Project Details

This is part of ongoing efforts to improve the Willow subbasin, with a focus on the area near the confluence of Willow Creek and Meadow Creek. A series of similar projects have been implemented in the area to benefit both aquatic and terrestrial habitats beginning in FY21. Through these projects, work on the Willow Creek WMA has benefited terrestrial wildlife such as mule deer, bison, and elk and has benefited aquatic species such as Colorado River cutthroat trout and Northern leopard frog. This project seeks to build upon previous work through maintenance of previously installed low-tech process-based restoration (LTPBR) structures and treatment of tamarisk in previously treated areas. In addition, another phase of pinyon-juniper mastication and associated seeding on Winter Ridge will provide improved habitat for mule deer, elk, and bison.

LTPBR Maintenance
Willow Creek and Meadow Creek are important conservation areas for the North Tavaputs strain of Colorado River cutthroat trout. Previously, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources successfully treated these reaches to remove brook trout. Currently, the stream is inhabited only by native species. However, the stream exists in a degraded state with areas of incision and reduced habitat diversity. Previous LTPBR structures have improved this through increasing sinuosity in small sections, halting head-cutting, increasing habitat diversity, and providing zones of aggradation to reconnect the floodplain to the stream. Further, LTPBR structures can help to increase the local groundwater table which can have benefits to the surrounding terrestrial habitat. This project seeks to maintain these previously installed habitat structures to ensure continued improvement of the aquatic habitat. During this phase, we will visually inspect and repair and LTPBR structures that were previously installed. Although some failure is important in LTPBR, maintaining key structures will provide key benefits to the recovery of Willow Creek and Meadow Creek.

Tamarisk Retreatment
Tamarisk is an ongoing issue throughout many western watersheds. Tamarisk can lead to increased levels of stream channelization and also greatly reduces the forage quality of riparian areas. Willow Creek WMA is an important area for mule deer, elk, and bison. However, this area was previously invaded by tamarisk. As such, previous projects (WRI ID: 5677) sought to reduce the area affected by tamarisk invasion through mechanical removal followed by pesticide treatment. These previous actions have been successful in keeping approximately 200 acres of the riparian zone free of tamarisk. However, tamarisk is well-known to begin popping up a couple of years after treatment requiring continued efforts to keep it at bay. This project seeks to visually inspect and retreat areas where tamarisk is beginning to re-emerge. Tamarisk re-emergence is currently limited making it a good time to go back to retreat these areas. Benefits from this retreatment will include the continued reduction in tamarisk invaded areas in Willow Creek WMA and the improved forage quality for wildlife such as mule deer.

Seeding Tamarisk treated fields
Much of the tamarisk that was treated, has not developed a productive understory yet. This component of the project aims to seed the area around the treated tamarisk, to help establish a more beneficial area for terrestrial wildlife.

Grasshopper treatment
Forage availability for wildlife in the Willow Creek WMA is limited by a number of factors including a robust population of grasshoppers that is consistently present on the rangeland along Willow Creek. Grasshoppers reproduce most successfully on years when spring is warm, and summers are dry and hot. Because the 2025 summer was especially dry, we recognize that action needs to be taken to reduce this population of pests. To encourage natural predation of these grasshoppers, we propose building approximately 100 birdboxes along willow creek for bluebirds and kestrels which will help reduce the population over time. In addition to the birdboxes, the cropshare operator active on the WMA anticipates discing much of the area. Hopefully, with the installation of the birdboxes, and the discing of the fields, we will see a reduction in the population of grasshoppers, and an increase in the quantity and quality of forage available for wildlife.

Harrow and seeding
Much of the WMA has overgrown sagebrush and greasewood. The state and transition model for the ecological site in Meadow creek indicates that this area is likely in a brush super-dominance state. This state is characterized by dominance of shrubs and an understory species diversity that has been greatly diminished. At this state, there is little opportunity to recover to a natural state and can best transition to a seeded state. By harrowing and seeding, we will improve the herbaceous understory and thereby improve wildlife habitat. Willow Watershed Habitat Improvements FY25 initially started with the treatment of about 60 acres on the WMA.

