Rio Puerco resource management draft plan & environmental impact statement

2012·42.5 MB·English

by  United States. Bureau of Land Management

BLM LIBRARY
Albuquerque
District,
Rio
Puerco
Field
Office
•
New
Mexico
The Bureau of Land Management sustains the health,
diversity, and productivity ofthe public lands
for the use and enjoyment ofpresent and future generations.
BLM/NM/PL-12-10-1610
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Rio Puerco
&
Resource Management Draft Plan
Environmental Impact Statement
Volume
III
August 2012
United States Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
Albuquerque District
Rio Puerco Field Office
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
A CULTURAL RESOURCES ON NON-BEM EANDS EISTED ON THE NRHP A-
B DESCRIPTION OF GRAZING ALEOTMENTS BY ACREAGE AND AUMS B-1
C EXAMPEES OF PRESCRIBED GRAZING SYSTEMS C-I
C. Rest-Rotation Grazing C-I
1
C.2 Deferred Rotation Grazing C-I
C.3 Deferred Grazing C-I
C.4 Alternate Grazing C-1
C.5 Short-Duration, High-Intensity Grazing C-2
D RANGEEAND IMPROVEMENTS D-1
D. Introduetion D-1
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D.2 Struetural Improvements D-1
D.2.1 Fences D-1
D.2.2 Spring Development D-1
D.2.3 Pipelines D-1
D.2.4 Wells D-2
D.3 Nonstructural Improvements D-2
D.3.1 Burning D-2
D.3.2 Plowing and Seeding D-2
D.3.3 Interseeding D-2
D.3.4 Vegetation Treatments D-2
D.3.5 Standard Operating Procedures D-2
D.4 Prevention ofNoxious Weed Spread through Surfaee Disturbing Activities D-4
E AEEOTMENT MANAGEMENT CATEGORY AND APPEICABEE EAND USE
PEAN
E-1
F FUNDAMENTAES OF RANGEEAND HEALTH AND STANDARDS AND
GUIDELINES
F-1
G FEUID MINERAE DEVELOPMENT BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES G-
G.l General BMPs G-1
G.1.1 Cultural Resources G-1
G.1.2 Paleontological Resources G-
G.1.3 Invasive and Noxious Weed Management G-2
G.1.4 Wildlife and Sensitive Species Management G-2
G.1.5 Visual Resource Management Class II and III Areas Management G-4
G.2 Site Eocation and Pre-Construction BMPs G-5
G.3 Construction BMPs G-6
G.3.1 Earthwork G-6
G.3.2 Site maintenance G-7
G.3.3 Spill Prevention and Containment G-7
G.3.4 Waste Management G-8
G.4 Access Road BMPs G-8
G.4. Road Design & Planning G-8
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0029115711
G.4.2 Road Construction G-9
G.4.3 Road Maintenance G-9
G.4.4 Road Reclamation G-9
G.5 Interim Reclamation BMPs G-
1
G.6 Production and Maintenance BMPs G-
1
G.7 Final Reclamation BMPs G-1
H FLUID MINERAL SPECIAL LEASE STIPULATIONS H-1
H Background H-1
. 1
H.1.1 Standard Lease Terms and Conditions H-1
H.1.2 Types ofLease Stipulations H-
H. 1.3 Waivers, Exceptions and Modifications H-2
H.1.4 Existing Leases H-2
H.2 RPEO Proposed Lease Stipulations H-3
H.2. Wildlife and Sensitive Species Stipulations H-3
1
H.2.2 Riparian Area Stipulations H-10
H.2.3 Soil and Slope Stipulations H-1
H.2.4 Cultural Resource Stipulations H-
1
H.2.5 Geological Resource Stipulations H-1
H.2.6 Paleontological Stipulations H-
1
H.2.7 Recreation Stipulations H-21
H.2.8 Socioeconomic Stipulations H-21
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H.2.9 Vegetation Forestry Stipulations H-23
H.2.10 Minerals Stipulations H-24
H.3 State Office Stipulations H-25
LN—
H.3. Coal Protection (NM-8-LN) H-25
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LN—
H.3.2 Drainage (NM-IO-LN) H-25
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H.3.3 CSU Highway Material Site Right-of-Way (NM-4-CSU) H-25
NSO—
1.2H.3.4 Continental Divide Trail (NM-6-NSO) H-26
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H.3.5 NSO Occupied Structures and Dwellings (NM-12-NSO) H-26
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H.3.6 NSO Pooling Purposes Only (NM-9-NSO) H-26
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H.3.7 LN Cultural Resources (NM-1 1-LN) H-26
H.4 Washington Office Stipulations H-26
H.4.1 Endangered Species Act - Section 7 Consultation (WO-ESA-7) H-27
