Funds will be used to remove Russian olive and tamarisk on BLM, The Town of Springdale, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Grafton Heritage Partnership, and Washington County Water Conservancy properties along the Virgin River. Matching funding will be used on privately owned lands. This project aims to create a continuous treatment from Zion National Park extending to the Quail Creek Diversion Dam. This phase of the project will treat approximately 3 miles along the river within the riparian habitat. Cottonwoods and willows are being choked out by invasive Russian olive and tamarisk, negatively impacting riparian habitat along the Virgin River. Many desert wildlife species, including endangered and species of concern, use these areas for cover, food and more importantly a water source in this arid region. Russian olive and tamarisk lower water tables, limit wildlife habitat, and can increase wildfire risk. They also alter the flow of the river, resulting in incised stream banks, increasing flood damage risk, and reducing water quality. By removing these invasive species water quality and quantity will increase, wildfire risk will decrease, and numerous wildlife species will benefit from restoring this ecosystem. This project will also reduce the seed source of these invasive species, contributing to future downstream projects. Past invasive species removal projects in this area has ignited interest in landowners. There is momentum and support for the removal of these invasive species. Russian olive and tamarisk are difficult species to remove, as they re-sprout after cutting unless treated with herbicide. Continuing the removal of these species, while there is full support from the community, is imperative to this project's success.

Goal: Restore native riparian habitat along the Virgin River. Objectives: 1) Remove Russian olive and tamarisk along 3 miles of the main stem of the Virgin River on BLM, TNC, Washington Water Conservancy, Grafton Heritage Partnership, and the Town of Springdale owned lands. 2) Increase the quality and suitability of riparian areas for native wildlife, specifically threatened and endangered species, by promoting willow and cottonwood forests and connecting past and current restoration projects. 3) Increase water quality and quantity for downstream users by restoring the watershed to a native ecosystem. 4) Reduce wildfire risk within surrounding towns by removing thickets of Russian olive and tamarisk. 5) Reduce catastrophic flood risks by reducing stream channelization and protecting the watershed and infrastructure from post-fire flood risks.

The overstory is composed of native cottonwood vegetation. Recent flooding has resulted in an increase of native cottonwood and willow regeneration along the banks of the river. At the moment, the native plants have the advantage. Nonetheless, Russian olive and tamarisk can grow up to six feet a year and soon begin to outcompete native species and become dominant. In drought years, similar to this year, these long taproot invasive species are able to access the water table whereas native shallow rooted species begin to die from lack of water. These invasive species will continue to lower the water table, extending drought conditions experienced by native vegetation. Currently these invasive species are small and scattered throughout native vegetation, with few patches of dense monocultures of these invasive species. This is especially important because the soil biota still supports cottonwood germination and establishment. Once a riverbank is only composed of invasive species, the mycorrhizal fungi required for cottonwood seed germination is often missing, requiring soil inoculation for successful restoration. Treating this area now will have high success rates, whereas delaying this treatment will have increased cottonwood and willow mortality caused by drought conditions and competition with invasive species. Treatment is relatively inexpensive at the moment. As invasive species increase so does treatment cost and effectiveness. Russian olive and tamarisk also change the natural flow of the river. With each flood the banks become more incised altering the natural flow of the channel and lowering the water table, making it difficult for native plants to re-establish. Re-vegetation will also be minimal since the area is dominated by natives. However, in another five years invasive species will begin to dominate making re-vegetation much more difficult and costly. Tamarisk and dense Russian olive thickets increase the risk for wildfire. Wildfire can be carried much easier through these species compared to native species. This area borders many residences and businesses. Not only are structures at risk, but a fire in this area would be detrimental to this ecosystem. If a fire were to occur many of the old growth cottonwoods would be killed and the soil could be sterilized, preventing establishment of new cottonwoods. As this ecosystem is not adapted to fire, it is likely the burn area would be replaced with the re-sprouts of tamarisk and Russian olive and other secondary weeds. This area needs to be treated before it is lost to a wildfire where restoration would be difficult with limited success.

