Trout Creek/Oregon Canyon Mountains area

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Project Location: Region - high desert country of southeastern Oregon; rugged topography, many canyons, elevation ranges from 4,000 to 8,000 ft.; avg. annual precipitation of 8-12" with about half of this occurring as snow from November to February in higher elevations. Size of area - 544,000 acres (95% BLM public lands, 5% private).

Primary Uses of Area: livestock grazing (7 permittees/ranches in basin), general recreation (hunting, hiking, photography, camping), trophy mule deer hunting, trout fisheries (70 miles of perennial streams), archeological values, 5 wilderness study areas.

More specifically, the Whitehorse Butte Allotment consists of 127,000 acres of public land with in the Oregon Canyon and Trout Creek Mountains in southeastern Oregon. The allotment is just south of the Whitehorse Ranch and about 20 miles northwest of McDermitt, Nevada. Click here for a map.

Project Description: The Trout Creek Mountain area has a 130 year history of livestock grazing from June to October. Most of the ranches are family-owned and historically have produced wild hay and alfalfa on their flood irrigated meadows. By the 1960s, nearly a century of grazing had taken its toll on stream channels, riparian vegetation, and overall trout habitat.

In the 1970s, 20 thousand willows were planted to restore stream banks and thousands of acres of depleted rangelands were treated to provide forage away from riparian areas and native range. Unfortunately summer-long grazing was still practiced at that time and nearly all of the willows died. By the late 1980s, stream banks were eroded and riparian vegetation was sparse. The water table had dropped and upland vegetation was encroaching. The endemic cutthroat trout had been recognized as unique and in need of protection, but trout habitat was severely degraded and the ranchers’ permits to graze cattle in the mountains were in jeopardy.

In 1988, the Trout Creek Mountain Working Group (TCMWG) was formed to find a long term solution that would provide for both the ecological health of the land (restoring stream conditions and trout habitat) and the cultural and economic well being of the ranching community. To achieve both, new grazing management systems were needed. Without eliminating all grazing, the traditional way cattle used the mountain was changed so that the riparian vegetation needed to preserve trout habitat could be restored. This case history explores the Whitehorse Butte Allotment Management Plan (AMP), monitoring, and results.

Project Goals:To provide both sustainable ecosystems and sustainable ranching. Find a way to improve and protect watershed and riparian conditions, improve Lahontan cutthroat trout habitat (Lahontan cutthroat trout (LCT) were listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act in 1975), and provide sustainable ranching operations.

Project Methods: New grazing strategies aim to minimize the impacts of warm-season grazing and allow the riparian areas to recover. Some pastures were re-configured and several were rested for at least 3 years before the new grazing practices were put into effect. Forage demands were reduced. A two year grazing rotation was changed to a four year rotation, and most pastures are now given at least one year to rest. The more sensitive riparian pastures on top of the mountain are rested for two years.

Whitehorse Butte AMP for pastures containing LCT

On the higher elevation mountain pastures, the 1991 Whitehorse Butte AMP reduced animal unit months (the amount of forage required by one animal unit for one month) by half by reducing months of grazing from four months to two months (May to mid-July). The AMP called for a new division fence which split pastures and increased flexibility for livestock management. Most pastures were grazed for two years and then rested for two years. This program is based on the growth requirements of the plants and the social and eating habits of the cows. Willows and aspen do most of their growing after mid-July which is the same time when the bunchgrass is drying up and becoming less palatable. Like people, when the hills dry up and it gets hot, cattle find it more comfortable to congregate in the cool shade along the creeks. By removing the cows in the middle of July, new willow and aspen sprouts and seedlings are seldom grazed. The grass along the creeks, which was grazed in May and June, has time for full regrowth before fall. Since the bunchgrass on the hills is of excellent quality and palatability before mid-July, the cows spend less physical time on the streams and trampling of overhanging banks is reduced . The two years of rest following two years of grazing allows the upland bunchgrass plants time to fully recover from being cropped at a sensitive time in their growth cycle.

On the lower pastures, the numbers of cattle were reduced from 1900 to 1500. In addition to decreasing numbers of cattle and grazing months, various other range improvements were made, including installation of 16 1/2 miles of fence, one reservoir and 18 miles of pipeline, as well as the removal of six miles of fence.

The above described grazing system was in effect from 1992 to 1997 and then slightly altered. Currently, the following grazing system is in effect for the pastures containing LCT streams.

Red Mountain South Pasture:

• Willow Creek is the only creek within this pasture.
• Grazing: 871 cattle from 3/16 to 4/30 every year
• There is one water gap on Little Whitehorse Creek for access of cattle to water from this pasture.

Whitehorse Seeding Pasture:

• Little Whitehorse creek is the only creek within this pasture.
• Grazing:
  • 871 cattle 4/16 to 5/15 years one and two
  • 871 cattle 6/16 to 7/31 years one and two
  • 871 cattle 7/16 to 8/31 years three and four
• Little Whitehorse Creek is excluded from livestock grazing by exclosure fencing. There are three water gaps on Little Whitehorse Creek.