H.4.2 Bureau ofReclamation - Section 7 Consultation (WO-BOR-7) H-27
H.4.3 Cultural Resources and Tribal Consultation Stipulation H-27
AND WATER
SOIL
I I-l
I.1 Major Soil Mapping Units, Soil Names, and Surface Textures I-l
Descriptions of the USGS Cataloging Units (8-digit HUC) with highest acreage of
BLM-administered land 1-4
I.2.1 Rio Puerco Watershed (USGS Cataloging Unit 13020204) 1-4
1.2.2 Arroyo Chico Watershed (USGS Cataloging Unit 13020205) 1-4
1.2.3 Rio San Jose Watershed (USGS Cataloging Unit 13020207) 1-4
RIO PUERCO FIEED OFFICE SPECIAE STATUS SPECIES LIST
J J-1
K NOXIOUS WEEDS K-
K. New Mexico Noxious Weed List K-
1
K.1.1 Class A Species K-1
K.1.2 Class B Species K-1
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K. 1.3 Class C Species K-2
K. 1.4 Watch List Species K-2
K.2 Noxious Weed Control Standard Operating Proeedures K-2
K.3 Weed Prevention Sehediile K-3
K.4 Albuquerque Field Office Seed Mixtures K-4
K.4. Grassland Vegetation Type (Sagebrush Draws) K-4
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K.4.2 Pinon-Juniper Vegetation Type K-4
K.4.3 High Elevation Vegetation Type K-5
K.4.4 Alternative Species for Consideration K-5
L PLANT COMMUNITIES AND WILDLIFE FOR THE MAJOR ECOSYSTEMS
OF THE RIO PUERCO L-6
L. I The Sagebrush/Grass Ecosystem L-6
L. 1.1 Soils L-6
L.1.2 Vegetation L-7
L.1.3 Wildlife L-11
L.1.4 Desired Plant Community L-12
L.2 The Pinon and Juniper Ecosystem L-12
L.2.2 Wildlife L-17
L.2.3 Desired Plant Communities L-20
L.2.4 Treatment Recommendations L-22
L.3 The Grassland Ecosystem L-24
L.3.1 Introduction L-24
L.3.2 Soils L-24
L.3.3 Species Composition and Cover L-25
L.3.4 Common Grassland Wildlife L-33
L.3.5 Desired Plant Communities L-34
L.3.6 Wildlife L-35
L.4 The Ponderosa Pine Ecosystem L-36
L.4.1 Introduction L-36
L.4.2 Ponderosa Pine Forest Soils L-37
L.4.3 1975 Forage Inventory L-37
L.4.4 USFS Research L-38
L.4.5 Understory herbaceous production: L-38
L.4.6 Silviculture L-39
L.4.7 Fire L-43
L.4.8 Visual Resources L-43
L.4.9 Desired Plant Community—Percent Composition (By Weight): L-44
L.5 The Riparian and Wetland Ecosystem L-45
L.5.1 Introduction L-45
L.5.2 Desired Plant Communities L-47
L.5.3 Vegetation L-48
L.5.4 Wildlife 48
L.6 References L-51
M VEGETATION TREATMENT BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES M-
N VEGETATION MITIGATION MEASURES N-
LIST OF TABLES
Table A. Cultural Resources on non-BLM Lands A-1
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Table B.l: Acres and ofGrazing Allotments B-1
Table E.l: Management Category and Land Use Plan E-1
Table LI: Major Soil Mapping Units, Soil Names, and Surface Textures I-l
Table 1.2: County Water Use within the Planning Area 1-2
Table J. 1 : Special Status Species by County J-1
Table K.l: Class A Noxious Weed Species K-1
Table K.2: Class B Noxious Weed Species K-1
Table K.3: Class C Noxious Weed Species K-2
Table K.4: Watch List Species K-2
Table K.5: Weed Prevention Schedule K-3
Table K.6: Seed Mix for the Grassland Vegetation Type K-4
Table K.7: Seed Mix for the Pinon-Juniper Vegetation Type K-4
Table K.8: Seed Mix for the Eligh Elevation Vegetation Type K-5
Table K.9: Alternative Species tor Consideration K-5
Table L.l Mean Annual Plant Production by Plant Community E-7
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Table E.2: Vegetative Cover by State E-7
Table L.3: Low Serai Production by Species L-8
Table L.4: Mid Serai Production by Species L-9
Table L.5: Eligh Serai Production by Species E-9
Table L.6: Potential Plant Community Production by Species L-10
Table E.7: Species Composition ofP-J Sites ofthe Upper Rio Puerco Watershed, 1975 L-14
Table E.8: Mean Percent Cover within P-J Sites, Upper Rio Puerco, 1975 L-15
Table M.l: Vegetation Treatment Best Management Practices, by Method M-1
Table M.2: Vegetation Treatment BMPs for Cultural Resources and Native American
Concerns M-3
Table N. Vegetation Mitigation Measures, by Affected Resource N-1
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