Colorado River Riparian Habitat Restoration
Region: Southeastern
ID: 6872

Project Status: Current

Project Details

Dense stands of Russian olive and tamarisk growing in the riparian zone have displaced native plants, degraded fish and wildlife habitat, reduced forage for livestock and wildlife, limited human access to the river, interfered with the natural fluvial processes of the river and increased the risk of severe wildfires within native cottonwood galleries (Shafroth 2008). Increased water diversions, persistent regional drought and shifting watershed hydrology have all affected the timing, frequency and volume of peak stream flows and weakened the river's ability to effectively scour out the dense vegetation, distribute native seed on banks and floodplains and maintain the natural processes critical to sustaining both aquatic and terrestrial habitat (Christensen 2007, Seager et al., 2012). Additionally, contiguous stands of tamarisk in riparian zones readily carry high intensity fire leading to fire return intervals that are too frequent for the successful establishment of native cottonwoods and willows (Drus et al. 2012).

Vegetation growing along rivers and creeks can play a governing role in habitat creation and maintenance. The density and distribution of native riparian vegetation ebbs and flows as the natural cycles of grazing, drought, disease, fire and flooding change. It can stabilize banks, increase water retention, enhance water quality and floodplain nutrient distribution. Alternatively, non-native vegetation, especially tamarisk and Russian olive, can inhibit stream channel mobility by restricting bank and bar erosion (Pollen-Bankhead, 2009).

As regional climate shifts the hydrology and ecology of the Colorado River and its tributaries, more effort is needed to support this transition and mitigate the detrimental impacts this shift has on imperiled habitats and vulnerable wildlife, including the Colorado Pikeminnow and Razorback Sucker. This project aims to better stabilize the riparian ecosystem by removing obstructive invasive plant populations on off-channel habitats like tributary mouths, side channels and backwater channels, and by reestablishing native plant communities, in order to boost ecosystem resilience for current and projected environmental conditions.
 
This project continues the collaborative planning and implementation processes adopted in FY18 by building on previously WRI-funded projects, linking to projects funded through other grants and agency budgets, and continuing the work of the Southeast Utah Riparian Partnership (SURP) across administrative and jurisdictional boundaries, including BLM, State Sovereign land, county and private land. SURP has made native habitat improvement efforts more efficient by combining efforts and reducing costs. This enhanced collaboration between partners links older and newer projects over a large region and facilitates connectivity between projects and collaboration across administrative boundaries. This project exemplifies what can happen when multiple state, federal, county, private and nonprofit organizations come together under common goals.

An attached General Scope of Work (SOW) includes overall project work guidelines and requirements, and lists project locations and work anticipated in FY 2025.

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.

The overall goal of this project is to restore riparian and aquatic habitats in the Colorado River's riparian side drainages and main stem in the Moab area to a more diverse, functional, self-sustaining, and resilient condition.

Social and economic objectives also play a role in this project. Hiring local contractors and engaging youth through mentorship and conservation crews are central to on-the-ground work, putting money in small rural economies and providing training and skills to youth interested in environmental stewardship.

OBJECTIVE 1 is to reduce the presence of invasive plant species.
 OBJECTIVE 2 is to increase the abundance, diversity and resilience of native plant species.
 OBJECTIVE 3 is to improve stream function critical to sustaining riparian habitat.
 OBJECTIVE 4 is to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires.
 OBJECTIVE 5 is to increase awareness by engaging the local community.
 
Progress will be assessed based on long-term ecological objectives for each project location including:
 
(1) reducing herbaceous non-native plants to less than 5 % of the relative vegetation cover in project areas, and preventing woody invasive plants from forming established thickets from which they will spread;
(2) maintaining total vegetation cover equal to or greater than 30 % even during removal processes;
(3) documenting survival of native plants towards species-specific threshold diversity goals in the riparian corridor.
(4) reducing live tamarisk and Russian olive to less than 15 % of the relative vegetation cover in the long term.
(5) creating firebreaks in key locations as designated by federal, state and local agencies

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.

Change is happening fast on the banks and tributaries of the Colorado River. It is the main artery in the West and, as such, connects a multitude of unique and important habitats for a plethora of flora and fauna including wild turkey, mule deer and Fremont cottonwood. As non-native vegetation densely encroaches on its riverbanks, the channels narrow and deepen, thereby lowering the water table and overall access to water along banks and floodplains. Riparian habitat dries out and disappears. Add in the threat of a swift ecological succession where native plant species are outcompeted, flood events that maintain bank and channel plant growth are less frequent, fuel loading is extreme, and susceptibility to catastrophic fire is high, and the need for action in this place at this time is urgent. The importance of the proper functioning condition and ecological stability of the Colorado River and its tributaries on adjacent ecosystems and the watershed at large cannot be overstated.

This project targets the replacement of invasive plant ecosystems with native ones, the rehabilitation of vegetative-fluvial processes, and the rebuilding of resilient aquatic and riparian habitat. By rebalancing native plant populations, opening up abandoned channels and floodplains, and preserving groundwater aquifer levels in tributary canyons, we can halt and reverse the diminishing conditions on riparian habitats now rather than wait to act and assume the greater cost of crossing ecological and species habitat thresholds.

