Appendix A: Disturbed, Eroding, and/or Bare Soils: Field Notes

Appendix A: Disturbed, Eroding, and/or Bare Soils: Field Notes and Photos. Wasatch Plateau Sheep Grazing Allotments

	Location	Altitude	GPS UTM NAD27/CONUS		Photo #	Photo Description
August 17, 2005	Road 110, coming from 31 (Huntington Creek Road, up Nuck Woodward Canyon. Trough Springs Ridge Allotment		0487383	4375712	1653	Compacted ground, above small aspen grove being "invaded" by conifers.
	Short Canyon Trail to Trough Springs Ridge		0488612	4376391	1658	Erosion flowing over plants on the slope. Sheep pellets in the trail
					1659
					1660	Steepness of the slope
	Higher up along trail	9,258'	0488203	4377715	1664	Weedy field; erosion
	Higher up along trail	9,258'	0488203	4377715	1667	Rabbitbrush and thistles; bare soil in the slope. Orchard grass as well; Rudbeckia. Lots of ungulate trailing down to the creek.
	Isolated stand of aspen	9,491'	0487620	4378548	1674	Eroding slope above an isolated aspen clone. Aspen clone has little recruitment, many sheep hoof holes, young browsed aspen
	Isolated stand of aspen	9,491'	0487620	4378548	1676	Looking north -- erosion on slope; another aspen stand failing
	Driving up Nuck Woodward Creek; Wed. eve	9,005'	0489011	4379787	1681	Sheep erosion of the slope above Nuck Woodward Creek, above First Canyon. ROD response: Displays a site where trailing has taken place. Appellant response: Trailing is one of the impacts of sheep grazing.
		9,121'	0488742	4381888	1683	Bare slope E. of Sawmill Canyon
		9,212'	0488742	4381888	1684	Sheep erosion of the slope above Nuck Woodward Creek. ROD response: Displays a site where day bedding may be taking place Appellant response: Day bedding is one of the impacts of sheep grazing..
August 18, 2005	[Up by headwaters of Nuck Woodward Creek? -- Check on map]; Driving down from where camped	9,571'	0488736	4384821	1687	Blowout looking east from the Nuck Woodward Creek road. ROD response: Displays a site where land slippage has occurred. Appellant response: Sheep graze in this area
	Top of Nuck Woodward Canyon on newly constructed OGM road. Facing east, looking to west slopes	9,428'	0488831	4383754	1695	Sheep grazing. All the ridge has loss of vegetation. Trough Springs Ridge[?] -- whole side has loss of vegetation.
	Looking w. from Nuck Woodward Canyon	9,428'	0488831	4383754	1696	New oil, gas mining road in foreground; sheep trailing below conifers in mid; vegetation loss on Trough Springs Ridge beyond. ROD response: Displays trailing from timber into a watering site. Appellant response: Trailing is one of the impacts of sheep grazing..
		9,410'	0488795	4383739	1697	Slope has lost stability just below new oil road. Cumulative impacts with sheep grazing in the immediate area.
		9,424'	0488805	4383572	1698	Slope near head of sheepherder's camp. Soft grey soil; clayish
					1699
					1701	Person standing in 6' gully; note that the "riparian area" is green. ROD response: 1701 Displays a gully and a riparian area below. The gully has some bare soil side slopes but shows signs of healing with the vegetated bottom, sideslope and rounding sides. The riparian area below is well vegetated. 1703 A gully where sheep have trailed across the gully. Note vegetation in the bottom of the gully. Appellant response: This is the same site as photo 1698, 1699, 1700 and erosion is active. The riparian area below lacks riparian shrubs; unknown whether its vegetation is exotic.
					1703
August 18, 2005	Tributary above Sawmill Canyon in Nuck Woodward Creek	9,332'	0488646	4382587	1704	Sheep pound out damp spring slope. ROD Response: 1705 Displays an area with approximately 60% bare ground and what appears to be gopher casts. It appears the sheep may have passed through this site. Appellant response: See Note on gophers at end of this table.
	Tributary above Sawmill Canyon in Nuck Woodward Creek	9,332'	0488646	4382587	1705
		9,492'	0488736	4382254	1706	"Riparian area" is vegetated...about 6' on either side. Adjacent slope above is de-vegetated. ROD response: Displays an area with increased bare ground compared to adjacent areas. This could have been a day bed for the sheep. Note riparian vegetation in the riparian area. Appellant response: The riparian area appears to lack structural and species diversity; may be exotic grasses.

