Project Details

This project seeks to mitigate the increasing threat that catastrophic wildfire presents to the critical watershed found in the Wasatch Front. A large, catastrophic fire in these watersheds could severely damage watershed function by changing the timing and intensity of stream flow, increasing sedimentation and turbidity, and altering water chemistry. These impacts could significantly impair the ability of the Wasatch Front watersheds to deliver clean water to over half a million people who live in Salt Lake City and surrounding communities.

Historically, the Wasatch Front consisted of fire dependent watersheds that burned every 100 to 300 years with mixed severity fire effects (25% to 75% overstory mortality). This fire regime created complex patches of different tree species, stand structure, and vegetative successional stages which limited the extent of high severity (75% to 100% overstory mortality) fires that can have catastrophic effects on watersheds. Early pioneers extensively logged, mined, grazed livestock and suppressed fires in the Wasatch Front watersheds since their arrival in 1847. These activities quickly degraded water quality and in 1906 the Wasatch National Forest was established to restore and protect the Wasatch Front watersheds. Reforestation and regeneration of extensively cut over forests as well as a nearly 200 year absence of fire have resulted in large areas of relatively homogenous forest conditions. Symptoms of poor forest health become increasingly apparent as conifer trees encroach into aspen stands and overcrowded forests of Engleman spruce, white fir, Douglas fir, and subalpine fir exhibit signs of disease and insect infestations such as spruce beetle and balsam woolly adelgid (BWA). Drought and climate change exacerbate these issues and set the stage for large, destructive fires driven by heavy fuel loadings of dead and diseased trees. This project is one of several projects within the Salt Lake Ranger District to help reduce this growing threat through a series of progressive and holistic treatments including hazardous fuels treatments, riparian restoration treatments, and invasive species control.

Hazardous fuels treatments will reduce the risk of catastrophic fire by removing conifer encroachment in naturally fire resistant aspen stands and thinning, piling, and burning vegetation in mixed conifer forests to increase tree spacing and remove ladder fuels that contribute to crown fire. The work proposed in this project will occur primarily in Big Cottonwood Canyon and builds on previous work done in Parleys Canyon, Lambs Canyon, and Millcreek Canyon to create a network of hazardous fuels treatments that will reduce fire severity and/or aid in fire management efforts in the event of a large fire.

Riparian restoration will focus on Low-Tech, Process Based (LTPBR) methods such as Beaver Dam Analogs (BDAs), Post Assisted Log Structures (PALS) and strategic tree felling. These cost effective methods have been proven to reconnect floodplains, trap sediment from going downstream, halt stream channel incision, and increase habitat complexity, which has the potential to help mitigate the effects of catastrophic wildfires on streams. In other watersheds in Utah where streambed incision is severe following catastrophic fire introducing large amounts of woody debris in the form of dead and burned trees has been successful at aggrading streambeds and increasing stream complexity by trapping eroded sediments and holding them in place. Healthy streams and connected wetlands create natural firebreaks.

A recent invasion of myrtle spurge has spread along the Wasatch Front and up into the canyons. Myrtle spurge is an exotic invasive weed that outcompetes the native vegetation many wildlife species, especially big game such as mule deer, depend on. Previous projects in Parley's Canyon effectively treated myrtle spurge with herbicide. This project proposes expanding myrtle spurge control to Millcreek Canyon, Big Cottonwood Canyon, and Little Cottonwood Canyon to contain the spread and eradicate this weed before it gets further out of control.

In addition to wildfire risk mitigation, this project will benefit many wildlife species including mule deer, elk, moose, golden eagles, Bonneville cutthroat trout, many small mammals such as bat species, mountain cottontails, squirrel species, snowshoe hare, and more (see wildlife tracker data for examples of big game). Hazardous fuels reduction treatments reduce conifer and allow for increased aspen, which benefits mule deer, elk, moose and other wildlife species by allowing for understory growth that can create forage as well as cover for small species, including pollinators like western bumble bee. Openings are also created that allow for vegetation growth but also create flyways for various bat species in the canyon (e.g., little brown myotis, big brown, silver haired bat, hoary bat, long-legged myotis, long-eared myotis and others). The mosaic landscape created after vegetation recovers in the area would most likely restore and enhance habitat for migratory bird species as well, since many use varying types of habitat or successional stages but the project area hasn't experienced the typical disturbance regimes to create those habitat types. The changes in vegetation types will also benefit pollinator species such as the western bumble bee, as new openings will allow for forbs and flowers to grow and compete. Aspen-conifer habitat is second to riparian habitat in wildlife species diversity and abundance, thus it is a key habitat type to improve and restore. Riparian restoration will create greater habitat diversity for Bonneville cutthroat trout in addition to many other wildlife species. Removing myrtle spurge will help protect native vegetation within areas that are used by bighorn sheep, mule deer, and elk. With current conditions of the stands in this canyon, these treatments are expected to overall create mosaic habitat that is healthier and more resilient to high severity fire, insect outbreaks, and disease, which will benefit a variety of wildlife species that use this area now and into the future.

