Wilderness management plan for the Mt. Moriah Wilderness

36 Pages·1995·5.9 MB·English

by  United States. Bureau of Land Management. Ely District

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| United States Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
Ely District Office July 1995
Final
Wilderness Management Plan
y Mt. Moriah Wilderness
THE BLM Mission STATEMENT
The BLM is responsible for
the stewardship of our public lands.
It is committed to manage,
protect, and improve these lands
in a manner to serve the needs
of the American people for all times.
Management is based on the principles
of multiple use and sustained yield
of our Nation’s resources
within a framework
of environmental responsibility
and scientific technology.
These resources include
recreation; rangelands; timber;
minerals; watersheds; fish and wildlife;
wilderness; air; and scenic,
scientific and cultural values.
BLM/EL/PL-95/009/8300
United States Department of the Interior
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Nevada State Office
850 Harvard Way
P.O. Box 12000
Reno, Nevada 89520-0006 In Reply Refer To:
8550 (NV-932.4)
AUG 11 199%
Dear Planning Participant:
I would like to begin by thanking you for your participation in the planning process which led
to the development of the attached Final Wilderness Management Plan; Mt. Moriah
Wilderness. This plan will be used to guide the management of the portion of the Mt. Moriah
Wilderness Area managed by the Bureau of Land Management for approximately the next ten
years. Your participation in this process was instrumental in ensuring that no major issues
were overlooked or left unresolved.
An environmental assessment was prepared to analyze the impacts of implementation of the
plan, and a Finding of No Significant Impact and Decision Record was completed on July 18,
1995. Because there were no major unresolved issues involved, copies are not attached. For
a copy of any of these documents, please contact:
Bureau of Land Management Bureau of Land Management
Nevada State Office Ely District Office
850 Harvard Way OR HC33, Box 33500
P.O. Box 12000 Ely, NV 89301-9408
Reno, NV 89520-0006 (Attn: Rick Waldrup)
(Attn: Steve Smith)
Sincerely,
Ann J.\Morgan
State Director, Nevada
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WILDERNESS MANAGEMENT PLAN
FOR THE
MT. MORIAH WILDERNESS
U.S. Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
Ely District Office
Schell Resource Area
White Pine County, Nevada
Recommended by: tere i aaa tung 26,199S
Gerald M. Smith Date
Area Manager, Schell Resource Area
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Recommended by: Laas & Viage aa f— re[ 29/45
Date
TimothyReuwsaat
District Manager, Ely District
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Approved by:
Date
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CONTENTS
FTP CON To SS Oe ee Eee I ee re eee ae ee ee ee ee 1
PING ot ee ee ck ee a ee ee ee ee 1
Peery aatiras Of 1G Fidlies ee ee ee ee el De wees ae ce se so a es ee 1
a ge 8 Oe egg oh es a rr nr ea ee ae ae eC ee aee c a a 2
ESS OLLPlaty ees ee ee ew eee Bole see cs aes as as eee Z
Pee iarenhras (VErviGW oe ere es eae RP ee ae ak ee es ee ee ee ee ee Bees i
TeV OCACOUT Oe ee les. sete ea re a en wrk oe aie ee et wes nit ee 2
2. TOSCHDiIONe Enns ek ee ee cies ee ee ees re A ess wes 2
3. General Management Situation ..... 00. ee ee re ee te te tee 4
WWE DERNESS MANAGEMENT GOALS 6. ee ee he ea re ens bi ee ee he a eee 4
Pee ee ee ee ee ties See se tr ee as we haa fo ee ee ee 5
A. Issues to be addressed further in the plan... . 1... . 2 eee ee tt et et te tes 5
1. Long-Term Protection of Naturalness ... 1.0... eee ee ee ees 5
2. Long-Term Protection of Opportunities for Solitude ... 2... 6... cee eee eee eee 5
3. Management of Special Features .... 0... eee eee te te eee 5
4. Management of Vegetation .........2 cere cere e eee tec e er et eer ee eeees 5
B. Issues Addressed Through Policy or Administrative Action ...2.... 2 e.ee e.ee .eee es 5
1. Scientific Data Collection and Research ....... 0... cece ee eee eens 5
Dm TFRSTOTIC LIK RATIO cee eral sae, She tee ee or Ss a cena s won 6 Bik se tink a ae Roe noes 5
Sy. MARIUITIN Daa G COU OF tts i nlc cs ie st es ee Gt sem ne vee on tee 5
4. Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep ..... 2... eee eee eee ee ee ee es 5