	Immediately above road and Nuck Woodward Creek	8,969'	0489001	4380216	1708	In general, the sagebrush slopes and damp slopes are low on vegetation, just as this one is.
	Road 064 to Huntington Peak	9,513'	0476075	4385627	1712	Eroded slope. A meadow with an Apiaceae umbel....
					1714	Bare ground near old aspen stand; no young ramets
	Valley NW of Road 064	8,968'	0476329	4386549	1718	Slope above riparian area beat out
					1719	Stream silted in; algae from excess nitrogen
					1720	"Riparian" area
	Heading back up the slope to car	9,660'	0473894	4385198	1735	Sheepherder's van
	Heading back up the slope to car	9,660'	0473894	4385198	1736	Beat-out basin above Fairview Lake. ROD response: Displays an area where top soil has been eroded away south of Fairview Lake. This could be a tarweed site. Appellant response: This site is used heavily by sheep.
		9,568'	0473788	4385442	1737	In basin below sheepherder's van; recently-used by sheep.
					1738	Sheep droppings in the basin
August 18, 2005					1739	The valley overgrazed down to Fairview Lakes. ROD response: Displays lake of production and poor ground cover. It is suspected that tarweed occupies the space between the elderberry plants.
					1740	The valley overgrazed down to Fairview Lakes
					1741	The slope beneath the aspen stand in the basin. Bare 30% to 70%. Heavily compacted. Huge road complex in this area.
	Driving South on South Skyline Road.	9,978'	0473519	4382765	1742	Eroding hillside, looking N from So. Skyline Drive. ROD response: 1742 Displays a bare south facing slope on the west side of Skyline Drive. Gullies in the bare area appear to rounding, signs of healing. There appear some contour furrows above this slope. 1744 Close up view of 1742. A bare slope with gullies. The gullies show signs of healing as they are rounding. Contour furrows are more obvious above this site. Appellant response: The contours may be contributing to erosion at nick points.
					1743
					1744
					1747	Farthest west slope. ROD response: Displays sheep trailing on a steep slope. The middle ground shows signs of mass soil movement. Slopes appear to be well vegetated. Appellant response: Either this is incapable land that is being grazed, or it should be incapable.
	So. Skyline Road just south of Towhead	10,072'	0472719	4381132	1748	Erosion above the road. Sheep were grazing immediately below this snowbank in mid August. Short growing season for the forbs and grasses upon which the sheep feed.
	Driving south on Miller Flat Road -- above Miller Flat Reservoir				1759	Pedestaled hillside. Sheep droppings among sagebrush. Bare area about 40%-50% above grasses with more ground cover
					1760	Moss being eroded on the slope. [This is near Campground Site #25 -- drive across meadow to get to edge of the creek!?!! Cumulative impacts.]
August 19, 2005	Climbing up out of Scad Valley Creek		0478545	4368992	1762	Cow patties in sheep allotment! Beat-up headwaters of Scad Valley Creek. Fresh cow patties throughout. ROD response: Displays a sparse sagebrush site with intermixed low rabbit brush. Bare soil appears to be due to gophers. Appellant response: See gopher note at end of the table. This site is dominated by cattle, not gopher (see photos 1763, 1764)
August 19, 2005					1763	Cowed-out headwater area. ROD response: Upper Scad Valley Creek where cattle have impacted a riparian area. Cattlehoof action has broken the sod. Appellant response: This is Joes Valley allotment in which the Forest is allowing cattle to graze with sheep with no notification to the public and without NEPA.
					1764	Head-cutting where cow prints. Sheep hooves as well. ROD response: Appears to be upper Scad Valley Creek where cattle hoof action has broken sod and aggravated a small head cut Appellant response:. This is Joes Valley allotment in which the Forest is allowing cattle to graze with sheep with no notification to the public and without NEPA.
	Out on Bald Ridge	9,197'	0478859	4365612	1776	Large patch of houndstongue below the cattle and sheep trough
	Potters Canyon Allotment	9,912'	0473857	4369733	1787	Beat-out slope adjacent to (south of) road. ROD response: Opening in timber, note the high amount of dead spruce. Small areas of poor ground cover are evident. Note good adjacent ground cover. Appellant response: This is the type of site in which bare ground is often seen to be dominant when the "good ground cover" is viewed vertically.
		9,869'	0473783	4369654	1788	Sheep bunched beneath spruce across Potters Creek; resting at top of eroded slope. ROD response: 1788 Displays sheep day bedding above a creek. The creek shows side slope disturbance where sheep have accessed the water for watering. Note plant production adjacent the creek and on the slope where the sheep are bedded. 1792 Displays sheep leaving a small creek(?) after watering. The picture shows soil disturbance where sheep have been trailing. Note high plant production in the photograph. Appellant response: Sheep bedding and trailing are daily impacts of 32,000 sheep plus lambs in the allotments area.
