Panguitch Lake is a natural water body about 35 feet deep. A dam was added to the outlet in 1885 for irrigation water storage that increased the depth to about 57 feet. Panguitch Lake is a eutrophic water body. The lake was listed on the DWQ 2002 303d list as an impaired water body for excessive phosphorus and low dissolved oxygen. In 2002, state water quality standards for phosperous and dissolved oxygen to support a 3A, cold water fishery, were exceeded. Panguitch lake receives high nutrient inputs from livestock grazing and tributary streams. This increases dense aquatic vegetation growth in shallow shoreline areas. Algae blooms are common during the summer and fall months. Decaying vegetation and algae using oxygen in teh water creates anoxic water that settles to the bottom of the lake. This layer is unusable for trout. With the recent Brian Head fire runoff and erosion in headwater tributaries will increase, adding more sediment, ash and nutrients into the lake, which may increase algae blooms and vegetation growth. This will increase the amount of anoxic water in the lake, reducing available habitat for trout. This could be the last straw that starts to cause fish kills in the lake, especially during winter. The proposed pipeline would siphon anoxic water off the bottom of the lake, increase usable lake area for trout and prevent fish kills. This is mitigation and prevention of impacts from the Brianhead fire. The Utah Division of Water Resources has completed some preliminary drawings and estimated a cost to design the intake structure and pipeline. We need to hire an engineering firm to make final design and construction drawings for the project.

Design a pipeline and collection structure that will remove anoxic water from the bottom of Panguitch lake during the irrigation season. Improve water quality to benefit trout fishery and prevent fish kills. - maintain dissolved oxygen above 4.0 mg/l, in greater than 50% of the water column.

If the pipeline is not constructed, anoxic water may build up to a level that is lethal for many trout in the lake. Trout population may be reduced. Recreation use of the lake may decrease. The pipeline is damanged or malfunctions and quits working.

Meets UDWR Panguitch Lake Fishery Management Plan goals to maintain and improve the trout fishery and provide quality recreational opportunity for the public. Meets recommended end points from the Utah Division of Water Quality, Panguitch Lake TMDL Water Quality Management Plan for meeting/attaining dissolved oxygen levels. Meets DWR goals and objectives of: protecting existing wildlife habitat; expand quality fishing opportunities; increase public awareness of wildlife as a quality-of-life issue. Meets Dixie National Forest Plan goals: General Plan goals: Goal No. 13. Coordinate Fish and Wildlife Program with Utah DWR. Goal No. 14. Improve the quantity and quality of aquatic habitats through direct habitat improvement and increased coordination with other land use programs. General Standards and Guidelines: - Maintain aquatic habitat capable of supporting self-sustaining trout populations to provide for those populations. - Improve habitat capability through direct treatments of vegetation, soil and waters. - Improve or maintain water quality to meet State water quality standards. Panguitch Lake is a Fish and Aquatic Habitat Management Area: Desired Future Conditions: "Habitat would be available to support in excess of minimum viable populations of riparian dependent wildlife and fish species. Habitat improvement work would be accomplished when natural conditions were not sufficient desired populations. Water quality would not fall below existing levels and would be improved in many areas." Management Area direction goals: "Meet water quality standards, provide habitats for viable populations of wildlife and fish."

This project is to mitigate for fire impacts from the Brianhead fire. The fire burned much of the headwater tributaries to Panguitch Lake and this is likely to increase runoff and erosion flowing into Panguitch Lake. Much of soils in the upper watersheds are high in phospahates (UDWQ, TMDL Water Quality Management Plan, 2004) with the Bunker/Blue Springs watershed being the primary contributors (75% of water flows) to Panguitch Lake. Estimated that 75% of this watershed burned with most of it being high intensity severity. The added erosion and runoff from the Brianhead fire will likely increase phosperous and nutirent inputs, that will increase aquatic vegetation and phytoplankton growth, which when they decompose and use up oxygen in the water, could easily cause dissolved oxygen levels in the lake to become lethal to trout. Some seeding and mulching has occurred in the Bunker/Blue Springs watershed to reduce erosion impacts, but there is still a lot of untreated area.

Project will improve water quality and dissolved oxygen levels in the lake by reducing the amount of anoxic water in the lake. A higher volume and depth of oxygenated water will be available for fish.

No compliance is required for design work. If NEPA is required for construction Dixie National Forest will complete. DWR will secure Army Corp of Engineers permit if required.

A qualified engineering firm will be hired following Utah State purchasing guidelines. Engineering firm will complete final design and drawings for the project and provide estimated construction costs. The collection box for the pipeline will be design so that if/when the water level in the lake reaches the natural pool level, no more water can flow out of the pipe. A headgate will be installed so the pipe can be opened or closed.

DWR and the Utah Division of Water Quality will continue to monitor dissolved oxygen and phosperous levels levels in the lake to determine the success of the project. DO levels of the water exiting the pipeline will be collected and monitored over time. Annual spring gill netting by the DWR will continue to monitor trout populations. Pipeline and headgate will have annual inspections to make sure they are functioning correctly.

Dixie National Forest Utah Division of Water Resources

The lake will continue to be managed to provide a quality, family oriented sport fishery. Fish stocking changes could occur if it would benefit the lake fishery. Levels of dissolved oxygen will determine if further actions or changes in management will be necessary. The amount of and timing of water exiting the lake through the pipeline will be monitored by the local irrigation company.

Livestock grazing occurs along tributary streams and on meadows along the west shoreline of Panguitch Lake. As lake levels drop during the summer and grasses grow on the exposed lake bed, grazing occurs below the high water mark. Phospherous from manure is added to the lake when water levels inundate the area again. It is estimated the contribution of phosperous from cattle along the west shoreline meadows area is 92 kg/year. Cattle and sheep grazing contribute about 24% of phospherous inputs from the surrounding shore and watersheds (UDWQ, TMDL Management Plan). If this project can keep dissolved oxygen levels at an acceptable level, than livestock grazing may continue. If DO levels reach a critical level that causes fish kills, livestock grazing could be factor to look at to reduce phospherous inputs. Livestock may have to be excluded from the exposed lake bed or managed diffrently.