This project is important as key populations of Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieiri; YCT) and Bluehead Sucker (Catostomis discobolis, BHS) are concentrated in fragmented sections of Basin Creek and South Fork Junction Creek. The ultimate goal going forward will be to reconnect all fragments of Basin Creek, South Fork Junction Creek, and the Raft River by removing and/or repairing at least 10 fully impassable barriers and as many as 9 other possibly impassable structures, including irrigation diversions and road crossing culverts. Basin Creek provides good fish habitat that is inaccessible to both YCT and BHS from downstream. Removal and improvement of the barrier addressed in this project has the potential to reconnect up to 3.3 miles of stream that YCT and BHS inhabit patchily. Removing these barriers will reconnect fragmented populations of not only YCT and BHS but also other native species including Mottled Sculpin (Cottus bairdi), Redside Shiner (Richardsonius balteatus), Speckled Dace (Rhinichthys osculus), and Longnose Dace (Rhinichthys cataractae).

1) Reestablish fish passage through a currently not fish passable diversion structure that fragments key populations of Bluehead Sucker and Yellowstone Cutthroat trout. 2) Improve efficiency of landowner's water delivery system. 3) Develop a working relationship with a landowner that has been hesitant to work with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (landowner owns several other diversions that are fish migration barriers in the drainage).

Populations of Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout and Bluehead Suckers are currently isolated above and among fish passage barriers such as dams, irrigation diversions, and culverts. This fragmentation leads to smaller effective population sizes and increases the likelihood of localized extirpations for fishes. Connection amongst habitat for different phases of a fishes' life history is required for the continued persistence of species. As climate change decreases snowpack and alters runoff patterns, then connectivity to different habitats will become even more critical. If populations are lost, then reestablishing them because more costly and would still require the reestablishment of connectivity to be sustainable.

Actions related to dams and diversions will focus on correcting barriers to fish movement and other mechanisms of habitat and population fragmentation. - Utah Wildlife Action Plan Enhance and maintain habitat for roundtail chub, bluehead sucker, and flannelmouth sucker. - 3 Species concervation agreement strategy - Conservation actions The overarching goal of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for Conservation and Management of Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout is to "ensure the persistence of the Yellowstone cutthroat trout subspecies within its historic range" (page 2). Specific objectives agreed to by the states and other involved parties that address these threats are also identified in the MOA, including securing and enhancing existing conservation populations and restoring populations through such actions habitat restoration (page 3) - both objectives of this proposed project. The UDWR Raft River Drainage Management Plan (Hydrologic Unit 17040210) identifies "working cooperatively with [federal agencies] and private landowners to maintain or enhance habitat". This project will work with a private landowner/water user to improve fish passage to other private lands. The project area lies within the boundaries of Watershed Restoration Initiative Focus Areas and within Utah Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy priority areas. According to the UDWR Strategic Plan, this project will also help the UDWR meet its Resource Goal, which is to "Expand wildlife populations and conserve sensitive species by protecting and improving wildlife habitat. This project will specifically address objectives 2 and 3 of the UDWR Resource Goal, which are to "increase fish and game populations to meet management plan objectives, and expand quality fishing and hunting opportunities," and "conserve sensitive species to prevent them from becoming listed as threatened or endangered."

Catastrophic wildfires and resultant floods and debris flows have eliminated fish populations in many places recently in Utah. Although this project does not directly address the risk of fire and fuels, it does improve the resilience of aquatic species to handle fire effects. Reconnecting streams to allow for fish movement and migration will provides for the resiliency of fish populations in the event that a fire or catastrophic flood occurs.

Water management and delivery is an objective of this project. This project will ensure that the water user can divert the quantity of water that they have rights while providing fish passage.

We plan to apply for a stream alteration permit during phase 2. NEPA and Archaeological clearances are not necessary.

We plan to take on this project in two phases: Phase 1 is ongoing with an engineering firm, Quadrant Consulting, Inc. that has developed a diversion design that is fish passable and that meets the water user's irrigation diversion needs. Phase 2 will take the designs from phase 1 and use them to perform the construction of the new fish passable structure. Large-rock cross-vane structures will be installed to create steps for upstream fish passage at the diversion. Cross vanes will be engineered using hydraulic modeling so that boulders remain in place at high river flows and provide the required water elevation for irrigation diversion and fish passage at low river flows. A rotary drum fish screen will be installed in the canal downstream of the headgate. This screen will provide fish protection at all diverted flows. A secondary screen behind the drum will be used to keep fine debris out of the pipeline and irrigation pivot. A post construction monitoring effort will be used to evaluate the success of the project - described in "Monitoring" section

