Completion Form

2017

Utah WRI committed $60,000 in FY2017 funding for the Big Bend Restoration Project.  This allocation was used for the final design of the urban fisheries pond, and the bank restoration, and river access enhancements at the downstream end of the project. Implementation of bank stabilization measures and recreational access to the Jordan River at the north end of the project area will be completed in winter of 2017 and implementation of the pond is slated to begin in 2018.

Stakeholders including the City of West Jordan, UDWR, UDWQ, Rocky Mountain Power, UFFSL, USFWS, and the Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission provided comments and design considerations to move the design from concept to "shovel-ready". The City is currently applying for funding from a variety of sources to implement the digging of the pond in order to provide a new angling opportunity for the local and regional citizens. The City of West Jordan is also working with the USFWS to develop an agreement for use of the NRDA funds for implementation of habitat enhancements.

Additionally, noxious and invasive weed control and native revegetation has been ongoing under an ISM grant and with funds from Rocky Mountain Power. Community Service events are commonly held on the project and the invasive and noxious weeds have been diminished significantly.

An implementation strategy and phased construction approach for the Urban Fishery, Natural Area, and Recreation Amenities and Facilities has been prepared.  The Urban Fishery is "shovel-ready".  The Urban Fishery has been phased to implement the base work for excavation and grading of the north pond, the intake structure and irrigation pump station, the irrigation canal, pond inflow and outflow channels, the south pond sedimentation/maintenance pond, and landscape plan.  The recreation amenities and landscape features such as boardwalks, fishing pier, picnic shelter, fish cleaning station, drinking fountain and other facilities have been mostly designed to be tied into the Urban Fishery at a future phase. West Jordan City is committed to prioritizing the Urban Fishery for implementation funding over the next 2 years. West Jordan City is actively pursuing grant opportunities and working with existing stakeholders on a funding strategy to get the community out there fishing!

The bank restoration and river access enhancements at the downstream end of the project is "shovel-ready" and identified as a "Show Project".  The Show Project is planned for implementation November 2017.  This Show Project will provide a real-life example of the Big Bend Restoration Project and vision for a community center piece balanced with natural areas.  The purpose of implementing a small Show Project is to provide immediate access to the restored Jordan River to get the community engaged.  The Show Project provides a gathering place and educational backdrop to gain additional partnerships and public awareness for a successfully completed 70-acre project.  Funds secured from DWQ, Jordan River Commission, UFFSL, and the Invasive Species Mitigation program will be used to implement this small but important Show Project.

The Show Project includes installing a river access trail that connects to the existing Jordan River Walkway and ties into the future urban fishery.  The Show Project plans to reshape the vertical eroding bank with a periodic emergent bench at the OHW elevation, and a 4:1 slope to the top of the bank.  Restoration work will include removing elm trees and replacing with native cottonwood, revegetating the bank with native seeding and erosion control fabrics, installing rock and wood structures for toe protection, and installing soft trails from the Jordan pathway to the restored bank.  Natural landscape benches and log/boulder features are planned for habitat hiding spaces and visual aesthetics for the Show Project.

Rocky Mountain Power, as part of the Salt Lake County Community Connections Grant program, has helped fund a final design for the road access off of 9000S to the Big Bend Parking area (at the south end of the project area).  This project component is also "shovel-ready" and phased for implementation as soon as funding becomes available.

There are two parts to the implementation strategy; 1) Identifies different project components and construction phases and 2) Identifies funding partnerships for those components.  This implementation strategy is designed to be implemented as new funding sources are identified to install project components.  The implementation strategy identifies key construction phases for base components and then partitions out recreation amenities, and landscape improvements that can be installed at a different phase.

An Operations, Maintenance, and Monitoring plan was developed during the 30% design phase.  Although restoration work has not been completed, monitoring parameters, maintenance budgets, and partnerships have been developed to ensure success and adaptive management of the project in perpetuity.

Partnerships between the City of West Jordan and the Jordan River Commission, Invasive Species Management Program, and Utah Conservation Corps have been important for site preparation work.  These partnerships have implemented ground efforts to control invasive species, and plant native species.  Natural areas have been identified to be undisturbed during the restoration effort.  These areas have been targeted for invasive species control, and riparian enhancements to diversify plant composition.  RiverRestoration staff regularly maintains these efforts by utilizing existing flood irrigation ditches to water the new plantings.  A riparian inventory of existing conditions has been prepared for baseline monitoring.  Maintenance of these areas are concurrent with each years efforts to restore these old growth cottonwood forests and natural areas.

We are planning to install an irrigation system in 2018 that will be used to enhance and restore riparian habitats and also more managed habitats around and adjacent to the Urban Fishery. The City of West Jordan will eventually be deeded all of the property (from URMCC) and will provide at least one full-time staffer to manage the natural areas and more manicured spaces. The UDWR has pledged to manage the pond (below water). A robust group continues to collaborate on management of the habitats and implementation of the site improvements.

08/29/2017 15:12:58