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Last updated: 04/04/03

Release date: July 15, 1996

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Tom Gorey, (202) 452-5031

BLM Sees Gains for Western Economies and Environment in Protecting Watersheds

The Bureau of Land Management scored major gains last year in its effort to protect critical streams and watersheds in the arid Western United States, launching more than 560 new riparian projects and acquiring nearly 40 water-sensitive tracts of land, according to BLM Acting Director Mike Dombeck.

Citing a newly released report on riparian-wetland management on the public lands, Dombeck said the BLM's progress "means tremendous benefits to the environment and to the economies of Western communities."

"These riparian-wetland areas provide habitat for fish and wildlife; supply forage and shade for livestock; and create opportunities for recreationists to fish, camp, picnic and enjoy other activities," Dombeck said. "This is good news for ranchers, recreationists and all other citizens who use and care about the public lands."

Dombeck noted that riparian-wetland areas, which account for more than eight percent of the 270 million acres of land managed by the BLM, contain scarce water and vegetation in the otherwise arid Western United States. Because they filter and purify the water flowing through them, riparian-wetland areas play a vital role in the health of watersheds.

The BLM's progress in maintaining and restoring riparian areas is documented in the report "Riparian-Wetland Initiative for the 1990's: Annual Report of Accomplishments, Fiscal Year 1995." The agency's efforts complement another initiative undertaken by the BLM, the Healthy Rangelands Initiative, which took effect in August 1995. The rangelands initiative is aimed at restoring to health about 100,000 acres of riparian habitat and bringing 20 million acres of related upland habitat into properly functioning condition.

Dombeck said the new 43-page riparian-wetland report shows that in Fiscal Year 1995, the BLM:

• developed 565 new riparian-wetland improvement projects;
• maintained 642 existing riparian-wetland projects;
• monitored 207 management plans with riparian-wetland objectives;

  acquired, mainly through land exchanges, 37 tracts of land with riparian areas in eight states;

• completed riparian inventory assessments on 8,715 miles of streams and 28,119 acres of riparian-wetlands in the contiguous Western States;
• completed riparian inventory assessments on 99 miles of streams and 43,885 acres of wetlands in Alaska;
• and conducted 75 in-stream flow assessments to determine the water quantity needed to support healthy riparian-wetland areas.

The report also shows that in 1995 the BLM managed many areas with riparian values through partnerships with Federal and State agencies and private organizations. The BLM also completed numerous training, public outreach and research efforts to promote awareness of the importance of healthy riparian-wetland areas.

Copies of the report may be obtained through BLM's Public Affairs Office in Washington, D.C., at (202) 452-5031.

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