10. Dry Creek Region
Land Manager: BLM, Burley Field Office
Legal Location: T 12S R 19E Section 27 Cassia County
Forest Division: #4068 Dry Creek
Dominant Plant Community Type: Shrub-Grass
Impacts: Cumulative livestock impacts have altered the majority of the uplands in the Dry Creek region. This upper region is characterized by rolling hills with rocky outcrops. Depressions between the hills host small moist sites that prior to water developments probably hosted vernal ponds. Spring flows and snowmelt now fill small artificial reservoirs used for livestock purposes. At the time of survey, cattle had already been turned out on this allotment in April 2000, possibly in trespass. Utilization impacts to vegetation have led to severe upland shrub impacts as well as cumulative impacts and removal of riparian species at the meadow sites. The area is inhabited by Sage Grouse; wildlife values of these wet meadows and the adjacent uplands have been seriously impacted.
Recommendations: It is recommended that livestock be withdrawn from these upland locations and wet meadows permanently. All but vestigial remains of the riparian shrub community once present have been removed through cumulative livestock utilization impacts throughout the region. Soils have been severely impacted and disturbed over a long period of time. Substantial recovery of riparian and other shrub species would require 3-6 years or longer depending on recovery capability. There are still remnants of Chokecherry and other species in rocky areas that would develop into taller shrubs and trees if livestock were removed.
List of Figures:
1. Wet meadow; 1999 utilization impacts, compounded by 2000 season use.
2. Severe impacts to saturated uplands soils; 1999 impacts compounded by 2000 livestock use.