As tamarisk and olive establish and mature, higher and higher flows are needed to scour out habitual side channels and tributary habitats. The longer we wait, the more entrenched those woody invasive species become and more difficult and costly it is to remove them so that natural processes can effectively return to the river. Additionally, as time passes, more fuel loading of new growth and decaying material increases the potential for high severity and ecologically destructive wildfire. Meanwhile, native plants and animal populations along the river and tributaries will continue to be stressed and struggle to thrive as these invasive species proliferate.

Project sites, along with actions that will benefit each species listed in the species section are listed below:

Yellow Billed cuckoo and Southwest Willow Flycatcher -- Per BLM wildlife biologist Jonathan Argov there is modeled habitat and a history of detections at the project sites in this proposal for both species.  All along the Colorado in the project area, wherever there is tamarisk or willows, is modeled SWFL habitat and has many historic detections. Fish ford has modeled YBCU habitat. Thinning and revegetation work at Fish ford and other sites will support and expand  high quality habitat for these species.

Humpback Chub, Colorado Pikeminnow and Razorback Sucker -- These species all have federally designated critical habitat in or near the project area. The management activities proposed at these sites; reopening and refreshing side channels and backwaters along the mainstem of the Colorado, conducting preliminary assessments for fish passage in Castle Creek and native plant restoration, and invasive removal, will foster the complex, redundant, low-velocity habitat needed for foraging, spawning and rearing that has been shown to be vital for these native species' survival (Dibble et al. 2023). Native restoration also supports the forage base for these species, protecting a critical link in the food web that supplies these native fishes with food. Please see critical habitat maps for each species in documents section.

Silverspot Butterfly - The restoration work in Onion Creek will be in support of Bog Violet (Viola nephrophylla/V. sororia var. Affinis), which is an obligate plant for the Silverspot Butterfly lifecycle.  The Silverspot Butterfly has an annual life cycle and lays eggs on, or immediately next to, the bog violet that the larvae feed on exclusively. The eggs hatch approximately two weeks after being laid in September and the larvae immediately drink water before going dormant until May. When the bog violets flower in May, the larvae begin feeding on them exclusively into July. They then form a chrysalis and metamorphize into adult butterflies, living for about 45 days to lay their eggs in September (USFWS, https://www.fws.gov/press-release/2022-05/service-proposes-listing-silverspot-butterfly-threatened).

In Fall 2023, BLM staff including a BLM Wildlife biologist and BLM Botanist surveyed the Onion Creek site and positively identified Bog violet as present.

Isley's Milkvetch, Jones Cycladenia -- The threatened and endangered plant surveys included at the Onion and Castle Creek sites will, critically, identify whether these species are present in larger areas than have been previously mapped. Knowing that these species exist in these areas in an absolutely vital first step in protecting them. These survey sites have been identified by BLM Botanist Chris Quirin.

Wild Turkey - In semi-arid environments like the sites in this proposal, wild turkey roosts are limited to riparian corridors capable of supporting trees large enough to provide suitable roost sites (Bakner et al. 2022). Native revegetation work in the project, including work at the Potash Road sites and at Fish Ford, will build and support riparian corridor habitat, establishing new native trees that will grow large enough to provide suitable roost sites for wild turkey.

Bald Eagle - Riparian corridors provide important wintering habitat for Bald Eagles, and an active Bald Eagle nest is present in a cottonwood at Fish Ford (BLM Wildlife Biologist, personal communication). Thinning and native revegetation work at Fish ford and other project sites will support existing wintering habitat for Bald eagles and help support the growth of new high quality native habitat.

Mule Deer  - Castle Creek is an important Mule Deer migration corridor within the project area. Non-native thinning and native revegetation work will increase quality of forage for mule deer, provide higher quality habitat and protect the recharge zone for Castle Creek, lessening drought pressure for Mule deer (BLM Aquatic Ecologist, personal communication). Please see the wildlife tracker map for mule deer migration routes on Castle Creek in the attachments section.

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 work in this proposal relates to a number of regional management plans including several BLM planning documents, NPS plans, and State of Utah wildlife plans and vegetation management policies. In addition, it directly relates to the Cooperative Weed Management Area (CWMA) that links to efforts in Western Colorado. This project is also broadly supported by the Southeast Utah Riparian Partnership's plan, and many of its members are listed as partner organizations.
 
The following section outlines how this work meets various management plan goals in each document.
 
(1)	The Moab Field Office (MFO) Programmatic Invasive Species Management Plan (PISMP) is an integrated pest management approach to eradicate, contain, control and prevent targeted weeds within the MFO. The desired goal is to contain or control the spread of invasive species and eradicate species that pose the greatest threat to the biological diversity, and prevent any new weeds from becoming established by utilizing a wide range of treatment options (i.e. mechanical, manual, herbicide, etc.).
 
Proactive vegetation management outlined in this proposal will promote ecosystem health through restoration of diverse native communities, maintaining and improving native forbs and grass species, increasing the regeneration of native cottonwoods and willows in riparian corridors, decreasing wildfire risk, and preventing the loss of wildlife habitat and species diversity. Mapping and monitoring new exotic species will limit the spread of additional invasive species.
 
