Rangeland Health Standards Assessment
Allotment #416 White Rock
Allotment Overview:
Allotment boundaries: refer to attached map.
7.5 Minute Topographic Maps: Slide Mountain
AUMs of Authorized Use: 10 AUMs
Permitted Season: 5/01-9/30
Allotment Category: C
Total acres: 565 acres BLM, 438 acres private
Allotment #416 is primarily steep slopes 30 to 50 percent. Approximately one third of
the allotment was burned in the Winter fire in July 2002. Allotment has been rested for
.two growing seasons, grazing will resume this year 2005.
Grazing Management:
The allotment is comprised ofboth BLM and private lands in steep hilly country. The
allotment is made up of one pasture with no cross fences. Cattle are generally allowed to .
graze in the allotment during the late spring and summer, Most of the BLM land occurs
in the steeper portions ofthe allotment and is not subject to much of the cattle use except
for the lower portion of Kelly Creek next to Highway 31.
STANDARD 1- Upland Watershed- Upland soils exhibit inrdtration and
permeability rates, moisture storage, and stability that are appropriate to soD,
climate, and land form.
Meets Standard.
No Ecological Site Inventory (ESI) data is available for allotment #416. Indicator used to
evaluate upland watershed condition is plant composition. Current plant composition is
compared to a defined Potential Natural Plant Community (PNC) for the identified soil
types and precipitation zone PNC data is compiled using the Soil Survey of Lake County,
- oregon, Soutliefu-pan; puo1ishe(rZ001~Tab1e1 compares tfie currenfpJant composition
with the PNC. Plant species expected at PNC for each range site as described in the Lake
County Soil Survey are part ofthe plant community composition currently found on the
allotment.
Soil Map Unit
Dominant
Vegetation on
allotment
7SF
Juniperus
occidenatlis,
Artemisisa
arbuscula, Festuca
idahoensis,
Pseudoroegneria
spicata spicata, Poa
secunda, Purshia
tridentate, Stipa
thurberiana,
Leymus cinereus,
Sitanion hystrix
167E
7E
77E
•
PNC Dominant
vegetation
Plant species that
occur on the
allotment and are
identified in the
PNC description
Artemisia tridentata Artemisia tridentata
.
.
wyommgensis,
wyomingensis,
Achnathenun
Achnatherum
thurberianum,
thurberianum,
Festuca idahoensis, Festuca idahoensis,
Pseudoroegneria
Pseudoroegneria
spicata spicata, Poa spicata spicata, Poa
secunda
secunda
Abies concolor,
Abies concolor,
Symphoricarpos
Symphoricarpos
albus, Arnia
albus, Arnia
cordifola, Poa
cordifola, Poa
nervosa
nervosa
Artemisia
arbuscula, Festuca
idahoensis,
Pseudoroegneria
spicata spicata, Poa
secunda, Stipa
thurberiana,
Achnatherum
thurberianum,
Artimisia tridentata
vaseyana,
Artemisia arbuscula
Pseudoroegneria
spicata spicata,
Festuca idahoensis,
Purshia tridentata,
Artemisia tridentata
wyomingensis
Artemisia
arbuscula, Festuca
idahoensis,
Pseudoroegneria
spicata spicata, Poa
secunda, Stipa
thurberiana,
Achnathenun
thurberianum,
Artimisia tridentata
vaseyana,
Artemisia arbuscula
Pseudoroegneria
spicata spicata,
Festuca idahoensis,
Purshia tridentata,
Artemisia tridentata
wyomingensis
Weeds Report:
Noxious weeds are known to occur in the allotment. Musk thistle and bull thistle are
present on the north facing open benches west of Kelly Creek. These thistles are being
treated manually and the area that burned in the Winter Fire in 2002 is being monitored
for further weed invasion each year. Puncture vine is present on the private land adjacent
to Highway 31 and has the potential to spread into the allotment.
STANDARD 2- Riparian-wetland areas are in properly functioning physical
conditions appropriate to soil, climate, and landform.
This standard is not being met.
Lotic PFC site inventories were completed in 1997 on Kelly Creek. The entire 1.2 mile
reach was found to be in Functional at risk condition with no apparent trend. It was
noted that this stream is steep with predominately A and G channel types with some
small B segments. Being highly entrenched the A and G types do not have a flood plain
and sinuosity was appropriate. Some lower areas were likely degraded from a B channel
in the past. Due to the nature of the stream there was little riparian vegetation. Rock,
including bedrock, control energy in this stream.
While this stream is actively eroding, the cause was attributed to the 1997 flood and it
was noted that this is an erosive soil in a geologically active area. Human factors,
including the current grazing management are not a contributing factor to the
stream's PFC condition.
At one time aspen stands existed in the upper reaches of Kelly Creek as evidenced by a
few living remnant aspen trees coupled with dead aspen skeletons scattered through out
the upper reaches. These aspen stands have been encroached by western juniper. Juniper
treatments such as cutting with hand saws or burning with prescribed fire would be
required to rehabilitate the aspen stands.
STANDARD 3- Healthy, productive, and diverse plant and animal populations and
communities appropriate to soil, climate, and landform are supported by ecological
processes of nutrient cycling, energy flow and the hydrologic cycle.
Meets Standard.
The current plant community composition as compared to the PNC was the indicator
used to evaluate-this standard. -As stated above, plant species expected at PNC-fur each
range site as described in Lake County Soil Survey are part of the plant community
compositions currently found on the allotment.