5. Management of Point Source Pollution ........ eee eee eee eee teens 5
6: Potential Increase in Visitor Use . 0.1. i teee eee ces 6
7. Emergency Services, Including Military Aircraft Disasters .........e.ee. e+ee s 6
Ser OUHiTer aNd GINGETACIIVILIES «4 5c crt et Se te ce ae ee see ee ee ies 6
9. Coordinated Management and Planning for the USFS-Administered Portion of Mt.
Moriah Widerness, wie ss cc Se ee ee Rs see tee Mee ss ems bee eee s 6
10. Threatened, Endangered, or Candidate Species .....ee. ee .eee. ee.e .ee e 6
PAweetranivionar CULGral VAIUCS Gc. cp ow ee ee be ee ee ele ae 6
C. Issues Beyond Scope of the Plan... 1.0... . cee ce ee ee eee ee te ee ee ee te ete 6
WeERARIVAGENIENT DIREGIION Coe cea ea ee ee te ee eek ee ee ee eee ie 6
Wi] C54) Too ahaanpecndeeor gente anai aa teubiel ce ne eat it ache eee aet ei a Cee ee a ce 6
WANSOEINENE ACTIONS (Mtr te ok 2 6 ait vwus gree Bin ee ror wie es wale ee a 8 em ala e 8 7
ROUT ee et es fai cae re ent Sere eae ke Se ee eS 8
812091D AR ac ahrg eetiehaete Reamer NCR CREAR TIS) cocci achat aia a ice cae aCe te a SC 9
RRS ITAEISIIIONE PACUIOUIS ere ets ee ase gee layne tol un Was 8 ope SR aes Sa os ek bess 9
RADI Ee ee ee eS ere See ae een sees eee ta ee 8 10
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iy ea PeeTAEN TAO fo ee ee ee el ee ee ne ee ae ee ee ee wee 10
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Il. SUMMARY the future, a combined BLM and USFS wilderness
management plan may be developed that covers
A. Background both portions of the Mt. Moriah Wilderness.
The Mt. Moriah Wilderness was designated on Many of the potential impacts to wilderness
December 5, 1989, when President George Bush resources, such as occurrence of a catastrophic
signed Public Law 101-195, the Nevada Wilderness fire, search and rescue operations or airplane
Protection Act of 1989 (103 STAT. 1784). The crashes are unlikely to occur during the life of the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) administers plan. However, the proposed actions identified in
6,435 acres of the 82,000 acre wilderness area, this plan will go into effect in the event these
with the remainder administered by the U.S. Forest unlikely impacts occur.
Service. Mt. Moriah is the Nevada BLM’s first
designated wilderness. Bureau policy directs that B. Main Features of the Plan
a management plan be prepared for each new The proposed Plan has two objectives that will be
wilderness as soon as possible after designation. accomplished over the ten-year life of the plan
through implementation of specific management
(Note: The first draft of this management plan was actions. Each objective and the management
sent out for public review and comment under the actions needed to implement these objectives are
title, "Thunder Mountain Wilderness Management summarized in the following descriptions.
Plan." This final plan incorporates pertinent
comments and is issued under the new title to Objective 1
correctly reflect the name of the wilderness area.) To maintain or enhance the opportunity for
solitude, the natural untrammelled appearance of
This management plan encompasses the BLM landscapes, and special features within the plan
portion of the designated Mt. Moriah Wilderness area:
(6,435 acres) and that portion of the BLM Marble
Canyon Wilderness Study Area (WSA) that BLM @ Limit the use of low altitude aircraft during flight
has recommended as suitable for preservation as operations conducted by BLM, the Nevada Division
wilderness (1,865 acres). This consolidated 8,300 of Wildlife and by military organizations to improve
acre area of consideration forms a logical unit with solitude opportunities.
similar resource values, uses and issues.
@ Reduce visual impacts created by vehicle use on
The designated portion of the Mt. Moriah existing ways by increasing visitor awareness of
Wilderness will be managed in accordance with wilderness ethics through improved signing and
guidance contained in BLM Manual 8560 and BLM educational materials.
