Knolls Area Utah Lake Access Improvements - Phase II
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Project ID: 4708
Status: Completed
Fiscal Year: 2019
Submitted By:
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Project Manager: Chris Crockett
PM Agency: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
PM Office: Central Region
Lead: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
WRI Region: Central
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Description:
Access to Utah Lake for anglers and waterfowl hunters is needed on the west side of the lake.
Funding would provide for a graveled road and small boat launch area, fencing, signage, and barriers to keep the public within approved access area near "the Knolls".
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Location:
West side of Utah Lake in Utah County, Utah.
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Project Need
Need For Project:
The West Side of Utah Lake is a popular destination for sportsmen but public access is limited. The area knownas the Knolls has historically been a popular access point for fishermen and other sportsmen to access the State owned shoreline. Continued use of the area and illegal activities (vandalism, litter, etc) have degraded the outdoor experience and strained relationships with adjacent private landowners. In 2013 the Utah County
Commission, UDWR, and several private landowners met to discuss options to preserve public access and protect private landowner interest in the Knolls area. Those talks have culminated in the second phase of a longterm plan to improve/retain sportsmen access to the Utah Lake shoreline while also implementing measures to help private landowners prevent unlawful trespass. The private landowner has recently agreed to donate a portion of the property to Utah County for sportsmen's access. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources will assist in ensuring improvements/development improve sportsmen's access to Utah Lake.
Objectives:
1. Improve primary Knolls access road through grading and addition of gravel/road base an needed to
smooth/level surface.
2. Creation of 200ftx100ft gravel parking lot.
3. Creation of 100ftx85ft gravel "turn around" near shoreline to facilitate boat launching and
equipment/people drop off
4. 30ftx75ft gravel boat ramp
5. Installation of jersey barriers to prevent illegal trespass of motor vehicles on FFSL administered lands.
Barriers will have 4ft wide access gates to accommodate walk in access, bloat tubes, etc.
6. Installation of 2,500 linear feet of 4 strand barbed wire fence to delineate public corridor adjacent to private lands.
Objectives:
Original Objectives
1 . Maintain primary Knolls access road through grading and addition of gravel/road base an needed to smooth/level surface.
2. Create and improve access to the lake.
3. Creation of 200ftx100ft gravel parking lot.
4. Creation of 100ftx85ft gravel "turn around" near shoreline to facilitate boat launching and
equipment/people drop off.
5. 30ftx75ft gravel boat ramp.
6. Installation of jersey barriers to prevent illegal trespass of motor vehicles on FFSL administered lands. Barriers will have 4ft wide access gates to accommodate walk in access, float tubes, etc.
7. Installation of 2,500 linear feet of 4 strand barbed wire fence to delineate public corridor adjacent to private lands.
Project Location/Timing Justification (Why Here? Why Now?):
Continue use and misuse of the Knolls area will lead to the degradation of roads and related access points to Utah Lake and may increase tensions with adjacent private landowners. Such tension could lead to the loss of public access across private lands and reduce the potential for future collaborative projects.
Relation To Management Plan:
Collaborative efforts to maintain/improve public access to Utah Lake fulfills the objectives of several components of the FFSL/ULC adopted Utah Lake Master Plan (referenced below). Improvements to the Knolls area where also identified as a priority objective by the Utah Lake Fish Forum.
4.4.4.1 Objective T-3.1 -- Improved Access
Through coordination led by the Utah Lake Commission with member agencies, UDOT and MAG, access by motorized transportation to destinations (including existing lake public access points) is improved. Improvements includes appropriate signage and commitments to maintain transportation facilities.
4.6.2.1 Objective R-1.1 -- Secure Legal Public Access. The Commission encourages the development of lake
access areas for a variety of uses. Public access to private holdings should be secured by purchase, donation,
easement or other means appropriate to the land ownership and proposed uses of the access point. Much of the Utah Lake shoreline is privately owned, constraining public access. There may be opportunities for expanded access on lands owned and managed by public agencies.
4.6.2.2 Objective R-1.2 -- Improve Access Points. The Commission encourages improvements to public access points including roads, signage, parking, pocket parks, sanitary facilities and other amenities. Commission members will cooperate to provide the resources necessary to appropriately improve and maintain existing and future public access points to Utah Lake.
Fire / Fuels:
Increased DWR/County presence and signage may help prevent fires started by target shooters (the area has experience several target shooter generated fires in the past few years)
Water Quality/Quantity:
Stabilization of rutted and eroding primitive access road and prevention of trespass driving on FFSL owned lands will reduce sediment pollution.
Compliance:
Monson Shaver completed Arch. Clearance in 2015. Monson, anything to add?
Methods:
Road, parking lot, and ramp creation will be implemented by Utah County and the Division of Wildlife Resources following standard best management practices. Reclaimed areas will be seeded with appropriate vegetation as recommended by UDWR Habitat Biologists.
Monitoring:
Facilities will be inspected annually by UDWR employees to determine maintenance needs. Maintenance will be jointly implemented by UDWR and Utah County.
Partners:
Utah County, FFSL, private landowner
Future Management:
Future management and maintenance of the area will be jointly coordinate by Utah County, UDWR, and the participation private landowner. Details of the lease and maintenance schedule will be included in a MOU between participating parties.