Provide evidence about the nature of the problem and the need to address it. Identify the significance of the problem using a variety of data sources. For example, if a habitat restoration project is being proposed to benefit greater sage-grouse, describe the existing plant community characteristics that limit habitat value for greater sage-grouse and identify the changes needed for habitat improvement.

Stream and Riparian Component 
Objective 1 - Increase channel complexity and reconnect floodplain habitats by implementing two low-tech, process-based restoration projects (BDAs). 
Objective 2 - Increase the water table and transient storage capacity of headwater streams to ensure sufficient water flows for trout all summer. 
Objective 3 - Increase uptake of non-lethal beaver management practices by providing implementation of pond-levelers and culvert protectors.

Upland Objectives 
Objective 5 - Mitigate the catastrophic fire potential in the Wasatch Front: 
A. Remove up to 50% of dead, diseased, and unhealthy trees on slopes less than 50%. 
B. Increase canopy spacing to prevent crown fires.
C. Remove lower limbs of trees and other ladder fuels to prevent crown fires. 
D. Increase native forb communities to slow fire growth and spread potential. 
E. Remove conifer encroachment in aspen stands.
Objective 6 - Create/expand and improve aspen habitat for upland wildlife that could be occupied immediately after treatment. 
Objective 7 - Improve ecosystem resiliency and meet habitat objectives defined by the Salt Lake Ranger District Resource Management Plan by increasing aspen, perennial grass, and forb cover by >10% and >5% respectively by 5 years post treatment. 
Objective 8 - Increase pollinator habitat by promoting forbs that flower through different times within the growing season. 
Objective 9 - Create flyways for Goshawk feeding and habitat by reducing tree density.

Provide an overall goal for the project and then provide clear, specific and measurable objectives (outcomes) to be accomplished by the proposed actions. If possible, tie to one or more of the public benefits UWRI is providing.

The Wasatch Front contains some of the most critical watersheds in Utah. These watersheds provide culinary water to a rapidly growing population of over a half-million people as well as economically important recreational opportunities for over 9 million visitors each year. However, catastrophic wildfire increasingly threatens the important ecological and economic benefits that the Wasatch Front watersheds provide. Logging, grazing and mining in the late 1800s as well as a legacy of fire suppression has drastically altered the forest ecosystems found in the Wasatch Front and created large areas of relatively homogenous forests that are susceptible to insect and disease outbreaks. Climate change exacerbates these issues and increases the risk of high severity wildfire. Wildfire mitigation and watershed restoration efforts are desperately needed in the Wasatch Front to ensure that these critical watersheds continue to function.

The US Forest Service Wildfire Crisis Strategy has identified the Wasatch as one of its Priority Landscapes. This project helps meet Wildfire Crisis Strategy goals of:
Cross-boundary mechanical treatments to reduce risk to private property and infrastructure in the WUI.
Creation or strengthening of strategic fuel breaks utilizing Potential Operational Delineations to facilitate prescribed fire, increase opportunities for the use of beneficial wildfire, and assist with suppression actions on unwanted fires.
Mechanical and prescribed fire forest and watershed restoration treatments to reduce fuel loading and build resilience to future disturbances exacerbated by a changing climate, focusing on critical watersheds.

