Seven thousand cubic yards of fill and a 36 inch culvert were removed to restore the Eccles Creek channel bottom in 2015. The resulting stream banks have a slope of 2h:1v, in the narrow canyon beside the paved highway 264. Due to a bend in the highway, road run-off concentrates at the top of the reclaimed slope and has created several, deep erosion rills down the slope to Eccles Creek. Erosion of the slopes is affecting vegetation establishment. Sediment has reached the creek, affecting fish habitat.

The objective is to control erosion from the highway to allow establishment of vegetation on the reclaimed south facing slope (approximately 0.2 acre in area). Utah Department of Transportation will construct a roadside ditch and install a culvert at the top of the slope to remove the water from the reclamation area. Excelsior logs will be placed along the contour of the slope to slow sheet wash and fill in existing erosion rills. This project on Eccles Creek will : Stabilize a reclaimed site; Improve water quality; Improve habitat; Improve recreational fishing.

Fine sediments entering the creek will reduce spawning areas and fill in fishing holes and contribute to phosphorus loading in Scofield Reservoir. Colorado Cutthroat Trout are a species of concern in the stream. Mule deer and elk utilize the reclaimed slopes.

The 2015 reclamation of Eccles Creek (WRI grant #3352) was completed to allow return the perennial flow in Eccles Creek to a stream channel, to prevent a potential hazard of a blocked culvert, to allow fish migration one mile further upstream, and to increase recreational enjoyment of the stream. (Refer to the images for pictures of the fill in the channel before this work was accomplished.) This project will control erosion of the recently reclaimed slopes, and protect the stream while vegetation becomes established. This area is within the Deer Herd Management Plan for the Manti Unit 16B on lands that winter large herds of deer and elk.

The fill and culvert were removed from Eccles Creek in 2015 to allow free flow of water in the channel should there be flooding as a result of a natural disaster, such as wildfire.

This project addresses the impacts of highway run-off, in cooperation with the Utah Department of Transportation. This project will implement sediment control to improve soil infiltration and promote vegetation establishment on the slopes above the creek. Stabilizing the reclaimed slopes is important because Eccles Creek receives mine water discharge from the Skyline Mine (approximately 1.5 miles up stream). In the past year the discharge ranged from 2,000 - 3,000 gpm. The current rate of discharge could increase with the addition of new leases. The reclaimed stream bank must be able to withstand flows above the ordinary. Eccles Creek waters enter Mud Creek and eventually Scofield reservoir, approximately 4 miles down stream. Eccles Creek is protected as a drinking water source and a cold water fishery. Scofield Reservoir has been listed as an impaired water body for phosphorus and dissolved oxygen. Phosphorus may adhere to soil particles in suspension or be in solution in the water.

The project was under Division of Oil, Gas, & Mining as part of a former coal mine site. Archaeological clearance was obtained in 1980 under the Valley Camp Belina #2 Mine. The investigation was titled, Intensive Archaeological Surface Evaluations in the Proposed Whiskey Creek Canyon. Pleasant Valley Project in Carbon County, Utah. 1980. F.R.Hauck, PhD and D.G. Weder. Archaeological Environmental Research Corporation. Paper No. 21. In. 007001 Mining and Reclamation, Appendix 411.140. No cultural or historic sites were found at this stream crossing location. This project be within the boundaries previously surveyed, on reclaimed slopes. No further survey is planned. NEPA is no required on private property on a previously disturbed site.

The Utah Department of Transportation will contract the work to install a road ditch (asphalt or riprap) and an 18-24 inch culvert. The ditch will parallel the highway at the top of the slope. The ditch will direct road runoff to an 18 or 24 inch culvert to be installed perpendicular to the slope. An excavator and motor grader and a laborer will be required. The Division of Oil, Gas & Mining will oversee the installation of excelsior logs at 10 foot intervals along the contour of the north facing slope. The slope is 200 ft long and 45 feet in height above the stream. Therefore, three, 200 ft lengths of excelsior logs will be required. Logs will be set six inches into the ground using shovels and picks. Logs will be anchored with wooden stakes.

DOGM will inspect the site monthly during accessible times of the year (May - November). Vegetation and sediment control will be monitored. Photographs will be uploaded annually. The DOGM water quality database will be used to monitor the water quality at Skyline Mine water monitoring points VC6 (upstream) and VC9 (downstream). Field data and lab analysis collected is as descrbed in Table 2.3.7-1 and 2.7.7.2 of the Skyline Mining and Reclamation Plan. SKyline Mine began in 2007 conducting macro-invertebrate and cutthroat trout surveys every three years. The results of these surveys will be monitored (Skyline Mine MRP, Vol 1A, Sec 2.8, p. 2-71, 2-71A, B, &C and Table 2.8-1a).

On November 15, 2016, Priscilla Burton (soil scientist) and Keenan Storrar (hydrologist) with the Division of Oil Gas & Mining met at the site with Jim Chandler, P.E. and Brian Nielsen from the Utah Department of Transportation to discuss a means of controlling road runoff from highway 264. At this meeting, UDOT agreed to install a hardened road ditch and culvert (as described above). DOGM agreed to find a source of funding to pay for the excelsior logs and their installation. All the work will be put out for bid under the same contract. Darin Caine is the representative of the Oman Family Trust which owns the land. Mr. Caine is an absentee landowner. The filll was removed from Eccles Creek at the request of Mr. Caine and with the concurrence of UDOT (email from Jim Chandler, 1/27/2014). Priscilla Burton has kept Mr. Caine informed of the reclamation work by email and text message/photo.

There is no grazing of these slopes. There will be no further logging of the surrounding land owned by the Oman Trust (Darin Caine).

Water quality in Mud Creek and Scofield benefits livestock.

06/08/2017

06/30/2017

2017

UDOT Encroachment permit 4P-172726-0 was issued 6/6/2017 for the installation of excelsior logs. On June 8, 2016, 60 excelsior logs (wattles) 10 ft x 12 inches in size were delivered to the site. There were 40 biodegradeable (netting is cotton) and 20 photodegradeable (netting is plastic) wattles. On June 9, 2017, a crew from Utah Correctional Industries installed the excelsior logs in three rows along the contour of the South facing reclaimed slope of Eccles Creek. The logs were overlapped and staked down with 36 inch stakes. Shrubs were lacking in the original seed mix, therefore shrub seed and bluebunch wheatgrass was purchased with additional funds. On June 30, 2017, seed was hand broadcast over the South facing slope.

The sediment logs have captured road run-off (see image taken two months after installation). Sediment captured by logs may also capture bury and encourage germination of seed. In the spring, the dominant species on the reclaimed South facing slope was small burnett (seeded in 2015). By August, grass species were more evident (see image after installation). I monitor and weed out the thistle rosettes from the South facing slope.

UDOT will install an armored ditch parallel to the road that will flow into a culvert. The culvert will carry the flow down the slope outside the disturbed area. The Utah Department of Transportation has delayed installation of the ditch and culvert, pending approval of a stream alteration permit, since the culvert will bring flow within five feet of the high water mark. (The excelsior logs were installed a distance that is 2x the creek bottom width and were outside the area where an alteration permit is required.)