Project Details

Stream habitat/fish structure maintenance: during previous stream restoration efforts on Lake Canyon, fish habitat structures were created. Many of these structures are now in need of repair due to livestock trampling that occurred between 2006-2010. 100 year flood events realized during summer 2021 also damaged limited reaches. Additional habitat structures will continue to be placed as appropriate during this project. The upper portion of Lake Canyon Creek houses a conservation population of Colorado River Cutthroat trout, however the middle and lower sections of the stream currently lack necessary habitat parameters of fish cover, spawning habitat, and sufficient water depth. We expect to build or rebuild structures that fish will later colonize on their own. There are currently trout in most reaches but at extremely low densities due to insufficient habitat. The Phase I part of this project (WRI 4798) fixed the majority of upper stream issues causing stream health problems. The Phase II part of this project focused on adding spawning habitat, overhead cover, and depth to about a mile of the lower and middle sections of the project area. Fish were immediately observed utilizing much of this habitat to spawn and duck under for cover. This project will continue and focus restoration efforts further upstream as we finish areas that will join work completed in Phases I and II. We expect to finish the overall project with Phase III unless unanticipated issues arise. As noted below, this project contains a seed mix that incorporates better nutrition value for terrestrial game species in addition to being less noxious vegetation that is currently overgrowing the riparian. Similar to previous phases, if there is a localized area consisting of substantial noxious vegetation types, we have a disker and cultipacker on site that we will use and reseed these small areas. Last year we observed bighorn sheep and deer utilizing new, better vegetation types as a result of this work.

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.

Project will be accomplished by: 
1. Creating grade control structures using Rosgen Natural Channel Design and other accepted methods. At Lake Canyon Creek, this will primarily be achieved by constructing and often re-constructing or enhancing existing riffles. We intend to increase structural integrity of existing structure by placing and burying additional rock, as well as provide additional hydraulic control via proper construction of run and glide features. Additional methods such as log checks, rock checks, and beaver dam analogs will be used as we deem appropriate. All of these structures provide additional habitat for trout forage as well. All of these structures have been used very successfully in the Phase I and II components of this project.
2. Enhance glide features with sorted natural gravels. This helps both the structural integrity of riffles and provides MUCH NEEDED spawning habitat for Colorado River Cutthroat trout, which does not currently exist through much of the treatment reach. In many areas, glides have not been constructed in the past and we will be creating them from scratch. During Phase I and II components of this project, fish were observed immediately spawning in newly placed gravels. 
3. Provide juvenile and adult overhead cover. This will be accomplished by fixing, re-installing/replacing, or creating new fish hotels. These log structures provide refuge from sunlight and predators and is a necessary habitat to enhance fish survival. Structures also provide additional stable surface for forage organisms to colonize. 
4. Eliminate nuisance in-stream vegetation. Certain undesirable vegetation that is currently clogging and blocking fish passage in the channel may be eliminated as appropriate using appropriate water-organism safe herbicides. Often, this relates to us deepening parts of the channel to prevent future nuisance in-stream vegetation with the additional benefits of assisting stabilizing stream temperature due to an increase in channel depth that is not exposed to sunlight and surface air temperature, but rather more contact with earthen feature, and additional depth that provides increased fish habitat. 
Additional work was added into Phase III for a "retreatment" of planting container stock and willow cuttings. The exclosures are built. Lake Canyon's salty soil has been difficult to get trees established, but has had some success each time we have attempted planting. We have inserted a component to this project to re-plant some areas of exclosures where trees did not survive the initial planting in order to allow these exclosures to be "seed" areas for future and further self-tree colonization from these sources.
Readers will note that this project contains a seed mix. We have noted an abundance of non-desirable vegetation growing in certain riparian areas of Lake Canyon. Over the course of the project we will re-seed disturbed areas with a desirable seed mix that incorporates better nutrition value for terrestrial game in addition to being less noxious vegetation types that are overgrowing the riparian. 
5. Repair upland meadow habitats - this will be completed with wet mowing of overgrown rabbitbrush, sagebrush, and greasewood that has choked out forbaceous vegetation palatable to terrestrial species.

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.

