Office of the Regional Executive for Biology - Central Region
 |
| About USGS / Science Topics / Maps, Products & Publications / Partnerships / Education / Newsroom / Jobs |
Bureau of Land Management Research Needs
TITLE:
Effect of Oil/Gas Activity on Mule Deer and Pronghorn in
Southwest Wyoming
SUBMITTING BUREAU: Bureau of Land Management
Originating Office: Montana State Office
DATE SUBMITTED: May 21, 1996
BIN NUMBER: BLM12CR98
BRD REGION: Central
DESCRIPTION OF NEED: The effects of oil/gas development on
regionally important high-interest wildlife species has been a
long-standing, contentious and unresolved resource issue within
Wyoming. This proposal ties directly to issues identified by the
Secretary's Green River Basin Advisory Committee. BLM-initiated
NPR Stipulation Analysis Subteam and Southwest Wyoming Resource
Evaluation. Information collected will be applicable throughout
the intermountain west.
The resource would assess the efficacy of lease stipulations and
operational designed placed on oil/gas development and production
activity for retaining habitat effectiveness within crucial
winter ranges for migratory pronghorn and mule deer herds in
southwest Wyoming. Extensive development is occurring within and
encroaching on the boundaries of crucial seasonal winter ranges
of high profile, economically important migratory big game herds.
The activity may potentially affect migration routes; use of
traditional wintering areas; habitat fragmentation; and
population viability. Disturbance effects would be assessed for
individual response and survival; herd reproduction and
recruitment; and population distribution changes, habitat use and
dynamics.
Research activities may include documentation of adaptive changes
in behavior, habitat use as a result of disturbances; response to
different types of activity (concentrated human activity vs.
widespread); minimum distances from human activities and roads;
threshold level of road densities; minimum size habitat security
areas. Needed are data to be able to predict threshold levels of
field development when habitat becomes too fragmented or
unusable; how much/what kind of disturbance on an
individual/population level will be accepted before abandonment.
Data and conclusions would be used in NEPA analyses, oil/gas
field project design and mitigation, cumulative impacts analysis,
and resource management planning.
MANAGEMENT PROBLEM WITH NEED:
BUREAU CONTACT: Dave Roberts (307) 775-6099
Elaine Raper
BLM Rock Springs District Office
Highway 191 North
Rock Springs, WY 82802
(307) 382-5350
BRD PRIMARY CENTER: WY COOP
BRD CENTER CONTACT: Fred Lindzey
RESULTS OF BRD-INITIATED COMMUNICATION: There are 3 projects that the UNIT has contributed to that would fall under the umbrella of this initial proposal. Two of these projects deal with migratory ungulate herds and the third, a more sedentary herd. We have worked with BLM biologist at the state and local level with each of these projects. Funding, to this point, has not come from federal agencies.
1. Pinedale Mule Deer: The initial phase of this project deals with migratory pathways, winter range use and survival rates. Deer were radio-collared winter 1998 (140 + 10 with GPS collars. Deer are being monitored. Gas development eminent and EIS analyses underway. Primary funding from ULTRA petroleum, secondary from Wyoming Game and Fish and additional support requested from BLM. Local BLM contact is Fred Roberts. BLM has been supportive and is involved in the project.
Migratory Pronghorn Antelope: This may be one of the last pronghorn populations that still exhibits traditional migration patterns. Pronghorn summering in the Jackson Hole Valley may move as far south as Rock Springs to winter. Probable migratory routes take them through proposed and active gas/oil fields. Thirty pronghorn were captured in Grand Teton National Park (20) and Upper Gros Ventre drainage (10) in July 1998. Movement and activity will be monitored year-round to document migratory pathways and winter ranges. Primary funding from ULTRA petroleum in cooperation with Wyoming Game and Fish Department. BLM has been cooperating in the project. BLM local contact is Fred Roberts.
Steamboat Desert Elk: This elk herd occupies a desert region of south-western Wyoming. Cover is provided primarily by topographic features and stands of tall, big sagebrush. Human use of the area is currently minimal but proposed energy exploration/development will result in increased human disturbance. Although the minimal amount of security cover present seems sufficient for the elk at present levels of human disturbance, it likely will not suffice as development results in increased human use of the area. A proposal was submitted to BLM and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation for funding to document habitat use patterns and investigate probable reaction of elk to increased levels of human disturbance. BLM contact: Rick Amidon.
DATE SUBMITTED TO BRD REGIONAL OFFICE: September 28, 1998
PREPARED BY: Fred Lindzey, Wyoming Coop Unit
RESULTS OF BRD-INITIATED COMMUNICATION (FY98): No progress occurred on this BIN in FY1997. A recommendation to change the BRD primary contact to Fred Lindsey at the Wyoming Coop Unit was made to the Central Regional Office.
DATE SUBMITTED TO REGIONAL OFFICE: October 31, 1997
PREPARED BY: Bruce Baker, Vertebrate Ecology Research Center, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO (970)226-9414; email bruce_baker@usgs.gov
Addendum by the Central Regional Office:
Fred Lindzey, Wyoming Cooperative Research Unit, 307-766-5415, has agreed to be listed as leader for this BIN.
U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://biology.usgs.gov/cro/98blm-12.htm
Page Contact Information:
tlwilliams@usgs.gov
Page Last Modified:
