APPENDIX E 

SIERRA FRONT-NORTHWESTERN GREAT BASIN 

RAC STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES FOR 

RANGELAND HEALTH 

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APPENDIX E 

Sierra Front-Northwestern Great Basin Standards and Guidelines for 

Rangeland Health 

Source: RAC Standard and Guidelines for Rangeland Health. 

http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/res/ resource_advisory/sierra_frontnorthwestern/standards_and_guideline.html

PREAMBLE STANDARDS FOR RANGELAND HEALTH 

The Standards and Guidelines for livestock grazing on Bureau of Land Management lands are 

written to accomplish the four fundamentals of rangeland health, insofar as they are affected 

by livestock grazing practices. Those fundamentals are: 

Watersheds are properly functioning; 

Ecological processes are in order; 

Water quality complies with State Standards; and 

Habitats of protected species are in order. 

Other uses can affect the health of the land, and Guidelines for these currently exist or will be 

developed as needed. In addition, implementation of livestock grazing guidelines must be 

coordinated with other uses of the land, and collectively these uses should not detract from 

the goal of achieving public land health. 

Standards, Indicators and Guidelines will be implemented through Standard public land 

management practices as defined in the Nevada Rangeland Monitoring Handbook and the 

other documents listed in Appendix A [of this appendix]. 

Standards: The goal to be achieved. 

Indicators: Indicators are observations or measurements of physical, chemical or biological 

factors that should be used to evaluate site conditions or trends, appropriate to the potential 

of the site. Indicators assist in determining whether Standards are met or Guidelines followed. 

Guidelines: Guidelines are livestock management practices (e.g., tools, methods, strategies 

and techniques) designed to achieve healthy public lands as defined by Standards and 

portrayed by Indicators. Guidelines are designed to provide direction, yet offer flexibility for 

local implementation through activity plans and grazing permits. Activity plans may add 

specificity to the Guidelines based on local goals and objectives as provided for in adopted 

manuals, handbooks and policy. Not all Guidelines fit all circumstances. Monitoring and site 

specific evaluation will determine if the Standards are being met or the trend on a particular 

site is toward desired objectives, and if the correct Guidelines are being applied. The BLM 
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Authorized Officer, in consultation with public land users, will identify and document 

acceptable or unavoidable exceptions on a case-by-case basis. 

STANDARD 1. SOILS: Soil processes will be appropriate to soil types, climate and land 

form. 

As indicated by: 

- Surface litter is appropriate to the potential of the site; 

- Soil crusting formations in shrub interspaces, and soil compaction are minimal or not in 

evidence, allowing for appropriate infiltration of water; 

- Hydrologic cycle, nutrient cycle and energy flow are adequate for the vegetative 

communities; 

- Plant communities are diverse and vigorous, and there is evidence of recruitment; and 

- Basal and canopy cover (vegetative) is appropriate for site potential. 

The Standards and Guidelines for livestock grazing on Bureau of Land Management lands are 

written to accomplish the four fundamentals of rangeland health, insofar as they are affected 

by livestock grazing practices. 

Those fundamentals are: 

- Watersheds are properly functioning; 

- Ecological processes are in order; 

- Water quality complies with State Standards; and 

- Habitats of protected species are in order. 

Other uses can affect the health of the land, and Guidelines for these currently exist or will be 

developed as needed. In addition, implementation of livestock grazing guidelines must be 

coordinated with other uses of the land, and collectively these uses should not detract from 

the goal of achieving public land health. 

Standards, Indicators and Guidelines will be implemented through Standard public land 

management practices as defined in the Nevada Rangeland Monitoring Handbook and the 

other documents listed in Appendix A [of this appendix]. 

STANDARD 2. RIPARIAN/WETLANDS: Riparian/Wetland systems are in properly 

functioning condition. 

As indicated by: 

- Sinuosity, width/depth ratio and gradient are adequate to dissipate streamflow without 

excessive erosion or deposition; 

- Riparian vegetation is adequate to dissipate high flow energy and protect banks from 
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excessive erosion; and 

- Plant species diversity is appropriate to riparian-wetland systems. 

STANDARD 3. WATER QUALITY: Water quality criteria in Nevada or California State 

Law shall be achieved or maintained. 

As indicated by: 

- Chemical constituents do not exceed the water quality Standards; 

- Physical constituents do not exceed the water quality Standards; 

- Biological constituents do not exceed the water quality Standards; and 

- The water quality of all water bodies, including ground water located on or influenced by 

BLM lands will meet or exceed the applicable Nevada or California water quality Standards. 

Water quality Standards for surface and ground waters include the designated beneficial uses, 

numeric criteria, narrative criteria, and antidegradation requirements set forth under State 

law, and as found in Section 303(c) of the Clean Water Act. 

STANDARD 4. PLANT AND ANIMAL HABITAT: Populations and communities of 

native plant species and habitats for native animal species are healthy, productive and diverse. 

As indicated by: 

- Good representation of life forms and numbers of species; 

- Good diversity of height, size, and distribution of plants; 

- Number of wood stalks, seed stalks, and seed production adequate for stand maintenance; 

and 

- Vegetative mosaic, vegetative corridors for wildlife, and minimal habitat fragmentation. 

STANDARD 5. SPECIAL STATUS SPECIES HABITAT: Habitat conditions meet the 

life cycle requirements of special status species. 