(2)	Moab BLM Resource Management Plan (RMP) prioritizes management of riparian vegetation and emphasizes the control of noxious weeds, prevention of the spread of invasive species, restoration of vegetated areas and protection and enhancement of special status plant and animal habitats in such a manner that the potential need to consider any of these species for listing as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act does not arise.
 
Reduction of tamarisk and restoration of native riparian vegetation addresses management objectives for improving the quality and health of riparian habitats while improving the quality of resources used in recreation and reducing fuels, decreasing the likelihood and severity of wildfires. Specific management decisions in the RMP that are directly related to the primary objectives of the proposed project include RIP-9, which calls for restoring riparian vegetation "through biological, chemical, mechanical, and manual methods (e.g., tamarisk control, willow plantings)," and RIP-16, which calls for implementation of strategies to "restore degraded riparian communities" and "protect natural flow regimes."

Supporting management decisions are as follows: 
(1) SSS-1 as required by the Endangered Species Act, implement recovery actions identified in Recovery Plans and in Conservation Agreements, Plans and Strategies in coordination with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR), and other interested entities. The BLM will be an active participant in all recovery implementation teams; 
(2) VEG-6 gather necessary vegetation information and continue monitoring to assess if planning objectives are being met; and 
(3) GRA-9 collect monitoring data, including trend, utilization, actual use, and climate data to determine if existing livestock management practices are meeting land-use planning and resource objectives. 
Additionally, decision SSS-9 seeks to support population and habitat monitoring of threatened and endangered species including Jones cycladenia.

BLM participation in the "Conservation Agreement and Strategy for Cisco milkvetch, stage station milkvetch, and Isely's milkvetch" (CAS) includes four levels of monitoring: (1) population and habitat monitoring, (2) effectiveness of conservation actions, (3) adaptive management, and (4) compliance with regulatory mechanisms. Relevant stressors listed in the document include recreation, livestock grazing, nonnative, invasive plant species, land development and conservation, and periodic drought and climate change.
 
(3)	The BLM Utah Riparian Policy states that "riparian areas are to be improved at every opportunity." Under this proposal, native plant distribution, native fish habitat and grazing areas for domestic livestock will all be improved in riparian areas.
 
(4)	The NPS Southeast Utah Group conducted an Exotic Plant Management Plan Environmental Assessment (EA) in 2009. In particular, pages 3-5 in chapter 1 outline specific herbicides and management goals which are supported through this WRI proposal. "1.  Restore native plant communities to reduce the need for ongoing exotic plant management. 2. Prevent unacceptable levels of exotic plant damage, using environmentally sound, cost-effective management strategies that pose the least possible risk to people, park resources, and the environment." The river corridor was identified as an area of concern in this EA, with targeted tamarisk as one of the goals. This WRI proposal supports the NPS overarching exotic plant management and river specific goals.
 
(5)	The Utah Mule Deer Statewide Management Plan calls for an emphasis on improving riparian habitat and use of seed mixes that include sufficient forbs and browse species. One of the strategies for actively revegetating some of the tamarisk treatment areas includes reseeding with native locally sourced seed mix. In addition, the greater access to the river provided by the reduction of dense tamarisk stands will improve riparian habitat and browse for mule deer. The work in Castle Valley will also improve Mule Deer migration habitat.
 
(6)	Pursuant to the Utah Noxious Weed Act, Section 7, to every person who owns or controls lands in Grand County, Utah, that noxious weeds standing, being, or growing on such land shall be controlled and the spread of same prevented by effective cutting, tillage, cropping, pasturing, or treating with chemicals or other methods, or combination methods, or combination thereof, approved by the County Weed Supervisor, as often as may be required to prevent the weed from blooming and maturing seeds, or spreading by root, root stalks or other means. Listed species include tamarisk, Russian knapweed, Ravenna grass and Russian olive. Almost all of the individual projects listed under this proposal targets tamarisk, Russian knapweed, or Russian olive for treatment and/or removal.
 
(7)	Middle Colorado River Watershed Cooperative Weed Management Area Cooperative Agreement (CWMA)- includes partnering organizations working along the Colorado River work towards the CWMA's goal "to promote an integrated weed management program throughout the MCRW-CWMA that includes public relations, education and training in the non-native invasive weed arena as well as inventory, monitoring, controlling and preventing the spread of non-native invasive weeds, sharing of resources, and designing other desirable resource protection measures relative to weed management."
 
(8)	BLM Healthy Lands Initiative: The project area has been identified as a focal area of this vegetation- resources enhancement initiative to restore and improve the health and productivity of western public lands. The Healthy Lands strategy increases the effectiveness and efficiency of vegetation enhancement treatments by focusing on treatments on a significant percentage of lands -- both Federal and non-Federal -- within six geographic locations, rather than focusing on the local project level. The strategy increases opportunities to leverage cooperative solutions across ownerships and jurisdictions.
 
