BLM anticipates that 3,031 new wells will be drilled over the next 20 years within the Little Snake Field Office.  The maps provided below show how the wells will impact specific areas within the field office.

The maps show one possible scenario of oil and gas development in the Little Snake Field Office and do not claim to show exact well pad locations.  However, the maps below are consistent with the RFD developed by BLM and are subject to the assumptions and constraints described in this document (pdf).  They show specific numbers and densities of well pads and the general areas well pads will occur.  Furthermore, these maps show only two focus areas within the Little Snake Field Office identified in the RFD for dense development and do not imply that the entire field office will see the intense development shown here.  However, these maps are instructive for these specific areas and the metrics used to analyze habitat fragmentation and impacts on wilderness characteristics are applicable to the entire field office. 

VERMILLION BASIN

Vermillion Basin, first proposed for Wilderness Protection by conservation groups in 1994, is an 81,000 acre treasure of Native American petroglyphs, desert canyons, and beautiful and delicate badlands.  In 2001, BLM inventoried Vermillion Basin and found over 77,000 acres within Vermillion Basin as having wilderness characteristics (see BLM’s inventory).  Unfortunately, BLM’s plan for this area will still allow the area to be leased and developed for oil and gas.  To learn more about Vermillion Basin and the threats oil and gas pose to this unparalleled wild area, click here and view the maps provided.

Click on any thumbnail below to open a full version of the map.

Vermillion Basin

Currently, Vermillion Basin is the largest, contiguous block of unleased land within the Little Snake Field Office – encompassing nearly 81,000 acres.

Vermillion Basin (current conditions)

If Vermillion Basin is developed as the BLM suggests, there will be significant development in the northern half of the Proposed Wilderness, forever altering the wilderness character of the area.

Vermilion Basin (RFD Scenario)

The impacts of oil and gas development become even more pronounced when habitat fragmentation is analyzed.  Two metrics to measure habitat fragmentation are:  1) Distance to road -- how far a given piece of land is from the nearest motorized route, and 2) Road density – how many miles of road are per unit area.

Vermillion Basin: Distance to Road

Notice that the Proposed Wilderness Area currently contains numerous patches that are well over .5 miles to the nearest road

Vermillion Basin Distance to Road (Base)

If oil and gas development occurs as BLM projects, there are few areas in the northern portion of the Proposed Wilderness Area that are greater than .5 miles to the nearest road

Vermillion Basin Distance to Road (RFD Scenario)

Vermillion Basin: Road Density

Currently, most of the Proposed Wilderness Area has a route density of between 0 and 1 miles of roads per square mile of land.

Vermillion Basin Road Density (Base)

If oil and gas development occurs as BLM projects, the northern portion of the Proposed Wilderness Area will have many areas with a density greater than 4 miles of roads per square mile of land

Vermillion Basin Road Density (RFD Scenario)

WILDLIFE IMPACTS

Oil and gas development can greatly fragment the habitat that ungulate species such as mule deer, elk, and pronghorn and the Greater Sage-Grouse rely on for survival.  Studies show that as fragmentation from oil and gas development increases wildlife species use habitat less. Scientists are actively looking for the development threshold, or tipping point, beyond which species abandon the area.  For the purposes of this analysis, we have included maps of an area identified by Division of Wildlife biologists as important Greater Sage-Grouse and big game habitat.  This area is known as East of Godiva Rim and is near the village of Maybell.  For an in-depth discussion of habitat fragmentation and its impacts on wildlife, please click here (pdf).  

Wildlife Habitat

While some development and fragmentation currently exists within this important wildlife habitat, the area is largely void of well pads.  It is an important area for Greater Sage-Grouse leks and big game migration.

Wildlife Habitat (Current Conditions)

If this wildlife stronghold is developed as the BLM suggests, the character of this landscape will be changed forever.  As you can see from the map, important Greater Sage-Grouse leks will likely see increased development and habitat fragmentation will increase -- likely impacting big game migration patterns.

Wildlife Habitat (RFD Scenario)

As in the Vermillion Basin example above, maps are provided to show the impacts oil and gas development will likely have on wildlife in the East Godiva Rim area using distance to road and road density analysis.

Wildlife Habitat: Distance to Road

While this area is already somewhat fragmented, the area currently contains several core areas with areas that are between 1 to 1.5 miles from a road

Wildlife Habitat Distance to Road (Base)

If oil and gas development occurs as BLM projects, many of the core areas within the East of Godiva Rim unit will disappear.  No area within this important wildlife habitat will have a distance to road greater than .5 miles.  If development occurs in this manner, wildlife migration and Greater Sage-Grouse lek sites will be greatly compromised in this area

Wildlife Habitat Distance to Road (RFD Scenario)

Wildlife Habitat: Road Density

As mentioned before, this area is already somewhat fragmented.  However, numerous core areas exist within the East of Godiva Rim area including several large blocks of land that have a route density under 1 mile of roads per square mile of land.

Wildlife Habitat Road Density (Base)

If oil and gas development occurs as BLM projects, many of the core areas within the East of Godiva Rim unit will disappear or be greatly reduced in size.  If development occurs in this manner, wildlife migration and Greater Sage-Grouse lek sites will be greatly compromised in this area

Wildlife Habitat Road Density (RFD Scenario)