NRCS NRI Rangeland Resource Assessment

March 6, 2019

In Reply Refer To:
1680 (CA-930) P       
 

EMS TRANSMISSION 03/08/2019
Instruction Memorandum No. CA-2019-005
Expires: 12/30/2020

To:                   All CA Field Managers

From:               Acting State Director

Subject:           Assistance to the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for the 2019
                         Rangeland Resource Assessment on Public Lands in California and NW Nevada                                                                    

Program Areas: L1010 Soil, Water, Air; L1020 Rangeland Management; L1040 Riparian Management; L1050 Cultural Resources Management; L1060 Wild Horses and Burros; L1100 Wildlife Management; L1120 Fisheries Management; L1150 Threatened and Endangered Species; L1210 Wilderness Management [or under proposed new structure: L1020 Range and Soil Management; L1050 Cultural Resources Management; L1060 Wild Horses and Burros; L1160 Aquatic Habitat Management; L1170 Wildlife Habitat Management; L1210 Wilderness Management]

Purpose: This Information Bulletin provides guidance regarding Bureau of Land Management (BLM) assistance to the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for the purpose of collecting data from rangelands administered by the BLM in California and northwestern Nevada.

Administrative or Mission Related:  Mission-Related

Policy/Action: In the course of conducting the 2019 NRCS Rangeland Resources Assessment as part of the National Resource Inventory (NRI), the NRCS may wish to dig soil pits or other small-scale ground disturbances on BLM lands.  On average, a ground disturbance measures 20 inches deep and 12 inches in diameter.  Depending on the actual size of the ground disturbance and each Field Office’s Cultural Resource Specialist’s direction, Protocol Exemption 1A may apply to some, none, or all of these locations.

Table 1 presents the breakout by county of the number of locations on BLM public lands that will be randomly selected for assessment.  The table provides a first approximation of workload for Field Offices in 2019.  The CASO will provide exact locations to each Field Office once NRCS finalizes selection.  
 

GIS assistance may be required to open the zipped files when you receive the locations.  NRCS will provide further details about its data collection activities on BLM-managed lands, after its review to eliminate any site locations that do not meet NRI rangeland definitions or are deemed inaccessible due to slope, distance from roads, etc.

Table 1: Distribution of Randomly Selected NRI Point Locations by California County in 2019                                      

   Note:  Information on the number of
   point on BLM lands in Washoe
   County, NV, is not yet available.

The NRCS may request your assistance to:

• Review site locations to ascertain that assessment locations are on BLM-administered lands.
• Ensure that the NRCS can access those sites through any locked gates or other barriers.
• Identify sites that have no access.
• Provide guidance to NRCS on best methods to access sites in Wilderness Areas and Wilderness Study Areas (WSA) to assure preservation of wilderness character. 
• Ensure compliance for protection of cultural resources and special-status plant and wildlife species.

The NRCS staff and partners understand that they must not use motorized and mechanical vehicles or equipment in Wilderness Areas and WSAs.

The NRCS will report findings periodically to the BLM before publication of the national final annual report.  Fieldwork for the inventory is scheduled for early March 2019.  A representative from the NRCS NRI will be contacting each Field Office in advance of field work for advice on logistics.

Timeframe: Policy and associated actions become effective on the date of the signature of the Acting State Director.

Budget Impact: No additional costs.  Funding for BLM staff to assist the NRCS with its data collection is part of base programs for each Field Office. 

Background: The Rural Development Act of 1972, the Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act of 1977, and other supporting legislation mandate the NRCS to assess the condition and trends of soil, water, and related resources on the Nation’s non-Federal lands using the National Resources Inventory (NRI).  Since 2011, the NRCS NRI has conducted the Rangeland Resource Assessment on lands managed by the BLM as well.  The BLM National Office has reviewed and approved the NRI on BLM lands and has authorized its continuance for an additional three years.  The NRCS jointly conducts the Rangeland Resource Assessment with the Iowa State University Center for Survey Statistics and Methodology.

Manual/ Handbook Sections Affected: None.

Coordination: BLM CA930 staff in L1010, L1020, L1050, and L1210 programs contributed to preparing this IM.

Contact: James Weigand, Ecologist, at (916) 978-4656, email at jweigand@blm.gov, or Jack Hamby, State Rangeland and Weeds Coordinator at (916) 978-4633, email at jhamby@blm.gov.

Signed by:                                                                  
Joe Stout                                                                    
Acting State Director                                                 

Authenticated by:
Larry Weitzel
GIS/Applications Mgmt Branch, CA-946