Botanist report:
This allotment was burned in 2002 by a wildland fire; and it has not been grazing since
spring 2002. In 2004 the grasses and forbs had recovered health and vigor from both re­
sprouting shrubs and from seeds. The only disturbances in the area are from caterpillar
tracks that remain from fire fighting actions, and they are filling in with native plants,
exotic annuals and grasses. The junipers in many cases were killed outright by the fire
and only a few, small areas exist where the junipers encroachment is threatening other
resource values.
Wildlife report:
This area supports healthy diverse wildlife populations that are appropriate for the type of
habitats available within the allotment. The majority of habitats within the allotment are
in moderate ecological condition. Ecological condition within this allotment is degraded
by dense amounts of young western juniper in the southern portion of the allotment. This
standard is currently being met from the aspect of wildlife populations and diversity.
STANDARD 4- Surface water and groundwater quality, influenced by agency
actions, complies with State water quality standards.
Meets Standard.
Kelly Creek has not been listed as water quality impaired by the Oregon DEQ. It is likely
that should temperature data be collected the stream would be listed in the future due to
natural conditions. The flow regime of this stream is not known. It appears to be
intermittent with some years having perennial flow. Flow regime could be a factor in
future water quality listing decisions. Current management is having no negative impact
to the water quality.
STANDARD 5- Native, T&E, and locally important species. Habitats support
healthy, productive and diverse populatlons and communities of native plants and
animals (including special status species and species of local importance)
appropriate to soil, climate and landform.
Meets Standard.
Botanist report:
This area has been surveyed for Bureau special status plants. iliamna bakerii
(globemallow), a BLM Sensitive plant species, was discovered . This plant usually grows
after areas have been intensely burned; it will grow a few years and disappear. It has not
been demonstrated that livestock grazing has much of an effect on the globemallow;
however, it is being monitored.
Plant list of northern area:
Shrubs/trees:
Juniperus occidentalis
(burned and alive)
Prunus subcordata
Prunus virginiana
Pinus ponderosa
(burned and alive)
Populus tremuloides
Lygodesmia spinosa
Ribes aureum
Artemisia tridentate
Forbs:
iliamna bakerii
Lomatium trlternatum
Collomia grandiflora
Astragalus purshii
Phacelia procera
Penstemon sp.
Gayophyton diffusum
Fritilleria atropurpurea
Eriophyllum lanatum
Eiplobium paniculatum
Artemisia cana
Cercocarpus ledifolius
Sambucus nigra v. cenulea
Rosa woodsii
Symphoricarpos sp
Grasses
Elymus elymoides (Sitanion hystrix)
Pseudoroegneria spicata (Agrophyron
spicatum)
Koeleria macrantha (K. cristata)
Leymus cinereus (Elymus cinereus)
Lithosperma ruderarale
Lupinus caudatus
Castilleja sp
Zigadenus venenosus
Introduced plants! weeds
Bromus tectorum
Taeniatherum caput-medusae
Lepidium perfoliata
Agrophyron cristatum
Linum lewisii (planted native)
Cirsium nutans
There are no listed T&E or sensitive aquatic species known in Kelly Creek.
Wildlife report:
Special status wildlife species or their habitats that are present within these allotments
include the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), Lewis' woodpecker (Melanerpes
lewis), and sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianusy: There are also two species with
high public interest. These include mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and bighorn sheep
(Ovis Canadensis).
No nesting or roosting habitat exists within this allotment for the bald eagle. Nesting and
roosting does occur on U.S. Forest Service lands to the north. It is suspected that they are
occasional visitors to the area. Bald eagle foraging could occur within the allotment;
however it is probably restricted mostly to occasional scattered carrion. There are no
resource conflicts for bald eagles.
Ponderosa pine habitats and western juniper woodlands occur over the southern half of
the allotment. Habitat for this species is limited. This habitat is suitable, but marginal for
Lewis' woodpeckers. There are no resource conflicts for this species.
Habitats for sage-grouse occur in small scattered areas in the western portion of the
allotment. There are no known sage-grouse leks within the allotment, nor the
surrounding areas. Sage-grouse use of this area is possible, but is very unlikely sue to the
extreme isolation of the sage-grouse habitat and heavy fragmentation. No major conflicts
exist between cattle grazing and sage-grouse within this allotment.
Mule deer inhabit much of the area. Moderate concentrations of wintering mule deer
inhabit this allotment and surrounding areas. No conflicts exist between mule deer and
cattle grazing within this allotment.
Bighorn sheep inhabit the surrounding areas to the south of the allotment. Some
marginal habitat exists within the allotment for bighorn sheep. It is not known if
bighorns occasionally visit the allotment. but it is possible. No major conflicts exist
between bighorn sheep and cattle grazing within these allotments.
Overall. this standard is being met for wildlife species within the allotment. The
occurrence of invasive western juniper appears to be the limiting factor for most wildlife
species within the allotment. Efforts to improve this standard should focus on restoration
of sagebrush. This could be accomplished through intensive restoration efforts with fire.
mechanical treatment and seeding.
Team Members
Title
Lance Okeson
Todd Forbes
Lucile Housley
Erin McConnell
Robert Hopper
Ken Kestner
Allan Munhall
RMS
Wildlife Biologist
Botanist
Weed Management
Supervisory NRS
Supervisory NRS
Fisheries Biologist
Determination
o
Existing grazing management practices or levels of grazing use on the #416
White Rock Allotment promote achievement of significant progress toward the
Oregon Standards and Guidelines for Rangeland Health and conform with the
Guidelines for Livestock grazing Management.
( ) Existing grazing management practices or levels of grazing use on the #416
White Rock Allotment will require modification or change prior to the next grazing
season to promote achievement of the Oregon standards and Guidelines for
Livestock Grazing Management.
Field Manager. Lakeview Resource Area
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