(9)	U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Utah Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program Strategic Plan, updated 2022: This project does not fall within a priority area, priority habitat (riparian), and addresses threats to priority species (SWFL and YBCU). However, the "End of Slope" focus area shares many physical and ecological similarities with the project area. Keeping that similarity in mind, the work outlined in this proposal will benefit many of the same species that are highlighted in the "End of Slope focus area", including Yellow billed cuckoo, Southwest Willow Flycatcher, Razorback sucker and monarch butterflies. This project will also use many of the Habitat Restoration and Enhancement practices from the strategic plan, including channel and in-stream restoration, native plantings, invasive species control and erosion control.
 
(10)	Conservation Planning for the Colorado River in Utah: With the help of local and regional natural resource professionals coordinated through the SE Utah Riparian Partnership, The Nature Conservancy, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management and Utah Forestry Fire and State Lands helped Fort Lewis College to develop a broad-scale, spatially-explicit assessment of 146 miles (~20,000 acres) of the Colorado River mainstem in Grand and San Juan Counties, Utah that will function as the basis for a systematic, practical approach to conservation planning and riparian restoration prioritization. For the assessment we have: 1) acquired, modified or created spatial datasets of Colorado River bottomland conditions; 2) synthesized those datasets into habitat suitability models and estimates of natural recovery potential, fire risk and relative cost; 3) investigated and described dominant ecosystem trends and human uses; and 4) suggested site selection and prioritization approaches. 5) created a tool in ArcGIS Field Maps that partners can and are using to plan, record and collaborate on projects.
 
Two additional collaborative management tools came out of the assessment, the Herbaceous Weed Control Coordination Plan for the Colorado Riverway and the Colorado River Cross Watershed Restoration Herbicide Supplement for Projects. These tools will guide herbicide usage on projects for FY2025 and into the future.
 
Partner organizations and others collaborating with the SE Utah Riparian Partnership are using the site assessment, the Field Maps tool and datasets to identify and prioritize restoration actions to increase ecosystem resilience and improve habitat for bottomland species. Primary datasets include maps of bottomland cover types, bottomland extent, maps of areas inundated during high and low flow events, as well as locations of campgrounds, roads, fires, invasive vegetation treatment areas and other features.
 
(11)	Utah Wild Turkey Management Plan: 
Objective 1. Maintain and Improve Wild Turkey Populations to Habitat or Social Carrying Capacity.
Objective 2. Stabilize populations that are declining outside of natural population fluctuations; especially through catastrophic events (i.e. following fires, severe winters, etc.).
Objective 3. Conduct habitat projects to address limiting factors.
Objective 4. Increase wild turkey habitat, quality and quantity, by 40,000 acres statewide by 2020.
Objective 5.  Conduct habitat improvement projects in limiting habitat(s). By removing dense tamarisk stands and increasing plant diversity along the river we are increasing possible turkey habitat and improving forage areas as well.
 
(12)	Scott M. Matheson Wetlands Preserve Habitat Management Plan 1994 outlines ecologic goals including:
Preserve wetland and associated habitat patterns including spring and fall migratory stopover
-nesting, young rearing, and year-round habitat for local resident wildlife; and, Enhance or create habitat for rare and/or desirable species, where possible, without damaging important existing habitat or wetland functions. By slowly returning areas to native vegetation this project will create more bird habitat. By removing tamarisk in a patchwork pattern, it will prevent the removal of all bird habitat and will allow for native shrubs and trees to grow for birds to use. 
 
(13)	Utah DNR Colorado River Comprehensive Management Plan (CRCMP): Two areas of focus defined by the CRCMP are native vegetation enhancement and bank and channel restoration. The CRCMP has defined the following management goals which this project proposal supports:
- Wildlife Habitat Goal 2: Restore and enhance native habitats in and along the banks of the Colorado River.
- Wildlife Habitat Goal 3: Support habitat restoration or enhancement on lands adjacent to the Colorado River.
- Geomorphology Goal 1: Recognize the role of tamarisk in the reduction of sediment mobility and the promotion of channel narrowing. 
- Geomorphology Goal 2: Improve connectivity between the river channel and floodplains where possible.
- Hydrology Goal 2: Support restoration efforts that integrate riverine processes.
 
(14)    	Castle Valley Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CVCWPP) Outlined under the Risk Reduction are a number of goals that relate to olive removal work in Castle Creek.
- Goal one is to implement defensible space on private land.
- Goal two is to cooperate with private landowners to maintain and expand shaded fuel breaks and "brush outs" along existing roadways, fence lines, and natural and existing fuel breaks.
- Goal five is to encourage through education firewise landscaping, vegetation and grasses into green spaces and private property where possible.
- Goal seven is to seek funding resources for implementation of goals.
Removal of Russian olive near houses in Castle Creek helps achieve all of these goals.
 
