The Meadow Creek and Willow Creek corridors have been severely impacted by flash flooding, trespass cattle, and wild horses over the past 20 years. Issues such as lack of stream habitat complexity, stream bank erosion and stream bed downcutting, and ground table dewatering have occurred as a result. The DWR has been making great strides in improving the habitat of this area; this project identifies several key areas that we wish to protect and enhance for greater habitat suitability for terrestrial and aquatic species. This area houses a great diversity of wildlife due to the habitat potential that exists on this landscape, along with the wild characteristics of the remote location. This project identifies key areas for tree planting and temporary fencing exclosures to promote healthier riparian areas and stabilize soil erosion problems, areas where loss of ground water has allowed undesirable sage brush, greasewood, and rabbitbrush to grow uncharacteristically abundant and large to the point where wildlife is not able to benefit from said plants as well as preventing desirable plants from taking hold, and identifies an area of Willow Creek that is suitable for beaver dam analogues (BDAs). Research has shown that BDAs have the potential to 1) elevate the water table - which would greatly enhance terrestrial forage opportunity, 2) provide increased habitat diversity and complexity by breaking up what is essentially one large "run" type habitat into a cascading pool complex - which will provide increased habitat availability to resident trout, sucker species, and speckled dace. The presence of beaver dams allows for better groundwater exchange potential as well, which may be able to cool the stream water, which will allow for a much more suitable habitat for resident trout. Willow Creek is currently almost unsuitable for trout species due to high stream temperatures. We will conduct wet mowing and herbicide applications - 2 quarts per acre - in several identified areas to promote better meadow health. An evaluation of aerial imagery shows that our meadow areas along Meadow and Willow Creeks are shrinking due to encroaching sagebrush, rabbitbrush, and greasewood.

This is currently planned as a 3-year phase project, with future phases focusing more effort on the Willow Creek mainstem BDA project than the first phase. Future projects will also focus more effort on nuisance vegetation remediation along the Willow Creek mainstem. 1. install several small temporary livestock exclosures to allow trees and vegetation to establish. 2. plant trees and desirable vegetation within exclosures 3. Mow and treat undesirable vegetation along identified areas where meadow function is being reduced. 4. Install BDAs in lower Willow Creek to promote stream habitat diversity while allowing channel aggradation and a return of groundwater to surrounding terrace.

Threats to mule deer, elk, bison, and bear are addressed by adding forage (esp. winter forage). Forage includes trees themselves as an opportunistic menu item. Also, in the long term, this project focuses on increasing water availability to the riparian area. A healthy riparian area will provide a rich, thick abundance of forage much better than the current status of the surrounding canyon bottoms that are more arid. Threats addressed to bat species include additional roost availability, increased water availability and habitat diversity. Beaver will greatly benefit through increased forage availability and dam building materials. Thus, this will introduce new, currently unavailable habitat. Beaver dam analogues (BDAs) are commonly used in areas where a) there are no beaver, and b) as an attempt to get beaver to construct a dam in a particular place by providing an anchor point. Colorado River cutthroat trout + Northern leopard frog threats addressed include increased water temperature concerns (short term = shading, long term = increased baseflow through groundwater discharge/recharge processes), sedimentation (increasing ground canopy and tree rooting, thus soil stability), and habitat complexity (short term, provides shade and erosion relief characters after a flood event; long term, trees provide log jams and beaver dam materials). Wild turkey will benefit from increased roost capacity near a water source, which is a bit scarce in this neck of the woods. Habitat types in these stream bottoms include aquatic-forested (limited to a few areas of close-by PJ and willow stands), aquatic scrub/shrub, desert grassland, and lowland sagebrush. Within the direct riparian corridor are the aquatic types. These areas will benefit from habitat complexity created through this project. These areas will continue to benefit by having a rich, diverse, healthy stream to support. By stopping erosion and ensuring persistent, perennial water, these areas will be enhanced and supported in perpetuity. Beaver dams are proven to moderate massive flood events, while capturing some of this flow as ground water, which then leans to increasing baseflow. Decreasing soil erosion only serves to maintain a balance for a healthy riparian. Similar benefits to grassland and lowland sagebrush. These areas will benefit from having a healthy stream/riparian corridor. Soil moisture is the most important component to maintain these eco-types. If soil moisture diminishes, then vegetation will change to more tolerant species, which usually means vegetation will shift to an invasive-dominated landscape, or forage species that are less desirable. Threshold: Meadows continue to degrade if we do not act, and will cross a threshold where it will become more cost intensive. BDAs will restore a better environment for some of the present meadows, but the longer these meadows sit unwatered and are trampled by livestock, wild horses, and wildlife, the worse condition they will be in with undesirable species such as purple mustard, cheat grass, and eventually greasewood. Some of the meadows have reached a successional stage to where greasewood is dominating. This proposal addresses some of these reaches with a treatment and seeding; however, this is more expensive to do in the long term than if we had acted years ago by simply providing adequate moisture to where noxious species would not be so easy to establish. Some of our meadows are simply being closed in with sagebrush and greasewood. Given several more years, there would be no meadow with which to start and we'd have to re-establish the entire grassland. It is ideal to keep the intact grasslands established as this is increased area for foraging that will start to narrow to less and less land. It is also very important to keep good sources of desirable grass species diversity in the area with less noxious vegetation. The longer we wait, the less of these variables we will have to work with and it will cost more to complete a full restoration rather than expand what is presently there to historic conditions. From the stream BDA perspective - as more time progresses, the stream continues to incise. We may already be at a point where it is no longer feasible for the stream to connect to the floodplain in some areas. The sooner this project is completed, the more stream mileage we can stabilize or aggrade to reach project objectives. As more streambed is lost to incision, the more difficult it will be (or impossible) to return to a healthy riparian ecosystem. This project also deals with revegetating/planting trees along the riparian areas. As more time advances, the more difficult it will be to establish riparian tree communities. This occurs as a result of crowding by other vegetation such as upland sagebrush, and even grasses preventing natural seeding. Soil and stability will be lost for years as long as this riparian tree community does not establish.

