Dillon BLM crews to conduct East Pioneer, Madison watershed assessments
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(DILLON, Mont.) – The Bureau of Land Management’s Dillon Field Office will analyze the existing resource conditions on BLM-administered public lands within the East Pioneer and Madison Watersheds this summer.
conditions in the Madison watershed, pictured here, this
summer. (BLM photo)
The East Pioneer Watershed includes 25 grazing allotments and approximately 37,500 acres of BLM-administered public land. The Madison watershed includes 39 grazing allotments and about 39,000 acres of BLM-administered public land.
During the assessments, the five standards for rangeland health will be reviewed on an allotment by allotment basis to determine whether or not the standards are being met. These standards include: maintaining properly functioning upland and riparian areas, assuring that water quality and air quality meet State standards, and providing for biodiversity. Forest health, fuels conditions, invasive species, and conifer encroachment issues are also included within the land health standards.
Where standards for land health are not met, contributing factors will be identified and recommendations for corrective action will be developed by the interdisciplinary team.
National Environment Policy Act documents will be prepared next winter to analyze alternatives for revised management where resource concerns are found within the watersheds. The assessments, determinations, and any necessary NEPA documents will be completed by resource specialists from the Dillon Field Office in coordination with permittees/lessees, other agencies and the interested public.
To learn more about this process or to contribute information that may be helpful to the BLM, call (406) 683-8000 or email MT_Dillon_FO@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.