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Old Fort Pond (Community Fishing Pond Vernal)
Region: Northeastern
ID: 3255
Project Status: Completed
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Project Details
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Need for Project
Vernal, Utah is a rapidly growing rural community and is in need of a locally based community fishing pond and nature area. Kids in Vernal have very limited "kid/teen" based activities and this type of project would be an excellent way to get kids, teens and elderly involved in outdoor fishing activities. This community fishery would also be a place where the UDWR could hold events such as fishing clinics, fishing classes and other fishing education related activities. Currently in the works is a land donation near the mouth of Dry Fork Canyon which would allow the UDWR to construct 2 ponds for a total of 2.11 surface acres with an additional 2 acres of trails, parking area and access road. The total land donation will be approximately 15 acres which will include a wetland mitigation section.
Provide evidence about the nature of the problem and the need to address it. Identify the significance of the problem using a variety of data sources. For example, if a habitat restoration project is being proposed to benefit greater sage-grouse, describe the existing plant community characteristics that limit habitat value for greater sage-grouse and identify the changes needed for habitat improvement.
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Objectives
1) Obtain needed 404 permit (Hire engineering firm) 2) Acquire lands and switch from private to UDWR lands 3) Engineer and Design layout for ponds, trails and parking area 4) Gain partners to help in multiple ways with this project 5) Obtain funding for construction of ponds, trails, parking areas, bathroom facilities, fencing, landscaping, bridges, vegetation plantings, seedings, wetlands enhancement needs, water connection to upper canal and educational kiosks for cultural and wetlands education. 6) Once complete, include in our WMA system and create a long term management plan in cooperation with the county and other able entities. 7) Open to the public for our community to enjoy for many years to come!
Provide an overall goal for the project and then provide clear, specific and measurable objectives (outcomes) to be accomplished by the proposed actions. If possible, tie to one or more of the public benefits UWRI is providing.
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Project Location/Timing Justification (Why Here? Why Now?)
This land will only be donated to the UDWR if a community fishing pond is constructed on the site, therefore this project is critical to the acquisition of the land. Land value at this location is near $27,500.00 per acre.
LOCATION: Justify the proposed location of this project over other areas, include publicly scrutinized planning/recovery documents that list this area as a priority, remote sensing modeling that show this area is a good candidate for restoration, wildlife migration information and other data that help justify this project's location.
TIMING: Justify why this project should be implemented at this time. For example, Is the project area at risk of crossing an ecological or other threshold wherein future restoration would become more difficult, cost prohibitive, or even impossible.
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Relation to Management Plans
Direct relation to the Sportfish Restoration Act and our regional Sportfish management goals of constructing a community fishing pond. Our region does not currently have a community fishing pond and would greatly benefit from such a place. Each region has been working towards the development of a community based fishing area and this will directly relate to our goals and management objectives of recruiting new angers of all ages. We will add this project to the WAP management list and look to enhance habitat for multiple species on that list.
List management plans where this project will address an objective or strategy in the plan. Describe how the project area overlaps the objective or strategy in the plan and the relevance of the project to the successful implementation of those plans. It is best to provide this information in a list format with the description immediately following the plan objective or strategy.
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Fire/Fuels
N/A
If applicable, detail how the proposed project will significantly reduce the risk of fuel loading and/or continuity of hazardous fuels including the use of fire-wise species in re-seeding operations. Describe the value of any features being protected by reducing the risk of fire. Values may include; communities at risk, permanent infrastructure, municipal watersheds, campgrounds, critical wildlife habitat, etc. Include the size of the area where fuels are being reduced and the distance from the feature(s) at risk.
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Water Quality/Quantity
With the creation of the ponds and protection/enhancement of the 10.16 acres of wetlands we will enhance the water quantity to the upper end of the property. A lateral line from the canal will allow us the opportunity to deliver water to the upper end of the property as needed to enhance water quality within the ponds and wetlands mitigation area.
Describe how the project has the potential to improve water quality and/or increase water quantity, both over the short and long term. Address run-off, erosion, soil infiltration, and flooding, if applicable.
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Compliance
1) ACOE 404 permit to be completed in January 2017 2) Wetlands Mitigation Plan associated with the 404 permit 3) SHIPO and UDWR ARCH compliance needed during construction phase 4) Airport FAA Clarence
Description of efforts, both completed and planned, to bring the proposed action into compliance with any and all cultural resource, NEPA, ESA, etc. requirements. If compliance is not required enter "not applicable" and explain why not it is not required.
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Methods
Same as objectives: 1) Obtain needed 404 permit (Hire engineering firm) 2) Acquire lands and switch from private to UDWR lands 3) Engineer and Design layout for ponds, trails and parking area 4) Gain partners to help in multiple ways with this project 5) Obtain funding for construction of ponds, trails, parking areas, bathroom facilities, fencing, landscaping, bridges, vegetation plantings, seedings, wetlands enhancement needs, water connection to upper canal and educational kiosks for cultural and wetlands education. 6) Once complete, include in our WMA system and create a long term management plan in cooperation with the county and other able entities. 7) Open to the public for our community to enjoy for many years to come!
Describe the actions, activities, tasks to be implemented as part of the proposed project; how these activities will be carried out, equipment to be used, when, and by whom.
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Monitoring
1)Wetland mitigation monitoring for 3 years (photo-points, vegetation monitoring) 2)Fisheries monitoring and surveys 3)Creel surveys and angler satisfaction surveys
Describe plans to monitor for project success and achievement of stated objectives. Include details on type of monitoring (vegetation, wildlife, etc.), schedule, assignments and how the results of these monitoring efforts will be reported and/or uploaded to this project page. If needed, upload detailed plans in the "attachments" section.
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Partners
Uintah Water Conservancy District Uintah County Troy and Annette Meier
List any and all partners (agencies, organizations, NGO's, private landowners) that support the proposal and/or have been contacted and included in the planning and design of the proposed project. Describe efforts to gather input and include these agencies, landowners, permitees, sportsman groups, researchers, etc. that may be interested/affected by the proposed project. Partners do not have to provide funding or in-kind services to a project to be listed.
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Future Management
Once this pond is constructed we will evaluate for fish species stocking and once stocked we will monitor species survival and harvest. We will include this pond on the creel survey rotation to get an idea of angler hours, harvest and other important statistics. A management plan will be written for these ponds and will include the WMA management and the wetlands management for the full 15 acre parcel
Detail future methods or techniques (including administrative actions) that will be implemented to help in accomplishing the stated objectives and to insure the long term success/stability of the proposed project. This may include: post-treatment grazing rest and/or management plans/changes, wildlife herd/species management plan changes, ranch plans, conservation easements or other permanent protection plans, resource management plans, forest plans, etc.
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Sustainable Uses of Natural Resources
Wetlands benefit by fencing out cattle and taking this parcel out of grazing.
Potential for the proposed action to improve quality or quantity of sustainable uses such as grazing, timber harvest, biomass utilization, recreation, etc. Grazing improvements may include actions to improve forage availability and/or distribution of livestock.
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Completion Form
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