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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

Oregon / Washington

ARRA Project (WBS)#: LXHAB1010000

Project Title: John Day River and Vale District Weed Treatments

Index Map Locator #: 60

Prineville District Map Vale District Map

State: Oregon

Unit: BLM - Prineville and Vale Districts

Description:

The geographic extent of this ARRA project covers public land in the Prineville District and the Vale District.

Prineville District - This project will inventory and treat noxious weeds sites within the Wild and Scenic River (WSR) corridors of the John Day, Deschutes and Crooked Rivers. The project also includes several Wild and Scenic Areas (WSA) as identified below. Areas of focus include:

  • Lower John Day WSR (149 miles), including portions of Spring Basin Wilderness, Lower John Day WSA, North Pole Ridge WSA and Thirtymile WSA
  • South Fork John Day WSR (47 miles)
  • North Fork John Day River (37 Miles Recommended as suitable for WSR)
  • Lower Deschutes WSR (100 miles)
  • Middle Deschutes WSR (20 miles), including portions of the Steelhead Falls WSA
  • Middle and Lower Crooked WSRs (18 miles)
  • North Fork Crooked WSR (19 miles), including North Fork WSA
  • South Fork Crooked River (15 miles not designated), including South Fork and Sand Hollow WSAs

Vale District - There are two Assistance Agreements in place with the Tri-County Cooperative Weed Management Area. One agreement is for work in Northeast Oregon in general and the other with Wallowa Resources for targeted projects in the Grande Ronde, Wallowa, and other significant river corridors, and one is for work in the Snake River area in Washington State. These two agreements provide for coordinated weed management efforts including treatment, inventory, monitoring, restoration and early detection and rapid response. These agreements target Asotin County in Washington, and Wallowa, Union, and Baker Counties in Oregon.

A formal assistance agreement with Malheur County is also being finalized that will allow the BLM to expand the ongoing partnership and perform early detection and rapid response, treatment, inventory, and monitoring on lands outside of the major road corridors. Under the Malheur County Assistance Agreement the BLM will be able to concentrate efforts in the Wild and Scenic Owyhee River corridor.

Recovery Act Funding:

Prineville District - To complete the project, agreements will be established with seven counties (Grant, Crook, Gilliam, Deschutes, Wasco, Sherman, and Jefferson) and the North Fork John Day Watershed Counsel. The project will be accomplished over a two to four year period.

Vale District - Work would begin immediately and last until December 2009, weather permitting. These projects would create four to six jobs.

Benefits:

Prineville District - This comprehensive and integrated approach to weed management with our partners will help meet the goal of protecting and enhancing the outstanding and remarkable values of the wild and scenic rivers.

Vale District - Each of these projects has multiple partners and a history of successful coordination. Stimulus funding would allow the BLM Vale District to continue to champion the weed battle and enable us to concentrate our efforts in these Wild and Scenic River corridors.

Updates:

Photos:

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For more information contact:

BLM Prineville District
Debbie Henderson-Norton
District Manager
3050 N.E. 3rd Street
Prineville, OR 97754
541-416-6700
http://www.blm.gov/or/districts/prineville/index.php

BLM Vale District
Dave Henderson, Vale District Manager – (541) 473-6201
Mark Wilkening, Vale District PAO – (541) 473-6218
http://www.blm.gov/or/districts/vale/index.php