BLM Wyoming High Desert District Grant for Fish Passage Barrier Inventory and Prioritization

Movement of fish species throughout a watershed is necessary to meet a number of life history needs:
Upstream migration of resident adults is necessary to access suitable spawning areas;
Juvenile and resident adult fish must be able to move upstream and downstream to adjust to changing habitat conditions (i.e., temperature fluctuations, high or low flows, competition for available food and cover);
Resident fish need continuity of stream networks to prevent population fragmentation which decreases gene flow and genetic integrity;
Catastrophic events can displace entire resident fish populations. Barriers can prevent the re-colonization of these habitats.

Lacking comprehensive information, the first step is to collect the information on dams, diversions, culverts and assess their potential to prevent fish passage. This project proposes to inventory, assess and prioritize for repair, all dams, diversions and culverts associated with public lands administered by BLM in the Rock Springs, Kemmerer and Pinedale field office areas in the Wyoming High Desert District.

B. Project Objective: The overall project objective is to collect and organize information required for assessment of fish passage through dams, diversions and culverts on fish bearing streams, located on public lands, and associated with roads managed by BLM. in the Rock Springs, Kemmerer and Pinedale field office areas of the High Desert District of Wyoming. The specific objectives are to: 1). Conduct an inventory of dams, diversions and road-stream crossings, 2). Determine fish passage potential at each dam, diversion and crossing using the National Inventory and Assessment Procedure (NAIP, 2005), 3). Recommend restoration opportunities and priorities, and 4). Present information in a report.

C. Statement of Joint Objectives/Project Management Plan: The BLM would like to provide an opportunity for an organization to develop and implement a strategy for identifying and prioritizing fish passage barriers. The inventory and prioritization results can be used to develop an action plan to guide fish passage prioritization including culvert replacement. BLM would like to work cooperative with an organization to provide an opportunity for adolescents to learn about public lands and help determine potential career choices. BLM would provide the overall direction on the project, the area to be inventoried and any existing information or data to assist in the inventory (including but not limited to GIS data layers). The BLM fishery biologist would be available to assist with field work as needed. The inventory methodology would be using the National Inventory and Assessment Procedure.

D. Period of Project: March 2010 through February 2013