Opportunity exists in the present to engage in restoration efforts before catastrophic wildfire occurs or conditions degrade to the point that watershed restoration and wildfire risk mitigation becomes prohibitively expensive. Proactive treatment efforts now will reduce costly fire suppression expenses in the future as well as limit the wide-ranging financial impacts of degraded water quantity and quality to the communities who depend on these watersheds. Furthermore, this project continues previous phases of restoration and wildfire risk mitigation projects accomplished on adjacent public, private, municipal, and state lands to connect and extend these treatments. Creating larger, more contiguous area of treatments will both enhance the effectiveness of previous efforts as well as build on the financial contributions of the partners who have funded this work, including WRI. Not engaging in these projects now will reduce the value of the financial investments already made to watershed restoration and wildfire mitigation in the Wasatch Front and defer costs to the future, when they will likely be more pressing in nature and much higher.

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.

1)	State of Utah Resource Management Plan 
Wildlife 
*Conserve, improve, and restore 500,000 acres of mule deer habitat throughout the state with emphasis on crucial ranges. 
*Protect existing wildlife habitat and improve 500,000 acres of critical habitats and watersheds throughout the state by 2025. 
*Produce and maintain the desired vegetation for wildlife and domestic livestock forage on public and private lands.

Noxious Weeds 
*Establish immediate revegetation or rehabilitation after treatment. The state of Utah supports prevention as one of the best methods of managing noxious weeds. 
T&E Species 
*Work with stakeholders and partners to continue to implement recommendations from the Utah Wildlife Action Plan 2015--2025 to conserve sensitive species and their habitat. 
*Restore 75,000 acres of critical habitat for sensitive species each year through the Watershed Restoration Initiative and by partnering with other government and nongovernmental entities. 
Water Quality and Hydrology 
*Cooperate in the protection, restoration, enhancement, and management of water resources in the State of Utah to the extent of each agency's authority, expertise, and resources.

2)	Salt Lake County Resource Management Plan 
Land Use 
*Encourage public land management agencies to restore damaged areas. *Encourage coordination between federal agencies and local governments, public land managers, and private landowners. 
*Fuel reduction techniques such as conifer reduction, grazing, prescribed fire, and chemical, biological, and mechanical treatments may be acceptable, given site-specific variables. 
*Work with the private landowner(s), federal, or state agency, in cooperation with Utah Forestry Fire & State Lands to remove fuel load buildup by prescriptive grazing, silviculture prescriptions or mechanical means. 
Wildlife 
*Forest and range health are managed to provide more forage for both livestock and wildlife. 
*Cooperation between livestock owners and wildlife agencies occurs to manage the lands to the benefit of all species. 
*Funding increases for the increased quality of habitat for all species. 
*Promote hunting and wildlife photography in the area. 
T&E Species 
*The county supports finding local solutions to protect sensitive species in an effort to prevent federal listing. 
*Salt Lake County participates in the management of watersheds on public and private lands to optimize quality and quantity of water. 
*Preserve our watershed and ensure that reclamation occurs on areas destroyed by fire. 
*Support projects and policies that maintain and improve soil ecology and vegetative cover in uplands. 
*Salt Lake County will participate in the management of watersheds on public and private lands watersheds to optimize quality and quantity of water. 
*Where water resources on public lands have diminished because grasses have succeeded to woody vegetation, a vigorous program of mechanical treatment should be applied to promptly remove the woody vegetation and stimulate the return of grasses. These efforts would be intended to provide a watershed that maximizes water yield and water quality for wildlife, and human uses. 
*To identify and control noxious weeds and invasive plant species, beginning at the head of each natural drainage area of the watershed. 
Noxious Weeds 
*Remove noxious and invasive vegetation along rivers and streams, followed by revegetation. 
*Control noxious weeds and poisonous plants in cooperation with public land users and state and local agencies. 
*Continue to encourage, coordinate with, and participate in public land management agency projects to implement an aggressive noxious weed and invasive species control operation on all of the lands they manage. Promote the use of good science to establish data used in rangeland decision-making. *Where rangeland health has suffered for any other reason, a vigorous program of mechanical treatments such as chaining, logging, seeding, lopping, thinning, burning, and other vegetative treatments should be applied to remove woody vegetation and stimulate the return of the grazing forage for the mutual benefit.

