Project Details

Bear Creek and Ranch Canyon lack adequate woody riparian vegetation and the stream channels consist primarily of a narrow ditch-like system that lacks complex habitat including riffles, pools and backwaters. The lack of sufficient riparian habitat threatens the persistence of fish and sage grouse (Bear Creek) and overall riparian vegetation (Ranch Canyon).

Vertical channel incision has lowered the water table and floodplain connectivity, which has further adversely affected the condition of the riparian areas which is critical habitat for a variety of aquatic and riparian obligate species, (Donnely et al., 2015) particularly sage grouse. Sage grouse rely on the mesic areas directly adjacent to the riparian zone for brood survival. Incision has also likely caused a reduction in physical habitat diversity and reductions in late season base flows resulting in warmer stream temperatures causing declines in populations of fish and other aquatic organisms (Pollock et al., 2007).

The focus of the project (relevant to this proposal) will be to improve the riparian vegetation (Ranch Canyon) and in-stream habitat for fish and riparian vegetation sage grouse (Bear Creek).

Restoring riparian condition also benefits the longer-term project goal of providing sufficient riparian resources to expand riparian habitat within the areas.  As such, the project will consist of targeted native riparian vegetation plantings (Bear Creek/Ranch Canyon) in conjunction with installation of in-stream structures (Ranch Canyon) to immediately increase the complexity of in-stream habitat, gain access to the floodplain in the long term, allowing for riparian vegetation expansion laterally.

Livestock grazing management systems have been identified for the Bear Creek Allotment (Bear Creek) and Mineral Range Allotment (Ranch Canyon).  However, it may be necessary to install riparian exclosures within the Ranch Canyon area to further minimize impacts to the riparian system by livestock in the future.

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.

The project is focused on improving the condition of both in-stream fish habitat (Bear Creek) by concentrating on native plantings to improve composition and vigor of woody riparian species and expansion of the riparian zone (Ranch Canyon) by concentrating on native plantings and in-stream structures. Without the project it is unlikely that degradation to Bear Creek and Ranch Canyon will be reversed.  Therefore, actions aimed to improve habitat conditions are needed to ensure the persistence of existing fish populations (Bear Creek), sage grouse (Bear Creek) and native riparian vegetation (Bear Creek and Ranch Canyon).

In-stream structures would be focused in Ranch Canyon and may be applied to Bear Creek in the long-term following adequate woody species establishment.  There are minimal, risks to water quality during the construction phase of in-stream structures through a slight temporary increase in suspended sediment during construction. Suspended sediment will be minimized by only using heavy machinery within the riparian and in-stream areas where deemed necessary. The vast majority of the work will be done with hydraulic hand-held post pounders; therefore it is anticipated that only small amounts of dirt moved during construction (i.e., typically < 0.25 yards/structure). Finally, this project will be carried out using an adaptive management framework which explicitly mandates regular project evaluation to minimize risk at each stage of the project.

At this point ecological thresholds have not been achieved in either stream system.  The riparian areas have a diverse riparian component.  Changes to livestock grazing management (elimination of continuous hot season livestock grazing) that have occurred have improved the functioning condition of the streams.

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.

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.

1. Ranch Canyon
In-stream structures are expected to influence stream hydrology and water quality in a number of important ways primarily by altering the amount, and timing of delivery of water and sediment (Naiman et al., 1988; Gurnell, 1998; Pollock et al., 2003).

The in-stream structures are expected to simulate beaver dams, which provide the following benefits to streams: 
1. Ponding upstream of beaver dams slows water velocity encouraging deposition of fine sediment (Butler and Malanson, 1995; Pollock et al., 2007) in the pond itself and during high flows onto the adjacent floodplain. 
2. Beaver ponds and dams can act as long-term sinks for both suspended and bedload sediment (Green and Westbrook, 2009). 
3. An increase in overbank flooding due to beaver dams also typically leads to an increase in the diversity of riparian vegetation (Wright et al., 2002) and an expansion of the riparian corridor (Westbrook et al., 2006; Westbrook et al., 2011).