CONSERVATION STRATEGY FOR COLORADO RIVER CUTTHROAT TROUT. Objective 4 -- Secure and enhance watershed conditions. Strategy 7 -- Improve habitat conditions for CRCT (utilizing habitat improvement techniques including stream bank stabilization, increased water temperature refugia, and riparian management) UTAH BEAVER MANAGEMENT PLAN 2010-2020. This management plan encourages managers to consider using beaver as a stream restoration tool. The construction of BDA's will encourage the expansion of beaver in this reach. WILDLIFE ACTION PLAN (WAP): This project addresses threats identified in the Utah Wildlife Action Plan to several aquatic and upland habitats, as well as multiple species that use those habitats. See the Species and Habitats tabs for more. BOOK CLIFFS BISON HERD UNIT MANAGEMENT PLAN. Habitat Management Goal, Objective 1, Strategy 1 -- Identify critical bison use areas and work with land managers and private landowners to improve or maintain habitat quality in these areas. UTAH ELK STATEWIDE MANAGEMENT PLAN. Habitat Management Goal, Objective 2, Strategy d -- Initiate broad scale vegetative treatment projects to improve elk habitat with emphasis on calving habitat and winter ranges. UTAH MULE DEER STATEWIDE MANAGEMENT PLAN. Habitat Management Goal, Objective 2, Strategy d -- Initiate broad scale vegetative treatment projects to improve mule deer habitat.... Utah Bat Conservation Plan 2009-2014 - "Drinking water is of critical importance to most bats in Utah. Drinking is mostly accomplished by skimming the water surface with open mandible (jaw). Surface waters also provide rich foraging sites since flying insects are often abundant over even small bodies of water, and surface water often is bordered or surrounded by more luxuriant vegetation that favors insect abundance". Additionally, one of the prime objectives is to "Minimize loss or degradation of riparian habitats used by bats", which explicitly identifies discouraging channelization as a management action. The plan also states "Bat species that typically fly only short distances in a single night, and species that are strongly associated with water" as especially vulnerable to channelized streams and other land management actions that make water unavailable. This proposal seeks to reverse this trend in the project area by holding abundant water and foraging zones available to local bat populations. Utah Black Bear Management Plan 2.0 - 2011-2023 - Bears require free water during the summer. Numerous references indicated that bears in Utah most frequently occurred in areas containing moist soils and associated vegetation. 47% of observations were associated with perennial water, primarily streams in canyon bottoms. Riparian areas were identified as having high value forage opportunities. UINTAH COUNTY RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN. 8.4.1 -- Support the Maintenance, enhancement, and expansion of sport fishing opportunities 8.4.8 -- Support efforts to protect water quality and the quality of the associated fisheries. 8.4.9 -- Support efforts to improve fish habitats while balancing the rights of adjacent landowners and holders of water rights. 9.4.2 -- Encourage the restoration of floodplain connectivity for improved flood control in suitable areas. 20.4.2 -- Conserve and protect riparian areas through application of best management practices. 20.4.11 -- Modify grazing use to avoid overgrazing if appropriate. 20.4.12 -- Encourage efforts to enhance streambeds and control erosion. Increase coverage and composition of vegetation. 22.4.1 -- Maintain or improve water quality to protect the health and well-being of county residents and the desirability of the county as a place to visit and recreate. 22.4.13 -- Support projects that improve water quality and increase quantity and dependability of water supply. GRAND COUNTY RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN. -- Riparian Goal 3 (from the 2012, Grand County General Plan) -- Preserve and restore wetlands and riparian habitats STATE OF UTAH RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN. --The State will seek to protect, conserve, and improve Utah's fish and aquatic wildlife and the habitats upon which they depend. --The State supports ensuring the persistence of the diversity of native fish and aquatic wildlife in Utah while at the same time providing excellent opportunities for anglers and other recreationists. --Managing for self-sustaining fisheries in Utah streams should be a priority. --The State supports implementing active management and restoration projects on federal lands to restore sinuosity, vegetation, and floodplain function which mimic the natural hydrologic system in suitable areas --Improve vegetative health on public and private lands through range improvements, prescribed fire, vegetation treatments, and active management of invasive plants and noxious weeds. --Active management should be used to improve and enhance riparian resources to provide for appropriate physical, biological, and chemical function. --Prioritize and manage riparian areas to attain desired future conditions for riparian- related resources --The State supports the use of structural and non-structural improvements in unstable water courses to restore riparian areas properly functioning/desired future conditions. --Expand wildlife populations and conserve sensitive species by protecting and improving wildlife habitat. --Conserve sensitive species to prevent them from becoming listed as threatened or endangered. --Produce and maintain the desired vegetation for wildlife and domestic livestock forage on public and private lands.

