The Sagebrush Flat Wildlife Area (SFWA) was approved as a wildlife mitigation project in 1992 and was re-approved for operations and maintenance (O&M) funding in 2002 as part of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council's (NPCC) Provincial /Sub-basin Planning Process.  This project is located within the Columbia Plateau Province (Crab Creek Sub-basin) and partially addresses adverse impacts caused by the construction of Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee hydroelectric dams.  Wildlife habitat protection and enhancement efforts to meet mitigation objectives have been underway since 1995 on the Sagebrush Flat Wildlife Area.  Continued operation and maintenance activities funded by BPA are necessary to maintain and enhance wildlife habitat benefits and to ensure BPA's mitigation obligation is met.  These activities are essential to further the goal of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to protect and enhance shrub-steppe and other habitats necessary to recover and sustain populations of pygmy rabbits, sage grouse and sharp-tailed grouse.  

Management actions planned for FY11 include continued weed control on all units plus shrubsteppe restoration and maintenance activities on up to 205 acres of former agricultural fields including mowing, summer fallowing and seeding and interseeding as needed.  Approximately 30 acres of a wheat field will be seeded in the fall of 2011 with a mixture of native grasses.  On the Dormaier Unit, mowing will be necessary to reduce the encroachment of sagebrush into the field reseeded in 2007.  We anticipate mowing this area 1-2 times this FY.  This fiscal year we will contract the restoration work of the Sagebrush Flat field with Benson Farms. Roads, fences, parking areas and signs will be maintained, repaired and replaced as needed.  Debris and garbage will be removed and disposed.  Other quotidian tasks will be performed as needed or required.