Strategy 1. Use cooperative techniques in planning and stewardship of the national forests and grasslands, national parks, and wildlife refuges to resolve natural resource issues.
Implicit in this strategy is an emphasis on communication at all levels. The GYA contains a number of agencies with a variety of missions, as well as a diverse public with a variety of interests and values. Effective communication among these entities is essential to achieving the understanding necessary for resolving issues.
The GYCC provides a forum for interagency communication. Similar efforts between federal agencies and tribes, states, and private interest
groups (e.g., Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Henry’s Fork Foundation, Bozeman Watershed Council, Bear Canyon Task Force, Bear River Advisory Group, and Red Canyon Coordinated Resource Management) should be fostered. IWWI data can serve as a useful source of information to identify opportunities for additional partnerships as well as cooperative watershed planning and restoration.
Education is an integral part of communication. The GYA contains people with a vast amount of cultural and scientific knowledge concerning the history and workings of the ecosystem. Federal agencies should foster technical transfer of information both internally and externally.
Strategy 2. Design projects to achieve soil and water quality protection and watershed restoration with emphasis on transportation and livestock grazing systems.
This strategy is especially applicable to the GYA. The IWWI analysis showed that where watersheds were identified as having low or moderate geomorphic and water quality integrity, the major causes were either livestock grazing, roads, or both. Following are some specific recommendations to address these two causes:
• Forest plans within the GYA generally provide vague direction for standards dealing with livestock management. Thus, develop a common process for determining allowable use standards, stream bank alteration, forage utilization, woody browse, and stubble height that would further define existing direction. Include these standards in Allotment Management Plans (AMPs).
• Increase the level of range administration.
• Review allotment reauthorization schedules. Where possible, elevate to high priority for AMP development those sixth-code HUBs identified in the IWWI as having a geomorphic integrity rating of moderate or low with grazing as the primary cause.
• Increase range condition and trend surveys to assess upland condition.
Transportation system
• Identify where road drainage is allowing sediment to enter streams and then disconnect these roads from streams. Prioritize these areas according to HUBs identified in the IWWI analysis as having water quality integrity of moderate or low, with the cause being roads.
• Decommission excess roads. Prioritize roads for decommissioning according to HUBs identified in the IWWI analysis as having water quality integrity of moderate or low, with the cause being roads.
• Relocate roads that encroach on stream channels. Work with engineers to design adequate relocations.
• Identify fish barriers caused by stream crossings. Work with fish biologists to prioritize and initiate a process to replace the barriers.
• Identify front- and backcountry trails that are an appreciable source of sediment delivery to streams. Work with recreation specialists to disconnect these trails from streams.
The IWWI provides important information on watershed conditions that is useful for developing integrated resource programs. Sharing this information with other functional or program areas can assist with the identification of projects that would contribute to addressing critical watershed needs. For example, establishing priorities for trail and road maintenance and reconstruction; abandoned mine reclamation; developed site restoration; and fisheries, range, and wildlife improvement projects would be made easier with the benefit of this information.
Strategy 3. Provide research results and tools to support sustainable management, protection, and restoration of watersheds.
This strategy is especially applicable to the GYA because of its large numbers of streams in good condition. The IWWI analysis showed that 34% of the watersheds within the GYA function at high levels of integrity for water quality and geomorphic integrity. These areas can provide references for acceptable watershed conditions both within the GYA and for many other locations in the Rocky Mountain West.
Recent methodologies for analyzing watershed condition (i.e., the Federal Agency Guide for Pilot Watershed Analysis & Ecosystem Analysis at the Watershed Scale) recommend the use of reference reaches as a means for comparing watershed attributes. However, little work has been done to establish reference reaches for the variety of stream types that exist in wildland watersheds. Therefore, this strategy calls for creating and funding a team to conduct field inventories of reference aquatic conditions on a variety of functioning landscapes throughout the GYA, then developing relationships using field data to describe reference conditions for physical and biological components of the aquatic system. The information should be provided in a format that can be disseminated nationwide.
Strategy 4. Complete assessments, plans, and projects for watersheds identified as “priority” for treatment through Clean Water Action Plan cooperation with federal, tribal, state, and private landowners.
This strategy calls for compiling a list of the watersheds within the GYA that have already been identified through various regional efforts or are on state 303(d) lists, and using GYA influence to help obtain funding to complete work in these watersheds.