The Cotterel Mountains are located northeast and east of the Albion Mountain Division. The Jim Sage Mountains are directly south of the Cotterel Mountains. The Raft River Valley is on the east side. Burley, Idaho and a small area of BLM land known as the East Hills are west of the northern reach of the Cotterel Mountains. The Jim Sage Mountains are divided from the Cotterel Mountains by Cassia Creek. See Figure M-1. Most of the mountain region is BLM land; a few state and private lands are included within the range. Much of the land adjoining the northern end of the Cotterel Mountains is held in private ownership.

The Cotterel Mountains and adjacent lands are part of the Western Basin and Range ecosystem subregion (Ecoregions of the United Sates, USDA Forest Service, 1994). At one time the Jim Sage Mountains and Cotterel Mountains were collectively known as the Malta Range, named by Alfred Anderson in 1931. Elevations range from less than 4,500 feet to over 6,000 feet. Cotterel Mountain, located at the north end of the range, is a young tilted block mountain with a steep scarp to the east. This mountain range is composed mainly of quartz latite volcanic rock. This rock caps ash beds that are easily eroded (Geology and Mineral Resources of Eastern Cassia County, Anderson, 1931).

Average annual precipitation for the Cotterel Mountains and adjacent lands is less than 12 inches per year (Geology and Mineral Resources of Eastern Cassia County, Anderson, 1931). Average annual temperatures range from daytime highs of 31 ⁰F or less in January to 90 ⁰F or more in July. Higher elevations are generally inaccessible from the end of December through the beginning of May.

The recreational values and uses of the Cotterel Mountains are mainly hunting, prospecting, and related outdoor activities. Public access is limited; most upper roads are accessible only by high-clearance or 4-wheel drive vehicles. Good access in dry weather is the maintained road to the radio facility, shown on the map in Figure M-1. There is one limited picnic exclosure west of this radio facility.

McClendon Springs, located on the east side of the range near Malta, is an improved picnic site with old-growth trees and several small wildlife ponds. This family-suitable site is maintained by the BLM, Burley Field Office. Access to this site during the dry season is suitable for most vehicles. Livestock are fenced out of this location, which provides valuable riparian habitat for migratory songbirds. This protected recreation site was not included in the riparian summary section, but is illustrated by the following figure: McClendon Springs

The Cotterel Mountains and adjacent lands support a variety of plant communities. Much of the southern end of the mountains supports a combination of Sagebrush-Grass and Juniper communities. The upper reaches near the radio facility support small groves of aspen at historic spring sites and other moist locations. A Shrub-Mountain Mahogany community is also present at the upper elevations on the west, middle, and northern portions of the mountain range (Flora of the Pacific Northwest, Hitchcock and Cronquist, 1998).

A variety of native shrubs, forbs (herbaceous plants), and grasses are present at higher elevations of the western side and other locations in the range, including the sensitive plant Simpson's Hedgehog Cactus (Pediocactus simpsonii).

Native vegetation has been altered in much of the southern and lower regions through past activities including prescribed burns and Crested Wheat-grass seedlings. Rangelands to the south and east have been heavily invaded by Cheat Grass (Bromus tectoum) in recent years. Cheat Grass competes with perennial native grasses, and is common on overgrazed or disturbed rangelands (Weeds of the West, Whitson et al, 1999).

Watershed values of the Cotterel Mountains and adjacent public lands are limited by the low precipitation. Surface water is lacking throughout much of the region. Surface run-off is limited in much of the range to snowmelt and summer precipitation events. Many drainage courses show little sign of run-off activity; while others are ephemeral streams that run occasionally during wet years or after heavy precipitation events. Remnant riparian vegetation in drainages and at dry spring sites indicates that more surface water may have been available in the past.

Aspen groves are a valuable watershed component (Aspen Community Types of the Intermountain Region, Mueggler, 1988) but are present only in limited areas. There are a few intermittent streams and springs that flow year-round at higher elevations or during wetter seasons. Historic springs in the region have often been developed for livestock use and no longer provide surface water at their original sites. As a result, the existing riparian zones and spring sites in the Cotterel Mountains are extremely valuable resources.

The Cotterel Mountains and adjacent lands support a wide variety of wildlife species, including both game and non-game wildlife. Perennial streams in the region are historic habitat for Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout (Idaho Department of Fish and Game, 2000).

The region supports Mule Deer, occasional Elk, and many other mammals including bats. The rock cliffs and towers in the canyons southwest of the radio facility are important bat roosting sites and are being actively used by a variety of species (Bat Sites of Southeastern Idaho, Austin, 2000). The Cotterel Mountains contain suitable habitat for other Idaho sensitive species including the Cliff Chipmunk, whose known Idaho range is limited to portions of Cassia County (Atlas of Idaho's Wildlife, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, 1997).

The Cotterel Mountains provide habitat for many species of raptors such as the Short Eared Owl, Golden Eagle, and Ferruginous Hawk. The Ferruginous Hawk is a state sensitive species, with active nest locations along the south and east edges of the Cotterel Mountains (CDC Data Base, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, 1999). The many rocky cliffs and canyons provide important nesting sites for raptor species such as the Prairie Falcon.

The Cotterel Mountains also contain suitable habitat for other Idaho sensitive bird species such as the Loggerhead Shrike. The rocky cliffs and canyons of the west and north-central Cotterel Mountains are suitable habitat for the White-Throated Swift. Many other species of birds also rely on the habitats provided by the Cotterel Mountains, including the Vesper Sparrow, Brewer's Sparrow, and Sage Grouse; all sagebrush obligates (Atlas of Idaho's Wildlife, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, 1997).

The Cotterel Mountains provide habitat for a number of reptile and amphibian species. Amphibians, both frogs and toads, may be present at moist or riparian sites. The Cotterel Mountains are within the range for Idaho reptiles such as the Rubber Boa and Striped Whipsnake. The Cotterel Mountains contain suitable locations that may have been historical habitat for the uncommon or rare Longnose Snake (Rhinocheilus lecontei) as well as possible historical habitat for the Ringneck Snake (Idaho's Amphibians and Reptiles, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, 1994).

Habitat conditions can have a profound short and long-term effect on which species are able to successfully use a location. Mammal and bird observations were recorded during the surveys performed at a variety of riparian locations. This data is included in Appendix F for the benefit of interested land managers or members of the public. The presence or non-presence of species, presence of habitat-generalists, and other clues provided by the frequency observations can aid in determining the health of a riparian system or identifying needed changes. Although short-term data is not definitive for these locations, it is indicative and has been made available as a management resource.

The Cotterel Mountains are currently being used for livestock grazing purposes. The very limited amount of riparian habitat and water sources in the Cotterel Mountains increases the value of existing sites. Livestock utilization of riparian habitat can lead to adverse impacts of vegetation, watershed, and wildlife values if proper guidelines and standards are not applied. A survey has been performed of representative seeps, springs, and riparian zones in the Cotterel Mountains in order to determine the condition of riparian habitats following the 1999 grazing season.

Each of the following summaries contains a short description of impacts, recommendations for action, and photographic documentation. The recommendations reflect current year 2000) riparian recovery times recommended by the USDA Forest Service Intermountain Region and Rocky Mountain Research Station scientists.