Handbook H-8560-1 entitled, "Management of
Designated Wilderness Areas." That portion of the @ Patrol the area frequently to deter unauthorized
Marble Canyon WSA recommended as suitable for vehicle use and woodcutting.
preservation as wilderness will continue to be
managed under the authority of BLM Handbook @ No vehicles will be authorized inside the plan
H-8550-1, "Interim Management Policy and area unless there is a life-threatening emergency.
Guidelines for Lands Under Wilderness Review."
@ Rehabilitate all surface disturbances resulting
The Washington BLM headquarters has identified from fire suppression, search and rescue operations
completion of a management plan for the BLM- or other emergency activities within one year of
administered portion of Mt. Moriah Wilderness as a occurrence.
high priority task that cannot be delayed until
planning schedules of the two federal agencies that @ Allow scientific research using non-motorized and
manage this area coincide. The Humboldt National non-mechanized methods.
Forest will address the United States Forest Service
(USFS) portion of the Mt. Moriah Wilderness in ® Develop public information for the area
their Forest Management Plan, which will be emphasizing low impact use of wilderness
revised after this BLM plan has been finalized. In resources, including the care and protection of
ancient rock art. portion of Mt. Moriah Wilderness, and that portion
of the Marble Canyon Wilderness Study Area
© Quantify reserved water rights for a seep within (WSA) that has been recommended by the BLM as
the area. suitable for preservation as wilderness. The plan
area boundary was designed to include an area
Objective 2 with similar management issues. Bars Canyon
To maintain or allow for natural succession to constitutes a logical, geologic and geomorphic
occur within major vegetative communities in the western boundary. The remainder of the WSA was
excluded from the plan area because it contains
plan area:
significantly different management issues, including
@ Adopt a prescribed natural fire management mining and more intensive livestock grazing. The
strategy to maintain or prevent the deterioration of plan area forms a cohesive ecologic unit.
vegetation diversity within the area. Fire control
will use the minimum tool that would have the least The small community of Baker, located 40 miles to
impact to wilderness resources, and any seeding of the south, is the closest population center in
disturbances will use only native plant species. Nevada. There are other small Utah communities
and scattered ranch residences located in the
® Control or eradicate noxious weeds wherever nearby Snake Valley.
possible.
2. Description
® Monitor vegetation communities using the best
available successional information to determine The following briefly characterizes the physical,
accomplishment of the objective. biotic and historic condition of the plan area.
ll. INTRODUCTION Size and Ownership
A. Purpose of Plan The entire plan area is comprised of public lands
under BLM jurisdiction. There are no rights-of-way
This plan serves two important purposes. First, it in the area. The plan area includes the 6,435 acre
presents management issues, objectives and BLM portion of Mt. Moriah Wilderness and 1,865
actions that will provide the guidance needed to contiguous acres within Marble Canyon WSA.
direct resource protection and uses of the plan
area. Second, it sets forth a general sequence for Climate
implementing identified management actions. This
plan is intended to guide management of the area Below the 7,500 foot elevation level average
for the 10-year period, 1995 through 2005. annual precipitation ranges from eight to 14 inches,
mean annual air temperature is 44 to 52 degrees
B. Plan Area Overview Fahrenheit, and average growing season is 100 to
120 days.. Above 7,500 feet average precipitation
1. Location increases to 22 inches, air temperature averages
40 to 44 degrees, and the growing season ranges
The general location of the plan area is depicted on from 50 to 90 days. Most of the annual
Map 1 and Map 2. The plan area is located entirely precipitation is received as snow during winter
within the Great Basin physiographic region. The periods each year, but occasional summer
area is located at the northern end of the Snake thundershowers do occur.
Range west of the Utah-Nevada border in White
Pine County, Nevada. It lies completely within Topography
unsurveyed Townships 17 and 18 North, Ranges
69 and 70 East, Mount Diablo Meridian (MDM). Plan area elevation ranges from 6,000 feet near the
The southern border of the area is the USFS portion entrance to Bars Canyon to 9,331 feet at the
of the Mt. Moriah Wilderness. summit of Thunder Mountain.
The plan area shown in detail on Map 3 is the BLM The lower eastern portion of the area consists of a