Project 1994-044-00:Sagebrush Flat Wildlife Mitigation, Contract 74314 REL 113:1994-044-00 EXP SAGEBRUSH FLAT WILDLIFE MITIGATION

Project 1994-044-00:

https://www.cbfish.org/Project.mvc/Display/1994-044-00



The Sagebrush Flat Wildlife Area, located in Douglas County, north central Washington (see fig 1), is comprised of eight parcels totaling 13,188 acres of shrubsteppe habitat. It was acquired and is managed to mitigate for the wildlife losses resulting from the construction of Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee Dams. The project goal is to protect and enhance the existing shrubsteppe habitat and restore former agricultural fields and degraded areas to native habitat. This work is a critical part to WDFW’s goal of recovering and maintaining populations of wildlife dependant on shrubsteppe habitat. Several federally and or state listed species occur on the project site including pygmy rabbit, sage grouse, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse, sage thrashers, sage sparrows, loggerhead shrike, Washington ground squirrels, and white-tailed jackrabbit. The project addresses declining quantity and quality of shrubsteppe habitat and subsequent negative impacts on the distribution and populations of shrubsteppe obligate/facultative species. Protection, enhancement and restoration efforts will benefit the above species by improving and expanding nesting, brood rearing, foraging, concealment and winter habitats. These efforts include, but are not limited to, restoration of former agricultural fields, planting riparian trees and shrubs and weed control. All work done on the project is by WDFW staff.



Contract 74314 REL 113:

https://www.cbfish.org/Contract.mvc/Summary/74314 REL 113



The Sagebrush Flat Wildlife Area (SFWA) was approved as a wildlife mitigation project in 1992 and was re-approved for operations and maintenance (O&M) funding in 2002 as part of the Northwest Power and Conservation Councils (NPCC) Provincial /Sub-basin Planning Process. This project is located within the Columbia Plateau Province (Crab Creek Sub-basin) and partially addresses adverse impacts caused by the construction of Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee hydroelectric dams. Wildlife habitat protection and enhancement efforts to meet mitigation objectives have been underway since 1995 on the Sagebrush Flat Wildlife Area. Continued operation and maintenance activities funded by BPA are necessary to maintain and enhance wildlife habitat benefits and to ensure BPAs mitigation obligation is met. These activities are essential to further the goal of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to protect and enhance shrub-steppe and other habitats necessary to recover and sustain populations of pygmy rabbits, sage grouse and sharp-tailed grouse.



Management actions planned for this contract period include continued weed control on all units plus shrub-steppe restoration and maintenance activities on up to 205 acres of former agricultural fields including mowing, summer fallowing and seeding and interseeding as needed. Roads, fences, parking areas and signs will be maintained, repaired and replaced as needed. Debris and garbage will be removed and disposed. Other quotidian tasks will be performed as needed or required.