Sustainable Uses of Natural Resources:
N/A
| Budget | WRI/DWR | Other | Budget Total | In-Kind | Grand Total |
| $42,150.00 | $0.00 | $42,150.00 | $14,440.00 | $56,590.00 |
| Item | Description | WRI | Other | In-Kind | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials and Supplies | Gravel/base for road, ramp, parking lot, etc. 1000 ton | $21,000.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 2019 |
| Personal Services (permanent employee) | Fisheries and Habitat Biologist Assistance and Oversight, 3 biologists, 3 days. | $0.00 | $0.00 | $3,240.00 | 2019 |
| Archaeological Clearance | In house (DWR) arch. clearance | $0.00 | $0.00 | $2,000.00 | 2019 |
| Contractual Services | Creation of pad for dumpster. | $1,200.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 2019 |
| Materials and Supplies | Jersey barriers for preventing illegal vehicle trespass on FFSL administered lands. | $1,200.00 | $0.00 | $1,200.00 | 2019 |
| Materials and Supplies | Four strand barbed wire fencing for public access adjacent to private lands corridor. 2500 linear foot | $18,750.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 2019 |
| Equipment Rental/Use | Equipment rental and personnel services provided by Utah County. | $0.00 | $0.00 | $8,000.00 | 2019 |
| Funding | WRI/DWR | Other | Funding Total | In-Kind | Grand Total |
| $42,150.00 | $0.00 | $42,150.00 | $9,830.54 | $51,980.54 |
| Source | Phase | Description | Amount | Other | In-Kind | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utah County | $0.00 | $0.00 | $9,200.00 | 2019 | ||
| Habitat Council Account | HCRF | $27,150.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 2019 | |
| Habitat Council Account | QHCR | $15,000.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 2020 | |
| DWR-WRI Project Admin In-Kind | $0.00 | $0.00 | $414.67 | 2021 | ||
| DWR-WRI Project Admin In-Kind | $0.00 | $0.00 | $215.87 | 2022 |
Species
| Species | "N" Rank | HIG/F Rank | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Channel Catfish | R4 | |||||
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| White Bass | R3 | |||||
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Habitats
| Habitat | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowland Sagebrush | ||||
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Project Comments
| Comment | 03/26/2018 | Type: 1 | Commenter: Monson Shaver |
| Cultural survey completed 14UQ502. Project avoids known sites further uphill. | |||
| Comment | 08/11/2021 | Type: 2 | Commenter: Alison Whittaker |
| Hey Chris - I am just reading through your completion report for this project and had a few questions. You have several partially completed or delayed comments on your objectives saying will be completed fall of 2020 or in 2021 but not funds were spent on this project this year. Will you update your completion report with info about was completed and what wasn't completed an why. Will additional projects be proposed in future to achieve all the objectives? Keep in mind while you are updating this report that it should be able to be a stand alone doc. Make it so the reader doesn't have to go back through the whole project proposal to catch the main points (who, what, where, when, why and how). Thanks! | |||
| Comment | 08/26/2021 | Type: 2 | Commenter: Chris Crockett |
| We spent $8600 on rock from Geneva in June, I don't know why that isn't showing up in finances. I'm updating the report now with this years work. | |||
Completion
Start Date:
07/01/2019
End Date:
06/04/2021
FY Implemented:
2021
Final Methods:
Grading and application of road base to Knolls access road. Rough grading of steep access slope descending to lakeshore. Grading/smoothing and fencing of gravel parking lot. Completion of wetland delineation in support of future boat ramp design.
Project Narrative:
The West Side of Utah Lake is a popular destination for sportsmen but public access is limited. The area knownas the Knolls has historically been a popular access point for fishermen and other sportsmen to access the State owned shoreline. Continued use of the area and illegal activities (vandalism, litter, etc) have degraded the outdoor experience and strained relationships with adjacent private landowners. In 2013 the Utah County
Commission, UDWR, and several private landowners met to discuss options to preserve public access and protect private landowner interest in the Knolls area.
The project was delayed by changes in land ownership in the area and the lengthy process required to finalize agreements between the landowners involved (Utah County, FFSL), nevertheless I believe we are now set up to more effectively manage the area in the future. A brief overview of the project objectives is included below.
Objectives with notes on completion
1 . Maintain primary Knolls access road through grading and addition of gravel/road base an needed to smooth/level surface.-Completed, routine maintenance will be required
2. Create and improve access to the lake.-Partially Completed
3. Creation of 200ftx100ft gravel parking lot.-Completed
4. Creation of 100ftx85ft gravel "turn around" near shoreline to facilitate boat launching and
equipment/people drop off.-completed though it will need some maintenance
5. 30ftx75ft gravel boat ramp.-delayed until the county develops a master plan for the area
6. Installation of jersey barriers to prevent illegal trespass of motor vehicles on FFSL administered lands. Barriers will have 4ft wide access gates to accommodate walk in access, float tubes, etc.-delayed till fall of 2020. Access agreement has been finalized and Ames Construction is donating barriers.-Completed
7. Installation of 2,500 linear feet of 4 strand barbed wire fence to delineate public corridor adjacent to private lands.-this goal was modified. Some fencing has been established but the majority of problematic areas have been blocked off using large boulders. The boulder lines also delineated the portion of the county's property where motorized vehicles are not allowed.
Future Management:
Future management of the parking area will be led by Utah County with support from UDWR and FFSL. Jersey barrier installation/maintenance will be led by UDWR/FFSL with support from Utah County. Law enforcement will be jointly implemented by UDWR and Utah County Sheriffs Dept.
Map Features
| ID | Feature Category | Action | Treatement/Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7016 | Terrestrial Treatment Area | Road/Parking Area Improvements | Road/Parking area improvements |
Project Map
