BLM approves project to increase water sources for wildlife in Riverside County
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PALM SPRINGS, Calif. –The Bureau of Land Management Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office (BLM) today announced the approval of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Small Game Guzzler Enhancement Project, located in eastern Riverside County approximately 75 miles from the City of Blythe.
The BLM is partnering with CDFW in their effort to provide permanent, reliable water sources for large game species at five existing guzzler locations. The project includes replacing five existing small game guzzler tanks with larger guzzler tanks, and repairing the existing concrete aprons to ensure water can be collected and funneled into the guzzlers when it rains.
The Small Game Guzzler Enhancement Project is consistent with the management strategy for mule deer established in the BLM’s 2002 Northern and Eastern Colorado Desert Coordinated Management Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement. This strategy includes, but is not limited to, the construction, improvement and maintenance of existing natural and artificial water sources by CDFW.
The project also supports Secretarial Order 3356, which focuses on increasing hunting, fishing, recreational shooting, and wildlife conservation opportunities on public lands through better coordination with states, tribes, and territories.
The BLM addressed potential impacts of the guzzler enhancement project in an environmental assessment (EA) developed under the National Environmental Policy Act. For copies of the final EA, decision record, and finding of no significant impacts, please visit: https://go.usa.gov/xGM3Y.
For further information, contact Kayla Brown, BLM project manager at 760-833-7152, or by email at kbrown@blm.gov.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.