All of the main water sources for Salt Creek WMA, Public Shooting Grounds WMA, Harold Crane WMA, Ogden Bay WMA, Howard Slough WMA, and Farmington Bay WMA all have carp that make it downstream into the WMA's. Carp foraging activities make the water turbid which decreases pond weed productivity in the impoundments on the areas. Each year it is determined which area or impoundments within an area are the most in need of carp control and then the project is conducted.

Project objectives include decreasing carp populations while increasing available forage for waterfowl. The important forage that thrives in carp free waters is submergent aquatic vegetation called Sago pondweed. Sago is a very important food source to all waterfowl, and many species of wading and shorebirds.

Threats may include employee exposure to pesticide. The employees applying rotenone are certified as non-commercial pesticide applicators. However, rotenone is derived from a plant root in South America so it isn't too dangerous to people. If rotenone treatment is not completed, water impoundments will produce less pondweed as carp populations increase.

Carp control is related to management plan objectives as follows: Our management plans require us to maintain suitable habitat for waterfowl populations. This project relates to the WAP in the following ways: Objective #1 for Invasive Plant Species -- Non-native Locations/habitats that currently do not have non-native plant problems remain free from the introduction and spread of invasive non-native plants. Actions to achieve objective: 2.2.2 Survey, inventory established, and new populations of invasive/problematic species. 2.2.3 Eradicate established populations of invasive/problematic species. 2.2.4 Contain established populations of invasive/problematic species. 2.2.9 Avoid establishment of new invasive/problematic species through education, planning, management, and/or regulation. Develop public information and educational programs aimed at encouraging attitudes and behaviors that are positive for wildlife conservation. Objective #2 for Invasive Plant Species -- Non-native Invasive plant dominance/presence is reduced or eliminated in locations or habitats where such an outcome is realistic (ecologically and economically). 2.2.2 Survey and inventory established and new populations of invasive/problematic species. 2.2.3 Eradicate established populations of invasive/problematic species. 2.2.5 Conduct mechanical control of invasive/problematic species. 2.2.6 Conduct biological control of invasive/problematic species. 2.2.7 Conduct chemical control of invasive/problematic species. 2.3.15 Conduct riparian vegetation treatments to restore characteristic riparian vegetation, and reduce uncharacteristic fuel types and loadings. 7.2.1 Support Utah's Watershed Restoration Initiative. Other Ecosystem Modifications Objective #2 for Other Ecosystem Modifications Land management agencies and agents develop vegetation management projects that avoid, minimize, or mitigate impacts to species and habitats identified as vulnerable to these threats such as brush eradication. Habitat modification and loss is being mitigated by perennial plantings, food plots and shrub rows. Invasive and Other Problematic Species and Genes Threats from non-native and native plants, animals, pathogens/microbes, or genetic materials that have or are predicted to have harmful effects on biodiversity following their introduction, spread and/ or increase in abundance. Invasive Wildlife Species-Threat - Invasive Wildlife Species - Non-native: Invasive non-native animals are recognized as a critical threat in many of Utah's ecosystems. Objective #2 for Droughts Aquatic SGCNs and key habitats persist on the landscape, despite increasing drought conditions. Drought conditions over the past several years has made it imperative that the WMA's have properly functioning water control structures to maximize water deliveries in order to maintain key wetland habitats. Actions that this project will address include; 2.3.6 Restore aquatic habitat complexity

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Liquid Rotenone will be applied at 3-4 parts per million. Water quality will not be impacted because of the small amount used and because of the fact that the rotenone only impacts fish and invertebrates.

The archaeologist will be contacted to see if he needs to check the project out.

We will determine areas of need for carp control and if rotenone treatment is possible for those areas. If so, the area will be drawn down and the amount of water will be minimal. Rotenone drips will be set up. The drips consist of plastic 55 gallon drums that have PVC pipe coming out of them. The PVC pipe have holes drilled in them that allow the water to be treated at 3-4 ppm rotenone.

We will monitor the treatment based on water clarity and SAV production.

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Future management will consist of monitoring impoundments annually for Carp presence.

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03/22/2017

03/24/2017

2017

Five rotenone barrels were charged and dripped throughout the treatment area for a 36 hour period. Three of the barrels were stacked on pallets in the middle of the channel, so that the entire water was treated. The area was treated at 3.5 parts per million rotenone.

Carp had taken over the South impoundment of Harold Crane WMA and caused so much turbidity that there was virtually no submergent aquatic vegetation. There was a lot more water than I would have preferred, so we used 5 rotenone drips rather than the 2 that I would have used if we could have effectively reduced the flow. This was a very effective treatment and I estimate that we removed 30,000 carp from the area.

Managers will continue to monitor SAV production and carp presence. When the SAV production drops off and carp populations increase, another treatment will take place.