Project Details

The 2018 Dollar Ridge Fire burned most of the Strawberry River corridor, inclusive of the approximate 70,000 acres lost due to the fire.  Subsequent summer rain events immediately following the fire in 2018 and 2019 produced severe flooding that severely damaged the river corridor. In response to these floods, Duchesne County obtained funding through the NRCS Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) program to address issues caused by these extreme flood events.  The focus of this project was to re-establish road access to property owners located further upstream and construct the access in a manner that would withstand future flood events that are likely. Duchesne County completed this work December 2020, which affected the river corridor from Promised Land Resort upstream to approximately 2 miles above Timber Canyon. In summer of 2020 Wasatch County decided to accept EWP money for the portion of the Strawberry River corridor in Wasatch County. The Wasatch County portion of the project is currently in the planning stages with work scheduled to begin in the spring of 2021 pending permitting.  The addition of funding through WRI will provide flexibility for stream habitat work in portions of the project requiring stream disturbance (see attached engineering documents for specific prescriptions. The EWP program has restrictions on the type of work that can occur in the stream, sometimes resulting in less than optimal stream habitat. WRI and/or Habitat council funds will be able for DWR to proactively partner with the project engineer (Jones and DeMille) and Wasatch County to prescribe solutions to road/river conflicts that are not currently available given the restrictions of EWP funds. Most of the focus of these four point locations, each approximately 200-300 meters long, will be to redirect the river and create a new, natural designed channel across the valley from the existing road/stream conflict. Funding will allow us to be a more proactive partner with ongoing EWP efforts and give DWR additional voice during the construction of these projects. Wasatch County will be able to list DWR funding as a match, while DWR will benefit because EWP funds will be utilized concurrently in the project area (including engineering costs) to additionally support the recommended structures and channel design with significantly less cost to DWR than a complete overhaul of the project areas in the future. We recognize and agree with a stance that we would prefer to wait on any stream habitat rehab and restoration until the greater watershed has more time to heal and decrease chances of catastrophic flooding; however, we see an opportunity to mitigate and/or benefit from a partnership in a few key areas that will otherwise be rendered featureless and lacking in fish habitat; if only EWP funding exists, we expect that default decisions will occur of simply hardening the bank along the river to protect the road. 
Grand-scale plans for all components of the EWP project are conceptualized in geospatial format here:
https://arcg.is/1iqe1W

Tamarisk and musk thistle has exploded in the wake of the fire. DWR staff is not even aware of any tamarisk occurring between the Strawberry Pinnacles upstream to Solider Creek dam previous to the fire. A portion of the project dedicated to thoroughly removing the nuisance vegetation before it establishes in adult-form will greatly increase the chances of permanently removing this vegetation. Only a rapid response to this invasion has a chance to proactively hinder these invasive species from establishing.

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.

Initial impacts to the river from fire and flood events are beginning to heal and the river is actually in decent shape in many places. However, the necessity of repairing and protecting the road will cause further impacts to river health and fish habitat. With restrictions on the type of work that can be done under current EWP funding, existing fish habitat will be lost. Quantities of stream will be virtually featureless with few places for fish habitat in the affected sections. Any funding obtained through WRI can be used to install structures to protect and enhance stream health and fish habitat that would not be installed without the funding. EWP funding does not allow for the construction of new channels in the manner we (DWR) wish to prescribe. This work should be done now, while equipment is in the area and impacts to the stream are current and before further degradation occurs as a result of human intervention to save and protect the road. Waiting until a later date to install these structures would require entering the stream a second time and would cost substantially more than if they were completed now. There will be immediate fisheries benefits to the project that would otherwise not occur. We also view this as a demonstration where EWP projects and rehabilitation projects can coexist and be beneficial in working together.

There is a risk that summer rain events could result in additional flooding that negates some of the proposed work. However, we are aware of the risks and believe our best benefit for limited funding is to address certain features now; we realize there is a risk that we may have to repair portions of structures.

If tamarisk and musk thistle are not addressed, our window for removing these unwanted invasive species will close and the vegetation will establish. Both of these species are notorious for replacing native vegetation over time and will provide a less desirable riparian vegetation platform for all land use, including fish and wildlife.

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 Utah Wildlife Action plan identifies Colorado River Cutthroat Trout as a species of greatest conservation need. See "Species" section of database for threats to CRCT this project will address.

The Utah Wildlife Action plan identifies "Riverine" and "Aquatic Scrub/Shrub" as key habitat types. See "Habitats" section of database for threats to riverine habitats this project will address.

The Strawberry River WMA Habitat Management Plan's goals are to protect, improve, and restore watershed, soil, and vegetative resources for the benefit of fish and wildlife.

The Duchesne County Resource Management plan contains the following relevant policies:
-- The management of the watershed should allow for continued multiple use.  It should preserve the quality and quantity of water as well as environmental values and allow the watershed to support existing as well as future uses.
-- Projects that will protect water quality during periods of flash flooding shall be encouraged and supported.  
-- It is the policy of Duchesne County to encourage private and public land owners/managers to maintain the important functions of riparian areas under their jurisdiction.  
-- Duchesne County supports the use of BMPs to avoid sedimentation impacts to riparian areas from road development. This includes offsetting road alignments at least 300 feet from riparian areas and wetlands and relocating or improving road crossings as practicable. 
-- Use bio-engineering methods that facilitate riparian vegetation growth for bank stabilization in lieu of hardened structures or surfaces. 
-- Support and encourage public land management agencies to provide and maintain sufficient opportunities for fishing on public lands.
-- Support efforts to protect water quality and the quality of the associated fisheries.
-- Support efforts to improve fish habitats while balancing the rights of adjacent landowners and holders of water rights.
-- Coordinate and communicate with DWR to ensure that public fishing opportunities are maintained and enhanced.
-- Early detection and rapid response measures to control noxious weeds shall be supported.

