Utah Lake and its shores are utilized for sports, recreation, agriculture, and as valuable wetland habitat. According to the WAP this project benefits both Key Species and Habitat of greatest conservation needs (June Sucker and Invasive plant species in shoreline habitat). Utilizing 2006 aerial photos of Utah Lake, it was estimated that there are over 8,000 acres of Phragmites around the lake's 75 mile shoreline. The removal of Phragmites greatly benefits the watershed and wildlife habitat. Phragmites chokes out valuable wetland and continues to intrude on habitat areas of endangered or threatened wildlife species. This invasive vegetation also greatly limits public access around the lake and creates a wall of vegetation which is a clear safety hazard for boaters in emergency situations. In addition to the Phragmites found along the shoreline, large numbers of tamarisk and Russian olive are also a problem around the lake. Their removal and establishment of desirable plant species greatly benefits the watershed. Phragmites proliferation has the potential to choke out valuable wetlands found around the lake. Phragmites is difficult to eradicate without an aggressive vegetation management program. Phragmites is capable of surviving the harshest conditions including fire, frost, high pH and flood. It is tolerant of low water, storm water discharge, road salts and nutrient pollution. It spreads by rhizomes and forms a dense mat that out competes and eliminates native vegetation and destroys valuable wetlands. It was added to the Utah County list of noxious weeds by the Utah County Commission in 2008. Stands of phragmites can grow to over 14 feet tall and create an impenetrable insecticide buffer which allows breeding mosquitos to thrive. Mosquitoes around Utah Lake and the County have tested positive for West Nile Virus. Each year when the phragmites dies back and dries out, lake shore residential developments, parks, bridges and other structures face the risk of extreme fire danger. In 2007 the Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands was court ordered to create a 30-foot firebreak as a safety measure to protect the homes in case of a fire. The Utah Lake Commission has coordinated the creation of a long-term shoreline restoration program with local municipal governments, Utah County, and applicable state and federal agencies as well as private land owners to remove phragmites and other invasive plant species such as tamarisk and Russian olive from the shoreline of Utah Lake and to restore native vegetation where beneficial. It is a multiple section removal effort which requires yearly dedicated funding to ensure its success.

This year's efforts will continue monitoring of previous years projects, however, the more aggressive treatment regime which started last year will continue based on the latest research out of Utah State University on Phragmites removal. This research indicates that aggressive treatments on the same area for at least three consecutive years is needed before re-vegetation efforts take place. As such, the area from Saratoga Springs north and east through Lehi, American Fork, Lindon, Orem and south to Provo Bay has been identified as a priority for this aggressive treatment regime and will be treated aerially for the next three years. After the three years, conditions will be assessed and a determination will be made how to proceed with additional reseeding and other re-vegetation projects to restore native and desirable vegetation in this area. A secondary priority area to the south of Provo Bay is included in the project area as an alternate treatment area if funding can be leveraged and additional work completed.

Phragmites proliferation, which began a mere 16 years ago, will eventually choke out the valuable wetlands found around the lake. Utah Lake is at the confluence of multiple HUC 12 watershed resources making the lake a critical Utah watershed. Phragmites continues to intrude upon the habitat area of several endangered or threatened species, as well as species of concern. These include, as recommended by UDWR, June sucker, Utah sucker, channel catfish, bullhead catfish, panfish including bluegill and crappie, and large-mouth bass; shore birds, neotropical birds, and water fowl including the Avocet, Stilt, Caspian Tern, Plover, and Long-billed Curlew.

