Casper Field Office, Wyoming November 2003 Casper Field ...

[Pages:111]U.S. Department of the Interior

Bureau of Land Management Casper Field Office, Wyoming

November 2003

Casper Field Office Planning Area

Final Summary of the

Management Situation Analysis

How To Use This Document

This summary of the Management Situation Analysis for the Bureau of Land Management Platte River Resource Area Management Plan revision, to be titled and referred to as the Casper Resource Management Plan revision, is intended to be a reader-friendly document that provides an introduction to the Resource Management Plan revision topics. The document organization is shown below:

Chapter 1.0 Where Do We Begin? ? Introduction ? Resource Management Planning ? Why Conduct the Management Situation Analysis? ? Collaborative Planning

Introduction and Overview

RMP Revision Topics

Chapter 2.0 What Topics Will the Resource Management Plan Revision Include? ? Introduction and Topics:

? Air Quality ? Cultural Resources ? Fire Management ? Fish and Wildlife ? Geology and Geologic Hazards ? Health and Safety ? Lands and Realty ? Mineral Resources ? Leasables ? Mineral Resources ? Locatables ? Mineral Resources ? Salables

? Paleontology ? Rangeland Management ? Recreation ? Socioeconomic Conditions ? Soil ? Special Management Areas ? Special Status Species ? Transportation and Access ? Vegetative Resources ? Visual Resource Management ? Water Resources

Chapter 3.0 Where Do We Go From Here? ? Next Steps ? Providing Feedback

Going Forward

Reference Information

References, Appendix A, Appendix B, and Acronyms and Abbreviations

? References ? Appendix A ? Preliminary Planning Issues and

Criteria ? Appendix B ? Plant and Wildlife Scientific and

Common Names ? Acronyms and Abbreviations

Final Summary of the Management Situation Analysis

Casper Field Office Planning Area

U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Casper Field Office, Wyoming

November 2003

It is the mission of the Bureau of Land Management to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

Summary of the Management Situation Analysis

Table of Contents

Section

Page

Chapter 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4

Chapter 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4

2.5 2.6

2.7

Where Do We Begin? ................................................................ 1

Introduction.............................................................................................. 1

Resource Management Planning ........................................................... 1

Why Conduct the Management Situation Analysis? .......................... 5

Collaborative Planning ............................................................................ 5

What Topics Will the Resource Management Plan Revision Include? .....................................................................................7

Air Quality................................................................................................. 7 2.1.1 Overview .................................................................................... 7 2.1.2 Current Management Practices............................................... 9 2.1.3 Management Issues and Concerns....................................... 10

Cultural Resources ................................................................................. 10 2.2.1 Overview .................................................................................. 10 2.2.2 Current Management Practices............................................. 13 2.2.3 Management Issues and Concerns....................................... 13

Fire Management ................................................................................... 13 2.3.1 Overview .................................................................................. 13 2.3.2 Current Management Practices............................................. 14 2.3.3 Management Issues and Concerns....................................... 15

Fish and Wildlife .................................................................................... 15 2.4.1 Overview .................................................................................. 15

2.4.1.1 Fish ...................................................................... 15 2.4.1.2 Wildlife ...................................................................... 16 2.4.2 Current Management Practices............................................. 19 2.4.2.1 Fish ...................................................................... 19 2.4.2.2 Wildlife ...................................................................... 19 2.4.3 Management Issues and Concerns....................................... 20 2.4.3.1 Fish ...................................................................... 20 2.4.3.2 Wildlife ...................................................................... 21

Geology and Geologic Hazards........................................................... 21 2.5.1 Overview .................................................................................. 21 2.5.2 Current Management Practices............................................. 22 2.5.3 Management Issues and Concerns....................................... 22

Health and Safety ................................................................................... 22 2.6.1 Overview .................................................................................. 22

