Aldos Silver City • Entered by Marcia Stout on July 2, 2022
Riparian – Grazing Monitoring
June 6, 2022 – June 23, 2022
Participants and Hours
| Pre Planning hours | 2 |
| Post Admin hours | 3.25 |
| Activity Hours | 10.5 |
| Participants | 3 |
| Total Hours | 36.75 |
Key Issue: Livestock Grazing Management
Activity Type: Stewardship (monitoring, sampling, planting, etc.)
Key Partners: Gila National Forest
Landscape/area: Gila National Forest (2658321 acres)
Measurable Outcomes
Outcome 1: Trail/land monitored (4 surveys)
Outcome 2: Hiked (18 miles)
Short Description of Activity
The Aldo’s Broadband riparian monitoring team conducted two monitoring overnight field trips in June for a total of four surveys. On June 6 & 7, two members surveyed a section of Dry Blue Creek and Frieborn Canyon in the far western portion of Gila Natl. Forest near the NM / AZ border. We saw no recent cattle sign in the Dry Blue Creek exclosure. However, we encountered very recent cattle sign in the Frieborn Canyon area and this was reported. On June 20 & 21, two members surveyed the San Francisco River upstream from Head of the Ditch camp and also Stone Creek to the AZ border. Whereas last June we saw 26 cattle along Stone Creek, this year we saw no cattle and no recent sign which was encouraging. However along the San Francisco River nearby we observed substantially more cattle impact than our previous monitoring last year revealed. At any rate, a great way to spend the summer solstice!
Reflection/Evaluation
Along with the completed survey, we sent an email indicating that although we saw no cattle, we were concerned by the level of somewhat fresh cattle sign including some fairly pounded areas in this part of the San Francisco River, excluded from cattle grazing. We have not received feedback yet. These areas appeared much more dry than last year unfortunately. We have been encouraged by the Natural Resources supervisor to enter plenty of observations in addition to cattle observations. This was done during our June monitoring. One good thing: For the first time since we have started monitoring, we saw no cattle sign – not even old – in the Dry Blue Creek exclosure. (And the creek was not dry!)
Photos/Uploads
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Photo Captions
1. Monitoring Frieborn Canyon (GNF) near the AZ border on June 7, 2022
2. Documenting fencing condition near Blue Dry Creek enroute to Frieborn Canyon (GNF) on June 7, 2022
3. Monitoring along San Francisco River upstream from Head of the Ditch campground on June 20, 2022
4. Monitoring Stone Creek beginning where it flows into the San Francisco River, June 21, 2022 (dry conditions, low water level apparent)