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Virgin River Watershed Resiliency
Region: Southern
ID: 6041
Project Status: Completed
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Completion Form
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Project Start Date
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Project End Date
Fiscal Year Completed
2023
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Final Methods
The Virgin River is unique river system that flows through Zion National Park, several communities, provides water to the fast growing communities in US, and critical wildlife habitat for several threaten species. Russian Olive and tamarisk have invaded this system, taking over riparian areas and decreasing native vegetation and have change river morphology. Removal of these species and reintroducing native vegetation will improve riparian healthy, river system funiction and ecology. Areas treated had 100% removal of Russian olive and tamarisk. Cut stump methods were used, with herbicide applied directly to the stumps. Cut material was piled to burn. A total of 400 willows were planted with cuttings collected from Santa Clara by ACE crews. Seed was applied in the spring using hand seeders, and raked into the soil to increase germination rates.
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Project Narrative
FFSL contacted 27 landowners and treated acres on privately owned lands. All acres treated used the cut stump method. Areas with minimal slash material near homes were chipped or hauled to the landfill. All other slash was piled for burning. Landowners continue to monitor and treat any resprouts. Utah Conservation Crews were contracted at the rate of $4,250/ week for a total of 12 weeks. Fall treatments occurred 9/6/2022- 11/8/2022, totaling 10 weeks of work. Weather conditions varied causing delays with extreme heat days, flash flooding, and rainstorms. Spring treatments occurred 3/20/2023- 3/27/2023 with 2 UCC crews to finishing the remaining hours on the contract. UCC worked on BLM and TNC lands, focusing on areas that connected past treatments first. Remaining week completed by UCC in Fall, treating any resprouts. Hurricane Fire cut and piled an additional acre of standing dead Russian olive and tamarisk near the town of Grafton. They have been conducting prescribed burns to remove the slash piles created from the projects. ACE crews collected 400 willow cuttings from Santa Clara River. FFSL planted these cuttings along BLM, TNC, and Grafton Heritage owned properties. Treated areas were hand seeded in the spring. An additional 100 3X4 inch seed packets were given out to surrounding landowners as a reminder for landowners to continue to remove Russian olive and tamarisk resprouts.
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Future Management
This project will require multiple phases. This phase prioritized upriver areas that connected past treatments for treatment longevity. Due to the density of tamarisk and Russian olive, future management will be needed to complete invasive species removal on the western BLM section and the remainder of the TNC property. Natural flooding is expected to continue to reduce invasive species establishment, helping with the longevity of this project. Nonetheless, continued monitoring and management of treated areas will reduce the future costs and prolong the effectiveness of this treatment. Hurricane Fire will continue to burn slash piles that were created in the spring. Private landowners have been educated about invasive species removal and are encouraged to retreat any resprouts on their property. The Town of Springdale is seeking additional funding sources to expand and prolong the upriver treatments.
Submitted By
Stan Gurley
Submitted Time
08/29/2024 06:30:23
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