As indicated by: 

- Habitat areas are large enough to support viable populations of special status species; 

- Special status plant and animal numbers and ages appear to ensure stable populations; 

- Good diversity of height, size, and distribution of plants; 

- Number of wood stalks, seed stalks, and seed production adequate for stand maintenance; 

and 

- Vegetative mosaic, vegetative corridors for wildlife, and minimal habitat fragmentation. 

GUIDELINES FOR GRAZING MANAGEMENT:

1. Waters must be free from high temperature, biocides, organisms pathogenic to human 

beings, toxic, corrosive or other deleterious substances attributable to domestic or 

industrial waste or other controllable sources at levels or combinations to interfere with 
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any beneficial use of the water. Compliance with the provisions of this subsection may be 

determined in accordance with methods of testing prescribed by the State. If used as an 

Indicator, survival of test organisms must not be significantly less in test water than in 

control water. 

2. Grazing management practices should be planned and implemented to meet water quality 

provisions in either California State water law or Nevada Administrative Code Section 

445A.120-121 as applicable. 

3. Management practices within allotments will maintain or promote stream channel 

morphology, appropriate soil organisms; adequate amounts of ground cover to support 

infiltration, maintain soil moisture storage, and stabilize soils; and the hydrologic cycle, 

nutrient cycle and energy flow. 

4. After a range fire or other natural catastrophic event, vegetation should be returned to the 

native species as rapidly as possible, to afford forage and habitat for native animals. If a 

nurse crop is needed to protect the land from erosion, all native nurse crops should be 

used first. 

5. Treated areas will be rested from livestock grazing for two growing seasons or until 

seedlings are established or the vegetative response has achieved objective levels. Wild 

horse and burros removed from Herd Management Areas will be restored after 

rehabilitation objectives have been met. 

6. Alternative solutions (e.g., reseeding, funding, labor, equipment use or rental) to facilitate 

fire rehabilitation may be included in cooperative agreements involving qualified groups 

and individuals who want to participate. 

7. Appropriate livestock grazing treatments will be implemented to control the frequency, 

duration, and level of grazing use. Where livestock grazing is authorized, grazing systems 

will provide within any one grazing year one or more of the following treatments: 

a. Rest or deferment from livestock grazing on a specified area as appropriate to meet 

Standards. 

b. Systematic rotation of deferred use and/or rest from livestock grazing among two 

or more units. 

c. Continuous, season-long use where it has been demonstrated to be consistent with 

achieving identified Standards. Once season long use is determined to be unacceptable, 

an alternative system will be developed and implemented before termination of season 

long use, prior to the next grazing season. 

d. Excluding further livestock grazing within the affected use area through appropriate 

techniques when utilization objectives are reached. 

8. Conservation of Federal threatened or endangered, proposed, species of concern (formally 

Category One and Two) and other special status species is promoted by the restoration 

and maintenance of their habitats. 
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9. Salt and/or supplements will be placed at least 1⁄4 mile from live waters (springs/streams) 

and outside of associated riparian areas, permanent livestock watering facilities, wet or dry 

meadows, and aspen stands. Also salt should not be placed in known historic properties. 

10. Night bedding of sheep will be located at least 1⁄4 mile from live waters, streams, springs, 

seeps, associated riparian areas, wet or dry meadows, and aspen stands. 

11. Encourage the use of prescribed and natural fires, meeting prescription objectives, for the 

restoration and maintenance of healthy rangelands. 

12. Departure from traditional grazing management practices may be authorized by BLM to 

achieve Standards on a case by case experimental basis for rangeland restoration and 

rehabilitation. 

13. The best available science and technology will be utilized in monitoring and assessing the 

condition of rangelands from the pasture to the BLM District level. 

14. Recognizing State Water Law requirements, wildlife and wild horses/burros within their 

Herd Management Areas will have access to surface water they customarily use. 

15. Design of water facilities will incorporate features to ensure safe access and escape for 

small animals and birds. 

16. The development of springs and seeps or other projects affecting water and associated 

resources shall be designed to maintain the associated riparian area and assure the 

attainment of Standards. 

17. Grazing management practices shall be planned and implemented to allow for habitat 

requirements of wildlife and wild horses and burros within Herd Management Areas. 

18. Implement aggressive action to reduce the invasion of exotic plant species into native 

plant communities. Control the spread of noxious weeds through various methods such 

as, grazing management, fire management and other vegetative management practices. 

19. Riparian structural developments (i.e., gabions, dams, etc.) designed to achieve 

improvement in riparian and wetland conditions shall only be implemented in 

conjunction with changes in existing grazing management practices, where grazing is a 

significant factor contributing to a riparian condition needing such attention. Where 

grazing is not a significant factor causing a riparian condition needing attention, structural 

developments designed to achieve improvement in riparian and wetland conditions may 

be implemented independent of changes in existing grazing management practices. 

20. The utilization, monitoring and evaluation process will be used as a tool to promote 

healthy rangelands and achieve Standards. 

21. Implement grazing management practices that sustain biological diversity across the 

landscape. 

22. To prevent transmission of disease between domestic and bighorn sheep, adopt and 

implement the "Guidelines for Domestic Sheep Management in Bighorn Sheep Habitats" 

contained in Mountain Sheep Ecosystem Management Strategy in the 11 Western States 

and Alaska. 
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23. Rangeland management plans will consider listings of known historic properties and new 

eligible properties as they become known.