The project is needed because of the degraded state of much of the East Fork Sevier River Watershed, which can be characterized by elevated sediment loads, negative changes in water chemistry, loss of woody riparian vegetation, and an overall lack of cover and suitable habitat for coldwater fishes and other species throughout the system. The East Fork of the Sevier River is on Utah's 303(d) list of impaired waters for the cold water aquatic life use due to excess total phosphorus. Additionally, the project builds upon the substantial amount of similar past stream improvement work that has already been completed on the East Fork of the Sevier River in both Kingston Canyon and Black Canyon by improving a new, additional section of stream that connects with past work. This project is also within the Parker-Emery SGMA and characterized as "opportunity" habitat within the state sage grouse plan. Opportunity habitats are areas that can benefit sage grouse with targeted habitat improvements such as removal of encroaching woodland or creation of mesic areas. This project aims to reconnect the river to its floodplain by shaping and sloping the vertical bare cut banks, stabilizing banks with large woody debris and rock vanes, and establishing native riparian vegetation. The establishment of riparian vegetation will provide a new and ongoing source of herbaceous vegetation in the SGMA providing brood rearing forage, which is a critical component to healthy populations of sage grouse. The lack of brood-rearing habitat is currently a limiting factor in the Parker-Emery SGMA. Continued improvement to brood rearing habitat in this area may also facilitate connectivity to historic and current sage grouse habitats near the grass valley area such as Circle Valley and Panguitch Valley.

Primary Goals: 1. Improve water quality. 2. Increase abundance and diversity of fish and wildlife. Water Quality Objectives: 1. Decrease fine sediment loads from streambank erosion. 2. Decrease total phosphorous loads from streambank erosion and overland flow. 3. Narrow fluctuations in stream temperature (e.g., dampen high during summer and low during winter). Habitat Objectives: 1. Decrease channel width to depth ratio. 2. Decrease fine sediment input from streambank erosion. 3. Increase reach-scale habitat heterogeneity (i.e., riffle/run/pool/glide composition). 4. Increase percentage and maximum depth of pools. 5. Increase availability of cover. 6. Increase availability of winter refugia (physical and chemical). Biological Objectives: 1. Increase trout abundance, size structure, and biomass. 2. Increase non-game fish (e.g., southern leatherside chub) abundance and biomass. 3. Increase abundance and diversity of desirable and/or native riparian vegetation.

If the project does not go forward, the state of the stream and river corridor in the project area will remain in poor condition. Water quality will not improve because elevated loads of total phosphorous and fine sediment will continue. Fish and wildlife populations will not reach desirable and/or historic levels because the absence of suitable habitat will persist. Additionally, habitat conditions downstream of the proposed project where stream improvement work has already been completed could be negatively impacted if the project does not go forward (e.g., not addressing high width to depth ratios and continued lack of riparian vegetation are two important factors driving elevated stream temperatures downstream and bank erosion contributes to an elevated level of fine sediment downstream). If the project is delayed, there is a risk of losing the good financial, political, and social support that currently exists with multiple partners to implement the project (e.g., loss of EPA 319 funding, change in landowners willingness to implement the project). If the project does go forward, there are few notable threats/risks. Similar stream improvement work has been completed along other sections of the East Fork of the Sevier River very near this project area without negative impacts and many positive impacts (e.g., increases in game and non-game fish abundance and biomass). Over the past decade, the UDWR and other partners (UDWQ, private landowners, etc.) have already implemented active (e.g., installation of hard structures, bank sloping and shaping) and passive (e.g., grazing management) stream improvement work on about 3 miles of the East Fork of the Sevier River in Kingston Canyon. The previous stream improvement work has been completed on UDWR Wildlife Management Areas and private land with the cooperation of landowners, other stakeholders, and multiple agencies.

