9. Mud Spring
Land Manager: Sawtooth National Forest
Legal Location: T 12S R 29E Section 9 Cassia County
Forest Division: Sublette
Dominant Plant Community Type: Shrub-Grass/Aspen-Conifer
Impacts: Livestock utilization has severely impacted this location. Loss of groundcover and cryptogamic soil crusts has been extensive. Understory removal, soil compaction, and trampling of hydric soils and the overflow channel have been severe. Understory removal among conifers adjacent to the troughs has been very severe. Past water development activities have left the original spring site in severely degraded condition. The original spring site has been altered through construction; the water source is filled with junk pipes and debris. Development, compounded by utilization within the non-functional exclosure and in adjacent habitat, has led to removal of riparian species. The wildlife value of this site has been severely degraded.
Recommendations: It is recommended that livestock be excluded from this spring and a large area of adjacent habitat. It is recommended that the spring be cleared of construction debris. It is also recommended that livestock be withdrawn from this location and water point until substantial groundcover and understory recovery has been achieved.
List of Figures:
1. Severe utilization levels at watering point and loss of aspen/conifer understory.
2. Original spring; altered and filled with pipes and debris, lack of riparian structure.