2.6.1.1 Abandoned Mines.................................................... 22 2.6.1.2 Hazardous Materials ................................................ 23 2.6.2 Current Management Practices............................................. 23 2.6.2.1 Abandoned Mines.................................................... 23 2.6.2.2 Hazardous Materials ................................................ 23 2.6.3 Management Issues and Concerns....................................... 24 2.6.3.1 Abandoned Mines.................................................... 24 2.6.3.2 Hazardous Materials ................................................ 24

Lands and Realty .................................................................................... 24

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Summary of the Management Situation Analysis

Section

2.8

2.9 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13

2.14 2.15

Page

2.7.1 Overview .................................................................................. 24 2.7.2 Current Management Practices............................................. 27 2.7.3 Management Issues and Concerns....................................... 27

Mineral Resources - Leasables ............................................................. 28 2.8.1 Overview .................................................................................. 28

2.8.1.1 Coal ...................................................................... 28 2.8.1.2 Oil and Gas ............................................................... 29 2.8.1.3 Other Leasables........................................................ 31 2.8.2 Current Management Practices............................................. 31 2.8.2.1 Coal ...................................................................... 31 2.8.2.2 Oil and Gas ............................................................... 33 2.8.2.3 Other Leasables........................................................ 34 2.8.3 Management Issues and Concerns....................................... 34 2.8.3.1 Coal ...................................................................... 34 2.8.3.2 Oil and Gas ............................................................... 34 2.8.3.3 Other Leasables........................................................ 35

Mineral Resources - Locatables ........................................................... 35 2.9.1 Overview .................................................................................. 35 2.9.2 Current Management Practices............................................. 35 2.9.3 Management Issues and Concerns....................................... 36

Mineral Resources - Salables ................................................................ 36 2.10.1 Overview .................................................................................. 36 2.10.2 Current Management Practices............................................. 36 2.10.3 Management Issues and Concerns....................................... 37

Paleontology ........................................................................................... 37 2.11.1 Overview .................................................................................. 37 2.11.2 Current Management Practices............................................. 39 2.11.3 Management Issues and Concerns....................................... 39

Rangeland Management........................................................................ 39 2.12.1 Overview .................................................................................. 39 2.12.2 Current Management Practices............................................. 43 2.12.3 Management Issues and Concerns....................................... 44

Recreation ............................................................................................... 45 2.13.1 Overview .................................................................................. 45

2.13.1.1 Off-Highway Vehicles (OHV)............................... 45 2.13.1.2 Recreation ................................................................. 45 2.13.2 Current Management Practices............................................. 46 2.13.2.1 Off-Highway Vehicles (OHV)............................... 46 2.13.2.2 Recreation ................................................................. 47 2.13.3 Management Issues and Concerns....................................... 48 2.13.3.1 Off-Highway Vehicles (OHV)............................... 48 2.13.3.2 Recreation ................................................................. 48

Socioeconomic Conditions................................................................... 48 2.14.1 Overview .................................................................................. 48 2.14.2 Current Management Practices............................................. 50 2.14.3 Management Issues and Concerns....................................... 50

Soil............................................................................................................ 51

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Table of Contents

Summary of the Management Situation Analysis

Section

2.16

2.17 2.18 2.19

2.20

Page

2.15.1 Overview .................................................................................. 51 2.15.2 Current Management Practices............................................. 51 2.15.3 Management Issues and Concerns....................................... 52

Special Management Areas................................................................... 52 2.16.1 Overview .................................................................................. 52

2.16.1.1 Areas of Critical Environmental Concern ........... 52 2.16.1.2 Recreation Management Areas .............................. 52 2.16.1.3 Potential Special Management Areas.................... 55 2.16.2 Current Management Practices............................................. 56 2.16.2.1 Areas of Critical Environmental Concern ........... 56 2.16.2.2 Recreation Management Areas .............................. 56 2.16.2.3 Potential Special Management Areas.................... 57 2.16.3 Management Issues and Concerns....................................... 58 2.16.3.1 Areas of Critical Environmental Concern ........... 58 2.16.3.2 Recreation Management Areas .............................. 58 2.16.3.3 Potential Special Management Areas.................... 58

