BLM AZ CESU CCS Wildlife Water Catchment Reconstruction/Repair Arizona Strip District AZ

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a. Background: The Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Network is a national consortium of federal agencies, academic institutions, tribal, state, and local governments, nongovernmental conservation organizations (300 partners). The Desert Southwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) is a cooperative network, transcending political and institutional boundaries, which creates innovative opportunities for research, education, and technical assistance in support of the management and stewardship by partner agencies of the Desert Southwestâ¿¿s natural, cultural, and social resources. The CESU has a unique collaborative relationship with research scientists, end users of research products, the public, and educators who are trained to bridge the gap between researchers, science users, and educators. BLM and Arizona Game and Fish Department (AGFD) have partnered to ensure water is available for wildlife in Arizona. There are over 180 wildlife water developments on BLM administered lands in the Arizona Strip. Some of these water developments were first built back to the 1940s. These developments are critical to Arizonaâ¿¿s wildlife populations. BLM and AGFD cooperatively manage these developments. Many of the over 180 wildlife waters on the AZ Strip have failed or have become dilapidated to the point that they are no longer useable to wildlife. More than 70% of these waters were cooperatively built with the AGFD, Non-government organizations, or private individuals. When fully functional, these facilities provided a vital limiting resource to a wide variety of wildlife, including endangered, threatened, and sensitive species. These sites have fallen into disrepair due to a variety of factors. There has not been sufficient funding or available BLM personnel to complete annual monitoring of catchments or document additional repair needs. Drought has put a high stress load on virtually all wildlife species in this arid area, including big game, non-game, and special status species. b. Objectives: The proposed project would expedite the on-going repair and/or reconstruction efforts of catchments by BLM working side by side with the recipient. Completion of this work would minimize or eliminate what is estimated to be large scale wildlife die-offs during drought years.

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