(15) Grand County's 2020 Community Wildfire Protection Plan: The Colorado River Corridor is identified as a part of the priority 2 area for mitigating wildfire risks. Within priority area 2 it notes that "The County's experience with fire management along the river corridors has been challenging. The recreation activities along the rivers pose a unique problem because fire agencies don't know where people are located at any given time. Winds in the corridor can also make fire management very difficult.". Within the CWPP a number of goals are addressed by this WRI proposal:
A-5: Evaluate fuel loading around communities and identify priority areas for fuel reduction treatments. Specifically fuels management projects near water sources.
A-6: Conduct fuel reduction treatments in previously identified priority areas.
A-10: Control Noxious weeds that contribute to fire hazard.
A-12: Reduce undesirable fuels adjacent to riparian areas to reduce fire impacts...
B-6: Coordinate with agencies to plan upcoming fuel reduction treatments and offer county support to implement treatments.
B-13: Manage recreation to prevent wildfire ignitions and to reduce fuel loading.
B-14: Support wildlife habitat improvement projects that also reduce wildfire risk.
 
(16) Moab Valley 2020 Community Wildfire Protection Plan: The Colorado River Corridor from the Matheson to Poison Spider is identified as priority area 3 for wildfire mitigation work, noting that Recreation activities along the corridor increase the likelihood of fire events. In addition, Utah Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal (UWRAP) data identifies this section as potentially moderate to high wildfire severity. The Matheson Preserve is identified as priority area 4 for wildfire mitigation work. The CWPP notes that "Fire fuels are of extreme concern due to both the density of fuels and the proximity of structures to those fuel loads.".  Within the CWPP a number of goals are addressed by this WRI proposal:
A-5: Evaluate fuel loading around communities and identify priority areas for fuel reduction treatments. Specifically fuels management projects near water sources.
A-6: Conduct fuel reduction treatments in previously identified priority areas.
A-10: Control Noxious weeds that contribute to fire hazard.
A-12: Reduce undesirable fuels adjacent to riparian areas to reduce fire impacts...
B-3: Prevent noxious/invasive weed proliferation through management, control, and reduction.
B-6: Coordinate with agencies to plan upcoming fuel reduction treatments and offer county support to implement treatments.
B-13: Manage recreation to prevent wildfire ignitions and to reduce fuel loading.
B-14: Support wildlife habitat improvement projects that also reduce wildfire risk.

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 proposed work will reduce risk from fuel loading by thinning non-native fuels in overgrown areas of Russian olive and tamarisk along the mainstem and in side drainages of the Colorado river in the vicinity of Moab, Utah. These areas will be reseeded with native seed and containerized plant materials. Many of the native species that will be planted and seeded are included in the Utah firewise plant list including various species of penstemon, Populus, and Salix.
 
Invasives such as Russian olive and tamarisk can serve as ladder fuels, carrying fire into the crowns of native cottonwoods, Goodings willow, sumac, oak and hackberry. According to the Utah DNR Wildfire Risk Portal (UWRAP) the project area is at risk of high intensity fire. The project area has had increasing wildfires over the past 17 years as climate change continues to worsen and average flows decrease. Contiguous stands of tamarisk and Russian olive in riparian zones lead to fire return intervals that are too frequent for the successful establishment of native cottonwoods and willows -- a key component of our restoration efforts on the Colorado and its tributaries.
 
This work will also protect both the city of Moab and thousands of acres of high-quality habitat and outdoor recreation opportunities that are some of the most iconic in Utah, and which are the bedrock of the local economy.
 
Specific fire/fuels focused elements of this project include thinning along Potash Road, Fish Ford and Castle Creek by contractor and conservation corps crews in coordination with BLM Fire and the BLM Aquatics program.

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.

The right species type and density of vegetation can have a large effect on riparian processes, especially when growth inhibits hydrologic access to the floodplains, side channels and streambanks. By helping reestablish channel and floodplain connectivity, this project may directly increase bank and floodplain water storage and filtration capacity, attenuate instream flows throughout the year, decrease transpiration by invasive species, and expand the saturated zone and hydric vegetation along the riparian corridors. Removal of early-stage infestations of invasive species such as Russian olive, tamarisk and Ravenna grass will decrease channelization and downcutting of waterways in treated side canyons and channels. The reduction of these thickets will improve the size and roughness of riparian and floodplain habitats and improve groundwater recharge. 
 
Targeted seeding and revegetation in recently cleared areas, as well as restoration of native plants may stabilize natural drainage conditions. Post-removal native planting and seeding will slow water velocity and add habitat complexity, increasing soil infiltration and building vibrant habitat for fish and wildlife. 
 
The community of Moab, Utah may benefit from decreased salinity inputs and increased filtration via a healthier riparian habitat, while improved floodplain connectivity will remove sediment and pathogens, and increase allochthonous nutrients that stimulate natural nitrogen and phosphorus cycling (Wolf et al. 2012). As tamarisk and Russian knapweed have high rates of evapotranspiration, conversion to mesic native vegetation across the project area's floodplains may yield water quantity savings in the Colorado River. The removal of woody invasive species like Russian olive has been linked to saving water and over time water quality increases (Shafroth et al. 2009).
 
This project will use herbicide as one tool within an integrated pest management framework. For this type of work, using herbicide for spot, stump and frill treatments, the mortality of target plants is significantly higher when herbicide is used. Conducting this project without the use of herbicide would not be cost-effective, as many more additional entries would be needed.  For this project and in areas where there is risk of herbicide coming in contact with ground or surface water, aquatic-approved herbicides will be used during recommended environmental conditions. The impact of aquatic approved herbicides on aquatic organisms is measurable in scientific studies, but through careful, targeted application with appropriate chemicals, the goal is to minimize this impact. Please see the Colorado River Projects Herbicide supplement attached in the documents section of this proposal for more information.