1-Forestry, Fire and State Lands, Utah Forest Action Plan: this plan recognizes invasive species, especially in riparian corridors, are a threat to riparian forest and removal is a high priority. This project calls for the removal of invasive species on riparian forest. 2 - Virgin River Resource Management and Recovery Program (VRP): Actions to benefit 6 native fish species and the southwestern willow flycatcher. Participants include USFWS, Zion NP, DNR, Washington County Water Conservancy District, Farm Bureau, and TNC. Actions include riparian restoration, removal of non-native plants and red shiners, flow improvements, education, etc. 3-Utah DWR 2015 Wildlife Action Plan: the project is within the riverine aquatic key habitat. This project helps reduce 3 of the treats to this key habitat: inappropriate fire frequency and intensity, droughts, and invasive plant species- non-native. 4-Partners for Fish and Wildlife (PFW) Program, Mountain-Prairie Region Strategic Plan 2017-2021: this project is within a PFW focus area, priority habitat type (riparian) and priority species (the proposed project addresses invasive species as a habitat threat). 5-Natural Resource Conservation Service, Working Lands for Wildlife Program: this project addresses habitat restoration, invasive species removal and connectivity of suitable habitat for a focus species, the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher, through addressing the following goals: protect, maintain and restore riparian habitat; increase and improve occupied, suitable and potential SWFL breeding habitat; improve weed and invasive species management; increase connectivity of existing and potential SWFL habitat. 6-Southwestern Willow Flycatcher Recovery Plan, 2002: is supported by this proposal through the removal of exotic plants and ensuring these are replaced by plant species of equal or higher value. 7-DEQ Virgin River Watershed Water Quality Management Plan: is supported by this project by the continued control of exotic plants including tamarisk and Russian olive and restoration of cottonwood trees. 8 -USFWS Bird Habitat Conservation Area Plan: by (a) falling within an area designated by the USFWS as an important Bird Habitat Conservation Area or BHCA (Virgin River) in Utah and the proposed project addresses resource concerns for priority species and priority habitats. 9 -Tamarisk Coalition's Riparian Restoration Plan, by (a) treating tamarisk. 10 - Utah Strategic Tamarisk Management Plan and Utah Noxious Weed Act, by (a) treating tamarisk. Noxious Weed Act supports this proposal through (a) the continued removal and control of tamarisk, a Class C Weed. Also by meeting (a) Strategic goals and Objectives, Goal I, "Protect the State's natural, agricultural, and ranching resources including water quality and quantity.

Numerous residences, businesses, and historical buildings in Virgin, Springdale, Rockville and Grafton have high wildfire risk with current Russian olive and tamarisk thickets. With limited access across the river and between parcels, a fire on either side could be difficult to combat. This project is focused on the Virgin River above the Quail Creek Diversion Dam, which supplies water to the Hurricane Hydropower plant before delivery to Sand Hollow and Quail Creek Reservoirs. A fire in this watershed could severely impact multiple municipal water supplies and damage water infrastructure. A fire in this ecosystem could severely damage cottonwood stands, reducing the limited native vegetation along the riparian corridor. This would heavily impact wildlife species, including endangered and sensitive species. A severe fire could sterilize the soil, killing the mycorrhizal fungi required for cottonwood germination. As riparian ecosystems are not adapted for fire, recovery from a fire would be very difficult and success would be limited. This project will remove Russian olive and tamarisk and the fire risk associated with it. Native cottonwood and willow trees in this ecosystem are adapted to flooding. By removing the invasive species and allowing for natural flooding, sand deposits will create vegetation gaps and reduce the fine fuel build up; this creates a sustainable fuel reduction project.

Russian olive and tamarisk are deep rooted invasive species. In drought years, they have better access to lower ground water tables, where native species start to drought out. These invasive species can prolong drought effects on native vegetation as they continue to access limited ground water. Removing these invasive species will increase water quantity to native vegetation. These invasive species limit streambank erosion and cause river channelization, increasing catastrophic flood risks. Extensive amounts of infrastructure and property are at risk if a large flood were to occur. Removal of these invasive species reduces stream channelization, reducing flood water velocity and damage. Reducing stream bank channelization is also beneficial for fish and wildlife habitat, such as fish spawning grounds, and better water access for wildlife. Removing these invasive species will increase the Virgin River water quality by reducing catastrophic flood risks and improving habitat for fish and wildlife.

The area will be treated with hand crews using chainsaws. There will be no machinery or ground disturbance and therefore no archaeological clearance is needed. BLM is completing a DNA for an existing EA in this area. NEPA is not required for the privately owned lands.

