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Wet Meadow Enhancement Project: Safeguarding Sage-Grouse Habitat

Protect and enhance critical wet meadow habitats in Price River Drainage to tackle erosion, water table degradation, and vegetation alteration that threaten sage-grouse habitat. ConocoPhillips' support led to significant progress in mapping, grazing management, and vegetation treatment.

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Wet Meadow Enhancement Project: Safeguarding Sage-Grouse Habitat

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  1. ConocoPhillips DOGM Earthday Award Nomination Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Project: Price River Drainage Wet Meadow Enhancement

  2. Wet meadows are critical habitat for many species, including sage-grouse. Important during nesting and brood rearing periods.

  3. Concern: Loss of critical wet meadow habitat Occurring though erosional downcutting of water courses around meadows

  4. Concern: Loss of critical wet meadow habitat Occurring through erosional downcutting of water courses around meadows Leads to lowering of water table & desiccation of wet meadows, and subsequent alteration of vegetation

  5. Project Goal: Protect and enhance critical wet meadow habitats within the Price River Drainage

  6. Methodology: • Vegetation Inventory • Grazing Management: Short Duration – High Intensity Rest Rotation system. • Vegetative treatment – treat uplands to reduce brush cover and increase grass/forb cover which will maximize water infiltration and slow overland flow. • Active in-channel projects to slow run-off, build sediment, and maximize ground water infiltration

  7. ConocoPhillips provided initial $30,000 to map vegetation at a detailed level within the Drunkards Wash Field. • Helped directly identify wet meadow areas needing treatment. • Have found additional $44,000 for mapping more acres of critical wildlife habitat. Completed in March 2005 with > 700,000 acres mapped.

  8. Grazing Management: • Working with land owners and NRCS to develop grazing plan and cross fence pastures to improve grazing practices.

  9. Vegetation Treatment: • Treat upland surrounding wet meadows using mechanical & chemical methods • Reduce shrub cover and increase grass & forb cover • Maximize water infiltration & slow overland flow

  10. Ely Chain Pipe Harrow Lawson Aerator

  11. In-channel structures: • Passive dikes: temporary hold water from heavy run-off events, allow sediment to drop out, increase ground water infiltration, and meter channel flow.

  12. ConocoPhillips Contributions: • Vegetation Survey $30,000 • Surveying, engineering, materials, and equipment $55,000 Overall project budget $228,000 (not including vegetation mapping project)

  13. ConocoPhillips Worthy of DOGM Earthday Award for their support of an important habitat improvement project!

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