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A story about cows, beaver and collaborative stewardship
Carol Evans, Elko District, Bureau of Land Management
Susie Creek, 2015
Maggie Creek Basin, 2013
Red Cow Creek, 2013
Our snowpack drought2012 - 2015
Too much hot season grazing is a problem
East Fork Beaver Creek
1978
20152015
In the 1980’s
Riparian Grazing Concept – 1990’s
Successful livestock grazing strategies for streams in Northeastern Nevada
Spring/fall/restSpring annuallySpring/restWinter/spring/restSpring/fall/rest/hotHot/spring/fall/restPartial hot/restHot/summer/restSpring/fall/hotFall/springFall annuallyHot/restEtc.
Just a story in progress
1992
Dixie Creek two different grazing systems
2015 2015
Maggie
Susie
396 mi2
180 mi2
Partners
BLMMaggie Creek RanchTS RanchNewmont Mining Co.Barrick Goldstrike MinesTrout Unlimited25 RanchU.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceNevada Department of WildlifeNational Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Both efforts started in early 90’s
Maggie Basin remote sensing studies
From 1994 to 2006 (most of the major streams)
Riparian vegetation increased by 816 ac (Open Range Consulting 2009)
From 2006 to 2010 (whole basin)* Riparian/water increased by 466 ac Percent water/marsh increased by 26 ac Length of stream corridor with
water/marsh increased by 7 mi Transition acres increased by 782 ac*White Horse Associates 2011
Active beaver dams increased from 107 to 271 Ponding increased by 9 miles
White Horse Associates 2011
Maggie Creek, 2012
Maggie Basin
Maggie Creek beaver damshallow groundwater elevations
2015
1980
Susie Creek, 2015
Susie Basin
Susie Basin
Trout Unlimited
Susie Creek Basin Remote Sensing Project
Over the past 20-30 years;
Riparian vegetation increased by 100ac
Beaver dams went from 0 to 139
Open water increased by 20 ac
Length of wetted stream increased by 3 miles
32% increase in photosynthetic activity (excluding effects of precipitation and fire)
Trout Unlimited, 2014
Susie Creek beaver damShallow groundwater elevations
1999
2013
Beaver as a keystone species
Beaver as an ecosystem species
2015
Upper Dixie Creek, 2015
It seems like life's blank canvas are the beautiful riparian areas that are being restored through collaborative stewardship
Elizabeth Bergstrom, 2015
19782015