Willow Butte Seeding Pasture:

• Willow Creek is the only creek within the pasture.
• Grazing:
  • 871 cattle 7/16 to 8/31 years one and two
  • 871 cattle 5/16 to 5/31 years three and four
• Two of the three miles of Willow Creek are fenced from livestock use. The one mile stretch of unfenced creek is very rocky and steep with no livestock access from this pasture. However, cattle have access to the creek at three water gaps along the fenced portion of the creek.

Fifteen Mile Pasture:*

• Doolittle Creek and Fifteen Mile Creek are the only creeks within the pasture.
• Grazing:
  • 871 cattle 5/1 to 6/30 years one and two
  • Total rest from livestock years three and four

Willow Creek Pasture:*

• Willow Creek and Little Whitehorse Creek are the only creeks within this pasture.
• Grazing:
  • Total rest from livestock years one and two
  • 871 cattle 5/1 to 6/30 years three and four

* Grazing use does not exceed 60 days and livestock are removed from these pastures by 7/15 regardless of the date cattle were turned into the pasture. This was made part of the AMP as a result of concern over the variety of spring conditions and winters that this area can receive. In some years cattle may not be turned out on Fifteen Mile or Willow Creek pastures until 5/15 or even later. This is usually due to late winter conditions such as heavy snow and cold temperatures. Grazing use is not allowed later than 7/15 to meet the needs of the woody and herbaceous riparian plant species.

Forage production is a concern during drought. If below normal precipitation levels occur during the cycle of the grazing system and growth of upland forage is delayed, cattle are not turned out until adequate forage is available. Under normal forage production, key forage species utilization maximums are 40 percent for pastures with native range species and 60 percent for crested wheatgrass pastures. Key indicators that warrant concern are cattle spending most of their time in riparian zones and excessive grazing of willows. Excessive use of willows under this assessment is considered as 20 to 30 percent utilization of the previous year's leader growth of willows, not 20 to 30 percent utilization of the existing plant material. If this use is reached, the livestock operator is notified to remove their cattle. The cattle are expected to be out of the pasture within 3 to 5 days of notification. BLM range riders are assigned to check riparian pastures on a regular basis (at least one day a week during critical times

Monitoring Data and Collection Method: Biological Assessments were conducted by the BLM to analyze effects of grazing in accordance with the AMPs on LCT and its habitat. Monitoring techniques include aerial photography, riparian transects to monitor vegetation (1981 - present), upland vegetation utilization and trend studies (ongoing), and electrofishing (1985, 1989, 1994) to monitor LCT. The TCMWG also tours the pastures each fall to discuss concerns and monitor progress.

Riparian Community Monitoring

Subject area streams have been monitored since 1981 using aerial infrared photography. Most of the streams have a replication flight as of 1992. More detailed line-intercept transects have been studied annually. There are 14 such riparian transects with in the Whitehorse Butte Allotment; several have twenty-one consecutive years of data (1981 - 2002). Summary graphs of data (click here for one example) from these transects have been submitted annually to FWS as a part of the yearly activity reports. The Whitehorse Butte Allotment Evaluation has analyzed the riparian monitoring completed in the allotment since 1992. Methodology follows that of Kindschy (1987) as discussed in "A Method for Monitoring Riparian Vegetation Including Analysis and Display of Data".

LCT Monitoring

Trout surveys occurred in 1985, 1989, and 1994. Although each year fish were captured with electrofishing, the sampling methodology varied. Multiple pass removal was used in 1985 and 1994, but single pass sampling was used in 1989 to reduce the handling stress on the trout and reduce time needed to survey all sample sites. All captured fish were measured to the nearest 0.1 inch, weighed to the nearest gram then returned to the stream. Selection of sample sites and habitats also differed, making interannual comparisons difficult. An attempt was made to resurvey most of the sample sites established in 1985. In addition to electrofishing, fish habitat characteristics were measured. Habitat Table 1 lists the characteristics collected and the methods used in the 1989 fish sampling.

Between 1985 and 1989 an apparent reduction in trout population occurred, but 1994 data shows an upward trend in densities and estimated numbers of trout at most sites. The table below compares the estimated number* of trout found in sampled reaches of selected LCT streams. Table 1 compares density estimates from each sampling year for 1+ and older LCT.

* Fish population estimates were generated for each sample site. The estimates for sites where only one pass was made were computed by multiplying the number of adult trout captured on the first pass by a factor of 1.21. This factor was based on previous electroshocking surveys which showed that an average of 83% of the trout were collected on the first pass (unpublished ODFW report 1989).

** In each cell under the 1994 estimated # trout, the top number is the total number, the next number down is the number of age 0+ trout, and the bottom number is the number of age 1+ trout (for example, in 1994 Willow Creek had an estimated 14,714 trout, of which 5,441 were age 0+ and 9273 were age 1+.)

Habitat Characteristics and Trout Abundance Correlation

Two methods of determining correlation between trout numbers and habitat characteristics were used -- Linear Regression Correlation and Spearman's Rank Correlation. Both methods are used to find out if a relationship between X (habitat characteristic) and Y (trout numbers) is apparent and what type of relationship it is (Johnson 1976). Spearman's Rank Correlation was also used because there were serious doubts about whether current populations and habitat characteristics are normally distributed, as well as doubts about the distribution of the parent population under pristine conditions. All data was normalized by converting it to log equivalents.

