Cooperative Agreement L22AC00464

THE AQUATIC AND RIPARIAN HABITAT ENHANCEMENT IN THE BIG HOLE WATERSHED PROJECT WILL SUPPORT THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT BLM DISTRICT FIELD OFFICE IN DILLON, MONTANA TO MAINTAIN AND RESTORE AQUATIC HABITAT, RIPARIAN HABITAT, AND WATER QUALITY, ACHIEVING RIPARIAN OBJECTIVES IDENTIFIED IN THE EAST PIONEERS WATERSHED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT DOI BLM MT B050 2020 005 EA AND THE AQUATIC AND RIPARIAN HABITAT ENHANCEMENT DOI BLM MT B050 2018 0013 EA THE PROJECT WILL PROVIDE BLM WITH CRITICAL CAPACITY SUPPORT TO MAKE STREAM AND MESIC RESTORATION AND CONIFER ENCROACHMENT REMOVAL PROJECTS SHOVEL READY, AS WELL AS IMPLEMENT ON THE GROUND WORK ON BLM MANAGED LANDS AND PRIVATE LANDS WHILE THE PROJECT FOCUSES ON THE EASTERN PIONEERS FOOTHILLS, COORDINATION AND OUT YEAR PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT IS ALSO ANTICIPATED FOR THE NEXT BLM FOCUS AREAS AS IDENTIFIED BY BLM PERSONNEL FOR EXAMPLE, ROCHESTER CREEK EA ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED GOAL 1 RESTORE ENHANCE STREAM FUNCTION ON BLM AND PRIVATELY MANAGED LANDS IN THE BIG HOLE WATERSHED OBJECTIVE 1 PROVIDE CAPACITY SUPPORT TO BLM FOR PLANNING, COORDINATION, LOGISTICS, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF LOW TECH, PROCESSED BASED RESTORATION STRUCTURES IN FIRST AND SECOND ORDER STREAMS IDENTIFIED AND ANALYZED IN THE AQUATIC AND RIPARIAN HABITAT ENHANCEMENT DOI BLM MT B050 2018 0013 EA GOAL 2 RESTORE ENHANCE MESIC AND WETLAND FUNCTION ON BLM AND PRIVATELY MANAGED LANDS IN THE BIG HOLE WATERSHED OBJECTIVE 2 PROVIDE CAPACITY SUPPORT TO BLM FOR PLANNING, COORDINATION, LOGISTICS, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF WATER SPREADING SLOWING STRUCTURES AND HEADCUT STABILIZATION STRUCTURES IN INTERMITTENT AND EPHEMERAL STREAMS IMPACTED GULLY EROSION ON BLM AND PRIVATELY MANAGED LANDS GOAL 3 RESTORE MAINTAIN HISTORIC DENSITY, STRUCTURE, AND SPECIES COMPOSITION OF SAGEBRUSH, SHRUBLAND, GRASSLAND, AND RIPARIAN HABITATS ON BLM AND PRIVATELY MANAGED LANDS IN THE BIG HOLE WATERSHED OBJECTIVE 3 PROVIDE CAPACITY SUPPORT TO BLM FOR PLANNING, COORDINATION, LOGISTICS, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF CONIFER REMOVAL TREATMENTS IN RIPARIAN, ASPEN, AND UPLAND AREAS RIPARIAN AND UPLAND CONIFER REMOVAL TREATMENTS WILL TARGET REACHES UNITS IDENTIFIED IN THE EAST PIONEERS WATERSHED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT DOI BLM MT B050 2020 005 EA EXPECTED DELIVERABLES 3 MILES OF STREAM CHANNEL ON BLM AND ADJACENT PRIVATE LANDS IN THE BIG HOLE WATERSHED WILL HAVE PROJECTS DEVELOPED AND SHOVEL READY OR COMPLETED 5 ACRES OF MESIC AND WETLAND AREAS ON BLM AND PRIVATE LAND IN THE BIG HOLE WATERSHED WILL HAVE PROJECTS DEVELOPED AND SHOVEL READY OR COMPLETED 20 ACRES OF UPLAND AND RIPARIAN BLM AND PRIVATE LAND WILL HAVE CONIFER ENCROACHMENT PROJECTS DEVELOPED AND SHOVEL READY OR COMPLETED INTENDED BENEFICIARIES BECAUSE THE PROJECT AREA IS LOCATED ON PUBLIC PROPERTY THAT IS ACCESSIBLE MOST OF THE YEAR, ALL RECREATIONISTS AND LEASE HOLDERS WILL BE POSITIVELY AFFECTED BY THE IMPROVEMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES IN THE PROJECT AREA FURTHERMORE, THIS PROJECT PROVIDES CAPACITY AND SUPPORT FOR BLM S DFO TO FACILITATE THE CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF AQUATIC RESOURCES ON BLM MANAGED LANDS AND IMPLEMENT MANAGEMENT ACTIONS IDENTIFIED IN THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT IN THE EAST PIONEERS AND ROCHESTER CREEK AREAS SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES ALL PLANNING I E SCOPING, PERMITTING, AND CONTRACTOR CONTRACTING , COORDINATING IMPLEMENTATION OVERSIGHT, AND BLM PARTNER COMMUNICATION AND LOGISTICS TASKS WILL BE PERFORMED BY BHWC STAFF ALL IMPLEMENTATION TASKS WILL BE SUB AWARDED AND WILL BE PERFORMED BY THE DILLON YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM