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Lower Owens River Riverine-Riparian Ecosystem
The goal for the Lower Owens River Riverine-Riparian System is to create and
sustain healthy and diverse riparian and aquatic habitats and a healthy
warmwater recreational fishery with habitat for native fish species. The MOU
specifies that a baseflow of 40 cubic feet per second (cfs) will be established
from the River Intake to the pump station near the Owens River Delta. This reach
is approximately 62 river miles long. The MOU also specifies an annual seasonal
habitat flow of up to 200 cfs. The annual amount of the seasonal habitat flow
will depend on the runoff amount in Owens Valley each year.
Other LORP Management Actions
The LORP also includes a land management plan for LADWP leases within the
LORP project area. It focuses on enhancing native habitat diversity while
allowing for sustainable grazing. New riparian pastures and riparian and upland
utilization rates would be established. Other actions include protection of rare
plant populations, establishment of off-river watering sources to reduce use of
the river and off- river ponds for cattle watering, and monitoring of grazing
utilization throughout the lease areas to ensure that grazing rates maintain the
long-term productivity of the rangelands.
Threatened and endangered species are considered in the LORP Plan. The LORP
Plan would protect and enhance habitat for these species; however, the LORP does
not include any actions to create sanctuaries for these species, nor does the
project include any deliberate actions to introduce, manage, or enhance
populations of these species. Although the MOU specifies that a Habitat
Conservation Plan will be prepared as one part of the LORP Plan, LADWP has
concluded, after conferring with MOU parties, to delay initiating the
development of an HCP until the LORP has been approved or implemented.
For further information on the Riverine-Riparian Ecosystem, see the
EIR-EIS
Chapter 4
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