3)     Utah Statewide Mule Deer Management Plan (2019) 
*Habitat Goal: Conserve, improve, and restore mule deer habitat throughout the state with emphasis on crucial ranges 
* Habitat Objective 1: Maintain mule deer habitat throughout the state by protecting and enhancing existing crucial habitats and mitigating for losses due to natural and human impacts 
*Work with local, state and federal land management agencies via land management plans and with private landowners to identify and properly manage crucial mule deer habitats, especially fawning, wintering, and migration areas 
*Work with local, state and federal land management agencies and ranchers to properly manage livestock to enhance crucial mule deer ranges 
*Habitat Objective 2: Improve the quality and quantity of vegetation for mule deer on a minimum of 700,000 acres of crucial range by 2026 
*Work with land management agencies, conservation organizations, private landowners, and local leaders through the regional Watershed Restoration Initiative working groups to identify and prioritize mule deer habitats that are in need of enhancement or restoration (Figure 6). Emphasis should be placed on crucial habitats including sagebrush winter ranges and aspen summer ranges 
*Initiate broad scale vegetative treatment projects to improve mule deer habitat with emphasis on drought or fire damaged sagebrush winter ranges, ranges that have been taken over by invasive annual grass species, and ranges being diminished by encroachment of conifers into sagebrush or aspen habitats, ensuring that seed mixes contain sufficient forbs and browse species. 
*Encourage land managers to manage portions of pinyon-juniper woodlands and aspen conifer forests in early successional stages using various methods including timber harvest and managed fire 
*Protect, Maintain, and/or improve deer habitat through direct range improvements to support and maintain herd population management objectives 
*Work with private landowners and federal, state, and local and tribal governments to maintain and protect critical and existing ranges from future losses and degradation 
*Work with federal, private, and state partners to improve crucial deer habitats through the WRI process. 
Habitat Management Strategy 
*Continue to improve, protect, and restore sagebrush steppe habitats critical to deer. Cooperate with federal land management agencies and private landowners in carrying out habitat improvements such as pinion-juniper removal, reseedings, controlled burns, grazing management, water developments, etc. on public and private lands. Habitat improvement projects will occur on both winter ranges as well as summer range 
*Reduce expansion of pinion-juniper and other woodlands into sagebrush habitats and improve habitats dominated by pinion-juniper woodlands by completing habitat restoration projects like lop & scatter, bullhog, and chaining.

4)    Utah Elk Statewide Management Plan (2015) 
Habitat Objective 1: Maintain sufficient habitat to support elk herds at population objectives and reduce competition for forage between elk and livestock. 
*Coordinate with land management agencies and private landowners to properly manage and improve elk habitat, especially calving and wintering areas. 
*Increase forage production by annually treating a minimum of 40,000 acres of elk habitat 
*Coordinate with land management agencies, conservation organizations, private landowners, and local leaders through the regional Watershed Restoration Initiative working group Recreation Management Goal: Enhance recreational opportunities for hunting and viewing elk throughout the state. 
*Maintain a diversity of elk hunting opportunities. 
*Increase opportunities for viewing elk while educating the public concerning the needs of elk management and the importance of habitat

5)    Utah Wild Turkey Management Plan (2014) 
Goal A. Maintain and improve wild turkey populations to habitat or social carrying capacity 
Objective1. Stabilize populations that are declining outside of natural population fluctuations; especially through catastrophic events (i.e. following fires, severe winters, etc.). 
Strategy c: Conduct habitat projects to address limiting factors.
Objective 2. Increase wild turkey habitat, quality and quantity, by 40,000 acres statewide by 2020. 
Strategy d: Conduct habitat improvement projects in limiting habitat(s).

6)     Utah Wildlife Action Plan 2015-2025 
This project proposes to increase the amount and/or improve the condition of three of the thirteen key habitat types in the state: lowland sagebrush, aquatic scrub/shrub ("riparian"), and riverine ("lotic" or flowing water). 
This project will also address threats to the following wildlife: Black Rosy Finch, Golden Eagle, Greater Sage-Grouse, Colorado River Cutthroat Trout, Bluehead Sucker, Northern Leopard Frog, Boreal Toad, Little Brown Myotis. Threats addressed and strategies to improve condition are include below. 
Lowland sagebrush
*Alterations from reference conditions that have occurred ... include widespread encroachment by juniper and pinyon pine, and understory depletion. 
*Deficits of some young and mid age classes, and surplus of older and especially the uncharacteristic class Threat- Inappropriate fire frequency and intensity (VH) Improving Condition 
*Promoting and funding restoration that reduces the Uncharacteristic class, including cutting/mulching/chaining of invading pinyon and juniper trees 
*Developing and deploying techniques to diversify the understory species composition and age classes of decadent even-aged sagebrush stands. Aquatic-Shrub/Scrub Threat-sediment transport imbalance (M), improper grazing (H) Improving Condition 
*Promoting policies that maintain or restore natural water and sediment flow regimes. 
*Promoting policies that reduce inappropriate grazing by domestic livestock and wildlife.
*Continuing the use of appropriate methods for reducing the spread and dominance of invasive weeds, including "early detection -- rapid response" programs. 
*Continuing the use of appropriate methods for reducing the spread and dominance of invasive weeds, including "early detection -- rapid response" programs