Treatment will be based on specific site locations and conditions. The majority of the work will be hand-removal with cut-stump herbicide treatment. In areas with difficult access trees will be girdled and herbicide applied to the cut area. Herbicides to be used include: Glyphosate for Russian olive, and Triclopyr for tamarisk. Slash will be chipped in areas with road access. In areas with difficult access slash will be piled for burning and/or lopped and scattered in a way that does not impede native vegetation growth. All slash that is scattered will be done so outside of the normal high water line to decrease issues for downstream water users. Work will be completed by private contractors. The majority of the work will take place outside of nesting bird season and only small areas that are not in use by nesting birds will be cut outside of this time. The majority of re-vegetation work will be passive by removing invasive species and increasing the vigor of native vegetation and by allowing natives to move into areas previously occupied by invasive species. Willow and cottonwood pole cuttings will be used in areas where active regeneration is necessary. These areas are limited to small patches of what is now dense Russian olive and tamarisk. Areas next to homes with unstable banks will also be planted to reduce the risk of erosion, however in this flashy system it is impossible to remove all erosion. Planting operations will be completed in the early spring. Volunteers, as well as technical assistance from the Virgin River Management Team, will be used for re-vegetation efforts. Native pole cuttings will be removed from surrounding area to insure the best survival of plantings. Re-treatment will occur during the fall following treatment.

Present-absent sampling of invasive species and vegetation monitoring will be completed during the yearly re-treatments (while funds are available) and will be used to determine if additional plantings are necessary. Any invasive species that are detected will be removed. Landowners will be educated on how to identify invasive species, and encouraged to monitor and re-treat their properties yearly. Partners with DWR, USFS, and BLM will help with wildlife monitoring. Bird counts and other wildlife surveys will be used to determine usage for the years to follow to determine wildlife benefits due to the project. DWR will continue to monitor fish species to determine if the project has provided a benefit to the populations. Photo points will also be established to show before and after treatments, as well as visually monitor the site for years to come.

TNC: Treatment of 1.7 river miles; approximately 40 acres of floodplain to treat. BLM: Treatment of 0.6 river miles; approximately 70 acres of floodplain to treat. Town of Springdale: Outreach and education for re-treatment on private lands, treatment of 0.6 river miles at the town holding ponds; approximately 17 acres of floodplain to treat. Town of Rockville: Outreach and education for retreatment and initial treatment of privately owned lands. Grafton Heritage Partnership: Treatment of 1 river mile and extending to approximately 70 acres of flood plain. Continuing ongoing partnership to retreat areas. Washington County Water Conservancy District: Treatment of 0.15 river miles; approximately 3 acres of floodplain to treat. FFSL: Project lead, collaboration with partners and landowners through outreach and education. DWR: Wildlife and fish monitoring. USFS: Wildlife and fish monitoring. Private Landowners: All landowners who boarder the river in Springdale removed Russian olive and tamarisk in 2018. Approximately 1/3 of the landowners who border the river in Rockville have removed these invasive species in 2020; 1/3 are currently signed up for 2021 projects. Landowners who support this project are continuing to monitor and remove re-sprouts and educate neighbors about this project.

On-going outreach and education will occur at a community level to encourage landowners to continually monitor and remove these invasive species on their property. The Virgin River Management Team is fully supportive of removing these invasive species and are working with the Town of Springdale in monitoring and removal efforts on town owned property. Grafton Heritage Partnership and The Nature Conservancy are continually monitoring the sections of their properties that have been previously treated, and seeking efforts to remove the re-sprouts. FFSL will continue to educate and encourage landowners to remove any re-sprouts. Additional funding and funding sources will be sought to continue this treatment downriver and assist landowners with retreatment efforts.

The project area is focused upriver of the Quail Creek Diversion Dam. With a free flowing river, this area continues to flood seasonally, promoting cottonwood and willow vegetation and fish habitat. With Zion NP continually removing invasive species combined with past projects, the seed source of Russian olive and tamarisk is limited upriver. This project combined with other funded projects aims to have a continuous treatment extending from Zion NP to the Quail Creek Diversion Dam. This project protects the cottonwood forests and their biological diversity that both locals and tourists enjoy. All landowners bordering the river are encouraged to continually monitor and remove these invasive species after the initial treatment. With the large amount of support and collaboration among landowners, we are able to remove Russian olive and tamarisk from the riparian corridor and prevent future establishment of these species. Extending this treatment onto BLM, TNC, Grafton Heritage Partnership, The Town of Springdale, and Washington County Water Conservation District properties will continue to reduce the seed source of these invasive species and restore large, undeveloped riparian habitat Currently the Grafton Heritage Partnership, sections of the BLM, and the Springdale Town Ponds have cattle grazing. Removing these invasive species will help disperse livestock and protect current grazing resources. This project will reduce the seed source of these invasive species, helping grazing practices and wildlife habitat locally and downriver.