					1792
					1796	Silted Potters Creek
					1798	Slope to Potters Creek. Display a small bare slope that appears to lead to a watering site. Appellant response: This is one of numerous bare slopes in the creek (see, e.g., photo 1800)
					1800	Sheep 50 yards upstream eating willows, resting on eroded slope
			0473683	4369785	1806	Sheep grazing on sparsely-vegetated SE slope (looking northwest of headwaters). ROD response: Display sheep grazing on a flat. Appellant response: Bare soil is extensive on the flat. See photo 1807 at the site.
			0473683	4369785	1807	The sparse vegetation. ROD response: Shows an area that lacks ground cover. Plant have good growth. Gophers are most likely impacting this site. Appellant response: See note at the end of this table re: gophers.
August 19, 2005					1809	E-facing slope w. of the Road above the allotment
	Driving up the road. Ridge between Bacon Rind Canyon and Potters Canyon.	10,168'	0474050	4368745	1810	View of headwaters of Potters Canyon. Sheepherder trailer where the sheep were. ROD response: Potters Canyon. It displays steep side slopes of this canyon and bare areas on these slopes. Appellant response:
		10,168'	0474050	4368745	1811	Close-up of the badly-eroded slope. ROD response: Display bare slopes in Potters Canyon. Note this is an old slump. Appellant response: This area is grazed by sheep.
		10,170'	0473112	4369151	1812	View of Bacon Rind. Eroding slopes. ROD response: Appears to be upper Potters Canyon. The foreground lack ground cover but shows sign of good plant production. The back ground shows steep cirque head walls. Appellant response: Sheep are grazing in this cirque which has sparse vegetation throughout.
	Miles down Skyline Road. (Reeder Ridge??)	10,422'	0467074	4359326	1813	Sparse vegetation. Some sheep droppings. Reeder Ridge(?) ROD response: 1813 Displays an area that lack ground cover and high gopher activity. This is a typical view for this type. Tarweed is evident and plant [sic] have good growth indicating soils are improving. 1814 Displays high loss of spruce and bare ground where gopher activity is high. There is high production and good ground cover in the middle ground. This site probably has some tall forbs Appellant response:. See note at the end of this table re: gophers.
	Miles down Skyline Road. (Reeder Ridge??)	10,422'	0467074	4359326	1814
	On Horseshoe Flat, looking SW from Clay Ridge Bench Road	10,936'	0466303	4357683	1815	Sparse vegetation. ROD response: This is Horseshoe Flat. The foreground shows a lack of ground cover but better production in the middle ground. This area most lost considerable soil around the turn of the century but is improving. Appellant response: This area has a short growing season; extensive bare areas, and is grazed by sheep.
	On Horseshoe Flat, looking S from Clay Ridge Bench Road	10,936'	0466303	4357683	1816	Sparse vegetation. ROD response: Upper Olsen Canyon on Horseshoe Flat. The photo shows shallow soil sites and poor ground cover in the foreground but better production and ground cover in the middle ground. Appellant response:
	Clay Bench Road	10,903'	0466087	4356787	1817	Looking NE. Reeder Canyon? Heavily roaded, sparse vegetation. Cumulative impacts.
August 19, 2005	Horseshoe Flat	10,881'	0465563	4358036	1819	Sheep hoof prints in eroded bank of creek. Creek is incised with culvert directly above. Nearly 11,000 feet; short growing season; heavy use by sheep.
					1821	Sheep droppings among vegetation about 50% bare
					1822	Sheep droppings among sparse vegetation
					1823	18" incised bank
					1824	1" high grasses
					1825	E low sage massed over much of the slopes. An increaser: is by road side.
					1829	Ground heavily pockmarked by sheep hooves. Horseshoe Flat is 50% - 60% bare.
	Above Horseshoe Flat	10,825'	0463106	4357414	1836	Sparse vegetation at feet, with sheep droppings. ROD response: Ground view of ground cover. Note the lack of ground cover. Note Erigeron speciosus one of the tall forbs that is increasing across the Plateau. Also, note the Artemisia discolor thought to be a wide spread exotic plant Appellant response:.
		10,718	0462416	4357194	1837	Erosion above culvert, e. of road about ½ mile beyond sheep grazing
		10,718	0462416	4357194	1838	Erosion below culvert, w. of road. Cumulative impacts
	Junction of three roads to Soup Bowl, just below forests of Becks Creek	8,802'	0467033	4350174	1845	Extremely grazed-over flat just beyond forest
					1848
					1849

