109 



undergrazed. Prairie dog colonies expand in the areas of 

 overgrazing because of shorter grass heights and bare ground 

 which provides suitable habitat. 



The solution for maximum distribution and movement of 

 cattle through range units is to develop water through 

 drilling wells or constructing stock dams. During the five- 

 year project period the Tribe will develop 903 new water 

 sources, which will result in more dispersal of cattle 

 throughout the range units, diminish overgrazing near 

 limited "water holes" and decrease the degraded habitats in 

 which prairie dog colonies flourish and expand. As a result 

 of more dispersed cattle, the vegetation can recover and 

 inhibit prairie dog colonization. 



The U.S. Department of Agriculture promotes rangeland 

 development through the ASCS and SCS cost-sharing programs 

 which will reimburse land owners for a portion of 

 development costs. However, these programs are inadequately 

 funded to meet the development needs on the Cheyenne River 

 Reservation. 



2. RANGE UNIT FENCING TO ACCOMMODATE GRAZING ROTATION 



The Cheyenne River Reservation has many large range 

 units, but it is currently difficult to rotate animals due 

 to a lack of fencing. The Tribe will construct 682.5 miles 

 of cross fencing on the range units to enable managers to 

 rotate cattle on a regular basis. This will limit the 

 overgrazing of certain areas and achieve a balanced use of 

 grass. Fencing, of course, is related to water development 

 on the range units. 



This technique will require education of individual 

 operators because it requires a change in traditional 

 grazing practices and it requires a more labor intensive 

 approach to livestock management. It will also be necessary 

 to adapt BIA policies and range compliance procedures to 

 ensure that the rotation is conducted by individual cattle 

 operators who lease Tribal and allotted lands. The 

 implementation of regular and consistent cattle rotation 

 will result in healthier vegetation which will restrict 

 prairie dog expansion as well as increase carrying capacity 

 (numbers of livestock) on the range. 



3. WILDLIFE AND FISH HABITAT 



"Prairie Management Plan" provides for a habitat set- 

 aside fund, which will compensate land owners for retaining 

 prairie dog colonies to maintain biodiversity and to enhance 

 populations of black-footed ferrets if reintroduction is 

 selected as a Preferred Alternative of the EIS. A total of 

 142 different vertebrate and invertebrate species associated 

 with black-tailed prairie dog colonies in South Dakota 



10 



