery of riparian regeneration, riparian understory, and re-establishment of the spring site will take a substantial amount of time. This site would benefit from mitigation efforts such as re-establishing a spring basin and the planting of appropriate riparian shrub species near the water source.
List of Figures:
1. Severe impacts to spring flow, severe vegetation removal.
2. Impacts to aged riparian growth; severe loss of understory and cryptogamic soil crusts.