The rock cross vanes will be visually inspected following spring runoff flows to assess any movement or displacement or the structures, and if so, any required repairs. The fish screen will be monitored at start up at the beginning of the irrigation season, throughout the season, and after the season to assess performance and any damage. The diversion rebuild and fish screen have to work properly in order for the water user to continue to divert and deliver water. The water user will be responsible for regular operation and maintenance of the fish screen. Plans to monitor the success of the project will be to tag Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout and Bluehead sucker above and below the barrier using a visual implant elastomer tag (VIE) using different colors above and below the barrier prior to barrier removal and evaluate fish movement through post removal surveys . Assuming the barrier is remedied mixtures of fish tagged above and below the structure will be found throughout the entire 3.3 mile stretch of reopened stream. Improved fish passage at the diversion will reconnect fish populations on Basin Creek. In addition, the fish screen will eliminate fish loss to the canal, and we should then see increased fish densities at the UDWR fisheries monitoring sites on Basin Creek and South Fork Junction Creek.

*Trout Unlimited is currently working on the design process with the engineering firm, UDWR, and the water user. During phase 2, TU will work with the engineering firm to submit the stream alteration permit, fabrication of the fish screen, coordinating construction logistics, and assisting with construction oversight. TU will also manage the grant for the project from the Utah Cutthroat Trout Slam. *UDWR will work with the water user and TU to implement the project. UDWR will manage all other grants funding the construction work. *Bureau of Land Management has been involved in the fish passage inventory that led to the identification of this project. *West Box Elder CRM: this project has been discussed and vetted through this group. *Jason Tracy (owner of water right being diverted): working with the partners on the design and implementation of the project. He will provide a dump truck for the in-kind hauling of large rock for the cross vanes from a nearby rock quarry.

The project will reconnect over three miles of Basin Creek and support continued management of native fishes, including Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout and Bluehead Suckers. This will be the first irrigation diversion to be improved for fish passage in the Junction Creek watershed and will provide an important precedent for other diversions with the same water user, as well as with other water users. After the project is completed, the water user will be able to more effectively divert their water. The diversion rebuild and fish screen have to work properly in the future in order for the water user to continue to divert and deliver water for their ranching operation.Trout Unlimited will work with the canal company on training for fish screen operation and maintenance. The diversion supports over a hundred acres of irrigation used for cattle grazing/forage and hay production. This project supports future livestock production by effectively providing irrigation water..

The project is intended to provide sustainable use of irrigation water for ranchland and livestock production. It will do so by minimizing the effects of water diversion and delivery on fish passage. The project will also sustain recreational fishing for wild trout.

11/17/2020

04/30/2021

2021

Utilized the services of experienced contractors to remove and replace a diversion structure at level of stream. Additionally re-work the downstream creek area to include several low slope step pools to raise the creek level gradually to the structure to maintain the head required to operate the diversion while allowing the creek to be passable by fish (Target Species Bluehead Sucker and Yellowstone Cutthroat). Step pools and bank armoring were completed using donated rock from Landowner's Neighbor's rock quarry (In Kind ~$10,000 worth of rock). Utilized fish screen manufacturer to create a rotary drum screen structure that is powered by a paddle wheel. The screen structure was created off site and placed in the stream in sections. On-site excavation and diversion/fish screen placement - Bird Excavation LLC Fish Screen Manufacturing -- Peterson Metal Products LLC Construction Oversite (Engineering) -- Quadrant Consulting Inc.

The project is the first of hopefully several structures that will be replaced and made fish passable / screened to eliminate fish entrainment in the Junction Valley of Northwestern Utah. The initial step took place in the summer of 2017 when BLM funded an assessment of all possible fish movement barriers in the entirety of Utah's portion of the Raft River Drainage. This structure was identified as the priority starting point as it opened the largest reach of contiguous habitat of any of the identified barriers. Additionally the structure is owned by a previously hard to work with landowner. After working with the landowner through the entire process, we have formed a great working relationship with him and his ranch, which will allow future projects (WRI 5718) to be successful in the drainage. The project broke ground in November of 2020 but had to be put on hold through the winter due to freezing conditions that made working in the stream difficult (Mud that was freezing before it could be placed). The project resumed in April of 2021 and was completed with a couple weeks to spare before irrigation season began. As of the writing of this completion report, we (UDWR) have documented fish passage through the structure and upstream 2.5 miles. Additionally the landowner is extremely happy with the ease of the process of utilizing the water for his irrigation needs.

An agreement was reached between the landowner and UDWR/TU as to the maintenance schedule. During the initial years of operation UDWR will assist the landowner with startup and shutdown. Annual maintenance such as greasing moving parts, screen cleaning, and ensuring proper water levels are maintained within the screen structure are the responsibility of the landowner with assistance available from UDWR (Chance Broderius). Going forward the area will be monitored for presence and health of Bluehead Sucker and Yellowstone Cutthroat populations on a three-year cycle.