High stream temperatures impact native trout populations and can limit their distribution in streams. To ensure the stream can provide long-term and sustainable populations of Colorado River Cutthroat trout, sufficient in-stream cover and additional channel depth can provide necessary requirements to keep water temperatures in check. Instream cover and a deeper channel will also provide refugia for trout against predators and unnecessary sunlight which is inhospitable given the lack of deep water habitats in Lake Canyon creek.

Channel degradation and downcutting impacts the hydrology of the canyon and impacts the habitats. Areas above the perennial stream have incised channels that are eroding and slowly head cutting. This lowers the water table and leaves the adjacent areas as perched terraces. This drastically alters the vegetation community from more grassland areas to shrub communities dominated by greasewood and basin big sagebrush. Elements of this project will attempt to stop head cutting and begin to aggrade the channel to elevate the water table once again. Otherwise, the sites will continue to trend to dry vegetation types.

Without providing suitable spawning habitat, Colorado River Cutthroat trout may disappear from part or all of the stream. Gravel spawning habitat is a requirement that is currently lacking in Lake Canyon.

Fish passage is a required feature for fish to colonize, spawn, or feed. Stream connectivity is lacking through much of this treatment reach and is contributing to currently suppressed trout populations.

Additional, natural subsurface irrigation will occur as a result of this project and will enhance deer and elk feed on the landscape.

The project will result in substantial net gains in surface water availability by dredging instream ponds that have had soil/erosion issues in the past and have aggraded into upland habitats. This additional surface water availability and access to E-channel stream length and ponds provides additional habitat availability for migratory waterfowl and bats that are obligate of the water for water and food resources.

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.

CONSERVATION STRATEGY FOR COLORADO RIVER CUTTHROAT TROUT. 
Objective 4 -- Secure and enhance watershed conditions. 
Strategy 7 -- Improve habitat conditions for CRCT (utilizing habitat improvement techniques including stream bank stabilization, and riparian management)

WILDLIFE ACTION PLAN (WAP): This project addresses threats identified in the Utah Wildlife Action Plan to several aquatic and upland habitats, as well as multiple species that use those habitats. See the Species and Habitats tabs for more.

DUCHESNE COUNTY RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN
-- "Support bighorn sheep populations for hunting, viewing, and ecosystem support."
-- "Projects that will protect water quality during periods of flash flooding shall be encouraged and supported. Such projects include installation of flood control structures, dams, retention basins, gully plugs and seeding of drainage ways."
-- "Encourage the use of flood structures, dams, catch basins, gully plugs, and reseeding of grass ways to help reduce erosion during and after storm events. 
-- "Support the treatment of invasive species, e.g., Phragmites, tamarisk, and Russian olive, which can degrade habitat value and impact groundwater levels.
--"Manage access of livestock, wild horses, and native ungulates to sensitive riparian areas using exclosures when appropriate...."
--"Increase cover and extent of native riparian vegetation."
--"Maintain, enhance, and expand sport fishing opportunities."
--"Protect and preserve water quality and fish habitat...."
--"Manage vegetation, specifically forage, to benefit livestock and wildlife and to contribute to the recreation and tourism industry."

STATE OF UTAH RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN.
--The State will seek to protect, conserve, and improve Utah's fish and aquatic wildlife and the habitats upon which they depend.
--The State supports ensuring the persistence of the diversity of native fish and aquatic wildlife in Utah while at the same time providing excellent opportunities for anglers and other recreationists.
--Managing for self-sustaining fisheries in Utah streams should be a priority.
--The State supports implementing active management and restoration projects on federal lands to restore sinuosity, vegetation, and floodplain function which mimic the natural hydrologic system in suitable areas
--Improve vegetative health on public and private lands through range improvements, prescribed fire, vegetation treatments, and active management of invasive plants and noxious weeds.
--Active management should be used to improve and enhance riparian resources to
provide for appropriate physical, biological, and chemical function.
--Prioritize and manage riparian areas to attain desired future conditions for riparian-
related resources
--The State supports the use of structural and non-structural improvements in unstable
water courses to restore riparian areas properly functioning/desired future conditions.
--Expand wildlife populations and conserve sensitive species by protecting and improving wildlife habitat.
--Conserve sensitive species to prevent them from becoming listed as threatened or endangered.
--Produce and maintain the desired vegetation for wildlife and domestic livestock forage on public and private lands.

