Show j U a f i l m BIM activities for 1976 1916 Organic Act highlights future planning U 5 National resource lands are those federal lands left after lands were transferred to private individuals or withdrawn withdrawn with with- drawn for such things as asI I National Parks Forest and 1 Wildlife Refuges Approximately Ap Ap- 7 proximately 18 million acres of national resource lands and an additional 15 million acres of mineral estate in the Uintah Basin are administered by the Vernal District for multiple F uses These uses include minerals livestock grazing recreation watershed wildlife lands woodland products and environmental quality FEDERAL LAND POLICY AND MANAGEMENT ACT OF 1976 The closing hours of the Congress set the stage for a new era in management of the national resource lands Through dedicated and per per- efforts of several members of the senate and house interior committees has an organic act The act is the Bureaus Bureau's charter and mandate for retention and management of substantive acreage of land in federal ownership It directs the Bureau to in our planning and decision mak making even more closely with state and local governments Among the many provisions in the 56 page act are the following A provision calling for an inventory and identification of all public lands and the map map- mapping mapping mapping ping and nd marking of these lands as funds and manpower become available It calls for intensified land use planning and pr provides vides new limi limits to the Secretary's withdrawal authority Withdrawals With With- t of more than acres would be subject to congressional approval The ne new law also gives the Bureau the authority to enforce laws and regula regulations pertaining to the It calls for forthe forthe forthe the appointment of Multiple Use Advisory Councils of 10 to 15 members who will meet at least once a year It requires the recording of mining claims with the Bureau and provides for loans in of mineral miner l leasing receipts The Bureau is authorized to use money from the land and water conservation fund to buy land needed for access for proper management of outdoor recreation lands The Bureau can also acquire other lands iy- iy l t 1 0 v 11 nf n f 71 F J I F P t 9 HELICOPTER dropping water on a hard to put out fire under certain conditions and provides more realistic disposal authority and better exchange authority The act authorizes studies relating to future grazing fees and holds the current fee of per AUM through 1977 It authorizes the investment of grazing fee ee money in range improvement projects One- One half of the money collected willbe willbe will willbe be used for range range improvements im of which one one- quarter would have to go back to the district or region where it was collected and the other quarter could be used in other areas at the discretion of the Secretary of the Interior Grazing permits will be issued for lor a period of 10 years except in certain special circumstances circumstances cir cir cir- Helicopters c can n now be used usE in the administration administration administration ad ad- ministration of the Wild Horse Act The act repeals over 2800 obsolete and outdated laws Many of the laws such as those related to homesteading have not been applicable for many years MINERALS This past year has shown a definite increase in oil and gas activity There were 14 geophysical I crews operating within the District and 21 drilling applications were made most of which h were filed during the latter part of the year Part of the drilling activity activity ac ac- ac- ac ti ity concerned contracts which were awarded to two companies for natural gas studies in Uintah County by the Energy Research and Development Administration The projects are expected to demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of producing natural gas from low permeability fo foundations using massive hydraulic fracturing techniques The district completed an environmental analysis of US U.S. Steels Steel's application for a phosphate preference right lease US U.S. Steels Steel's preliminary development plans call for an underground mine and mill near the mouth of Little Brush Creek Gorge that would employ about people in the ultimate development phase The district will be preparing stipulations for the proposed lease early in 1978 W WATER QUALITY A program to gather biological and chemical water quality data on on National Resource La Lands ds was instituted in the Vernal District in 1976 Approximately 25 streams streams' and reservoirs are being monitored monthly for bacteria and associated path pathological logical organisms Samples of aquatic insects insects' are are also gathered and ident identified on on a monthly basis since they have to tobe tobe tobe be excellent indicators of water quality Additionally chemical analyses are performed to monitor nutrient and salinity levels in these same surface waters Water quality in information information in- in formation gathered by the Bureau serves to protect water supplies for recreational activities activities activities ac ac- ac- ac as well as to provide baseline data prior to energy developments on National Resource Lands WATERSHED During October approximately approximately ap ap- ap proximately fifty miles of roads I lI lIL h L L 1 1 T t t 1 ll V We