A story about cows, beaver and collaborative stewardship

Carol Evans, Elko District, Bureau of Land Management

Susie Creek, 2015

Maggie Creek Basin, 2013

Red Cow Creek, 2013

Our snowpack drought2012 - 2015

Too much hot season grazing is a problem

East Fork Beaver Creek

1978

20152015

In the 1980’s

Riparian Grazing Concept – 1990’s

Successful livestock grazing strategies for streams in Northeastern Nevada

Spring/fall/restSpring annuallySpring/restWinter/spring/restSpring/fall/rest/hotHot/spring/fall/restPartial hot/restHot/summer/restSpring/fall/hotFall/springFall annuallyHot/restEtc.

Just a story in progress

1992

Dixie Creek two different grazing systems

2015 2015

Maggie

Susie

396 mi2

180 mi2

Partners

BLMMaggie Creek RanchTS RanchNewmont Mining Co.Barrick Goldstrike MinesTrout Unlimited25 RanchU.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceNevada Department of WildlifeNational Fish and Wildlife Foundation

Both efforts started in early 90’s

Maggie Basin remote sensing studies

From 1994 to 2006 (most of the major streams)

Riparian vegetation increased by 816 ac (Open Range Consulting 2009)

From 2006 to 2010 (whole basin)* Riparian/water increased by 466 ac Percent water/marsh increased by 26 ac Length of stream corridor with

water/marsh increased by 7 mi Transition acres increased by 782 ac*White Horse Associates 2011

Active beaver dams increased from 107 to 271 Ponding increased by 9 miles

White Horse Associates 2011

Maggie Creek, 2012

Maggie Basin

Maggie Creek beaver damshallow groundwater elevations

2015

1980

Susie Creek, 2015

Susie Basin

Susie Basin

Trout Unlimited

Susie Creek Basin Remote Sensing Project

Over the past 20-30 years;

Riparian vegetation increased by 100ac

Beaver dams went from 0 to 139

Open water increased by 20 ac

Length of wetted stream increased by 3 miles

32% increase in photosynthetic activity (excluding effects of precipitation and fire)

Trout Unlimited, 2014

Susie Creek beaver damShallow groundwater elevations

1999

2013

Beaver as a keystone species

Beaver as an ecosystem species

2015

Upper Dixie Creek, 2015

It seems like life's blank canvas are the beautiful riparian areas that are being restored through collaborative stewardship

Elizabeth Bergstrom, 2015

19782015