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.

The fire risk model for the project area shows low fire risk. However, it is likely that fire may start in the canyon bottom in the fine to moderate fuels. This leads to the potential for fire to run uphill and into higher risk fuel types (e.g., pinyon-juniper, Douglas fir), as occurred on the Strawberry River bottom in 2018 before the Dollar Ridge fire. There are a number of structures to the east of the project area, including a number of oil and gas wells. Limiting the dry fuels by creating healthy riparian areas as this project accomplishes in the canyon bottom will reduce the likelihood of a fire starting there and running uphill while providing a potential small fire break. Immediate project benefits are realized through disturbance, which includes trampeling of bunchgrass and removal of greasewood that has colonized the riparian arears of Lake Canyon Creek. Wet mowing of dry, overgrown sagebrush and greasewood complexes also helps reduce fuel loads and similarly reduces fire risk across the valley bottom.

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.

Gully plugs: various structures may be used but will primarily consist of beaver dam analogs. We will also incorporate rock check dams and log vanes as stream hydrology control structures. These structures will be used to prevent additional head cutting and aggrade the incised channel where appropriate. Brush and woody material may be placed in the drainages above the structures to aid in sediment deposition while enhancing or maximizing available fish habitat.

Fish structure maintenance: the DWR heavy equipment crew and DWR NER aquatics staff will use an excavator to perform channel maintenance and fish hotel improvements. Seasonal employees will also assist in the maintenance of the stream project. Structures including fish hotels and overhead log structures will be placed to maximize overhead fish cover and stream shading, and typically placed in deepened areas to provide the best cover areas. Overhead structures are typically placed near added spawning gravel areas/glides to provide easy refuge for spawning fish. 
Added plant container stock and willow cuttings will be done with an auger and hand planting with seasonal employees.
Phragmites will be sprayed in late summer with a Rodeo ground spray.
Wet Mow areas will be treated with a tractor mounted mower that applies herbicide while cutting the plant material.  
Seeding will take place on disturbed areas. This primarily involves the areas surrounding the stream restoration project since these are heavily impacted by ground disturbance and heavy machinery and could impact water quality. However, seeding may also take place post-wet mowing as needed to ensure forabaceous colonization after the nuisance, thick overhead vegetation is removed.

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.

The entire project is on state-owned property managed by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. Personnel from multiple sections have worked together to identify priorities and develop plans to the appropriate management actions.

The US Forest service has been a partner in the Lake Canyon area because Lake Canyon Lake serves as a brood source for the North Tavaputs strain of Colorado River Cutthroat trout. Eggs collected from the lake are used to stock streams throughout the Tavaputs Plateau. The USFS has been a partner in this effort through funding and personnel assistance.

A large portion of the North Tavaputs sub-GMU exists on BLM managed lands. BLM continues to assist with monitoring and habitat work on streams within this sub-GMU for the benefit of Colorado River Cutthroat trout.

The Uintah Basin has a new Trout Unlimited biologist position - this person will assist with facets of project implementation.

Additionally, the USFS has submitted a separate project proposal (WRI 5940) claiming benefits to the CRCT population that this project specifically addresses.

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.

Lake Canyon has become a popular fishery and receives visitors on a daily basis. By protecting and enhancing the habitats, Lake Canyon will continue to provide a popular recreational fishery, in part because of the contributions from the inlet stream. Additional recreation in the surrounding vicinity that benefits users include wildlife viewing and hunting and camping, which will all hopefully be benefited or enhanced with the future management of this project. In 2020, I had a record number of interest from the public (at least 8 different people inquiring) about fishing in the inlet stream. This project benefits these anglers through acquiring and retaining improved stream fisheries in the area. Often, people like to come to the stream to fish because it is small but challenging, and the fish are relatively large (15-18 inches); additionally, Lake Canyon Creek is accessible in early spring and latter fall when most trout streams are inaccessible. 
The Lake Canyon valley bottom also functions as a popular hunting spot for deer and elk hunters. Encouraging forbaceous growth encourages big game species to occupy these habitats and make the area better hunting grounds. 
Lake Canyon is also a popular camping spot due to close proximity of quality hunting and fishing recreation. Our continued improvements improve the quality of use of these resources in this area and further encourages camping and use of the area.

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.