This proposal addresses fire/fuel concerns by eliminating issues of overgrown sagebrush, greasewood, and rabbitbrush while re-establishing lowland meadows within the valleys. Additionally, by promoting a more green, healthy riparian corridor as well as additional instream ponding and discharge, this area will better serve as a fire break to ground fires.

1. enhance water quality by promoting sediment deposition in key areas in order to slowly rebuild channel height with reference to surrounding floodplain (channel aggradation); this will also be accomplished in a long-term goal of establishing beaver through the system. A small colony of beaver is currently on site and will expand given favorable conditions. 2. enhance water quality by vegetating erosive areas that contribute sediment to stream 3. enhance water quality by installing woody vegetation, which will have long-term shading benefits 4. Water increase: a. beaver dams have a proven ability to moderate floods into more stable baseflow conditions b. through surface to groundwater connections/links (groundwater discharge/recharge, increase baseflow capacity by holding soil moisture in

Some of the area of impact has already been cleared by State Archaeologist. The vegetative nature of the project prevents some arch work from being conducted. Since the DWR Archaeologist automatically reviews all projects for arch compliance, I will leave it to him to determine if an additional site visit is necessary based on similar project work and adjacent sites. Stream alteration permit already obtained for upper reach of Meadow Creek, no stream alteration permit required for planting trees along riparian corridor. An additional stream alteration permit will need to be secured before end of FY2019 for the BDA work on Willow Creek. No NEPA required, all work will be completed on DWR WMA land

1. Continue to monitor cattle trespass in WMA 2. Restore/enhance Meadow Creek riparian area with tree plantings. Plantings will be completed by multiple methods, depending on accessibility, but will include a) hand digging b) post-hole digger method and c) bobcat auger 3. Construct exclosures by hand and with heavy equipment (bobcat) where available to assist 4. Purchase trees when available, collect willow cuttings in advance of plantings 5. A fecon head will be needed from GBRC to attach to machinery to conduct mowing applications. 6. Drip herbicide application will be contracted out. Spot applications will be done by DWR seasonal staff. 7. BDAs will be installed by several methods, including direct application by excavator or other machine, and by hand via a hydraulic post pounder when other equipment is unavailable or the application site is difficult to reach.