The project would help to address "Threats" listed in the Utah Wildlife Action Plan: 1. "Improper Grazing (current)" - the project would utilize riparian fencing and an agreement with landowners for a rest period followed by short duration, high intensity grazing during spring time only (i.e., Potential Conservation Action Code 2.1.2). 2."Channelization / Bank Alteration (direct, intentional)" - the project would use structures, grazing management, and planting/seeding to increase the heterogeneity in stream channel characteristics and promote a more diverse riparian plant community (i.e., Potential Conservation Action Code 2.3.6). 3. "Sediment Transport Imbalance" - the project would use structures, grazing management, and planting/seeding to reduce the rate of streambank erosion, which can cause imbalance in sediment transport and elevated levels of nutrients (e.g., total phosphorous) (Potential Conservation Action Code Not Listed). 4. "Increasing Stream Temperatures" - the project would use structures, grazing management, and planting/seeding to establish a more robust and diverse community of riparian vegetation (i.e., Potential Conservation Action Codes 2.3.5, 2.3.6, 2.3.15). The project would help to meet goals and objectives listed in the Upper Sevier Watershed Management Plan: 1. "Maintain or improve water quality and quantity for local needs while providing for the needs of recreation, fish and wildlife" - the project would help to establish woody riparian vegetation where needed, decrease sediment flow into the river, etc. 2. "Provide suitable habitat for a diversity of wildlife species" - the project would provide and protect quality fish habitat and recreational angling opportunities. 3. "Maintain and restore desired vegetation that is resilient and sustainable" - the project would move vegetation communities closer to desired conditions. 4. "Maintain ranching and agricultural as sustainable economic, cultural and lifestyle components of the Upper Sevier Watershed" - the project would be done on private land in a manner that helps to "address potential and real conflicts between wildlife management goals and private land use". The project would implement strategies suggested in the Otter Creek - East Fork Sevier Study TMDL: 1. "Stabilize channel banks" - the project would reduce elevated rates of lateral streambank erosion by decreasing nearbank stress and stabilizing soil via reestablishing riparian vegetation. 2. "Increase filtering capacity through implementation of riparian buffers" - the project would result in a riparian pasture that would be rested for five years, followed by short duration, high intensity spring grazing. The project would implement conservation elements called for in the Conservation Agreement and Strategy for Southern Leatherside (Lepidomeda aliciae) in the State of Utah: 1. "Habitat Enhancement" - the project would help to restore habitat conditions within the historical range of southern leatherside. 2. "Restore Hydrologic Conditions" - the project would help to restore natural hydrologic characteristics and water quality (e.g., riparian buffer of nonpoint source pollutants). The project would help to meet habitat-related objectives in the Conservation Plan for Greater Sage-grouse in Utah: 1. The project would promote a healthy, functioning riparian habitat along the East Fork of the Sevier River in Kingston Canyon and benefit late brood-rearing habitat for greater sage-grouse. Parker Mountain (PARM) Adaptive Resource Management Plan 1. The SWARM plan lists wet habitat as being critical to brood rearing hens in the summer. A primary goal of this project is to improve habitat conditions in brood rearing habitat. Sage Grouse Initiative 2.0 Investment Strategy, FY 2015-2018 1. Restore and enhance degraded mesic areas to help increase populations. Utah Partners in Flight Avian Conservation Strategy Version 2.0 1. Create, enhance and protect small ephemeral "wet areas" within nesting and brood-rearing habitats for sage grouse.

This project encourages a healthy riparian zone, which can provide a vegetation community and microclimate that may reduce the risk of fire and increase the potential use of these areas as control points and fuel/fire breaks.

