This property will provide public access and recreation along a lowland stretch of the Logan River, allowing the city to accomplish additional miles of the planned Logan River Trail network, both as a paved trail system and a blue trail system to encourage recreation by foot, bicycle, or non-motorized watercraft. This property will provide floodplain management for Logan City and reduce flooding impacts from severe storms upstream, while providing additional wetland mitigation opportunities for UDOT. This property eased by the City will also allow for further improvements to the flow and function of the Logan River, as envisioned in the Logan River Taskforce and Logan City's River Conservation Action Plan. DWR participation will ensure public access for riverine recreation for approximately two additional miles of the Logan River.

The City would purchase a conservation easement on 73 acres of the subject property at $23,972.60 per acre for a total of $1,750,000.00 The 73 acres would include the property along the river and within the flood plain, with the Seller retaining the upland portion of the subject property. The Seller will agree to donate $175,000.00 of the purchase price in exchange for naming rights of the proposed trail to be installed within the conservation easement. The City has been awarded a State of Utah 2019 LeRay McAllister Grant in the amount of $875,000.00 and is currently pursuing 50% matching funds through Cache County RAPZ Tax award of $300,000.00 to $450,000.00. The City is seeking additional matching funds from the State of Utah (this project), Cache County, The Nature Conservancy, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and other sources. Future expected grant awards from trails organizations are expected to garner an additional $200,000.00 towards development of river access facilities and trails.

Development targeted for portions of this parcel would certainly preclude restoration of ecological function within this reach.

Logan River Task Force Conservation Action Plan (LRCAP) includes 22 Indicators of social and ecological values of the Logan River. Acquisition of this conservation easement will lead to improvements in 18 of these indicators, including: - Improve water quality through reduction of sediments and non-point nutrients - Improve recreational access for fishing and other recreation - Improve fishing success through enhancement of instream habitat for fish and benthic macroinvertebrates - Significantly improve Blue Ribbon Fishery criteria of water quality, water accessibility, and Brown Trout and Whitefish habitat The 2015 Utah Wildlife Action Plan (WAP) designates Riverine, Aquatic-Forested, and Aquatic Scrub-shrub as Key Habitats for Species of Greatest Conservation Need. All these are present on and adjacent to the project footprint. Completion of this project would prevent destruction or further degradation of these key habitats. Furthermore, completion of this project would enable enhancement or restoration of ecological function within this reach, via active and passive abatement of impinging threats. Riverine is mapped as compromising 0.22% of Utah's surface area. Aquatic - Scrub/shrub is mapped as 0.10% of Utah, and Aquatic - Forested is mapped as 0.01% of Utah. Preventing the destruction of these very rare Key Habitats is probably the highest form of implementing the WAP. Management recommendations in the WAP, for these particular habitats and relevant to this particular project, specifically include: - maintaining or restoring natural water and sediment flow regimes, - reducing inappropriate residential or commercial development in floodplains, and - reducing inappropriate siting of roads in floodplains.

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Protection of floodplain within this reach will have a positive influence by reducing sedimentation and non-point sources of organic waste.

It's a previously disturbed area so Arc clearance shouldn't be necessary. No dirt will be turned in the process of obtaining the easement.

Purchase Conservation Easement to be held by Logan City in perpetuity for conservation and protection of 73 acres of riparian and floodplain habitats.

Property will be monitored annually to insure that conservation values are maintained.

UDWR Logan River Task Force (members represent several agencies/entities including Utah State University, Cache Water District, Utah Div of Water Quality, NRCS, Pacificorp, Cache Anglers, Bridgerland Auduon Society, and other partners and contributors mentioned in this application) LeRay McAllister Critical Land Conservation Fund (Utah Quality Growth Commission) Logan City (Mayor Holly Daines) Bear River Land Trust (Casey Snider) Cache County (Cache Trails Program) The Nature Conservancy (Ann Neville) Bridgerland Audubon Society (Hilary Shugart)

The Logan River Conservation Action Plan has identified the following objectives for the planned "Kunzler Channel and Floodplain Improvement Project": Increase recreation access, provide recreational facilities (boat landings, parking, restrooms), improve water quality, improve instream habitat for macroinvertebrates and fish, restore floodplain function, restore native riparian vegetation, and improve fishing success. In addition to improving instream habitat, the Task Force restoration project will enhance floodplain habitats such as wetlands, wet meadows, and riparian trees and shrubs. This property provides nesting habitat for one of the state's largest populations of Bobolinks (a State Sensitive Species). Future management, made possible by the easement, will involve working with the landowner to maintain wet meadow habitats within the easement and delay mowing until Bobolinks have fledged. Maintenance of wet meadows will also provide a foraging area for a globally-significant population of White-faced Ibis (which nest on nearby Cutler Reservoir), Sandhill Cranes, Canada Geese, and several species of dabbling ducks. Riparian habitat restoration will consist of reconnecting the river to the adjacent floodplain as well as removing nonnative invasive species and reestablishing native trees, shrubs, and ground cover. This will benefit Bald Eagles, Osprey, Willow Flycatchers, Mourning Doves, Wild Turkeys, Swainson's Hawks, and over 65 additional nongame birds. Future wetland restoration will also involve enhancing floodplain connectivity to the river and managing for appropriate wetland cover. This will benefit the Northern Leopard Frog (a Wildlife Action Plan species), numerous waterfowl species, Ring-necked Pheasants, American Avocets, Snowy Egrets, Peregrine Falcons, and an additional 20 nongame bird species.

Completion of this project (and subsequent planned improvements) will create sustainable, consumptive and non-consumptive recreational opportunities for diverse user groups.

12/22/2020

06/30/2021

2021

Cooperate with Logan River Task Force and Logan City to transfer funds to the overall project budget to purchase the Conservation Easement. The budgeted amount was based on initial estimates of easement size but over the course of the year that footprint was decreased. Riparian corridor length and width was not lessened and the determination that the project be continued was made.

A payment for $48,200 was issued to Logan City. This amount was less than budgeted as the total acreage of the easement was lowered during negotiations with the landowner. Two miles of riparian corridor will be open to the public primarily for angling access. I am awaiting a current map of the final project footprint. Funding partners include The McAllister Conservation Fund ($481,750), the Kunzler family (seller $96,350), Logan City ($168,600), and Cache County ($168,600).

Manage for pubic access for the riparian corridor, preservation of conservation values on the upland portion.