Watershed Conditions: The watershed is almost entirely in sagebrush rangeland.
Approximately 2 percent of the area is covered by small stands of scattered Douglas-fir,
aspen, and alpine fir. The rangeland is represented by desert, foothill, and high mountain
range. The major forage plant in each different range is cheatgrass, bluebunch wheatgrass,
and Idaho fescue, respectively. During the late 1800s and early 1900s, the area was heavily
used by sheep, cattle, and wild horses. Most of the rangeland on public domain still shows the
results of this period of intensive use. The cover condition of the public land varies from poor
to good, with most of the grazing land in fair condition. The private grazing land is in good to
excellent condition, with most of it in excellent condition. Private rangeland occupies
approximately 22 percent of the watershed area. Improvement practices on private land
include sagebrush eradication and rotation and deferred grazing systems. Permanent fields of
flood irrigated alfaflfa occupy about 3 percent of the watershed area. Yields vary between 1
to 3 tons per acre. Fertilization is not practiced.
Surface drainage: The main water way of Reynolds Creek has a length of 15.6 miles and
overall slope of 4 percent. The channel is well defined and provides very good drainage.
Character of flow: Perennial except during short periods of extreme drought.
Land use: Predominately sagebrush rangeland, 95%; small stands of forest, 2%; permanent
fields of flow irrigated alfalfa, 3%.
Watershed conditions: The watershed is almost entirely in sagebrush rangeland except for
approximately 1% of the area in irrigated pasture and hay crops. The watershed is
characterized by steep topography, numerous basalt outcrops, extensive areas of shallow
rocky soil and fair cover conditions. The major range forage plants are cheatgrass, bluebunch
wheatgrass and Idaho fescue with scattered clumps of willow along the main watercourses.
The area has been heavily grazed by cattle and sheep since the late 1800's. Privately owned
rangeland occupies approximately 25% of the area.
Character of flow: Perennial except during periods of drought.
Surface drainage: Principal waterway 7.25 miles, overall slope 5.76%.
Channels well incised and provide good surface drainage.
Land use: Predominately sagebrush rangeland, 99%; irrigated pasture and hay crops,
1%.
Watershed conditions: The watershed is sagebrush rangeland, except for about 170 acres of
pasture and hay crops which receive only limited irrigation water. The watershed topography
is steep except in the lower valley, with numerous basalt outcrops at the higher elevations.
Sagebrush, bitterbrush, mountain mahogany and willow are the major cover with a fair
density of forage plants such as cheatgrass, bluebunch wheatgrass, and Idaho fescue.
Vegetative cover estimates are: Vegetative cover % 0-25, 26-50, 51-75, 76-100, percent of
area 35.5, 32.9, 18.0, 13.6
Surface drainage: Good; length of principal waterway 7.73 miles;,overall slope 5.52%; a
natural watershed with well incised channels.
Watershed Conditions: The watershed is generally sagebrush rangeland except for
scattered
stands of Douglas fir and aspen and mountain meadows. The topography is steep with
numerous rock outcrops on the ridges. The watershed is used mainly for cattle grazing except
during the winter when snow blankets most of the area. Vegetation consists predominantly of
big sagebrush, little sagebrush, rabbitbrush, snowberry, bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue,
and squirreltail grass. Cover percentages are:
Vegetative cover % 0-25 26-50 51-75 76-100
Percent of area 25 15 15 45
Surface drainage: Good; length of principal waterway 6.5 miles; overall slope 8%; a
natural
watershed with defined incised channels.
Watershed Conditions: The watershed is sagebrush rangeland used almost exclusively for
cattle grazing. Willows are common along watercourses and in seep areas. Vegetation
consists largely of big sagebrush, bitterbush, Idaho fescue, Sandberg bluegrass, bluebunch
wheatgrass, squirreltail grass, and snowberry.
Vegetative cover % 0-25 26-50 51-75 76-100
Percent of area 10 35 20 35
Surface drainage: Good; length of principal waterway 1.57 miles; overall slope 17%; a
natural watershed with well incised channels.
Character of flow: Spring-fed intermittent stream.
Watershed Conditions: Sagebrush rangeland with almost exclusive cattle grazing in early
spring and late fall. Numerous barren ridges. Vegetation consists largely of big sagebrush,
cheatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, blubunch wheatgrass, and squirreltail grass.
Vegetative cover % 0-25 26-50 51-75 76-100
Percent of area 25 75 0 0
Surface drainage: Good; length of principal waterway 2660 feet; overall slope 21%; a
natural
watershed with well incised and eroded channels.
Watershed Conditions: Rangeland watershed with seasonal cattle and sheep grazing.
Scrub
aspen, willow, scatter Douglar-fir, and sagebrush with natural mountain meadows. Vegetative
cover varies with annual precipitation. Type of cover is 32% shrub and brush, 17% grass and
forbes, and 9% rock and rock fragments. Estimates of average vegetative cover are:
Vegetative cover % 0-25 26-50 51-75 76-100
Percent of area 15.7 18.6 5.7 60.0
Surface drainage: Good; length of the principal waterway approximately 3680 ft., overall
slope 11%, a natural mountain watershed with well defined waterways and good surface
drainage.
Character of flow: Spring-fed, perennial strean, continuous.
Watershed Conditions: The watershed is entirely sagebrush rangeland used almost
exclusively for cattle grazing. Vegetation consists of bluebunch wheat grass, Sandberg
bluegrass, cheatgrass, yarrow, and little sagebrush.
Vegetative cover % 0-25 26-50 51-75 76-100
Percent of area 90 10 0 0
Surface drainage: Good; length of principal waterway 2100 feet; overall slope 10-1/2%; a
natural watershed with moderately defined channels and some vegetative growth in the stream
channels.
Paired gauges, shielded and unshielded were installed at
Reynold's Creek to develop algorithms to compute the actual
precipitation in an environment of blowing snow. An algorithm
was developed by W. R. Hamon and presented in the paper,
"Computing Actual Precipitation," Proceedings of WMO-IDHS
Symposium, Geilo, Norway, August, 1972 . The equation used
is: loge (U/A) = loge (U/S) * 1.80, where U = unshielded
catchment, S = shielded catchment, and A = actual amount of
precipitation.
U. S. Department of Agriculture | Agricultural Research Service