In August 2016, dam renovation work at Tibble Fork Reservoir released tons of contaminated sediment downstream into American Fork Canyon. The toxic black sludge buried American Fork Creek, a popular Wasatch Front recreation destination, killing fish and rendering the stream unfit for human contact for several miles. This disastrous spill was an acute illustration of a chronic problem: mining activity in American Fork Canyon ended last century, but the ongoing impacts to water quality have continued, largely unabated, to the present day. The historical mine operations left behind tailings (processed ore) and waste rock piles containing high levels of heavy metals that continue to leach into surface flows and groundwater along Mary Ellen Gulch. A 2002 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study investigated soil and water quality at 98 and 14 sites, respectively, throughout the drainage, and initial mitigation actions in Mary Ellen Gulch were performed at the Live Yankee Mine portal in 2008, focusing on the draining adit. However, the tailings and waste rock piles quantified in the 2002 EPA report have not been addressed, even though results showed significant increases in metals concentrations downstream from several sites. A previous USGS study in 1999/2000 published similar findings, attributing elevated levels of Aluminum, Zinc and Copper to surface and groundwater loading areas in Mary Ellen Gulch. The proposed project will utilize the results from both the EPA and USGS studies to develop a streamlined Sampling and Analysis Plan (SAP). The new SAP will focus on historic sites that exhibited elevated metals concentrations, and include new sites identified during an October 2016 site visit. The Plan will prioritize and rank sites by contamination levels and potential clean-up effectiveness, and will direct future reclamation work and water quality improvement projects in Mary Ellen Gulch.

The goal of the project is to complete a Sampling and Analysis Plan (SAP) that identifies the sources of nonpoint source contamination in Mary Ellen Gulch. Specifically, TU will sample and analyze 15 sites for metals concentrations in soils and associated run-off. The end goal of the SAP will be a prioritized ranking of source areas to be addressed in future clean-up operations. Therefore, completion of this SAP is the starting point to improve water quality in Mary Ellen Gulch and the downstream receiving water of American Fork Canyon.

Current site conditions pose a threat to the surrounding ecological and vegetative community through nonpoint source metals loading. American Fork Canyon supports a Conservation population of native Bonneville cutthroat trout, and Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) fish sampling suggests that the distribution of fish in the upper reaches of Mary Ellen Gulch is limited by poor water quality due to abandoned mines. The highly mineralized historical waste and tailings piles cannot support any type of vegetation and thus constantly erode into Mary Ellen Gulch. Heavy metals are readily available and could become phyto-toxic if mobilized into adjacent healthy communities.

The proposed project addresses the following Management Plan goals and objectives: Plan: Range-wide Conservation Agreement and Strategy for Bonneville Cutthroat Trout Goal: Ensure the long-term existence of Bonneville cutthroat trout (BCT) within its historical range Objectives: 1. Manage for 191 Conservation Populations of BCT a. establish or maintain a minimum of 186 conservation populations inhabiting 1,593 stream miles 2. Eliminate the threats to BCT that warrant listing as a sensitive species by state and federal agencies and may warrant listing under the Endangered Species Act a. eliminate or reduce threats that cause present or potential destruction, modification or curtailment of habitat e. eliminate or reduce impacts associated with threats caused by natural or human induced factors Explanation: American Fork Creek supports one of the 191 conservation populations referenced in the plan, and the proposed project to improve degraded water quality in Mary Ellen Gulch and American Fork Creek is consistent with the plan objective of maintaining this conservation population and eliminating natural and anthropogenic (e.g. abandoned mine contamination) threats to populations and/or habitat.

Although this project will not directly reduce the risk of fuel loading, it will help to establish a vegetative community through future phases of reclamation work. This vegetation will help hold moisture and reduce erosion in the event that a future wildfire takes place.

Completion of this project will lead to future phases of mine reclamation in Mary Ellen Gulch either through removal of contaminated material or treating the contaminated soil in place with amendments. Both of these treatment techniques will improve downstream water quality by eliminating the non-point source contamination source (the historic mine waste/tailings). For example, treating the mine waste/tailings in place involves re-grading steep slopes and amending contaminated soil to support native vegetation. Establishment of this vegetation reduces erosion and flooding potential, and minimizes infiltration of surface water to other contaminated soil areas.

Compliance is not applicable to this project because it focuses on sampling and analysis of soil and water. It affects no cultural resources and does not require NEPA because it is on private land and will not disturb any features of historical significance. However, all sampling protocols will adhere to current standard operating procedures (SOPs) and EPA Methods to ensure all produced data is recognized by multiple agencies and organizations. Certified sampling techniques, equipment, and subsequent lab analyses will be used throughout the project.

As indicated in the previous section, current standard operating procedures (SOPs) and EPA Methods will be followed throughout the project. Trout Unlimited and Snowbird staff will coordinate and execute sampling efforts along with project partners. X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) sampling of soils will be performed in conjunction with U.S. Geological Survey staff in the field at 30 locations within the 15 sites. Approximately 10% of field sites will then be gathered and sent to a lab for verification using EPA Method 200.7. ALS Environmental Labs, or an equivalent, will be used throughout the project for the aforementioned soil samples, as well as water quality analyses associated with the 15 sites. Dissolved metals, total metals, nitrates, and anions/alkalinity will be quantified as part of the water quality analyses, follow applicable EPA methodology. XRF and field parameters will be taken on-site by TU and project partners, while remaining samples will all be sent to ALS Environmental labs for analysis.

Please refer to the attached Sampling and Analysis Plan (SAP) for specific monitoring techniques planned for this project. In addition to SAP goals and procedures, it should be noted that Snowbird will be continuing concurrent water quality monitoring in Mary Ellen Gulch for several years as a part of an expansion plan. This data will be used in conjunction with results generated from this project to rank remediation projects in the drainage, and evaluate effectiveness of future projects. All data will be shared with project partners, especially EPA, to be included in an ongoing Preliminary Assessment of the Mary Ellen Gulch watershed. Prior to reclamation work, pre and post vegetation monitoring will occur at selected remediation sites. Snowbird's expansion and continued involvement in the Mary Ellen Gulch area will ensure any necessary future phases of monitoring will take place.

Trout Unlimited and its main private partner, Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort have made concerted efforts to involve several local, state, and federal partners in the project planning process. Throughout this project, and future phases, federal agency partners include the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This past October 2016, the EPA in partnership with the Utah Department of Environmental Quality (UDEQ), stated that it intended to initiate a Preliminary Assessment (PA) of historic mining sites in the American Fork Canyon. The scope of this PA includes Mary Ellen Gulch and surrounding sites. TU and Snowbird have been in discussions with EPA to provide additional information and data through this proposed study that will better quantify the Mary Ellen Gulch drainage. TU and Snowbird will work closely with these aforementioned federal partners throughout this project and future phases. State partners on the project include UDEQ, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, and the Division of Oil, Gas and Mining (DOGM) to utilize expertise in the surrounding area. ANY OTHER LOCAL PARTNERS?

As mentioned in the Objectives section, the overall goal of this project will be completion of a SAP at 15 sites in the Mary Ellen Gulch watershed. Completion of this project will generate a prioritized ranking of contamination source areas and sites to be remediated in clean-up operations. Therefore, future methods and techniques following the completion of this project will involve mine reclamation best management practices (BMPs) to reduce non-point source contamination identified through this project. These BMPs will be selected with input from aforementioned federal and state partners to implement the most efficient reclamation technique that improves soil and water quality.

Future phases of the project will establish native vegetation and improve water quality that could have benefit for downstream agricultural purposes. However, no domestic livestock will directly be affected by completion of this phase of the project.