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 attached General scope of work, along with the mapped areas and the Colorado River herbaceous weed management plan and herbicide supplement give more detail about exact locations of work and methods.

Herbaceous and woody invasives will be removed and treated through a combination of chainsaws, hand tools, herbicide application and manual removal. Species appropriate mowing will occur several times throughout the growing season to prevent non-native species from seeding.
 
Treated areas on and above the ordinary high water mark will be reseeded with native seed and containerized plants. Local native plant material will be used as much as is possible. Planting and seeding will occur in fall 2024 and spring 2025 with follow-up or make-up at sites in spring and early summer 2025. Planting techniques will include wattles, pole planting, containerized plantings and longstem methods.
 
In general, the following methods will be used (see herbicide supplement attachment and general SOW for more information):
 
WOODY REMOVAL: Woody non-natives are to be removed (when in groupings over 3 trees) or treated and left standing (when trees are individual, using herbicide in a frill or girdle cut treatment), leaving 30%-40% cover at sites. Aquatic approved Triclopyr or Glyphosate are the herbicides of choice based on BLM documentation and Pesticide Use Proposal (PUP) for most of this work, except when species suggests otherwise. Timing of treatments located below the ordinary high water mark in off-channel habitats will be based on the least impact to native fish, typically in early and late winter months well before higher flows and after spawning and nursery migration.
 
Denser thickets of tamarisk and olive will be removed in phases starting at existing native plants and in areas of high recreational use using a cut stump method, leaving 30-40% cover, with a preference for native cover if possible by site.  This phased approach allows for better shading and cooler surface temperatures to promote passive regeneration of native vegetation as well as habitat benefits for bird species. 100% tamarisk removal will occur in sites where the overall invasive plant composition is 30% or less. This occurs in some retreatment sites. Biomass will be chipped, burned or scattered depending on the quantity of biomass.
 
RAVENNA GRASS REMOVAL: Ravenna grass will be dug out, and its seed heads bagged. GPS locations will be recorded for future follow-up work. In some situations where digging may be too disruptive or time consuming, Ravenna will be treated with herbicide.
 
HERBACEOUS AND FINE FUELS REDUCTION: Herbaceous weeds including Russian thistle, kochia, cheatgrass, knapweed and others not only reduce the passive regeneration of native perennial and annual species, but also increase fire fuels risks. Fine fuels treatments using brush mowers and string trimmers will help reduce fine fuels hazards and improve native plant regeneration, when appropriate for the species. Other herbaceous species will need to be treated with herbicide, like Russian knapweed.
 
REVEGETATION: In appropriate areas, cottonwood, willow, hackberry, oak, birch, and critical shrub or tree species will be planted using long stem planting techniques to establish riparian overstory species. Natural recruitment of cottonwood and other tree species along large, dam-affected river systems throughout the desert southwest is limited due to changes in flood patterns and associated encroachment of non-native tamarisk and Russian olive. In areas where the river bank is steep and narrow or near a road or other infrastructure, willow poles and wattles (both vertical and horizontal) may be used to establish willows to increase bank stability. Willow material will be harvested from nearby locations. Containerized shrubs may also be planted in these areas to help create islands of vegetation and shade to assist with natural recruitment.

EROSION CONTROL: In areas with erosion issues, native plantings and seeding along with native woody material may be used to minimize overland flow and limit channel downcutting.
 
Project locations are listed below by project type:
 
INITIAL WOODY REMOVAL FOCUS
* Seven side-channel inlets between river mile 54 to 99 - tamarisk and olive removal
* Lake Bottom - backwater channel tamarisk and olive removal
* Castle Creek - Expand on previous work to remove Russian olive on lower Castle Creek including additional removal, seeding, resprouts and containerized planting.

FOLLOW UP AND RETREATMENT FOCUS
* River Mile 99, 98, 86, 81, 60, Matheson, Gold Bar and Lake Bottom - Follow-up treatment of woody regrowth in side channels, bars and along banks.
* Above New Rapid - Follow-up treatment of woody regrowth in side channel, and additional channel contouring to restore function of side channel habitat. 
* Fish ford -- Follow up to BLM tamarisk thinning, herbicide treatments and needing with native grass. Corps crews will treat resprouts and herbaceous non-natives and apply native seed and containerized plants if appropriate. After evaluation of effectiveness of herbicide and grass seeding, seeding with native forbs and containerized plantings may follow.
*Castle Creek -- Follow-up in thinned areas, corps crews will frill cut standing olive and conduct revegetation using containerize plants and native seed in areas that do not have strong native recovery potential.
*Potash Road Sites -- BLM has thinned several tamarisk-infested sites along Potash Rd (279). Corps crews will treat resprouts and herbaceous non-natives and apply native seed and containerized plants if appropriate.