The Wasatch County Resource Management Plan contains the following relevant policies:
-- The management of the watershed should allow for continued multiple use where applicable. It should preserve the quality and quantity of water as well as environmental values and allow the watershed to support existing as well as future uses.
-- It is recommended that road alignments be setback at least 300 feet from riparian areas and wetlands as practicable.
-- It is the policy of Wasatch county to encourage private and public land owners to maintain the important functions of riparian areas under their jurisdiction.
-- Avoid impacts to riparian areas from road development.
-- Offset road alignments at least 300 feet from riparian areas and wetlands as practicable. Relocate or improve road crossings as practicable.
-- Use bio-engineering methods that facilitate riparian vegetation growth for bank stabilization in lieu of hardened structures or surfaces.
-- Support and encourage public land management agencies to provide and maintain sufficient opportunities for fishing on public lands.
-- Support efforts to protect water quality and the quality of the associated fisheries.
-- Support efforts to improve fish habitats while balancing the rights of adjacent landowners and holders of water rights. 
-- Coordinate and communicate with DWR to ensure that public fishing opportunities are maintained and enhanced.

The State of Utah Resource Management Plan contains the following relevant policies and guidelines:
-- 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.
-- The state of Utah supports proactive management of noxious weeds.
-- The State of Utah supports adequate funding to combat the spread of noxious weeds. In addition, the state supports the removal of noxious weeds from affected areas and rehabilitation of effected areas post treatment. 
-- The State supports the use of structural and non-structural improvements in unstable water courses to restore riparian areas properly functioning/desired future conditions. 
-- The State supports the removal of invasive species from riparian areas on public lands.
-- Expand wildlife populations and conserve sensitive species by protecting and improving wildlife habitat.

The Conservation Agreement and Strategy for Colorado River Cutthroat Trout in the State of Utah identifies habitat degradation as a threat to CRCT populations. This project aims to prevent habitat degradation. The conservation agreement and strategy also contains the following relevant goals, objectives, and actions:
-- Enhance and/or restore habitat conditions in designated waters throughout the range of CRCT.

The Conservation Strategy for Colorado River Cutthroat Trout in the states of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming contains the following relevant objectives and strategies:
--Ecosystems selected for restoration of CRCT will be secured from watershed habitat degradation
-- Habitat improvement techniques will be used where appropriate to provide missing habitat components or improve existing ones.

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.

We do not anticipate water quality or quantity changes as a result of tamarisk and musk thistle removal. Tamarisk is actually known for developing tap roots and may have limited impacts on increased evapotranspiration compared to a native species canopy and assemblage.

Water quantity will not be affected by instream work. However, by creating a natural stream channel with associated natural fluvial features, the stream will be able to process sediment transport and load more naturally. Floodplain features will be allowed to be depositional features. If the project is not funded, floodplain connectivity will be lost for substantial reaches of the project area. Sediment transport will be affected because stream power will be unnatural due to increased of bank hardening. This stream power is unnatural, and will cause further erosion in other areas (lateral and vertical scour) adjacent to bank hardening features. Additionally, a natural channel has the best chances of re-vegetating post-construction, which would lead to additional natural channel stability and fine sediment capture due to the vegetation component. A hardened bank does not provide this filtering feature.

The Strawberry River flows into Starvation Reservoir, which provides culinary water for the city of Duchesne. Water quality in the reservoir was impacted during the initial flood events. By providing a more natural stream channel, we hope to prevent further impacts, not only to the river, but to the downstream reservoir and it's users.

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.

Four point areas are identified (see map and attached engineering plans). Two of the plans involve constructing one or more reaches of toewood structure to anchor and deflect the river away from the road while providing substantially increased fish habitat. Channel cleaning will be involved to basically re-create a channel feature where there is currently not a channel. Gully plugs will be installed at the top of the features to prevent the river from re-cutting back into the old channel. As part of the EWP project, some bank hardening will occur along the road, but the perennial channel will no longer be there or affected. Some of the current, old channel will be left in tact as wetlands and as overflow capacity in the event of a major runoff event. J-hooks and cross vanes are added in as appropriate to anchor and deflect the river upstream and downstream of toewood structures and to control the grade in A/B/C channel reaches. Rosgen B classified channels that have substantial amount of work completed are typically structure heavy; B channels comprise the bulk of the identified area. Root wads may be used as appropriate to provide deflection and habitat.

Tamarisk and musk thistle will be removed by contract crews using loppers (to cut tamarisk saplings) and backpack sprayers to treat stumps and thistles with herbicide.

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.

There will be substantially more projects/phases involved in the Strawberry River in the future. This project barely scratches the surface of all that can and should be done along the river corridor. However, we believe it is in our best interest to wait a number of additional years (3-4) before we address stream habitat issues on a larger scale. There is a risk of experiencing massive stream blowouts yet because the terrestrial component of the watershed has not fully healed yet. A severe blowout could be detrimental to an overall larger project. This project is only suggested because we have an opportunity to work with partners in using EWP funding to complete substantially more work than otherwise would be done with the amount of contributed funds, and this funding will give us a voice in how the overall project is implemented in order we minimize loss of stream and riparian habitat in the wake of the greater EWP project. In 3-4 years, we anticipate large-scale projects where we will rapidly address fisheries habitat deficiencies that resulted from the fire and catastrophic flooding that occurred. Depending on the amount of funding we are able to procure in the future, it is possible that we may be working on Strawberry River projects for 3-6 years after we start.

It is likely that follow-up tamarisk and musk thistle control will need to occur for a number of years following this project in order to ensure complete eradication.

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.