Assistance to the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for the 2023 Rangeland Resource Assessment on Public Lands in California and NW Nevada
2800 Cottage Way, Suite W-1623
Sacramento, CA 95825
United States
1734 (CA-930) P
This Instruction Memorandum provides guidance regarding Bureau of Land Management (BLM) assistance to the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for the purpose of collecting data from rangelands administered by the BLM in California and northwest Nevada.
Mission-Related
While conducting the 2023 NRCS Rangeland Resources Assessment as part of the National Resource Inventory (NRI), the NRCS may wish to dig soil pits or other smallscale ground disturbances on BLM lands. On average, a ground disturbance measures 20 inches deep and 12 inches in diameter. Depending on the actual size of the ground disturbance and the direction of the assigned Cultural Resource Specialist in each Field Office, Protocol Exemption 1A may apply to some, none, or all of these locations.
Table 1 presents the breakout by Field Office and county for the number of randomly selected locations on BLM public lands for NRI assessment. The table provides a first approximation of workload for Field Offices in 2023. The CASO will provide exact locations to each Field Office once NRCS finalizes selection.
GIS assistance may be required to open the zipped files when you receive the locations. NRCS will provide further details about its data collection activities on BLM-managed lands, after its review to eliminate any site locations that do not meet NRI rangeland definitions or are deemed inaccessible due to slope, distance from roads, etc.
Table 1: Distribution of Randomly Selected NRI Point Locations by California Field Office and County in 2023
BLM Office
County
County Points
Total Eligible Points
Applegate
Lassen
Modoc
9
8
17
Bakersfield
Kern
San Luis Obispo
6
3
9
Barstow
Inyo
San Bernardino
9
24
33
Bishop
Inyo
Mono
3
9
12
Central Coast
Fresno
3
3
Eagle Lake
Lassen
24
24
El Centro
Imperial
21
21
Mother Lode
Mariposa
2
2
Needles
San Bernardino
39
39
Palm Springs/South Coast
Riverside
27
27
Ridgecrest
Inyo
Kern
6
6
12
Ukiah
Glenn
Lake
3
3
6
Total
205
The NRCS may request your assistance to:
- Review site locations to confirm that assessment locations are on BLM-administered lands.
- Ensure that the NRCS can access those sites through any locked gates or other barriers.
- Identify sites that have no access.
- Identify sites with military contamination or hazard.
- Provide guidance to NRCS on best methods to access sites in Wilderness Areas and Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs) to assure preservation of wilderness character.
- Ensure compliance for protection of cultural resources and special-status plant and wildlife species.
The NRCS staff and partners understand that they must not use motorized and mechanical vehicles or equipment in Wilderness Areas and WSAs.
The NRCS will report findings periodically to the BLM before publication of the national final annual report. Fieldwork for the inventory is scheduled for early March 2023. A representative from the NRCS NRI will be contacting each Field Office in advance of field work for advice on logistics.
Policy and associated actions become effective on the date of the signature of the State Director
No additional costs. Funding for BLM staff to assist the NRCS with its data collection is part of base programs for each Field Office.
The Rural Development Act of 1972, the Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act of 1977, and other supporting legislation mandate the NRCS to assess the condition and trends of soil, water, and related resources on the Nation’s non-federal lands using the National Resources Inventory (NRI). Since 2011, the NRCS NRI has conducted the Rangeland Resource Assessment on lands managed by the BLM as well. The BLM National Office has reviewed and approved the NRI on BLM lands and has authorized its continuance for an additional three years. The NRCS jointly conducts the Rangeland Resource Assessment with the Iowa State University Center for Survey Statistics and Methodology.
None.
Michael Westphal, Ecologist, email at mwestpha@blm.gov, Jack Hamby, State Rangeland and Weeds Coordinator at (916) 978-4633, email at jhamby@blm.gov, or James Barnes, Associate State Archaeologist at (916) 978-4676, email at jjbarnes@blm.gov.
BLM CA930 staff in L1020, L1050, and L1210 programs contributed to preparing this IM.