Pole Plantings in exclosures and along riparian corridor
The riparian area within the Willow Creek WMA has seen improvements through the implementation of LTPBR projects and invasive species removal. A key component to continued improvements in riparian areas includes the planting of key native species that will improve the terrestrial and aquatic habitats within the WMA. Willow and cottonwood are present in limited numbers in the WMA, and lower on the northern parcels of the WMA. We propose the harvesting and planting of willow and cottonwood poles in select locations near the confluence of Willow and Meadow Creeks. A component of Willow Watershed Habitat Improvements FY25 included the construction of 3 exclosures along Willow Creek, and there is also an exclosure near Kelly Canyon, along Meadow Creek. By utilizing these exclosures and appropriate riparian areas, we expect to see success in the pole planting of these species especially in conjunction with the removal of tamarisk, and the control of grasshoppers.

Bullhog and seeding
 The Winter Ridge area of the book cliffs is utilized by bison, elk, mule deer, wild horses, and livestock. Available forage appears to be a limiting factor for all of these, particularly on dry years.  Wildlife tracker data from the area indicates that bison tend to utilize the areas that are more open than the conifer covered ridge tops targeted for treatment here. This data also indicates that smaller openings within larger forested areas are also utilized. This suggests that a clear-cut is not necessary to provide benefit to these wildlife species. As such, this project will leave larger trees (over ~12 in diameter) standing to maintain some cover and value to species that prefer wooded areas. For past similar treatments, GPS collar data has shown higher utilization from bison in the treatment areas following treatment. GPS collar data on mule deer show some deer summering in this area. In 2024, two doe mule deer showed up in the treatment area as early as March and stayed into December. By removing trees and seeding diverse grasses and forbs, this project will improve early spring and summer habitat for mule deer. Providing additional high-quality forage for deer should improve fat reserves and increase winter survival rates, as well as subsequent birth weights and survival of fawns born to those deer.

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.

All of these objectives revolve around improving the terrestrial habitat for big game including bison, mule deer, elk, and aquatic habitat for speckled dace, bluehead sucker, and Colorado River Cutthroat Trout.

1) Visually inspect and repair of any failing LTPBR structures to ensure their continued benefit to the habitat.
2) Retreat any re-emerging tamarisk to ensure continued improvement of wildlife forage and success of previously treated areas. Once retreatment of areas are completed, continue treatment of tamarisk stand.
3) Passively improve terrestrial habitat through reduction of grasshopper population through installation of bird boxes. 
4) Open up forage areas in the WMA through harrow and seeding treatment on overgrown sagebrush and greasewood. 
5) Increase density of woody species through pole plantings of Willow and Cottonwood.
6) Apply seed to areas that have had tamarisk treated to improve understory.
7) Increase available grasses and forbs for forage (to benefit mule deer, elk, bison, and livestock) through seeding and removal of pinyon and juniper trees on Winter Ridge.
8) Wet Mow herbicide treatment of two irrigated pastures to prepare for seeding in 2028.

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

Location Justification
A watershed scale, 10-year river restoration plan was completed in 2024 and treatment on the Willow Creek WMA is a component of that plan. A recent fish survey indicates a potentially unique population of bluehead sucker in Willow and Meadow Creek that has been isolated from invasion of non-native species. As woody species are sparse along much of Willow Creek, development of shaded areas through pole plantings will help to provide cover in this area that has continued to see dry summers which restrict the overall availability of habitable stream for these species. In conjunction with the LTPBR installations, this area has the potential to provide a refuge for these species when stream temperatures could rise to hazardous levels.

The DWR has been under pressure to do more to benefit mule deer, and the Book Cliffs population specifically. A Book Cliffs working group was formed to address issues related to mule deer and other game species in the Book Cliffs. Vegetation treatments, especially in summer ranges and in migration corridors were identified as a high priority. Another high priority identified for mule deer is the seeding of old agricultural fields on DWR owned properties. The Meadow Creek/Willow Creek area and the Winter Ridge area are heavily utilized by bison and elk, as well as livestock. Seeding and habitat improvements in these areas are a high priority for the DWR.

The Utah Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal identifies the Winter Ridge polygons as having a high wildfire hazard potential and a moderately low to moderate burn probability.

