Project Details

Most of the streams listed in the project area have been significantly altered by land management actions, or direct channel modifications. For example, East Canyon Creek has experienced dramatic modifications over time.  During the 1900's much of the stream was heavily grazed and then treated with herbicides to remove willows in an effort to maximize forage production for cattle. The resulting channel changes, including lateral bank erosion and channel incision greatly impacted ecological function, degraded water quality and in many cases, permanently altered the water table. Resultant headcutting has delivered fine sediments downstream, where water quality has been negatively affected. In East Canyon Creek historical mining also impacted water quality by releasing large amounts of phosphorus through fine sedimentation.  As the area has developed, additional phosphorus-laden fine sediment has been released into the watershed along with dramatic changes in the hydrograph associated with development.  These include a flashy hydrography and severely reduced flows. Ultimately the sediments are stored in East Canyon Reservoir.

In Fish Creek decades of unmanaged grazing on an erosive geology have degraded instream and riparian habitat, plus upstream sediment sources continue to contribute significant amounts of sediment to the lower South Fork of Chalk Creek all the way down to Echo Reservoir.

The project proposed herein would develop a similar design and construct to several of these structures on the Mormon Flat property (https://wri.utah.gov/wri/project/title.html?id=3787), using a conservation corps and volunteers to provide a bulk of the labor.

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.

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.

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.

The 2014 Weber River Restoration Plan indicated that the impacts from land development and management were major challenges to habitat and water quality in East Canyon Creek and the South Fork of Chalk Creek. This project compliments much of the past restoration work that has been completed in the watersheds in the past and implements new strategies in new areas to restore floodplain connectivity.

Chalk Creek and all of its tributaries are currently listed as impaired waters by the Utah Division of Water Quality for elevated levels of Phosphorus, fine sediment and physical habitat degradation.  In addition to the listed impairments, sections of Chalk Creek reach elevated temperatures during the summer, sometimes exceeding the known lethal limit for Bonneville cutthroat trout.  Nevertheless, the strong cutthroat trout population is sustained through a partially connected network of habitat with thermal refugia throughout the watershed.  The South Fork of Chalk Creek has the potential to be a significant coldwater refuge for Bonneville cutthroat trout, however past and current land management patterns result in significant heating along the longitudinal gradient of the creek and its tributaries during the summer.  This is partially due to unmanaged livestock grazing in riparian areas

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.

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.

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.

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.

We will conduct monitoring with the Utah Wild Project of sites prior to BDA installation to assess their condition.

We propose to develop a design plan during the summer of 2018 and implement in the late fall of 2018 using a combination of volunteers and contracted conservation corps individuals.

Beaver Dam Analogs will be constructed based on design techniques using the ICRRR beaver restoration principles. The basic construction techniques include the use of  sharpened lodgepole fence posts, approximately 3-4" diameter, which will be driven into the ground with a gas-powered hydraulic post pounder. The posts will be driven to a depth of approximately 1 m into the streambed.  The posts will extend about 1 m above the channel bed depending on the stream. The  posts will be spaced approximately 0.5 - 0.8 m apart. We will then weave willow branches or other tree branches that are available onsite between the posts to create a  structure that will mimic a beaver dam.

The concept is that the dams will last until sediment has aggraded behind the the dam. Riparian an emergent vegetation begins to grow and the stream channel aggrades and floods. We will place dams about  30 - 100 m apart, depending on factors such as gradient and degree of incision.

After a year we will assess the health of the streams again and determine what progress has been made.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.