The project has the potential to significantly improve water quality. The project would likely help reduce phosphorous in the East Fork of the Sevier River, which was the pollutant of concern listed in the Otter Creek - East Fork Sevier TMDL Study. In addition to reducing total phosphorous, the project would reduce sediment levels and improve aquatic habitat. The project would reestablish a dense and diverse corridor of riparian vegetation, helping to reduce phosphorous and sediment inputs from streambank erosion and creating an important buffer zone for filtration of nonpoint source pollutants from overland flow. Furthermore, the livestock grazing strategy (rest for at least 5 years, followed by limited spring grazing) proposed by the project would help to increase litter cover and water infiltration. The project would also improve habitat for multiple species by increasing habitat heterogeneity at multiple scales. The project promotes reconnecting the stream with the floodplain and increasing the presence and diversity of native riparian vegetation. As a result, water infiltration should increase during periods of overland flow and high discharge, which would lead to elevated soil moisture, ground water recharge, and generally more consistent flows later into the season.

Archaeological clearance is required and would be completed by UDWR. A UDWR archaeologist would complete an archaeological inventory before the project began, likely in spring of 2018. NEPA is not required. An informal Section 7 Consultation with USFWS will be needed to determine the project is not likely to affect any listed species. The only threatened or endangered species listed for Piute County are brown bear (historically, extirpated) and Utah prairie dog (not present near the project). Utah Division of Water Rights Steam Channel Alteration Permit and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nationwide Permits are required and would be secured by the UDWR.

The strategies for achieving project goals are centered on improving function and health of the stream channel and stream corridor. The major restoration techniques that would be used on the project include: (1) Large woody debris and rock structure installation - Private contractors would haul large tree and rock material to the project area. The UDWR Heavy Equipment Crew would then operate the necessary heavy equipment (e.g., excavator and front-end loader) to install large woody debris and rock structures in the stream and along banks. The structures would be intended to add cover for fish, help address problems associated with elevated rates of streambank erosion (e.g., recruitment of fine sediment or high total phosphorous loads), and protect cattle crossing structures to manage livestock grazing. (2) Streambank shaping and sloping - All bare, vertical, eroding banks would be shaped and sloped by the UDWR Heavy Equipment Crew to at least a 2:1 slope in a manner intended to promote reconnection of the river with the floodplain and help address streambank erosion problems. The stream channel slope, pattern, and location would not be changed. Work would only occur on existing stream banks. The stream would be narrowed and deepened in some locations, but cross-sectional area of the channel would be maintained. (3) Riparian seeding and planting - All disturbed ground and areas lacking adequate riparian vegetation would be seeded with a native grass mixture and the Utah Conservation Corps (UCC) would be hired to plant willow cuttings and bare root riparian trees and shrubs (e.g., water birch, cottonwood, red-osier dogwood, chokecherry, elderberry and golden current) to add cover and address streambank erosion problems. (4) Livestock management - The stream corridor encompassing the project area would be fenced to manage livestock grazing, which should also help to protect large woody debris structures, riparian vegetation, and streambanks over the long-term. Livestock grazing would not occur within riparian areas for five years. Thereafter, livestock grazing within riparian areas would occur at an intensity, duration, timing, and season such that woody riparian vegetation is not degraded or lost due to grazing by livestock (e.g., short duration, high intensity during spring). Project implementation would likely occur in the fall of 2018 or spring of 2019.

The UDWR is primarily monitoring the overall project through electrofishing surveys and photopoints. There are electrofishing stations already established in Kingston Canyon that act as "before", "after", "control", and "impact" sites at different points in time (before refers to monitoring sites prior to completion of any stream improvement work, after refers to a monitoring sites following completion of any stream improvement work, control refers to monitoring sites in which no stream improvement work has been or will be completed, and impact refers to monitoring sites in which stream improvement work has already been completed). Electrofishing surveys were conducted annually for five years initially, then every five years thereafter. Photo points were established along the river and in several upland areas prior to any work being done and will be revisited annually for the foreseeable future. The electrofishing surveys should help to quantitatively capture the impact of the project on the fishery and the photopoints should qualitatively assess the impact on the vegetation and geomorphology.

The principal partners in the project are the UDWR (project design, implementation, monitoring, maintenance, in-kind funding), private landowner (support of project, maintenance), and UDWQ (funding). Monitoring efforts are coordinated with the southern leatherside conservation team. The USFWS is also involved in the project to ensure compliance with the ESA.

