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<br /> <br />McCoy Gulch <br /> <br />Location: <br /> <br />Royal Gorge Resource Area <br /> <br />Land Owner: <br /> <br />Public Land managed by: Bureau of Land Management <br />Canon City District <br />3170 East Main Street, P.O. Box 311 <br />Carlon City, CO 81212 <br />Permittee: Rusty Ross <br />Contact: Tom Grette, Range Conservationist, BLM <br />(719) 269-8534 <br /> <br />Restoration <br />Objective: <br />tions. <br /> <br />Change grazing management practices to restore riparian condi- <br /> <br />Description: McCoy Gulch is a third order perennial tributary to the <br />Arkansas River. It is spring fed from headwaters in the Sangre de Cristo Range, <br />receives heavy rain in mid to late summer, and minimal spring flooding due to <br />watershed geology. These 320 acres contain a coarse soil which enhances infiltra- <br />tion and deters run-off. <br /> <br />Directions: Located in the Royal Gorge Resource area west of Canon City, <br />Colorado. Specific directions to the McCoy Gulch can be obtained from the <br />Royal Gorge Resource Area oflice of the BLM at (719) 269-8518. <br /> <br />Goals: McCoy Gulch is indicative of the types of vegetation and <br />topography that are prevalent in the Royal Gorge Resource Area. In 1986 a five- <br />acre parcel in this allotment was fenced off to stimulate re-growth of woody veg- <br />etation on the one-half acre riparian strip, while protecting the entire sample area <br />from overgrazing. <br /> <br />Methods: Prior to restoration efforts, most of the riparian area was domi- <br />nated by weeds and barc ground. A shi ft in grazing seasons lI'om winter to spring <br />resulted in an increase in willow growth. Willow browsing has since been regu- <br />latcd in this area as light browsing has been proven to stimulate the branching of <br />willow leaders. Animal impact is being used to advance plant succession from the <br />early seral stage to somc mid-scral stage, and to reduce the amount of barren <br />ground resulting from usagc. <br /> <br />Results: After two years of management efforts the riparian habitat had <br />improved dramatically. Willows now dominate thc riparian corridor that once was <br />choked with weeds. Cheatgrass and sand dropseed have been almost entirely <br />replaced by key species such as western wheatgrass, Indian ricegrass, and blue <br />grama, and perennial forbs have increased to 72 percent. <br /> <br />16 Driving Guide . Arkansas Watershed <br /> <br /> <br />