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Wasatch State Park Community Fishing Pond Dock
Region: Central
ID: 4443
Project Status: Completed
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Project Details
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Need for Project
The Wasatch Mountain State Park receives 330,000 visitors a year. Close to half the shoreline is off limits to fishing because it's part of the golf course. A dock will afford access to much of the currently out of reach center of the pond. It will also provide fishing space for our many guests that require assistance and safe, controlled places from which to float their line. In the summer months the Park provides two 6-week Fishing Club Events for children. Both sessions are on Wednesdays and the 75 spots fill up fast. The Park host a Special Needs fishing day, women's fly-fishing classes and a Military Appreciation event. On any given day, early or late, you will see people fishing in our community pond. The pond is stocked once a week from May to late July. This insures a good catch for all fishermen throughout the summer and fall.
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
The Park's goal is to provide a safe and fun place to go fishing. We intend to expand access to the center of our pond, currently only reachable by the strongest fisherman capable of casting well out into the pond's deeper water. We want to offer a safer option to the eastern shore, which is also the shoulder of Warm Springs Road. Finally, we want to simply expand access over all. The pier and its "T" shaped head will provide over a dozen places for fishing that currently do not exist. Currently, access to the pond for wheelchair bound guests and others with mobility challenges is limited to the strip of shore just north of the Visitor's Center. Other areas, while open to the public, are quite rough and not enticing for any with special needs.
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?)
The two significant hazards associated with shoreline fishing are slips and falls on land and slipping and falling into the pond. The surface of the main pier and the "T" are of a rough textured material that is easily hosed off while remaining very 'grippy' for maximum traction for our guests. Railings completely around the structure will prevent anyone falling into the pond. We have very little problematic interaction with wild life. An angry mother goose is unlikely to try to take over the dock. Muskrats pose only opportunities for amusement and photo ops for the most aware and sharp eyed. Large animals, including deer, moose and a few predators shy away from the busy area around the Visitor's Center. Our community pond is fed by the overflow from the golf course. The park has agreements with the golf course ensuring water will always be in the pond at a level that is healthy for fish habitat. The dock will also provide shade to a small area of the pond, helping to keep the water cooler. There is no risk other than catching a large fish, cleaning it at our fish cleaning station and taking it home. The park has a large duck and goose populations that move about the pond. There is an exit drain that prevents any erosion associated with a discharge stream and maintains a constant water depth to keep the fish healthy.
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
Our park's mission is to provide as many types of recreation as possible. The pond is a large part of what brings people to the park, especially in the early hours of the day and at dusk. The playground is close by for kids to play in as their parents' fish. We have a fish cleaning station, poles can be rented, and we always are stocked with worms. Future projects include a bigger playground area and a family sized pavilion close to the pond. We have picnic tables scattered so you can enjoy your lunch as you fish. During the spring and summer months our pond is stocked with fresh fish every week to insure our guests have a successful experience.
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
The water that fills the pond is from the Epperson Spring and Snake Creek. These run down into holding ponds for the golf course. Through a Utah State University Citizen Science program, the pond is tested twice a year in the spring and late fall for phosphorus, pH and dissolved oxygen. The deposition rate of sediments is high, and we need to dredge the pond and maintain the depth every seven to ten years. This helps maintain cooler water temperature and dissolved oxygen levels needed to keep fish healthy. The water's quality is good until late September when the temperature is at it warmest and the pond is at its lowest point but still within the parameters for fish to live in. Dissolved oxygen readings range from 6 mg/l to 8m/1.
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
N/A The community pond at the Wasatch Park is a man-made pond of run-off from the golf course. The community pond is the last pond in several that feed the golf course. The water is regulated by gates on the Mahogany Springs above the golf course. The park owns the spring and can regulate the flow to insure the community pond stays at a healthy level for water quality and for fish habitat. The pond is skimmed or dredge when needed to maintain good water quality. Water quality testing is done twice a year.
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
Tracy See, Park Manager will work with the DWR to determine if the fish should be moved to another pond within the golf course. The drain that regulates the level of water in the pond will be opened, and the pond will be allowed to empty. With the assistance of The Regional Crew the pond will be bucket dredged to its original depth. The silty, sandy dirt will be land applied elsewhere within the park. A retaining wall with footers and rip rap with medium size boulders will be placed along the shoreline near the dock entrance. PVC pipe will be placed in the footers for the pillars to be placed later during construction of the dock. The dock will then be built to accommodate the pond's highest water level. The dock will have a steel frame, textured artificial deck, aluminum ADA approved hand railing and a partial roof. Transition from grass to dock will be constructed for easy wheel chair access.The Park proposes to install a "T" shaped pier extending roughly 30 feet out into the pond with the top of the "T" 24 feet long.
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
The staff at the park monitors the level of water for water quality and fish habitat. Once the pond has been dredged and the dock built it will refill. It will be tested each week to monitor the progress of dissolved oxygen and suspended solids. The goal 8 mg/l on dissolved oxygen is our target. Tracy See, Park manager, will oversee the construction and building of the dock and the insure good water quality before more fish are placed into the pond. Water quality monitoring is done in the spring and fall. Dredging the pond to its original depth will help maintain good temperature and oxygen levels for at least 7 to 10 years.
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
The Friends of the Wasatch will donate $10,000 towards the project. Water quality monitoring will be done by one of its board members. She monitors other streams in the area and will include the community pond in her sampling. The Department of Wildlife will handle restocking of fish during the summer months. The State Parks regional crew will assist in the preparation and construction of the dock. Sportsman's Warehouse supports the Park in supplying the Visitor's Center with rods, reels, and all accessories needed for the Fishing Club and for our guests to rent so they can enjoy our community pond.
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
The Wasatch State Park staff monitors the community pond for the fish and fowl that live in or on the pond. The pond is skimmed when needed and water flows into the pond to maintain a constant level. Fish are stocked each week during the busy summer months and with the new dock in place there will be maintenance checks on the dock, its railings and its roof by the staff maintenance crew.
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
Dredging the pond to its original depth will help with keeping water temperatures lower and the dissolved oxygen higher. Rip-rap around dock area and shore will help stabilize and prevent ducks and geese from digging the shoreline. The dock will provide a safe area for wheel chair bound fisherman to fish.
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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