Monitoring of the project would guide future management. As needed, the riparian fence and crossings would be maintained and additional planting of woody riparian vegetation would be completed. Grazing would be excluded from the fenced riparian area for a minimum of five years; thereafter, livestock grazing within the the fenced riparian area would occur at an intensity, duration, and timing such that woody riparian vegetation are not degraded or lost due to grazing by livestock.

The project would ultimately create a riparian pasture for livestock and rotational grazing would be implemented (e.g., short duration, high intensity during spring) that should be mutually beneficial to the stream health and function, fish and wildlife, and livestock. The planting and seeding efforts that are part of the project should provide some additional forage for livestock.

07/01/2018

06/30/2019

2019

The final methods did not deviate significantly from the initial plan. The UDWR utilized heavy equipment to haul rock from a nearby BLM rock pit, install rock and log structures in the stream, and slope streambanks. A five-person conservation corps crew was hired for one week to plant bare root tree and shrubs and willow stakes along the stream. Finally, a fence contractor was hired to repair and construct fence along the project area, and an additional area of the upper Sevier River, where needed to manage livestock grazing. While the the work and methods were essentially the same as planned, the scale of the project did change as discussed in the Project Narrative of this Completion Form and the project map.

The original plan for the project was to do maintenance work on a past stream improvement project and continue with new work immediately upstream of the old work. However, because of the higher than anticipated cost of maintenance work and maintenance work being a higher priority, there was not going to be enough funding to do a substantial amount of new work. Therefore, the maintenance work was completed and the remaining funds were used to construct a new riparian fence on the upper Sevier River near Hatch, UT (see project map for exact location). The following is a summary of work that was completed: (1) Large woody debris and rock structure installation - In April of 2019, the UDWR Heavy Equipment Crew hauled large tree and rock material to the East Fork of the Sevier River project area and the UDWR Heavy Equipment Crew operated the necessary heavy equipment (e.g., excavator and front-end loader) to install large woody debris and rock structures in the stream and along banks. The structures added cover for fish, help to address problems associated with elevated rates of streambank erosion (e.g., recruitment of fine sediment or high total phosphorous loads), and protect cattle crossing structures to manage livestock grazing. (2) Streambank shaping and sloping - At the same time structures were installed, all bare, vertical, eroding banks were shaped and sloped back to at least a 2:1 slope in a manner intended to promote reconnection of the river with the floodplain and help address streambank erosion problems. The stream channel slope, pattern, and location were not changed. Work occurred only on existing stream banks. The stream was narrowed and deepened in some locations, but cross-sectional area of the channel was maintained. (3) Riparian planting - In June of 2019, all disturbed ground and areas lacking adequate riparian vegetation were planted with willow cuttings and bare root riparian trees and shrubs (e.g., water birch, cottonwood, red-osier dogwood, chokecherry, elderberry and golden current) to add cover and address streambank erosion problems. A conservation corps work crew was hired to complete the planting work. (4) Livestock management - In spring and early summer of 2019 (April-June), a fence contractor repaired and constructed some new fence along the East Fork of the Sevier River prject area to effectively manage livestock grazing (which will also helps to protect large woody debris structures, riparian vegetation, and streambanks over the long-term). Additionally, a riparian fence was constructed on a section of the upper Sevier River near Hatch, UT. Livestock grazing will not occur within both riparian areas for a minimum of five years. Thereafter, livestock grazing within riparian areas will occur at an intensity, duration, timing, and season such that woody riparian vegetation is not degraded or lost due to grazing by livestock.

Important future management activities include: assessing function of installed structures to determine if changes are needed, working with the private land owners to ensure the grazing management plan is followed, monitoring the fish and habitat response, and completing any maintenance work that might be needed (e.g., additional planting efforts, repairing the riparian fence).