ECOLOGICAL ASSESSMENTS AND PLANNING
* Castle Creek downstream of Castle Valley, RRR will evaluate with the BLM for future work to link to work at Red Cliffs and coordinate with DNR, FFSL, BLM and private landowners on possible installation of fish passage at the diversion on lower Castle Creek.

*Onion and Castle Creeks - Corps crews working with BLM Botanist will conduct threatened and endangered plant surveys in Onion and Castle Creek in support of habitat protection efforts. Such species included (with NatureServe ranking) are Jones' cycladenia (T3), Isley's milkvetch (G1S1), and Schultz stickleaf (G1S1), with consideration of cataract gilia (T2) and aromatic scurf-pea (G3S2). Youth corps will be trained to assist the BLM botanist with a variety of non-destructive surveys for abundance, basic demography, and visual cover using transects, nested quadrats, and line-point intercept methods.

This survey effort is intended to follow up the 2024 pilot surveys to close data gaps and inform future surveys. Site locations are in proximity to other watershed restoration projects and explore ecological relationships with soils, water, invasive species, pollinators, and other wildlife.
 
 REVEGETATION and EROSION CONTROL
*Onion Creek -- BLM has surveyed and found Bog Violet in several areas, which indicates important habitat for Silverspot Butterfly. Treatments will focus on supporting Bog Violet populations by removing non-natives and addressing erosional issues that may threaten Bog Violet at the Onion Creek Site.

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.

Monitoring is an integral part of this project to evaluate the success of treatments and to ascertain if additional treatment is needed. Other monitoring efforts include assessing which treatments were most successful in order to improve treatment techniques over time, and assessing for threatened and endangered plants at additional sites to expand future work. This monitoring information will be included in a report and photos that will be uploaded to the UWRI website.

In FY 2025 Rim to Rim will continue site assessment monitoring work in coordination with the BLM, and native planting mortality monitoring at restoration sites to continue to improve revegetation efforts and track success.  Site assessments will track community composition at sites and recovery over time, using the FieldMaps app to gather and share data. Plant mortality at sites is tracked simply by noting number of plants planted and then assessing mortality by leaf browning and stem condition each fall before the first frost. This information is compiled in a yearly report by Rim to Rim and will be uploaded as part of the project reporting for FY25.

The BLM will facilitate threatened and endangered plant surveys using corps crews. These surveys will provide a crucial first step in protecting these species that are already a focus of work in FY25 for this project.

FFSL River crews will monitor side channel, bar and backwater vegetation and geomorphic features to assess water availability through repeat photography and vegetation surveys. The species biodiversity, density and regrowth timing will be measured and related to annual peak flow. Physical addition or loss of vegetated sand bars in the sites will be surveyed by GPS. Terrestrial and aquatic species observations will be documented within the habitat including beaver dams, otter scat, deer beds, bird nests, plant herbivory and utilization. Repeat photography will be conducted continually from year to year for visual comparison at certain sites.

The SE Utah Riparian Partnership, primarily through BLM partnership, has developed a site assessment tracking tool that can be used through ArcGIS Field Maps by all partners at local, county, state, and federal levels to map plant populations for future projects and also to collect and track post-treatment information. In FY2025 data will be collected at conservation corps and BLM project sites.

BLM Riparian & Wetland AIM crews will conduct monitoring according to the Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) protocols. Site summaries of previous Colorado River WRI AIM monitoring efforts are attached in the Images/Documents section. This will include targeted vegetation transects with the purpose of measuring both overstory and understory vegetation change. Measurements will include line-point intercept cover and height, woody structure and age class, annual use, community composition, species richness, soil pits, and hydrologic condition using BLM's AIM protocols. Repeat photography will be conducted from year to year for visual comparison.

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.

Most partners on this project work together through the Southeast Utah Riparian Partnership (SURP), a group of land management agencies, local governmental units, and other organizations interested in riparian health in Southeast Utah. This group has been collaborating on projects for over 10 years; and writing joint proposals for work on the Colorado River and its tributaries since 2017.

Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
The BLM Canyon Country District is fully involved with this project and restoration effort. The following BLM programs have supported and contributed to this project; Aquatic Habitats (Fisheries, Riparian, Hydrology), Fire & Fuels, NEPA, GIS, Archaeology, Wildlife, Botany, Weeds, Range, and Recreation. Additionally, Fire & Fuels crews will help implement tamarisk removal and restoration work.

Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands; Sovereign Lands (FFSL SL)
The Division will assist through in-kind seasonal and permanent staff labor working with crews on the ground, as well as project planning and monitoring support, and matching contributions to contractual services. In FY 2025 FFSL will have several seasonals working on Colorado River projects. FFSL Sovereign Lands staff are working with all partners on various Colorado River sites.

Grand County Weeds Department (GCWD)
With a focus on noxious and invasive weeds, GCWD has been working on the Colorado River for over 18 years to restore and protect native riparian ecosystems. They work on a wide variety of lands, including public, state, and private property. GCWD offers technical assistance, on-the-ground efforts, and chemical knowledge.

