GM-17. Management activities will maintain or promote ground cover that will provide for infiltration, permeability, soil moisture storage, and soil stability appropriate for the ecological sites. The ground cover should maintain soil organisms, plants, and animals to support the hydrologic and nutrient cycles and energy flow. Ground cover and signs of erosion are surrogate measures for hydrologic and nutrient cycles, and energy flow.

GM-18. When grazing practices alone are not likely to restore areas of low infiltration or permeability, land management treatments may be designed and implemented to attain improvement.