This project addresses various threats to key habitats described in the Utah Wildlife Action Plan. This project addresses invasive plant species in Aquatic-Scrub/Shrub habitats by removing tamarisk along Willow Creek. The stream work in Meadow Creek and Willow creek addresses channel downcutting, droughts, and invasive plant species in the Riverine habitat type. The upland treatments all address inappropriate fire frequency and intensity in mountain sagebrush habitats.

The elk herd unit management plan for the Book Cliffs specifically mentions improving canyon bottoms and riparian areas for elk habitat. In addition, this plan mentions opening closed canopy pinyon and juniper woodlands to promote understory vegetation in mid-elevation areas.

Timing Justification
Previously completed projects in Willow Creek WMA have shown success through improved aquatic habitat and increased forage quality.

Tamarisk in this area was previously associated with a reduction in the native flora of important ungulate habitat. Since the tamarisk treatment, terrestrial forage has improved with the growth of grasses, but tamarisk is beginning to re-emerge in some spots. If left untreated, tamarisk could begin to spread and grow through these previously treated areas. The location of Willow Creek WMA is in the Book Cliffs and as such, work in this area requires more time because of travel to a remote area. The continued retreatment of successful removals will greatly reduce the amount of future work associated with ensuring continued terrestrial forage improvements.

Previous harrow and seeding, and mowing projects have opened up more area for forage, and improved the variety of forbs and grasses in the understory. Since this is generally considered summer and transitional range for mule deer, a continuation of this type of treatment is anticipated to improve forage availability.

Wet Mow fields are being encroached by shrub species and need to be prepped for 2028 seeding and irrigation.

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.

Utah Mule Deer Statewide Management Plan -- 
Habitat Goal: Conserve, improve, and restore mule deer habitat throughout the state with emphasis on crucial 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.

Utah Elk Statewide Management Plan --
Habitat Management Goal: Conserve and improve elk habitat throughout the state.
Habitat Objective 2: Reduce adverse impacts to elk herds and elk habitat.
Work with land management agencies and county weed boards to control the spread of noxious and invasive weeds throughout the range of elk in Utah.

Utah Bighorn Statewide Management Plan
Habitat Management Goal
d. Initiate vegetative treatment projects to improve bighorn habitat lost to natural succession
or human impacts.
f. Improve or maintain existing water sources and develop new water sources as needed to
improve distribution and abundance of bighorn sheep.

Book Cliffs Bison Herd Unit Management Plan
Habitat Management Goal
Objective 1: Maintain or improve sufficient bison habitat to allow herds to reach population objectives.
Strategy 1. Identify critical bison use areas and work with land managers and private landowners to improve or maintain habitat quality in these areas.
Strategy 3. Continue cooperative habitat improvement efforts.

Book Cliffs Deer Herd Unit Management Plan
Habitat Management Strategies
-- Work cooperatively to utilize... recognized vegetative manipulation techniques to enhance deer forage quantity and quality.

Book Cliffs Elk Herd Unit Management Plan
--Remove conifer encroachment into winter range, sagebrush parks, and summer range
aspen forest and mountain browse communities 
--Open the closed canopy pinion--juniper forest lands at mid elevation zones throughout
the Book Cliffs to enhance perennial understory vegetative maintenance

Conservation Strategy for Colorado River Cutthroat Trout
Objective 4: Secure and enhance watershed conditions
Strategy 7: Improve habitat conditions for CRCT
--Manage the entire watershed
--Improve lake and stream habitat (including riparian management)

Uintah County Resource Management Plan
8.4.2 Encourage the protection and preservation of water quality and fish habitat....
8.4.4 Support policies that help prevent the spread of invasive species or diseases that negatively affect fish populations
8.4.8 Support efforts to protect water quality and the quality of the associated fisheries
8.4.9 Support efforts to improve fish habitats....
9.4.1 Restore floodplain connectivity for wildlife that rely on these locations....
9.4.2 Encourage the restoration of floodplain connectivity for improved flood control in suitable areas
17.4.1 Reduce or eliminate noxious weed infestations....
17.4.4 Manage noxious weeds to enhance wildlife habitat and farmland.
17.4.7 Work cooperatively with other agencies and entities to reduce or eliminate noxious weed species and minimize or prevent the establishment of new infestations and new weed species.
17.4.10 Employ a variety of (integrated) weed management techniques including prevention, biological controls, chemical controls, and mechanical controls.
20.4.2 Conserve and protect riparian areas through application of best management practices.
20.4.4 Support the eradication of invasive species, e.g., Phragmites, tamarisk, and Russian olive, which can degrade habitat value and impact groundwater levels.
20.4.10 Support application of aquatic-approved herbicides to remove undesired vegetation
22.4.1 Maintain or improve water quality to protect the health and well-being of county residents....
22.4.13 Support projects that improve water quality and increase quantity and dependability of water supply.

