Lost River Sinks Landscape

The Landscape

The Lost River Sinks Landscape is one of the best remaining examples of intact sagebrush steppe habitat. The disturbances that threaten most of the Great Basin and Interior Columbia Basin have had relatively little impact in this landscape. However, with extensive rural residential development occurring in adjacent areas and broader threats such as livestock grazing and invasive plants altering natural fires regimes, the intact nature of this landscape is facing a suite of threats in the near future. By focusing conservation efforts in the Lost River Sinks Landscape, Wildlife Conservation Society is working on conserving one of the last wild places in the sagebrush steppe.

The Lost River Sinks Landscape encompasses four large river basins the Big Lost, the Little Lost, Birch Creek, and the upper reaches of the Salmon River. The Lost Rivers and Birch Creek drain to the southeast into the Lost River Sinks, a large wetland complex that historically served as important habitat for many desert wildlife species. The upper reaches of the Salmon River flow out of the landscape through the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness (largest wilderness area in the lower 48 states) and into the Snake River near Hells Canyon. The landscape is characterized by wide river valleys that support a diversity of sagebrush habitats including those dominated by Wyoming big, basin big, mountain big, black, and low sagebrush. Multiple mountain ranges (Lost River, Lemhi, Beaverhead, Boulder, and White Cloud Ranges) rise dramatically from the sagebrush deserts.  As you gain in elevation sagebrush habitats transition, into Utah Juniper woodlands, then into spruce-fir and pine forests, and finally above treeline into alpine vegetation.

The majority of the Lost River Sinks Landscape is public land (> 80%) with the majority managed by the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. However, large portions of the Snake River Plain are administered by the National Park Service (Craters of the Moon) and the Department of Energy (Idaho National Laboratory). Despite the amount of public land, humans use the landscape for grazing sheep and cattle, agriculture, and recreation. Much of the water from the rivers is diverted every year to water crops. As a result the Lost River Sinks rarely fill with water.

Key Challenges

The undisturbed nature of the Lost River Sinks Landscape is threatened by a variety of issues. Wildlife Conservation Society is working to address a set of key conservation challenges by studying how they impact wildlife, educating the public about key challenges and wildlife, and working with constituents to improve capacity to address these challenges.

Key Conservation Challenges: Invasive Plants and Animals, Altered Fire Regimes, Rural Residential Development, Water Diversion, Overgrazing, Global Climate Change, Connectivity, Motorized Vehicle Use, and Public Land Sales.

Wildlife Portfolio

The Lost River Sinks Landscape supports a variety of wildlife species ranging from sagebrush obligates such as sage grouse to species that live in alpine habitats such as mountain goats. The Wildlife Conservation Society is working towards conserving a diverse portfolio of species that represent the diversity of habitats found in the Lost River Sinks Landscape.

Species portfolio: Columbia Spotted Frog, Great Basin Rattlesnake, Desert Horned Lizard, Sage Grouse, Ferruginous Hawk, Brewer’s Sparrow, Great Gray Owl, Burrowing Owl, Clark’s Nutcracker, Pygmy Rabbit, Townsend’s Big-Eared Bat, American Pika, Wolverine, Pronghorn, Big Horn Sheep, Mountain Lion, and Mountain Goat.

Long-Term Objectives

• Develop a strategic plan for the Lost River Sinks Landscape
• Protect the relatively intact nature (i.e., ecological integrity) of sagebrush habitats in the Lost River Sinks Landscape
• Protect Global and Landscape Specific Priority Species in the Lost River Sinks Landscape
• Maintain Ecological Connectivity Across the Lost River Sinks Landscape
• Raise public awareness of the Wildlife Conservation Society and the importance of conserving sagebrush steppe ecosystems

Current and Proposed Projects in the Lost River Sinks

Idaho National Laboratory Conservation Management Plan
The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) contains some of the least disturbed sagebrush habitats remaining. In addition, the INL is one of the few remaining areas that support abundant populations of sagebrush obligate species such as sage grouse and pygmy rabbits. WCS is working with the United States Department of Energy and Stoller Corporation to develop a Conservation Management Plan that will provide guidelines for landscape management focused on conserving important wildlife species and their habitats. WCS has been working on this project since 2005 and will continue to work on the project through 2010.

Raven Depredation on Sage Grouse Nests
Sage grouse are a rare sagebrush obligate that have been petitioned multiple times for endangered species status (one petition is currently under review). Human activities are increasing raven densities which are in turn increasing the number of sage grouse nest that are being depredated by ravens. WCS is working to understand how resources provided by humans (e.g., power lines for nesting or road kill for food) are influencing raven densities. We are also using videography to monitor raven predation rates on sage grouse nests. The results from this project will be incorporated into conservation planning activities in a variety of ways. For example, the results will be included in the INL Conservation Management Plan and could influence the development of new structures such as power lines and roads. WCS has been working on this project since 2007 and will continue to work on this project through 2009.

Sage Grouse and Pronghorn Connectivity
Sage Grouse and Pronghorn make long distance migrations from winter grounds on the Snake River Plain to summer habitats in mountain foothills and valleys to the north. Due to the undisturbed nature of the landscape, it is one of the remaining strongholds for species such as sage grouse, pygmy rabbits, big horn sheep, and Great Basin rattlesnakes. Identifying and protecting movement corridors for these species are important for maintaining ecological integrity in the Lost River Sinks Landscape. WCS is conducting movement studies on both species to identify important movement corridors. Results from these studies will update Bureau of Land Management habitat management plans and guide land acquisition efforts in the region. WCS will begin tracking both grouse and pronghorn movements in 2008 and continue to study movements through 2010.

Arid Lands Ecology Project
Sagebrush steppe is classified as an endangered ecosystem; as a result ecologically intact sagebrush steppe habitats are rare. The Lost River Sinks Landscape contains some of the most ecologically intact sagebrush steppe habitats remaining. WCS is developing the Arid Lands Ecology Project in collaboration with Idaho Fish and Game and the Bureau of Land Management to simultaneously monitor long term population trends in multiple species of wildlife. As an additional part of the project WCS will conduct a series of focal studies that examine how landscape changes (e.g., invasive plants and fire) influence ecological interactions among wildlife. For example, we are planning to examine how livestock grazing, invasive plants, and altered fire regimes change small mammal communities and in turn how changes in mammal communities influence meso-carnivore populations. The results from this study will be directly incorporated into wildlife and land management planning by state and federal agencies. The results will also provide needed information identified in State Wildlife Action Plans. WCS will begin this project in 2010 and continue the project indefinitely.

For more information, please contact Jeff Burrell at jburrell@wcs.org