Discussion of Fish Survey Results

The abundance of trout in the Willow-Whitehorse basin declined from 1985 to 1989 and the distribution of trout with in the basin was significantly constricted. In 1989 the cutthroat populations in the Little Whitehorse and Willow Creeks were restricted to headwater reaches near spring sources where riparian habitat was in better condition. Adult cutthroat in Whitehorse Creek were found only in the mainstem. In 1985 cutthroat were also observed in Doolittle Creek, but none were observed in 1989. The decline in the abundance of trout populations in the basin can be attributed in part to the changes in environment, climatic changes which affected streamflow conditions. During the years before 1985, the basins of the Trout Creek Mountains experienced several years of average to above average precipitation levels, but between 1985 and 1989 these basins experienced below average levels of precipitation. The low precipitation levels observed were reflected in a decline in the summer streamflows. During the period of low flows in late July, August, and September, especially at the lower elevations, the peak water temperatures approached or surpassed levels tolerated by trout. The habitat attribute that may have had the most important relationship with trout abundance and distribution is the percent canopy cover (shade) to the stream channel. The percent of willow trees and trees in the riparian corridor had a significant relationship with the amount to canopy cover present. Increases in the amount of instream cover correspond to higher trout populations.

Despite continued drought conditions, the 1994 population surveys showed increasing numbers of trout. The 3 years of pasture rest from 1989 to 1992 followed by the grazing management strategies implemented in 1992 allowed the riparian areas to recuperate and have resulted in a higher percent of canopy cover, which in turn corresponds to the higher trout populations in the 1994 survey.

Johnson, R. 1976. Elementary Statistics. Second Edition. Duxbury Press, North Scituate, Mass.

Kindschy, R.R. 1987. Riparian community ecological improvement with livestock use. Lecture series paper, Spokane, WA; Burns, OR; Lakeview, OR; Prineville, OR; Vale, OR; and McDermitt, NV.

Was this project effective and how was this determined? Despite approximately ten years of drought, implemented grazing strategies have resulted in continuous overall improvement of riparian and upland habitat conditions. There is significant improvement in the condition of riparian vegetation; woody species have increased in both size and canopy volume, which has increased shade levels in the stream; and fish populations have also increased.

Despite approximately ten years of drought, implemented grazing strategies have resulted in continuous overall improvement of riparian and upland habitat conditions. The US Fish and Wildlife Service has continually verified compliance with terms and conditions of issued biological opinions yearly since 1992. To date, the BLM and livestock operators have maintained compliance with stated management objectives, further verifying conservation commitments agreed to by the Trout Creek Working Group. As an illustration of the potential success of this program, expected numbers of trout detections during a census effort in 1994 were estimated at 400 fish (200 adults and 200 juveniles). Actual numbers sampled were 1800 fish, with a relatively large proportion of spawning age fish. This success is more remarkable considering 1994 was one of, if not the worst water year on record. Further analysis by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife indicates that trout numbers have increased from a low of approximately 8,000 fish in the summer of 1989, to approximately 40,000 fish in 1994. As stated above, this increase occurred during a period of severe drought.

In monitoring stream habitat conditions, the BLM noted that woody species have increased in both size and canopy volume. They found that the growth and vigor of woody riparian species and shade levels necessary for healthy fish populations have also increased throughout the basin, as a result of more effective livestock management.

A major key to successful application of any grazing system is both voluntary and enforced compliance with stated management guidelines. Other key aspects include active participation among all affected interests, effective communication between all parties, and cooperation, commitment, and leadership especially as displayed by the TCMWG. Positive working relationships developed during consultations on the Trout Creek Mountains have facilitated additional cooperative efforts among the Service, BLM, and private groups and individuals, working with grazing interests in other areas of the State to achieve positive resource accomplishments on the land. The Trout Creek experience continues to provide an undeniable example of watershed restoration that serves as a benchmark for evaluating other grazing activities.

1988: Cottonwood Creek, V Pasture, looking downstream - October 1988. Up until 1989, this pasture was grazed 6/1 to 9/30 every year.	2000: Cottonwood Creek, looking downstream - August 2000. Despite grazing system, unauthorized use has prevented acceptable levels of riparian improvement.
2002: Cottonwood Creek - August 2002. Enforcement and fence repairs have allowed 2 years of actual rest.

TCMWG still manages to meet once a year. Each fall, the group tours the pastures that were grazed the previous spring so they can see first-hand if management objectives are being met; they then re-evaluate the management plan. These tours have been held for ten years now.

During the yearly visits to the mountain, the group has observed significant improvement in the condition of riparian vegetation. When the pastures are grazed in the spring, livestock concentrate on the grasses and generally avoid the woody vegetation. Removal of the livestock before the summer heat sends them into cooler riparian areas, allows for re-growth of the grasses. The summer re-growth of vegetation and the protection of the woody vegetation provide stream banks with the stability to withstand erosion that comes with high water flows in the spring.