(Management Plans and objectives are named and then numbered in brackets or parenthesis) This project will continue the process needed to help several agencies accomplish their goals and objectives. The agencies, the plans and objectives are listed below. The Utah Lake Commission [1,2 (two objectives)] and Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands [3,4 (two objectives] adopted the Utah Lake Master Plan in June 2009. It specifically lists removal of Phragmites around Utah Lake as a high-priority goal. The Master Plan also lists the importance of insect control to benefit public health--a direct result of this removal effort. The Utah County Commission (5) has identified Phragmites as a noxious weed at the recommendation of the Utah County Weed Board. This board meets regularly to strategize treatment of numerous types of noxious weeds in Utah County. This is outlined in the 2013 County Resource Assessment. Restoration of the shoreline of Utah Lake is a high priority of this board. The Utah County Mosquito Abatement (6) district has identified Phragmites removal as a priority as well. Listed as a noxious weed that needs to be controlled in the 2013 Alpine Conservation District Resource Assessment (7) and the 2013 Timp Nebo Conservation District Resource Assessment (8) Removal of Phragmites also helps the Division of Wildlife Resources (9) reclaim valuable habitat for wildlife. It is also a priority of several municipalities, including the City of Saratoga Springs (10) and Provo City (11), Lehi City (12) to have this invasive species controlled as it grows closer to existing homes and planned developments. The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (13) has identified Phragmites as one of their top priorities for invasive species control, within the new Invasive Species Mitigation program, which is a partner in this grant. The June sucker Recovery Implementation Program (14) has identified Phragmites at Utah Lake to be detrimental to habitat and has been supporting efforts to remove Phragmites around the lake. This project lies within the wetland type which is one of the key habitats identified in the WAP. This area supports a variety of wildlife species including many that are listed in the WAP such as fish, Neotropical birds, raptors, and wading and shorebirds. June sucker, an endangered fish endemic to Utah Lake, may also receive benefit from a long-term Phragmites removal effort of which this project is the first step. Other species of concern, as identified by UDWR include, fish such as the Utah sucker, channel catfish, bullhead catfish, panfish including bluegill and crappie, and large-mouth bass; birds, including the Avocet, Stilt, Caspian Tern, Plover, and Long-billed Curlew. This project lies within a wetland/lake conservation focus area as determined by the Central Region UPCD team.

Lakeside developments are springing up around a majority of the north half of Utah Lake along with municipal infrastructure to support the growth. As Phragmites invades the shoreline, it creates a substantial fuel load and hazard to residential neighborhoods, golf courses, parks, campgrounds, commercial structures and associated infrastructure that all border the lake. A lawsuit between Saratoga Springs and the Utah Division of Forestry Fire and State Lands highlighted the reality of this fire risk after which the State was ordered to create fire barriers by removing the Phragmites vegetation. Our multi-year project reduces the fuel loading around the lake and prevents the risk of Catastrophic Fires. Reducing the fuels along the shoreline also prevents the negative impacts of large fires to the Air quality along the Wasatch Front which is uniquely susceptible to poor air quality.

Treating and removing Phragmites allows native wetland vegetation to reestablish, this creates positive impacts to both the water quality and that water quantity in Utah Lake. According to UDWQ, Replacing Phragmites with other native species provides better uptake of nutrient pollution by native vegetation species. Removal efforts of Phragmites also creates a more complex riparian root system that is better habitat for juvenile fish and other species. According to one local study: (http://etgreatsaltlake.weebly.com/), Phragmites consumes more than double the water to that of native wetland vegetation. The restoration of Native vegetation on the lake has the potential to save an estimated 12k Acre/feet of water annually according to the study which estimated the 25,000 acres of Phragmites on the Great Salt Lake was consuming just over 71K acre/feet annually. There are 8,305 acres of mapped Phragmites on Utah Lake. Utah Lake is a priority on the current Utah County Resource Assessment Plan created in 2013. It points out that the lake provides water not only to its county residents but also to Salt Lake County. As the third largest freshwater lake in the western United States, Utah Lake contains ~902,400 acre feet of water when full. As such, it is a very important part of the watershed both in quantity and for its quality. This project along with many others are contributing to improving the value of this resource.

This type of treatment does not require archeological surveys or cultural surveys. However, DWR's Archeologist has an opportunity to review the project area to provide comments on general areas to avoid during the smashing phase of the treatment.

Following a similar plan that the UDWR has been using and adapting for improved success in northern Utah, we have developed a plan to control and contain phragmites, other invasive plants, and to reestablish desirable vegetation in appropriate locations. The plan involves a three-year aggressive treatment followed by subsequent revegetation work, with a monitoring and management strategy to prevent spread and re-invasion. Methods for Treatment: Year 1 -- 1. A contracted helicopter will be used to treat the project area with AquaNeat in late summer. 2. Contractors will be used to remove and treat stumps with AquaNeat of tamarisk and Russian olive from strategic areas in the Fall/Winter. 3. Utah County crews will smash or contract the smashing for much of the biomass in the treated area during the winter. 4. Utah County weed crew will spot treat regrowth of phragmites in the project area with AquaNeat in accessible areas in the spring. Year 2 -- 1. A contracted helicopter will be used to treat the project area with AquaNeat in late summer. 2. Tree stumps of tamarisk and Russian olive will be retreated with AquaNeat in summer. 3. Regrowth will be smashed or mowed mechanically during the winter. 4. Continual monitoring of regrowth and treatment as needed will be done during the year. Year 3 -- 1. A contracted helicopter will be used to treat the project area with AquaNeat in late summer. 2. Tree stumps of tamarisk and Russian olive will be retreated with AquaNeat in summer. 3. Regrowth will be smashed/mowed mechanically during the winter. 4. Continual monitoring of regrowth and treatment as needed will be done during the year. 4, 5... 1. Continual maintenance will occur 2. Spot treatment of any regrowth along the shoreline will continue. 3. Smashing/mowing will occur if the lake is low enough and is needed. 4. Revegetation of strategic areas are considered based on the public use, need, and expected success rate of the project.