1. Monitor trespass cattle, compromise and police as necessary to prevent further resource damage and damage to past stream restoration work. 2. Monitor tree survival and stream rehabilitation on an annual basis for at least 5 years. Replant as necessary. If certain species do not do well, replace with species that are excelling. If certain planting locations or methods work better than others for tree survival, explore those options in re-planting events. 3. Once tree survival and establishment deemed adequate, remove exclosures. 4. Monitor mowing and herbicide application area to determine if additional seeding is necessary. 5. Monitor success of BDAs by ocular observation. Monitor additional tree growth and meadow forage growth. Additionally, we intend to install several water table monitoring stations made of corrugated plastic piping in order to determine success of elevating the water table.

This is a regional WAP project involving all DWR sections; there are sections of SITLA planned within the project. There are adjacent BLM lands that could be incorporated in future phases of this project. Project authors reached out to BLM on 1/10/2019 to gauge interest. BLM biologist Jerrad Gooddell returned my message saying he was very interested in the project as far as coming out and assisting, and visiting adjacent BLM sites in the future with a potential to expand on BLM administered lands. SITLA RIP form initiated on 1/17/2019.

Monitor habitat improvements. Utilize adaptive management in areas where treatments are not working. Examples might be if some BDAs are not working in certain stream areas, investigate why this may be occurring to either fix the problem, or in future phases, target areas where BDAs are working well. Another example would be utilizing adaptive management to criticize how well our wet mowing phases are doing. Observe where it is working well and desirable species are re-growing. Observe what is causing some treatment areas to fail (e.g., like if greasewood continues to give us problems). We will also monitor portions of this project for follow-up treatment, particularly the wet mowing and seeding. Another example of adaptive management that we are already currently utilizing is that we've discovered through adjacent prior projects that exclosure fencing is necessary for the first several years of riparian tree planting in order for those trees to be really successful. Additionally, we are also discovering that certain tree species do very well, while others struggle. We will target the planting of more trees that are doing the best in order to maximize effectiveness of this procedure. Additional phases of the Willow Creek BDA project are planned for future fiscal years pending the success of this project. The mowing, herbicide application, and seeding projects identified in this project are all within the Meadow Creek corridor. We may incorporate additional mowing projects within the Willow Creek corridor in future projects that we will plan to join with the future BDA project phases. Seeding future management will focus on re-treatment if the seed does not establish very well. We have had numerous drought years in recent times where seed has struggled. Completed over a course of a few years, we will get vegetation established. Based on prior adjacent project, it appears that once our seed takes, it does well, even in drought conditions. This area does not receive intentional grazing, however, we have and will continue to monitor trespass livestock and horses to allow our seed the best chance of survival.

This project will help eliminate, downgrade, or mitigate trespass cattle issues on DWR land, resulting in less conflict between wildlife and domestic cattle. This project does not address or increase any permanent fencing. Fencing around riparian areas is intended to be temporary and removed once vegetation has established sufficiently. DWR has a current agreement for a trailing right through the WMA. This project does not alter that agreement. This project will assist in creating a recreational fishery in this area. Recent projects have drawn attention to the area; NER biologists report over 30 contacts in calendar year 2018 inquiring about this fishery; the fishery is in a fragile state yet, and so our answers are respective to the entire trout fishery existing within the bookcliffs area. Increases in trout fishing opportunity would help in alleviating concentrated zones of fishing pressure. This project will enhance terrestrial forage, which has direct benefits to livestock and terrestrial game. Grasshopper production has been an added benefit to the trout fishery.

09/30/2019

06/30/2020

2020

Two large exclosures (each >15 acres) were constructed in the upper portion of Meadow Creek. The upper exclosure was planted with pole plantings, potted plants, and rooted willows. The lower exclosure is not yet 100% complete but is currently being finished with NER aquatics funding, and will be filled in with plants at a later date. Wet mowing was completed as indicated in the map and covered 100 acres. 18 large beaver dam analogues were constructed in the main Willow Creek channel using excavator, post-pounders, and seasonal and contracted labor.

Project was designed as a watershed scale project. Beaver dam analogues were constructed in Willow Creek to agrade channel, connect water to greater floodplain, agrade water table, allow groundwater to water landscape for better terrestrial game forage production, diversify fish habitat. Exclosures were completed to protect vegetation plantings and better establish riparian vegetation. Vegetation was planted to stabilize Meadow Creek stream banks and shade stream.

Work on finishing and planting lower exclosure as time allows. Monitor and replace vegetation as time allows. Continue toward goals of vegetating the upper Meadow Creek area with woody vegetation. Increase fish habitat diversity as time and funding allow using conventional and new techniques, including beaver dam analogues.