Are there manmade water catchments on the Kofa that Bighorn can use?
A3 Over the past several decades 48 water catchments have been improved or established on the Kofa. These include modified natural catchments, so-called “ring tanks, 12 windmill/well tanks, and buried fiberglass/PVC pipe systems, which represent a newer and generally preferred design. While available to all species on the refuge, many of these were built specifically to suit bighorn needs, while others were constructed with mule deer in mind. In addition, many of the older catchments were built prior to the existence many now available technologies and materials and are less durable and productive than new developments. The manmade sources supplement the hundreds or, in wet years, thousands of naturally occurring rock potholes and other water sources on the refuge. The majority of these last only a short period of time and even some of the nine natural springs found on the refuge are known to go dry during droughts. Prolonged drought may also result in even long-established natural tan