Note on ROD response to photos 1705, 1762, 1807, 1814:

Studies that have investigated gopher activity have shown that gophers readily travel aboveground when insufficient food resources are available in order to find a better food resource. They also have shown that the length of tunnel excavated increased with lower available food resources while the mean volume of mounds decreased with greater density of food resources. Excavated soil in mounds or backfilled tunnels was lower in bulk density than in situ soil.[1] Another study compared lengths of tunnel systems in areas of lower versus higher productivity and found longer tunnel systems in the area of lower productivity[2]. It was suggested that pocket gophers create tunnel systems that maximize search efficiency and minimize energy cost[3].

These studies indicate that in areas of greater desirable plant availability, gophers travel less, tunnel less and provide less visible evidence of their occupancy. They logically lead to the conclusion that in depleted areas or areas of soil compaction more visible activity would occur as searching and tunnel repair would be increased. They also indicate that if resources are insufficient to provide energy, gophers will engage in aboveground travel to locate better foraging areas. If snowbeds compact the soil or result in lower productivity, it would be likely that gophers living in the area would reconstruct damaged tunnel systems, engage in a higher rate of tunneling to find resources and the evidence of this would show in the form of mounds and workings. The same would be true of upland areas where sheep trample and compact the soil, destroying existing gopher tunnels and removing available food resources. Thus the gopher activity seen in areas other than snowbeds is likely a result of soil disturbance and forage removal by sheep. Where gopher activity was evident, in areas that lacked vegetation cover it is less dominant than the evidence of sheep trampling and droppings.

[1] Anderson, Douglas. 1987. Geomys bursarius burrowing patterns: influence of season and food patch structure. Ecology 68(5):1306-1318.

[2] Reichman, O. J., T. Whitham, and G. A. Ruffner. 1982. Adaptive geometry of burrow spacing in two pocket gopher populations. Ecology 63:687-695.

[3] Anderson, Douglas. 1988. Tunnel construction methods and forage path of a fossorial herbivore, Geomys bursarius. Journal of Mammalogy 69(3):565-582.