14. Little Cottonwood Creek, BLM
Land Manager: BLM, Burley Field Office
Legal Location: T 14S R 21E Section 11 Cassia County
Allotment: #4111 Warr-Pickett
Dominant Plant Community Type: Shrub-Grass/Shrub-Juniper
Impacts: Cumulative impacts from livestock utilization have severely impacted the creek and riparian habitat in this location. Utilization impacts have led to removal of the riparian structure, channel widening, severe erosion, and lowering of the water table. Fisheries and wildlife values of this creek have been seriously impacted.
Recommendations: It is recommended that livestock be withdrawn from this location until significant bank stabilization and riparian recovery and regeneration have been achieved. Significant recovery of riparian shrubs requires a minimum of 3-6 years. Willows and other riparian shrubs need to achieve a height of 6 feet or more in order to withstand short duration grazing impacts.
List of Figures:
1. Utilization impacts; channel widening, loss of riparian species and riparian greenline.
2. Severe down-cutting, head-cutting; loss of riparian species and riparian greenline.