raise raise raise- 1 T Ill I'll tY our voices in f t sons s of Praise l and thanks Vernal Music fl 41 So Vernal Ave Avo i Phone 1 and trails in the were rehabilitated The rehabilitated areas consisted of Bureau roads jeep trails and old seismograph trails These roads and trails were causing erosion because of poor location and condition The rehabilitation project consisted of upgrading roads and trails to Bureau specifications and were installed where necessary to drain water off the roads The areas were also seeded with a variety of grasses and browse to increase the cover Several jeep and seismograph trails were closed from further travel by installing large and seeding More areas are proposed for similar rehabilitation during the next year A water bar placed in a gulley that was the result of an old jeep trail LIVESTOCK Wild horses cattle sheep and wildlife continue to claim national interest and occupy the attention of judges and legislators Compliance with the Court ruling requiring to write environmental statements on grazing plans continues to be number one priority for the grazing program The first statement for the Vernal District will be prepared for the Diamond Mountain Area It is scheduled for completion in early 1980 To meet this goal district personnel are working with ranch ranchers rs government agencies and other interested ted parties in gathering in information information information in- in formation and writing the necessary grazing plans Of the 56 plans to be written 14 are completed and 12 others are in process The Supreme Court decision reversing the New Mexico ruling on the controversial Wild WildHorse WildHorse WildHorse Horse Act affirmed the laws law's constitutionality giving management of wild horses The Hill Creek Wild Horse Plan I N R N LOG STRUCTURE placed In Willow Creek by Is causing pool development for Improved fish habitat is near completion and will place Vernal's primary wild horse herd under management Continued d on Page 3 I activities Continued from Irom Page 2 WILDLIFE of 01 Sikes Act Fund were used sed for lor a variety of 01 wildlife habitat Improvement work in the Browns Brown's Park Planning Unit Sikes Act funds are appropriated by Congress for lor developing and maintaining wildlife habitat projects All AIl projects and maintaining wildlife habitat projects All AIl projects must be coordinated with the Utah Division of 01 Wildlife Resources and they can only b completed in areas covered by an approved wildlife habitat management plan These funds offer a source of money for the enhancement and protection of f wildlife habitat which has never before been available and should provide an important boost for all wild species and those recognized as rare and endangered Projects this year e r included additional s seeding of browse and f forb rb species on Taylor Flat Flatto Flatto Flatto to provide additional deer forage Other work included spring developments in Clay Basin to keep livestock In proper pastures and limit competition with wildlife on forage and limited fencing along the Green River to protect important riparian vegetation Fish habitat improvement improvement im provement mt structures were built on and Beaver Creeks in Browns Brown's Park Log structures were placed in these streams to develop pools and slow slowdown down the current of the stream Results from this project are very encouraging and should improve the fishing in both of these streams The district is developing Marsh for increased I waterfowl habitat The marsh is approximately 20 miles south of Pleasant Valley in Duchesne Co County nty The marsh itself is actually a series of that occur along the River Much of 01 the water in the river is Irrigation runoff from Pleasant Valley Waterfowl have been using the marsh system for years particularly the lower portion that Is closest to the Green River The major objective of the project is to increase duck and goose nesting capabilities This can only omy be accomplished by providing nesting habitat and sufficient water during the breeding and brooding season The project will wUl involve the construction of strategically placed dikes water control structure canals Islands and other land modifications that will wUl contribute to the objectives A contract of was awarded to the Justice Brothers for the first phase of con con- Construction was started in September and willbe will willbe willbe be completed next spring The Vernal District is currently analyzing the entire marsh system to determine the total potential for waterfowl habitat improvement Much work can be carried out In the upstream segment of the drainage Additional Sikes Act Wildlife Funding will allow improvement of those areas LANDS I IThe The State of Utah Division of Water Re Resources has applied for the right to build a dam and reservoir on the White River approximately five miles southwest southwest south south- southwest west of Bonanza adjacent to the two federal oil shale leases in Uintah County The Division of Water Resources has planned to build a foot high earthen dam that would have a storage capacity of acre feet of water and sediment The reservoir would be approximately approximately ap ap- approximately ap- ap proximately 12 miles long and have a maximum width of about 08 miles The project is designed to supply