Aquatic-Riverine Threats- sediment transport imbalance (M), inappropriate fire frequency/intensity (M), invasive plant species non-native (M) Improving condition *Promoting policies that maintain or restore natural water and sediment flow regimes.  Black Rosy Finch Threat- inadequate understanding of distribution or range (NA) * An altitudinal migrant, moving to sagebrush or shrubland in lower elevation valleys, benches, and foothills during winter. Golden Eagle Threats- fire and fire suppression (M), * Found in open country with sufficient mammalian, avian, and reptilian prey, or carrion in winter. * Apparent breeding declines associated with fire, shrub loss and jackrabbit declines in the Great Basin area (Slater et al. 2013, Keller 2014)129130. Little data on nesting in southeastern Utah exists. Greater Sage-Grouse Threats-fire and fire suppression (VH), other ecosystem modifications (H) * A sagebrush obligate species dependent on sagebrush ecosystems for breeding, brood rearing and winter survival. * The species is found throughout Utah in suitable sagebrush habitat, however distribution in Utah now covers only 41% of historic habitat in several disjunct populations. Colorado River Cutthroat Trout Threats-habitat shifting and alteration (H), other ecosystem modifications (H) * Need cool, well-oxygenated water. * Occur in streams and high lakes in the Colorado River Basin. * Populations have become isolated and fragmented. Bluehead Sucker Threats-habitat shifting and alteration (M), fire and fire suppression (H) * Occurs in mainstem and tributary locations. *Found in the Colorado, Snake, and Bonneville River Basins. *Habitat and populations have been lost from water diversions and barriers to movement. Northern Leopard Frog Threats-other ecosystem modifications (M) * Highly aquatic frog found in streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, and meadows for breeding and overwintering * Found in pinyon-juniper, sagebrush, and desert grassland habitat Little Brown Myotis Threats-habitat shifting and alteration (M), * Little brown bats are currently common and abundant in Utah.

7)    National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy
Where wildfires are unwanted or threaten communities and homes, design and prioritize fuel treatments to reduce fire intensity, structure ignition and extent.
Where allowed and feasible, manage wildfire resources objectives and ecological purposes to restore and maintain fire-adapted ecosystems and achieve fire-resilient landscapes.
Use and expand fuel treatments involving mechanical, biological, or chemical methods where economically feasible and sustainable, and where they align with landowner objectives.

8)    USFS Wasatch Wildfire Crisis Strategy
Create cross-boundary mechanical treatments to reduce risk to private property and infrastructure in the WUI.
Create or strengthen strategic fuel breaks utilizing Potential Operational Delineations to facilitate prescribed fire, increase opportunities for the use of beneficial wildfire, and assist with suppression actions on unwanted fires.
Create mechanical and prescribed fire forest and watershed restoration treatments to reduce fuel loading and build resilience to future disturbances exacerbated by a changing climate, focusing on critical watersheds.

9)    Revised Forest Plan Wasatch-Cache National Forest -- Forestwide Goal 4 Fire and Fuels Management
Wildland fire use and prescribed fire provide for ecosystem maintenance and restoration consistent with land uses and historic fire regimes. Fire suppression provides for public and firefighter safety and protection of other federal, state and private property and natural resources. Fuels are managed to reduce risk of property damage and uncharacteristic fires.
Subgoal 4a. Increase the active use of fire to return fire dependent ecosystems to proper functioning and to reduce hazardous fuels.
Subgoal 4b. Increase public understanding and support of the active use of fire to improve watershed and habitat conditions and reduce fuels.
Subgoal 4c. Take timely actions to restore proper functioning of ecosystems after wildfire.
Subgoal 4d. Reduce hazardous fuels (prescribed fire, silvicultural and mechanical treatments) with emphasis on interface communities (wildland/urban) and increase proactive participation of communities at risk.
The cut/pile and lop scatter treatments proposed by this project helps meet the goals of reducing hazardous fuels and managing fuels and fire to reduce uncharacteristic fire.

