21. Worthington Spring, Creek Flow
Land Manager: State of Idaho/BLM Burley Field Office
Legal Location: T 16S R 22E Sections 28, 29, 33 Cassia County
Allotment: #4027 Goose Creek Group; #4070 Worthington Springs
Dominant Plant Community Type: Sagebrush-Grass/Sagebrush-Juniper
Impacts: Cumulative impacts from livestock utilization have seriously altered the physical features of the spring location and the perennial upper portions of this stream. Several acres are within a pole exclosure, but the facility did not include all of the spring region and does not protect the stream and linear riparian habitat. Livestock grazing has led to loss of riparian structure, disruption of flow, severe erosion, head-cutting, down-cutting, loss of thermal capabilities, widening and loss of channel, and heavy utilization of riparian and adjacent upland understory. Water quality has been severely degraded; manure and the remains of livestock carcasses lie in the stream. Utilization has been heavily concentrated along the drainage course and in adjacent hydric regions. The riparian greenline has been extensively replaced by non-riparian species along the stream channel. Utilization levels have resulted in sagebrush encroachment of wet meadow zones.
Recommendations: It is recommended that livestock be permanently withdrawn from the remaining spring, riparian, and upland habitat associated with Worthington Spring and the creek regions. Significant riparian recovery, bank and channel stabilization, and significant reduction in erosion potential would require more than 10 years. Minimal riparian shrub recovery (dependent on any regenerative capability) would require a minimum time period of 3-6 years. Willow and other riparian shrubs need to reach a minimum height of 6 feet or more prior to exposure even to short duration grazing. The severe loss of riparian structure and regeneration along portions of this stream will require more than the minimum years for substantial recovery.
List of Figures:
1. Trampling in hydric zone, impacts to vegetation outside exclosure.
2. Trampling impacts outside of current exclosure.
3. Trampling, loss of channel features, loss of riparian regeneration.
4. Down-cutting, loss of riparian structure, brush encroachment.
