Completion Form

2024

This project's goal is to improve the overall health of the Mill Creek Canyon watershed including riparian, stream, wetlands, and upland sites. To accomplish our landscape-scale goals, we have relied on coordination and planning between many stakeholders including landowners, government entities, and non-profit organizations. 
Since settlers first entered the Salt Lake Valley in the mid-1800s there have been many negative human impacts on the Mill Creek Canyon watershed. There is a heavily traveled two lane road running down the canyon that brings with it many issues, there have been many historic uses from overgrazing and clear-cut logging that have had impacts. Weed introductions such as myrtle spurge, phragmites, garlic mustard, and yellow star thistle are major concerns. Improper forest management practices of wildfire suppression have led to unnatural and unhealthy forests. Stream channelization and overgrazing along riparian areas has degraded streams and led to sub-optimal habitat conditions for many fish and wildlife species. These human impacts all need to be rectified and similar projects in Parley's Canyon to the north have made great progress in that watershed. This project extended those efforts into Mill Creek Canyon by treating weeds, building Beaver Dam Analogs (BDAs), and removing problematic vegetation to restore a healthy balance and species diversity to forests.  In addition to improving watershed health, the project area serves as an important destination for recreation in the region (e.g., skiing, hiking, fishing, biking, picnicking, hunting, recreation residence cabins, a large Boy Scout camp, and two popular restaurants). A large part of the area's economy is driven by recreation and protecting this watershed will help preserve those sustainable uses.
One hundred years of successful fire suppression has resulted in an accumulation of dead fuels on the ground raising the likelihood that in the instance of a wildfire, the effects would be of a catastrophic level. This is concerning for people who live in Lambs Canyon, Summit Park, Park City, and Mount Aire; along with recreational cabin owners, business owners, and Scout camp associates in Mill Creek Canyon itself. The cost associated with property damage could be extreme, not to mention the potential risk to the lives of workers, campers, visitors, and firefighters. Additionally, the long-term effects from a catastrophic wildfire would have downstream consequences for irrigation water users in the Salt Lake Valley, and the associated infrastructure costs to reduce erosion and make the area safe again for recreators could be prohibitive. 
Insect infestations from beetles and the non-native insect balsam woolly adelgid (Adelges piceae) in the conifers are of great concern, and the older age class of the watershed makes it more susceptible to these infestations. Removing mature and dying trees will improve the forest's resilience to insect infestations, while also mitigating wildfire risk. The aspen in this watershed are also beginning to die from disease, insect infestations, and are being out-competed by conifer trees. This project will work to improve the health of aspen components by thinning conifer stands, thereby improving wildlife habitat.
This watershed provides irrigation water to Salt Lake Valley users. By doing this project we will help to improve water quality and protect this essential resource from catastrophic wildfires. 
In conclusion, this is an important watershed for both humans and many fish and wildlife species. There is a great need for this project because of the many negative impacts that humans have caused. Similar projects in the Parley's Canyon watershed to the north have successfully moved that watershed in a positive, more resilient direction, so it is reasonable to expect that this project will improve Mill Creek Canyon in a similar fashion. The many partners on this project ask for funding to begin restoring the health of this watershed to its optimal state.