Grand County Resource Management Plan
-- Support federal agencies in vegetative management treatments in forested cover types that provide for a full range of seral stages, by forested cover type, which achieve a mosaic of habitat conditions and diversity. 
-- The County supports wildlife management that seeks an optimal balance between wildlife populations and human needs.
-- The County supports a healthy ecosystem for all species.

State of Utah Resource Management Plan
-- Improve vegetative health on public and private lands through active management of invasive plants and noxious weeds.
-- The State will pursue opportunities to conduct and assist other partners with fuel reduction work including mechanical treatments and prescribed fire.
-- The State will seek to protect, conserve, and improve Utah's fish and aquatic wildlife and the habitats upon which they depend.
-- Restore floodplain connectivity for threatened and endangered species that rely on these locations....
-- The State supports implementing active management and restoration projects on federal lands to restore sinuosity, vegetation, and floodplain function which mimic the natural hydrologic system in suitable areas.
-- Improve vegetative health on public and private lands through range improvements, prescribed fire, vegetation treatments, and active management of invasive plants and noxious weeds. 
-- The state of Utah supports proactive management of noxious weeds.
-- The State of Utah supports adequate funding to combat the spread of noxious weeds. In addition, the state supports the removal of noxious weeds from affected areas and rehabilitation of effected areas post treatment.
-- Active management should be used to improve and enhance riparian resources to provide for appropriate physical, biological, and chemical function.
-- The State supports the removal of invasive species from riparian areas on public lands.
-- The State supports the use of mechanical treatments, controlled burns, livestock grazing, and other tools to control invasive plants and other plant species that compromise wetland health, in accordance with best available practices.
-- Expand wildlife populations and conserve sensitive species by protecting and improving wildlife habitat.
-- Conserve, improve, and restore 500,000 acres of mule deer habitat throughout the state with emphasis on crucial ranges. 
-- Produce and maintain the desired vegetation for wildlife and domestic livestock forage on public and private lands.

Utah's Wildlife Action Plan
This project will address the following key threats, as outlined in Utah's Wildlife Action Plan.
-- Channel Downcutting (indirect, unintentional). This threat is identified for both bluehead sucker and Colorado river cutthroat trout. Construction and maintenance of BDA's will help aggrade the stream channel.
-- Channelization / Bank Alteration (direct, intentional). This threat is also identified for bluehead sucker and Colorado river cutthroat trout. 
-- Droughts. this threat is identified for bluehead sucker, Colorado river cutthroat trout, Monarch butterfly, and the game species.

Western Monarch Butterfly Conservation Plan
NL-S2: Identify high priority migratory pathways and clustering locations and promote protection, restoration, and/or enhancement of these areas, including riparian corridors.

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.

Both the maintenance of LTPBR structures and tamarisk free areas will reduce fire risk on Willow Creek WMA. Tamarisk is highly flammable and can catch fire even while green. Given the dry conditions of Willow Creek WMA, fire fueled by tamarisk could spread to the upland area causing damage to such habitats. Currently, the density of tamarisk in treated areas is low but new plants are growing. As such, removing and maintaining tamarisk-free areas will limit wildfire risk. Additionally, BDAs increase the connection between streams and their floodplains. This connection improves the amount of green, well-watered riparian zones which have been shown to reduce wildfire risks and sometimes act as fire breaks. Therefore, maintenance of such structures will ensure a strong connection between Willow Creek and Meadow Creek, reducing wildfire risk.

Dense pinyon and juniper canopy cover creates a high risk of stand-replacing wildfire. Thinning pinyon and juniper trees in the Winter Ridge area will provide a valuable fire-break that could slow or stop the spread of a wildfire in this area. The Utah Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal identifies the Winter Ridge polygons as having a high wildfire hazard potential.