water for oil shale a b fi y w Mo J. J r f r. r th i M x N 1 A v. v t 01 t l IIi to kr tf it If t b. b Y J t J lilt nc n i c r r 1 r ot ff o f If f 1 h t 1 0 f f I t. t J. y t. I IJ s r 3 f fI i rl AS f A f J y r. f t tr f I t r AN OLD SEISMOGRAPH trail troll that was seeded and were constructed to control soil erosion by development irrigation water for Ute Indian Lands a recreation lake and possibly hydroelectric power generation The District is now preparing to conduct an environmental environmental environmental en en- assessment of the proposed project The assessment will be used to help make a decision on whether to grant the State of Utah the right to build the dam and reservoir on federal land and if it is granted what environmental protection measures are needed A right way right way of-way was granted the Bureau of Reclamation to relocate the County Road that will eventually be inundated by Reservoir Construction of that road has begun and should be finished before spring Mountain Fuel Resources was granted a right of to construct a 20 natural gas pipeline from Clay Basin to Antelope Flat The purpose of the pipeline is to transport gas for underground storage during periods of low use The line has been constructed and all rehabilitation completed The State of Utah finished construction of 1st ph phase highway highway highway high high- way across l lands from Dutch John to Minnies Gap thereby eliminating an mile 8 stretch of winding dirt road Paving of the highway should be completed by spring RECREATION The Upper Green River between Flaming Gorge Dam Damand Damand Damand and Split Mountain campground camp campground campground ground is being studied for possible inclusion in Wild and Scenic River System The Utah segment of oC the river was added to an ongoing study of oC the Green and Yampa Rivers in Colorado at the request of Governor Rampton this past summer The Vernal District is participating participating participating par par- with several other state and federal agencies in studying this segment of the river Public meetings were held in Craig Colorado Vernal Thursday December 23 1976 3 H 1 f 1 S SA A 4 d a Ae L S 'S r t sC S' S 5 CAMPING AT Bridge Hollow In n Browns Brown's Pork Park Salt Lake City and Denver during October Local residents attending the meetings in inVernal inVernal InVernal Vernal and Craig generally opposed any designation Urban residents of Salt Lake City and Denver favored the designation The study team is presently preparing the study report and deciding on its The final report will recommend to Congress whether or ur r not the ri river ver qualifies under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act If it does additional recommendations will be made as to which category various segments of the river qualify under wild scenic or recreational The actual decision to designate or not to designate the river will then be made b by Congress Traffic count counters rs in Browns Brown's Park indicate that visitation at t Indian Crossing Bridge Hollow and the general vicinity Increased increased in in- cr creased ased this summer by 7 percent over use in 1975 This was in spite of the fact that Red Creek washed out the road during mid Fishermen Fishermen Fishermen Fisher Fisher- men were still busy working the good holes right up until the season closed On September 13 1976 two hundred years after the Escalante Dominguez-Escalante expedition expedition expedition ex ex- ex- ex entered Utah riders retracing the expedition route visited Musket Shot Springs Springs' An Interpretive ramada is located on Highway 40 90 approximately 7 miles east of Jensen The site tells about the expedition and adventures encountered near this location Escalante recorded visiting two fine springs that were a musket shot apart hence the name forthe for forthe forthe the site although the springs are located about a mile from the highway This ramada was completed as part of the Nations Nation's Bicentennial This past year was worse than usual for vandalism Continued on Page 4 c 44 I IWI WI In M 4 kit T Y COB BESSEY BIM Fisheries Biologist checking bacterial content coen of f a stream T fr f a aS S 3 9 di r tn k iL a SM 3 1 a A s w y v ji s k a A S S fe rl X J A WATER BAR placed In a gulley that was the result of an old seep jeep trail activities Continued from Page 3 Numerous signs were shot up or torn down within the district A traffic counter was shot several times and ruined An expensive camera and remote sensing being used in a river study was broken into and stolen An in inter interpretive interpretive in- in ter sign to the Escalante ramada was stolen three days after it was installed The most discouraging case resulted at the Drive Through the Ages highway located north of Vernal Late last year vandals used rocks to shatter the plastic sheet protecting the geologic pain pain- ting Over the winter a special impact resistant plastic was installed that could withstand rocks hammers etc Late U this s summer in a case of misguided one someone first shot the sign with a shotgun and finding that that did little damage blasted a hole through the plastic painting and wood case with a high powered rifle or pistol FIRE CONTROL The District put out 43 fires during this past summer i this is slightly higher than previous years The |