BLM invests $2.3 Million for Upper Bear River Watershed Restoration
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SALT LAKE CITY – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is announcing it has awarded a $2.3 million construction contract to Global Engineering Services of Midvale, Utah, to replace range and riparian fencing in the Upper Bear River Watershed Landscape Restoration Area. This restoration project is part of President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda, with funding coming from the President’s Inflation Reduction Act.
“We are excited to see our efforts to advance this watershed restoration coming to fruition,” said West Desert District Manager Mike Gates. “This project highlights core aspects of the BLM mission to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.”
The BLM Salt Lake Field Office partnered with Sageland Collaborative, a citizen science effort, to inventory and identify range fences within the Upper Bear River area that do not meet BLM standards for wildlife passage. About $580,000 will go toward modifying or replacing some 42 miles of range fencing in the Upper Bear River Restoration Landscape. Improvements to range fencing will also ensure continued effective management of grazing in the area.
The BLM will also use more than $1.7 million to reconstruct 24 fences with durable steel pipe materials meant to keep animals out. This project will improve the durability of existing structures, making them less susceptible to damage from snow load and eliminating the need for constant maintenance. Currently, BLM uses traditional wire fences, which require yearly maintenance and inspections to ensure livestock grazing is excluded from sensitive riparian areas. Reconstructing these structures will ensure that important riparian and Bonneville Cutthroat trout habitat is protected.
The waters in the Upper Bear River Restoration Landscape are the primary input for the Great Salt Lake, which is drying and shrinking. The BLM is using many methods to restore and improve the health and resiliency of the Upper Bear River watershed, which will help provide clean water, habitat for fish and wildlife, and opportunities for recreation. Uplands in this area are also key habitat for big game and contain the largest, most contiguous intact sagebrush/sage-grouse habitat in Utah.
As streams and wetland areas improve they will restore the natural storage and release of water in the flood plain. The public will also see improvements at the Little Creek campground and Birch Creek Reservoir to enhance the user experience and allow increased access to recreation opportunities.
This funding is part of the BLM’s $161 million investment in ecosystem restoration and resilience on the nation’s public lands, which is derived from the Department’s restoration and resilience framework. BLM created 21 “Restoration Landscapes” across 11 western states, restoring wildlife habitat and clean water on public lands and strengthening communities and local economies. The Department is implementing more than $2 billion in investments to restore our nation’s lands and waters. This in turn is helping to meet the conservation goals set through the America the Beautiful initiative.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.