The project will use in-stream structures to essentially provide the same function as beaver
dams; in that the structures will impound water, capture/settle/stabilize stream supplied sediment, increase water levels and corresponding water table, and aid in establishment of riparian vegetation on banks and adjacent floodplain. Water quality benefits of the proposed project would include reduction of suspended sediment, capture of sediment loads, increase DO, decrease overall water temperatures and increase base flows.

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.

The scope of the project includes:
1.  Strategic planting of native riparian vegetation (Bear Creek/Ranch Canyon)

2.  Installation of in-stream structures (Ranch Canyon)
Structure types (Ranch Canyon) will help to expand the riparian corridor. A healthy riparian corridor will increase the surface roughness of the floodplain which will increase the magnitude of overbank deposition during high-flows providing an increase in sediment storage on the floodplain and benefits to downstream water quality. Ponding and increased floodplain connectivity due to in-stream structures will cause an elevation in the water table and groundwater levels (Woo and Waddington, 1990) which will also aid in riparian recovery and expansion. If there is a high enough density of in-stream can minimize water table decline
during the dry season elevating base flow (Westbrook et al., 2006; Burchsted et al., 2010) and improving water quality.  In addition, it is expected that the structures will capture/settle/stabilize stream supplied sediment, increase water levels and corresponding water table, and aid in establishment of riparian vegetation on banks and adjacent
floodplain.

The design and installation of in-stream structures is a relatively simple, cost effective, and non-destructive restoration approach. Structures are constructed of untreated, sharpened lodgepole fence posts, approximately 3-4" diameter, driven into the active channel and inset
floodplain using a hydraulic post pounder. Posts extend no more than 1 m above the active channel bed.  For a single structure, posts will be spaced approximately 0.5 - 0.8 m apart, and driven to a depth of approximately 1 m into the streambed (Refer to Figure 1 and 2 in Images/Documents Section). Following installation of the post line, juniper branches or willow stems will be woven in between the posts to create a semi-permeable structure.  The juniper branches and willow weaving acts as a dam, but is also designed to be passable to fish, and is consistent with adult and juvenile fish passage criteria. In addition to weaving juniper and willow among the post line the structures will be reinforced by placing cobble, gravel, and fine sediment at the base of the structure.  Structures should last until the pool behind the dam fills with sediment and is colonized by woody riparian vegetation (typically < 5 yr. depending on sediment sources and the flow regime).  In addition, willow, Pinyon pine or juniper logs will be used as fill material in the in-stream structures.  Each structure will be designed with defined objectives for triggering and/or maintaining geomorphic and hydraulic processes leading to river rehabilitation.  In addition, a strategic planting of native riparian vegetation to improve composition and vigor of woody riparian species. To the greatest extent possible, native trees and shrubs which are currently growing on site, such as Water Birch, Coyote Willow and Yellow Willow will be used in plantings. In addition, river birch, dogwood, etc... will be used in specific areas.

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.

The project is expected to improve and expand riparian habitat within the project area in accordance with Rangeland Health Standards and Guidelines, which will be beneficial to fish within the streams.  Furthermore, the project will be proactive in improving vegetative communities and removing ladder fuels within creeks where there is pinyon and juniper, which will minimize the potential for wildfire within these sensitive areas.

Bear Creek is being considered by the UDWR as a native cutthroat trout restoration area.  The long-term goal of the project within Bear Creek would be to improve native vegetation (i.e. willows, river birch, dogwood, etc...) that would allow for the reintroduction in the future.

There are recreational opportunities that may occur as a result of project implementation.  These opportunities would primarily be focused in the Ranch Canyon project area.  The project area is in close vicinity to the Rock Corral recreation site and other primitive camping areas.  The project is expected to improve fishing opportunities in the long-term.

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.