Special Status Species ............................................................................ 59 2.17.1 Overview .................................................................................. 59

2.17.1.1 Animals...................................................................... 60 2.17.1.2 Plants ...................................................................... 61 2.17.2 Current Management Practices............................................. 62 2.17.2.1 Animals...................................................................... 62 2.17.2.2 Plants ...................................................................... 62 2.17.3 Management Issues and Concerns....................................... 63 2.17.3.1 Animals...................................................................... 63 2.17.3.2 Plants ...................................................................... 63

Transportation and Access................................................................... 63 2.18.1 Overview .................................................................................. 63 2.18.2 Current Management Practices............................................. 64 2.18.3 Management Issues and Concerns....................................... 64

Vegetative Resources............................................................................. 67 2.19.1 Overview .................................................................................. 67

2.19.1.1 Grassland and Shrubland Communities............... 67 2.19.1.2 Riparian and Wetland Communities..................... 71 2.19.1.3 Woodland and Forest Communities..................... 72 2.19.1.4 Invasive, Non-native Plant Species....................... 72 2.19.2 Current Management Practices............................................. 73 2.19.2.1 Grassland and Shrubland Communities............... 73 2.19.2.2 Riparian and Wetland Communities..................... 73 2.19.2.3 Woodland and Forest Communities..................... 74 2.19.2.4 Invasive, Non-native Plant Species....................... 74 2.19.3 Management Issues and Concerns....................................... 75 2.19.3.1 Grassland and Shrubland Communities............... 75 2.19.3.2 Riparian and Wetland Communities..................... 76 2.19.3.3 Woodland and Forest Communities..................... 76 2.19.3.4 Invasive, Non-native Plant Species....................... 77

Visual Resource Management.............................................................. 77 2.20.1 Overview .................................................................................. 77

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Summary of the Management Situation Analysis

Section

Page

2.20.2 Current Management Practices............................................. 78 2.20.3 Management Issues and Concerns....................................... 79

2.21

Chapter 3.0 3.1

Water Resources..................................................................................... 79 2.21.1 Overview .................................................................................. 79 2.21.2 Current Management Practices............................................. 79 2.21.3 Management Issues and Concerns....................................... 80

Where Do We Go From Here?................................................ 83

Next Steps ............................................................................................... 83

3.2 Providing Feedback ............................................................................... 83 References ................................................................................................. 87 Appendix A ? Preliminary Planning Issues and Criteria ..............................A-1 Appendix B ? Plance and Wildlife Scientific and Common Names.............B-1

List of Tables

Table

Page

1 Background Air Quality for the Casper Planning Area............................................ 1 2 Annual Averages of Planned and Unplanned Fires of Different Vegetation

Types .............................................................................................................................. 14 3 Habitat Management Plans for the Casper Planning Area .................................... 20 4 Future Coal Leasing Estimates................................................................................... 29 5 Average Earnings Per Job (2000)............................................................................... 49 6 Racial and Ethnic Groups for Casper Field Office Counties (Percent of

Population in 2000)...................................................................................................... 50 7 Special Status Animal Species in the Casper Planning Area.................................. 60 8 Special Status Plant Species in the Casper Planning Area...................................... 62 9 Results of Proper Functioning Condition Assessment of Riparian/Wetland

Areas............................................................................................................................... 71 10 Wyoming Weed and Pest Control Act Designated Noxious Weed List............ 75

List of Figures

Figure

Page

1 Casper Field Office Planning Area.............................................................................. 3 2 National Historic Trails ............................................................................................... 11 3 Crucial Big Game Range ............................................................................................. 17 4 Land Ownership........................................................................................................... 25 5 Grazing Allotments...................................................................................................... 41 6 Special Management Areas ......................................................................................... 53 7 Transportation Network ............................................................................................. 65 8 Vegetative Cover .......................................................................................................... 69 9 Surface Water ................................................................................................................ 81

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