10)    Brighton and Big Cottonwood Canyon Wildfire Preparedness Plan The purpose of wildfire preparedness planning is to... Motivate and empower local government, communities, and property owners to organize, plan, and take action on issues impacting the safety and resilience of values at risk Enhance levels of fire resilience and protection to the communities and infrastructure Identify the threat of wildland fires in the area Identify strategies to reduce the risks to structures, infrastructure and commerce in the community during a wildfire.

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.

Catastrophic wildfire presents a substantial threat to the Wasatch Front watersheds. While fire is a natural and necessary component of many forest ecosystems, catastrophic wildfires are those whose size and severity cause extensive damage to infrastructure and/or damage to ecosystems that is greater than their ability to recover from fire. Early pioneer practices of extensive logging and grazing in conjunction with over a hundred years of fire suppression has contributed to large areas of relatively homogenous forests that have become susceptible to insect and disease outbreaks and high severity fire. These over stocked mixed conifer forests have high shrub and dead and down surface fuels as well abundant "ladder fuels" that transition fire to the overstory canopy. Drought and climate change compound these issues and create a fire environment that under high fire weather conditions will likely produce a large, high severity fire with a high resistance to control efforts and catastrophic effects in the Wasatch Front. Quantitative Wildfire Risk Assessments (QWRA) from the US Forest Service show that much of the Wasatch Front has a high Burn Probability and ranks as either "High" or "Very High" for expected loss to assets and watershed function (see QWRA Report). In this context, fuels treatments such as the ones proposed in this project can moderate the effects of a wildfire as well as create strategic fuel breaks that assist firefighters to more effectively engage a wildfire.

Aspen stands naturally resist high intensity fires due to their relatively low fuel loading. However, conifer encroachment into aspen stands in the Wasatch Front threatens to replace aspen stands with conifer forests. This will increase the continuity of hazardous fuels across the landscape and contribute to large fire growth. This project proposes lop/scatter treatments in aspen stand to set back conifer encroachment and maintain healthy, fire-resistant aspen stands that can serve as natural fuel breaks.

Continuous mixed conifer forests with heavy dead and down fuel loading and dense ladder fuels are prone to burning with high severity and present a significant challenge to fire management. This project proposes cut/pile/burn treatments in which dead and down logs and ladder fuels such as small trees and the lower limbs of large trees are cut, placed into piles, and burned in the winter months when fire danger is low. These strategically placed treatments will assist with control efforts and reduce wildfire intensity and severity.

Functional riparian areas create a fuel break that can slow or stop a wildfire since they have green vegetation most of the time. Repairing and creating healthy riparian areas in the project area will increase the connectivity of riparian areas and improve the value and efficacy of these natural fuel breaks.

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.

Big Cottonwood Creek (BCC) is an important drinking water resource for the greater Salt Lake City municipal area. Coordinated fuel treatments and riparian restoration projects are proposed to improve current water quality by reducing sediment loads, and buffer water resources from impacts of catastrophic fire and climate change.

BDAs are an effective and relatively inexpensive and scalable way to improve water quality across the watershed by reconnecting incised stream channels with their floodplain.   Project partners (UDWR, USFS, SLCDPU) have identified up to four tributaries to BCC that could be candidates for BDAs based on support of landowners, and incised stream channel conditions. Otherwise low-gradient streams become incised for a variety of reasons. In BCC, likely causes include legacy effects of historic clearcutting, long-term lethal trapping of beaver, and altered flow regimes from road and other development.  BDAs create low-tech speed bumps, dissipating erosive energy during high flows and creating opportunities for sediment storage in the channel and floodplain. BDAs can also increase transient water storage in headwaters, which can aid in flood control and buffer dry season flows and water availability downstream. 
There is not a large reservoir at the bottom of BCC so building many small reservoirs can help function in the same way.

