Reclamation of Disturbed Arid Lands Study in Utah

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This financial assistance opportunity is being issued under a Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CPCESU) program. CESUs are partnerships that provide research, technical assistance, and education. The proposed project is designed to study past reclamation actions from energy exploration and development that have occurred on BLM administered lands in the Vernal Field Office (VFO). The VFO has many plugged and abandoned (P and A) oil and gas well pads in varying states of reclamation. Some well pads were P and A in the 1950's or earlier and some were P and A yesterday. There currently isn't any information on the success of the reclamation efforts, if any was attempted. This study will be valuable because the reclamation of disturbed arid lands is crucial towards returning disturbed lands back to a proper functioning condition. Successful reclamation techniques and/or strategies are necessary to maintain critical habitats for a host of wildlife species, to reduce soil erosion and sedimentation, and to reduce the amount of invasive and noxious weeds. In order to achieve the goals and objectives outlined in the recently approved Vernal Resource Management Plan, it will be important to understand how soils (structure and chemistry), climate, and vegetative materials interact in conjunction with Best Management Practices in terms of achieving successful reclamation once a site has been disturbed.

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