Project Details

The Southern Region of Utah Division of Wildlife (UDWR) proposes three species distribution sampling into rarely inventoried tributaries of the Fremont River to provide information on distribution and abundance of three species in the Fremont River Basin. Activities will include distribution sampling in Pleasant Creek and Sulphur Creek, tributaries of the Fremont River.
Historically, fish distribution surveys in the Fremont River Basin have been numerous but limited temporally in tributaries (Collotzie and Worthen 1970, McAda et al. 1978, Hepworth and Leppink 1982, Hardy et al. 1989, Hepworth et al. 1993, Kirby and McAllister 2005, Kirby and McAllister 2007, Kirby and McAllister 2009). In FY06-FY08, UDWR conducted baseline three species distribution sampling in the Fremont River Basin. Sampling included both quantitative and qualitative stations in Captiol Reef National Park (CRNP), outside the boundaries of CRNP (upstream and downstream), and in Pleasant Creek. Results suggest that in the Fremont River, Roundtail Chub have been extirpated and Flannelmouth Sucker and Bluehead Sucker populations were self-sustaining, but experiencing low recruitment. In Pleasant Creek, multiple age classes of Flannelmouth Sucker and Bluehead Sucker were captured, suggesting that populations were also self-sustaining. In FY11, following intensive fish distribution surveys, UDWR established long-term monitoring stations in the Fremont River to track three species distribution, population trends, and guide future management and conservation actions. Sampling design and protocol are based on three species monitoring in the Escalante River (Dobbs and Fridell 2010). Since 2010 Fremont River monitoring efforts are conducted biennially in standardized monitoring stations in CRNP.
In FY22, the National Park Service (NPS) conducted fish distribution surveys in Pleasant Creek and Sulphur Creek within CRNP (Medley et al. 2021). In Pleasant Creek, multiple age classes of Bluehead Sucker were captured, but no Flannelmouth Sucker were captured. In Sulphur Creek, young (<80 mm) Flannelmouth Sucker and multiple age classes of Bluehead Sucker were captured.

The results of these recent surveys by NPS are interesting and help update current records and document new records for three species in these two tributaries. For Pleasant Creek, it has been 15 years since UDWR conducted any sampling in this tributary and no sampling has ever been conducted in Sulphur Creek. Therefore, current distribution sampling in Pleasant Creek and Sulphur Creek is critical in filling data gaps and evaluating the current distribution of three species in the Fremont River Basin.

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.

Conservation and Management Plan for Three Fish Species in Utah: Addressing needs for Roundtail Chub (Gila robusta), Bluehead Sucker (Catostomus discobollus), and Flannelmouth Sucker (Catostomus latipinnis) (Andersen et al. 2006) 
The Conservation and Management Plan for Three Fish Species includes conservation actions to conserve these fish species that are addressed within this project proposal. These
include: 1) Conduct status assessment of Roundtail Chub, Bluehead Sucker, and Flannelmouth Sucker. 3) Determine Roundtail Chub, Bluehead Sucker, and Flannelmouth Sucker population demographics, life history, habitat requirements, and conservation needs.

Utah Wildlife Action Plan (2015) The goal of the Wildlife Action Plan is "to manage native wildlife species and their habitats, sufficient to prevent additional listings under the Endangered Species Act." Removal of non-native species that compete with and prey on the native fish species addresses threats outlined in the Wildlife Action Plan.

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.

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.