Rim to Rim Restoration (non-profit)
Rim to Rim Restoration (RRR) is involved in ongoing vegetation monitoring throughout the project area and provides expertise in riparian restoration design, planning and project management. RRR will assist with project coordination and site assessment efforts between, and in coordination with, agencies. Rim to Rim will also provide training, data collection for vegetation monitoring along the Colorado River, assistance in planning innovative restoration projects, including non-native tree removal throughout the watershed area, and native plant materials for revegetation. RRR is uniquely qualified to perform these tasks for the project due in part to their role coordinating the Southeast Utah Riparian Partnership, and due to many years of experience executing these roles. RRR has worked with FFSL, BLM, Grand County, City of Moab, DWR and other local nonprofits and contractors for over 15 years, and can bridge administrative boundaries. RRR also has direct experience with running removal crews, revegetation crews and growing locally collected native plants in Southeast Utah.

Conservation Corps
The Southeast Utah Riparian Partnership is open to working with all conservation corps that want to work in SE Utah. Conservation Corps crews are uniquely qualified to provide consistent and efficient work at low cost on projects along the Colorado River and side drainages.

Science Moab
Science Moab is a science communication nonprofit dedicated to making science happening across the Colorado Plateau accessible, relevant, and empowering for local communities and visitors in the region. In their School to Science program, they host a mentorship initiative designed to address the lack of high-quality science education and access to science career opportunities for Grand County High School students. Science Moab will serve as a liaison between our project team and the Grand County High School Career and Technical Education program to recruit, place, and support local students in these job shadows.  Selected students will work with the FFSL River crew on a Fall and Spring trip to learn about riparian ecosystems and river management and to photo document several monitoring sites.

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.

The Southeast Utah Riparian Partnership members are fully committed to providing resources through federal, state and non-profit organizations to support the long-term success of this project.  By taking action now at the sites highlighted in this proposal, future management in these areas should be reduced.  SURP's Field Maps app will collect site information and condition as the project is implemented.  Grand County Weed Department, BLM, FFSL, RRR and other project partners will monitor the treated sites  and partners will evaluate additional treatment needs including native revegetation work.
 
The project is part of a multi-year effort to control remaining infestations of priority invasive plant species such as tamarisk, Russian olive, and Russian knapweed along the Colorado River and its side drainages. Repeated treatments will be required to remove the remaining 30-60% of invasive species and treat any resprouting invasive vegetation. Seeding grasses, forbs and shrubs, and planting trees in the removal sites each year assists passive restoration of native species and supplements the recruitment of willow in tamarisk removal areas.
 
All partners revisit project sites to evaluate removal efforts and follow-up with revegetation and secondary weed invasion as needed. Future work may include seeding and planting or herbicide applications. Native fish populations will continue to be monitored in the Colorado River System, particularly through the Utah DNR Aquatics Monitoring Program. Agencies will continue to work with water users to promote varied water flows that will create beneficial conditions for native fish and create flood conditions to create habitats for many wildlife species.

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 removal of Russian olive, tamarisk, Russian knapweed, and other invasive vegetation will allow the multiple uses of the riparian zones along the Colorado River and tributaries to be more sustainable and resilient for future generations. This project will support progress that has been made in the last seven years along the river corridor that has benefited riparian ecosystems, desert fish, birds, game, recreational opportunities, water quality, agriculture, and other areas by:
 
1)	Reducing potential seed and root materials transport from noxious weeds along the river from more remote riparian areas. This work to limit non-native spread also protects native vegetation in upland areas and protects forage for grazing.
2)	Reducing catastrophic wildfire risk in the project area to protect recreation infrastructure, public safety and wildlife habitat, including the city of Moab and the town of Castle Valley. 
3)	Providing open water for waterfowl, creating and maintaining habitat and hunting opportunities in southeastern Utah. 
4) 	Managing for abundance of quality native grasses and forbs in the project area, increasing forage for wildlife with an emphasis on improving forage availability, especially in the critical mule deer winter range in Castle Valley.
 
The removal of tamarisk, Russian olive and Russian knapweed is expected to benefit domestic livestock in three ways:
 
First, it will facilitate the re-establishment of perennial grasses, native forbs, and shrubs that have much higher forage value than invasives. By creating areas of healthy forage adjacent to grazing parcels in side drainages, we can provide seed sources to adjacent land and reduce invasive pressures on rangeland. Past knapweed treatments have led to the rapid re-establishment of perennial grasses and additional seeding will be used to accelerate the recolonization of native grasses in selected areas where native grasses are sparse in habitat adjacent to the treatment site.
 
Second, control of invasive woody revegetation like Russian olive can make managing livestock easier. Although large numbers of cattle may not access this stretch of river, native grazers like mule deer do, decreasing pressure on water resources in nearby areas that are grazed. Therefore, grazing and animal distribution will increase as more riverbank and side canyon perennials steams are accessible for "watering" wildlife. Mule deer will also benefit from the increase in native grasses and other plants and from the habitat improvement in the upland as well.
 
Third, Russian knapweed is known to be toxic to horses, potentially causing facial paralysis, malnutrition, dehydration, and necrosis (USDA Agr Info Bulletin Number 415). Controlling this noxious weed will reduce the potential for these and other livestock health issues by limiting knapweed spread.

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.