Infrastructure at risk if a wildfire were to begin include a natural gas compressor station on Winter Ridge, as well as other oil and gas well pad locations. Wildlife values at risk include Meadow Creek and Willow Creek, which are important habitat for Colorado River Cutthroat trout.

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 Willow Creek Sub-basin is considered impaired because of temperature, boron levels, and total dissolved solids (TDS) loading. One of the primary roles of beaver dam analogues (BDAs), a common LTPBR structure, is to capture sediment. Maintenance of such structures will ensure continued capture of sediment which will in turn reduce TDS loading. Additionally, BDAs have been shown to not reduce water quantity downstream of the locations they have been constructed. BDAs can also help re-wet the floodplain, increasing groundwater storage. This has been found to decrease magnitude but increase duration of runoff flows.

Tamarisk has been found to potentially alter water chemistry from excreting salts and can reduce the amount of instream water flow. As salts are a part of the TDS measurements, ensuring continued tamarisk-free areas could reduce TDS in Willow Creek. Also, tamarisk are water-hungry. Therefore, ensuring their continued removal will ensure no negative effects to instream flow from tamarisk.

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.

Tamarisk Re-Treatment: A crew will be contracted to cut down tamarisk trees. Stumps will be cut as close to the ground as possible, followed by the application of Garlon 4 or equivalent. The felled trees will be gathered by hand and stacked into spaced out piles for future burning with the assistance of the Forestry, Fire, and State Lands at an appropriate time.

LTPBR Maintenance: A crew will be hired to visually assess each of the previously constructed LTPBR structures. Crew members will be guided and assisted by a project manager from Trout Unlimited in determining which structures are in need of maintenance. Structures will be maintained through the addition of new materials (e.g., posts, woody debris, willow cuttings) to the already existing structures.

Harrow and Seed: A 15' harrow will be borrowed from the GBRC and used to perform a single pass harrow in select areas. While the harrow is being dragged behind a skidsteer, seed will be spread by a seeder. Targeted areas are primarilly decadent sagebrush and greasewood.

Pole Plantings: Cottonwood poles and Willow whips will be harvested in the late winter/early spring while still dormant. The cottonwood will be sourced from the Ouray Wildlife Refuge and stored in a bucket, in refrigerated storage until ready to be planted. A water jet stinger or auger will be used to excavate a hole which will allow the poles to be in contact with the water table when planted.

Bird box installations: Bird boxes are proposed to be installed on approximately 2.7 miles of Willow Creek. One box will be installed every 100 yards on either side of the valley bottom of Willow Creek starting at the southern WMA border and moving north toward the large tamarisk stand. These boxes will be built according to specifications found on nestwatch.org, and will be built specific for kestrel and bluebirds.

Bullhog: seed will be flown onto the project area prior to tree removal. Trees will be mulched with a tracked or rubber-tired bullhog. Larger trees over 12 inches dbh will remain standing.

Describe the actions, activities, tasks to be implemented as part of the proposed project; how these activities will be carried out, equipment to be used, when, and by whom.

Describe plans to monitor for project success and achievement of stated objectives. Include details on type of monitoring (vegetation, wildlife, etc.), schedule, assignments and how the results of these monitoring efforts will be reported and/or uploaded to this project page. If needed, upload detailed plans in the "attachments" section.

List any and all partners (agencies, organizations, NGO's, private landowners) that support the proposal and/or have been contacted and included in the planning and design of the proposed project. Describe efforts to gather input and include these agencies, landowners, permitees, sportsman groups, researchers, etc. that may be interested/affected by the proposed project. Partners do not have to provide funding or in-kind services to a project to be listed.

Detail future methods or techniques (including administrative actions) that will be implemented to help in accomplishing the stated objectives and to insure the long term success/stability of the proposed project. This may include: post-treatment grazing rest and/or management plans/changes, wildlife herd/species management plan changes, ranch plans, conservation easements or other permanent protection plans, resource management plans, forest plans, etc.

Potential for the proposed action to improve quality or quantity of sustainable uses such as grazing, timber harvest, biomass utilization, recreation, etc. Grazing improvements may include actions to improve forage availability and/or distribution of livestock.