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.

BDAs- Sageland Collaborative will obtain necessary permits (stream alteration any other relevant ordinances), and support site assessment/monitoring. NEPA is in place for BDAs on Forest Service land. Construction will begin in late-summer/fall of 2025. 
We will follow best management practices, which include no large equipment or re-fueling in the riparian zone/floodplain, minimizing and distributing disturbance to existing riparian vegetation collected for fill materials, and timing the project in late summer/fall in order to 1) avoid high flows and ensure safety of workers/partners & volunteers, 2) avoid spring/summer spawning season of Bonneville Cutthroat Trout, and 3) avoid illegal takes of migratory birds per the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

Myrtle Spurge- We worked with the USFS last year to get the necessary permit to spray on the USFS. NEPA is done but we just have to fill out some paperwork that will be done in time for this project. The first phase of this project funded the cultural surveys on USFS lands and supported compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). All NEPA requirements were completed on 03/2023 for the work to be done in Mill Creek Canyon. Vegetation and archaeology surveys were completed in the previous phase of this project. NEPA for the USFS lands is under construction and intended on being signed soon for the mechanical treatments in Big Cottonwood Canyon.

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.

Upland 
Hand crews will treat upland sites with either cut and pile or lop and scatter. Cut and pile involves using a chainsaw to cut small conifer trees, removing lower limbs of larger conifer trees, and fall snags. These materials as well as dead and down logs are compiled into piles for future burning. Lop and scatter involves using a chainsaw to cut conifer trees out of aspen stands, meadows and other areas. Target species are cut within six inches of the ground on the uphill side. Slash is kept to less than 30 inches above the ground and no longer than 8 feet.

Prescribed fire
Piles will be hand ignited under wet or snow covered conditions that allow at least 80% consumption of the pile while minimizing fire spread from the pile.

Riparian
BDAs will be built with hand crews that pound the untreated posts into the stream bed. Then natural, local to site, woody material is weaved between the posts. This turns into a porous structure that slows water down and reduces erosion without impounding the water. Beaver are present in many parts of BCC, and BDAs can be attractive locations for additional dam building. Each BDA project site will be carefully planned in locations that will not conflict with existing infrastructure. 
Beaver coexistence: Beavers bring many benefits to a watershed, however their activities can also conflict with and cause risks to built infrastructure. Project leads will proactively reach out to stakeholders potentially impacted by beaver activity throughout the project area, and install beaver coexistence methods such as pond levelers, beaver deceivers, and tree-wrapping where needed. Project partners will also coordinate to increase non-lethal beaver trapping where possible.

Terrestrial
Myrtle spurge will be spot-sprayed by hand crews and drones. We will use a mixture of roundup and Telar that has been effective in Parley's Canyon. The location of these populations has been informed by Cottonwood Canyons Foundation's (CCF) mapping work, and CCF will complete mapping and monitoring of sprayed areas to track the population's response to treatment.

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.

The project will be monitored for success in the short and long term and will be reported back to WRI. 
 
Salt Lake County is committed to collecting long-term water quality data. We will compare pre-treatment data to post-treatment.

Cottonwood Canyons Foundation monitors invasive plant populations using GIS Field Maps to collect polygon data that includes percent cover, phenology, and ecology as well as polygons for where chemical treatment occurred.

Wildlife Monitoring
Wildlife monitoring using trail cameras, acoustic monitors, and visual encounter surveys will be conducted by Utah's Hogle Zoo at priority survey sites (as determined by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources) along the Wasatch Front. Fieldwork will occur April to August. Monitoring efforts aim to evaluate the impact of habitat changes before and after restoration initiatives, such as BDA installation. Camera monitoring focuses on medium and large wildlife species; acoustic monitoring focuses on bat and bird species; and amphibian monitoring focuses on the imperiled western (boreal) toad (Anaxyrus boreas boreas) and other amphibians. Pre- and post-restoration monitoring of wildlife communities and habitats help state agencies and managers evaluate the efficacy of restoration interventions and adapt management strategies accordingly. Additionally, data from amphibian surveys, which document presence/absence, breeding evidence, and habitat condition, contribute to recovery planning for the western toad in Utah, including identifying sites that may be suitable for repatriation. The amphibian-monitoring project is a continuation of a long-term partnership among Utah's Hogle Zoo, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Sageland Collaborative, U.S. Forest Service, and Utah Geological Survey.

