View from the top of Lockhart Basin
Conservation success is built on strong partnerships, visionary leadership, and a commitment to solving challenges before they become crises. Thanks to an extraordinary gift from the Liautaud Family Foundation and the dedicated efforts of the Utah Wild Sheep Foundation (UWSF), significant progress is underway to improve and expand critical water infrastructure for wild sheep across Utah.
In April 2026, Jimmy John Liautaud and the Liautaud Family Foundation made a transformative $200,000 contribution to wild sheep conservation. Of that gift, $100,000 was directed to Utah's statewide guzzler inspection, maintenance, and improvement program, while another $100,000 supported desert bighorn sheep capture and transplant efforts in Nevada. In recognition of this remarkable commitment to conservation, the Wild Sheep Foundation established the Jimmy John Liautaud Conservation Endowment Fund, ensuring a lasting legacy for wild sheep and wildlife habitat conservation.
Dilapidated Lockhart Guzzler
The Utah Wild Sheep Foundation has long recognized the importance of reliable water sources for bighorn sheep populations that inhabit some of the most remote and arid landscapes in the West. Across Utah, many guzzlers—man-made water collection systems designed to provide dependable water for wildlife—had gone years without inspection or maintenance. In fact, more than 74 percent of cataloged bighorn sheep guzzlers in the state had not been inspected within the previous three years, creating an urgent need for a coordinated assessment and improvement effort.
Working closely with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and Utah Department of Natural Resources, UWSF launched a comprehensive program to inspect, maintain, modernize, and expand guzzler infrastructure throughout the state. The project includes developing a statewide guzzler database, conducting aerial and ground inspections, identifying failing systems in need of replacement, and evaluating opportunities for new water developments that can benefit bighorn sheep populations for decades to come.
New Potash Guzzler with an integrated Ranchbot unit, which will monitor water levels and wildlife use
One of the most exciting components of the effort has been the deployment of advanced Ranchbot monitoring technology. Through funding support provided by Wild Sheep Foundation and UWSF, 26 Ranchbot monitoring units were acquired to provide near real-time water-level monitoring at remote guzzler sites. These systems allow managers to track water levels, identify leaks or equipment failures, monitor wildlife water use, and respond quickly when intervention is needed.
Between May 17 and May 27 alone, 17 Ranchbot units were deployed across six mountain ranges, including the Pilot, Newfoundland, Stansbury, Range Creek, Potash, and South San Juan regions. Additional installations are planned throughout Utah, further expanding the state's ability to proactively manage critical wildlife water sources.
Range Creek Water Guzzler + Ranchbot Unit
Beyond monitoring existing infrastructure, the program is also investing directly in the future of Utah's water developments. A second $50,000 phase of funding will support construction of new guzzlers and replacement of aging systems in southwestern Utah near St. George. Planned projects include replacing the aging "Dead Bighorn" and "Bulldog Knoll" guzzlers in Beaver Dam Wash—important water sources within desert bighorn sheep habitat. One of these new installations will proudly carry a name honoring the family's contribution: the Liautaud Family Foundation Guzzler.
Newfies Water Guzzler + Ranchbot Unit
These projects represent far more than infrastructure improvements. Reliable water sources improve habitat quality, increase resilience during drought conditions, and help sustain healthy wild sheep populations across some of the most challenging environments in North America. They also demonstrate what can be accomplished when conservation organizations, agency partners, volunteers, and generous donors work together toward a common goal.
The Wild Sheep Foundation extends its sincere gratitude to the Utah Wild Sheep Foundation, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, the Utah Department of Natural Resources, and especially Jimmy John Liautaud and the Liautaud Family Foundation for their leadership and generosity. Their investment is already producing tangible conservation results and will continue benefiting wild sheep and wildlife habitat for generations to come.
Together, we are ensuring that critical water resources remain available where wild sheep need them most.
Travis Jenson (Utah WSF President) and Hadli Sorenson (Utah WSF Executive Director) pose in front of a recently constructed water guzzler with integrated Ranchbot technology
Tags: Desert Bighorn, Conservation