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<br />. <br /> <br />Condition: <br />Dead Horse Creek is a roadIess~ hvdroloeica.l1v un31tered. relativeiv intact canYon ecosvstem in e."tcellent <br />condition. Only two exottc pl::mt ~i~ we~ observed (Poa prat~nsis and T~rara~ oificina{e) and only in <br />one meadow area where cattle access the creek bottom. The perennial stretch of stream in East Fork exhibits <br />e.,,<cellent hydrological characteristics and is dense with native vegetative growth. The area most likely has <br />never been grazec.l for m~ch of its length. nor has i[ beert logj;ec.l. Grazing anc.llogging on the ac.ljacen[ mesa <br />tops does occur but does not seem to impact the dralJ1age bottoms. <br /> <br />Viability: <br />Dead Horse Creek has a good prospect for long-term survival of its ecosytems under present management due <br />to the difficulty of access :md its n=iy in",C[ hydrology. The size of the RNA is most likely adequ:ue [0 <br />prote<:t its values from direct human impacts in the canyon. although better protection would be gained by <br />including more of the upper waten;hed withitt the RNA boundary. <br /> <br />Defensibility: <br />The watershed is entirely withitt National F ores< Svsten1 lands on the \), bite River National Forest. and under <br />National Forest manag~cnt. Acti"itics such as l~ng and grazing on adjacent mesas could negatively <br />impact the ares. if not managed properly. Current water rights do not ...ure an adequate flow rtgime to <br />maintain the integrity ofF.angmg Lo.ke and its ...oci.tad en,irons for the future. Acquisition of:m in-stream <br />flow ciaim will guarantee that future flo\v regimes are sufficient to maintain this unique ecosYStem. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />22 <br />