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.

Forest Service: Will be providing funding/planning/implementation support and is one of the project managers working closely Utah Division of Wildlife. The Forest Service will begin the NEPA process for future phases. 
DWR: The Utah DWR will provide contract administration associated with both upland and riparian work. The DWR will also provide monitoring in the stream channel and on the uplands. Additional monitoring will be conducted on small mammals and reptiles by DWR staff. Archaeological clearance will be a combination of in-house surveys and contracts through DWR. 
Private Landowners: There are multiple private landowners involved in this project. There has been coordination with these landowners to maintain the project and manage property accordingly to help achieve project success. 
NRCS: Will help with soil analysis.  
Rocky Mountain Power: Assist with powerline corridor maintenance.
UDOT: UDOT will continue to partner with the USFS as they have in the past with electric sign support, maintaining of ROW's and supporting the roadside chipping program. 
UFFSL: Will partner with us and help reach out to private landowners so projects don't stop on ownership lines. 
UFA: With the new interagency agreement with UFA there will be opportunities for cutting and burning assistance. 
Salt Lake City Public Utilities: SLCPU has partnered with USFS in the last phase of this project and are heavily invested in aspects that affect water quality since BCC supplies a significant amount of water to the Salt Lake Valley. 
Sageland Collaborative will contribute expertise on stream/riparian restoration design, complete stream alteration permits for two low-tech, process-based projects, and implement living with beaver practices (pond levelers, culvert protectors, tree fencing) in BCC. 
Trout Unlimited: TU will take the lead on BDA installation, including procurement of materials, managing construction of one full build on Mill D and coordinating a volunteer build on Mill F.
Cottonwood Canyons Foundation: CCF is a valuable partner in their work to map and monitor myrtle spurge treatment, as well as maintaining the trails used to access project sites. 
Save Our Canyon: SOC has assisted with outreach and education on previous phases of this project and will continue to do so. 
Utah's Hogle Zoo: UHZ will conduct wildlife monitoring as noted above, using trail cameras, acoustic monitoring (for bats and birds), and amphibian surveys.

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 Forest Service is intent on continuing watershed restoration efforts in the Wasatch Front using a collaborative approach that reaches across jurisdictional boundaries and connects treatments on a landscape scale. These efforts may include an array of restoration tools including beaver dam analogs, in-stream structures, plantings, noxious weed control, and fuels reduction treatments such as lop/scatter and cut/pile/burn. This project is the second in a series of projects designed to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and promote heathy, resilient watersheds. It connects with and extends similar projects in adjacent areas of Parleys Canyon, Lambs Canyon, and Millcreek Canyon. Watershed restoration efforts will continue until healthy streams support aquatic life and guarantee clean drinking water, forests resist insect and disease and catastrophic wildfires, upland areas provide suitable habitat for wildlife, and public lands are able to provide abundant opportunities for multiple uses.

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.

This project has the ability to increase quantity and quality of forage for multiple wildlife species (esp. big game). The removal of mixed conifer will open up the canopy and release soil moisture which will allow other vegetation to take advantage of the light and moisture that was previously being taken up by the climax species. Hunting opportunities could be enhanced by this project as well. Improvements to wildlife habitat and increased forage opportunities will benefit multiple game species and will provide not only a benefit within this project area but will also expand to neighboring public lands. Adding complexity to a stream through Beaver Dam Analogs and introduction of large woody debris has been shown to trap sediment and promote healthy sediment transport. Other Sustainable Uses: The project area also provides important recreational hunting. The area sustains populations of big game on the forest. These hunting opportunities provide a financial boost to local economies in several ways. Continuing to do work to maintain the habitat in this area will help to perpetuate the recreational and economic benefits. Wildlife watching and shed antler gathering are another popular recreational activity in some of these areas. Improving habitat here will benefit this sustainable use of the landscape.
Backcountry skiing is an extremely popular recreational activity in Big Cottonwood Canyon. The fuels management work proposed in this project will remove small trees and reduce tree density on many low angle slopes that will also improve the skiing experience and provide more terrain options on high avalanche danger days.

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.