Utah County Public Works Department (weed program) will monitor the effectiveness of spraying efforts on phragmites and conduct follow-up treatments as necessary. Photopoints will be established to document pre and post-treatment implementation activities and compared each year to determine the effectiveness of the treatment. Each year the Lake Commission captures images of the entire shoreline of the lake to document the work completed and review year to year progress for monitoring purposes. Starting in 2015, we have incorporated the use of Drone technology to further document regrowth and smashing activities. This helps better monitor and identify needed re-treatment areas.

Utah County Utah Department of Agriculture and Food - ISM Utah Lake Commission Central Utah Water Conservancy District Utah Division of Forestry Fire and State Lands Utah Division of Wildlife Resources The Utah Lake Shoreline restoration project has established partnerships with State, County and local governments as well as private land owners to complete annual projects on the shoreline. The Utah Lake Commission made up of 17 municipal governments and other agencies is the project lead and grant applicant and contributes hard funding for the project. Utah County manages the entire project with both staff and contractors as well as provides in-kind labor and equipment. Utah's Department of Agriculture provides a major source of funding for the project through its Invasive Species Mitigation program. The Central Utah Water Conservancy District provides in-kind funding for equipment. Utah Division of Forestry Fire and State Lands provides project funding as well as permitting for lakeshore access. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources provides habitat feedback and information on best practices for making these projects successful as well as being a WRI application partner during the planning phase of the upcoming projects.

The Utah Lake Commission, comprised of 16 cities, Utah County, UDNR, UDWQ, CUWCD, has a long term vested interest, regardless of land ownership, in maintaining the shorelines of Utah Lake and has identified this as a priority in the Utah Lake Master Plan. As the owner of the lake bed, the Utah Division of Forestry Fire and State Lands is also dedicated to long term lake management. As described in the methods section, our long-term plan includes monitoring and managing the treated areas into the future to ensure the shoreline remains clear of Phragmites. Each year an aerial fly over is completed and used to analyze areas where re-treatment is needed. This provides a site-specific plan to be created for spot treatments where regrowth is taking place. A small amount of re-seeding will be undertaken this year and the ULC along with additional funding from FFSL is purchasing Seed Spreaders that will attach to the Marsh Masters for future larger scale re-seeding efforts around the lake.

Many areas along the shoreline of Utah Lake are used to graze livestock, as Phragmites is cleared, livestock production increases with the additional acreage created by the open space where native grasses and plants reestablish. The Powell Slough area will be the first true ULC partnership grazing program on Utah Lake. 50 acres will be fenced in the spring thanks to the partnership of Alpine Conservation District, The Timp Nebo Conservation District, UDNR's WRI and the UDWR's Dedicated Hunter Program. At least a few ranchers with property along the lake have expressed how grateful they are for treatments that have opened up land again for the livestock.

07/01/2020

06/30/2021

2021

This years restoration work included air and ground applied herbicide treatments, Phragmites mowing and smashing, seeding in areas where regrowth of Invasives was limited, invasive tree removals and some re-treatments of woody vegetation where re-growth was occurring.

The Utah Lake Shoreline Restoration (FY2021) included a combination of 3327.7 acres of herbicide treatments, 726 acres of phase II mowing and smashing of Phragmites, 12 acres of invasive tree removal, 4.3 acres of tree re-treatments, 23 acres of seeding as well as monitoring across the project at designated monitoring sites.

Restoration work will continue into the future to reduce invasive vegetation along the shoreline of Utah Lake and in neighboring seed source locations near the shoreline. As areas become free of invasive vegetation, monitoring will be used to make determinations on where seeding is the appropriate response; in some cases desirable vegetation is replaces the invasive vegetation thanks to the existing seedbank.