The Fish Lake Three Marinas Renovation project is an expensive undertaking that is being done in phases over several years. Planning and design work began in 2018 and the first two phases of marina renovation work is now completed. This project proposal is to secure additional funding to complete Phase 3 work at Bowery Haven Marina. The project has been planned and designed to do only what is necessary to bring the marinas up to basic needs and safety for public boaters, anglers, and marina owners. Phase 1 and 2 construction work at all three Fish Lake marinas has been completed. Summary of completed work: Bowery Haven Marina - Tripled the size of the parking lot including a new entrance, a new double pit toilet installed, a collapsing marina wall was removed and a new concrete wall constructed. Fish Lake Lodge Marina - Access roads and parking lots at the marina and Twin Creeks were graded, re-sloped, and resurfaced (water drainage improved), rip-rap on dikes replaced, and improved, and concrete walkways elevated above high water level. Lakeside Marina - Expanded the parking area to more than double in size, the existing parking lot was re-sloped to improve water drainage and resurfaced, existing dikes were straightened and rip-rap repaired, new dikes were built that expanded marina by 3 times the original size, old boat ramp removed and a new double wide boat ramp built, a new pit toilet installed, and an aerator is purchased and ready for use next fall to keep marina ice-free into December. Phase 1 and 2 construction, engineering, permitting, and other costs totaled approximately $1,725,500.00. These funds came from USFWS Motor Boat Access Program, matching funds from Utah State Parks and Recreation, DWR Blue Ribbon Fisheries, DWR Habitat Council, Utah Outdoor Recreation Grant, and Sevier County. Private marina owners have also contributed to marina improvements with private funds and time. Phase 3 work at Bowery Haven Marina is planned to begin in September 2021. The work includes constructing new dikes and removing old dikes to expand the marina by double its current size, construct a new double wide boat ramp, additional parking lot expansion, and install a floating breakwater. Bowery Haven Marina Phase 3, construction cost estimate is approximately $1,800,000.00. Currently, the committed funding for Phase 3 is $1,315,577.00 from USFWS Motor Boat Access funds, $233,333.00 in matching funds from Utah State Parks and approximately $50,000.00 of Phase 1 & 2 carry-over funds: totaling $1,598,910.00. We are approximately $201,090.00 short, which doesn't account for any cost overruns or additional expenses that may come up. We need a minimum of $155,193.00 of state funding to match the Federal USFWS Motor Boat Access funds. We are requesting DWR Habitat Council and Blue Ribbon Fisheries to fund $160,000.00 towards Phase 3 marina renovation work at Bowery Haven Marina. We will also apply for a Utah Outdoor Recreation Grant in March for an additional $150,000.00, but currently do not know if this funding will be approved. There is still additional work and features to complete at the Fish Lake marina above the Phase 3 estimated cost of $1,800,000.00 for marina renovation. There is a high need to install a floating rubber tire breakwater to make the outside dikes at Bowery Haven Marina available for boat docks and a high need to install 3 floating docks extending out into the marina for accessing additional boat slips. We have previously discussed why the marinas need to be renovated and the following outlines why this project needs to be completed (This need description was written prior to completion of Phase 1 & 2 marina renovation work): Fish Lake provides one of the more popular fisheries in the state, with over 157,000 angler hours annually (2017 creel survey). Almost all anglers at Fish Lake use boats for fishing, outside of ice fishing season. Almost all angling occurs from boats due to the very limited opportunities for shore fishing. Currently, the facilities at all three marinas are at or above capacity for use. Bowery Haven Marina has a 4-year waiting list for seasonal boat slips. The 11 pontoon rentals are fully checked out each weekend between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Slips and dock space are limited for additional rentals and courtesy public boat docking. Similar conditions occur at Lakeside and Lodge marinas. Visitor use has increased significantly within the last 5 years, and the trend is expected to continue into the future. The marinas were built in the 1960s, when most boats on the lake were 12- to 15-foot aluminum fishing boats with small outboard motors. Pontoon boats were very rare and larger boats were seldom used for fishing in the 1960s. Small aluminum fishing boats are still used today; however, larger boats that can be used for variety of water activities now make up a much larger percentage of the boats used in Utah and for fishing. Pontoon boats are becoming more popular, especially at Fish Lake. Pontoon boats are typically 8.5 feet in width and take up the boat slip space of two smaller boats. The existing marina facilities are not conducive to launching, docking, and navigating larger boats. The boat ramps are short and narrow, and large boats do not have enough room to maneuver in the small marinas. The marinas facilities are in poor condition. Many of the docks are narrow and made of wood; this results in unstable and slippery conditions, and high maintenance efforts. Many dock anchor points are substandard, creating unsafe conditions and frequent maintenance needs. The dikes, which are used to access some of the slips, have uneven surfaces and are overtopped by water at times. Large rocks in and around the marina entrances present a hazard to boaters. Dirt parking areas are uneven and boundaries are not well defined. Restroom facilities are inadequate for the observed and expected visitation rates. Bowery Haven marina uses rented port-a-potties. The existing marina facilities at Fish Lake (Lakeside, Lodge, and Bowery Haven) are not able to meet current demand based on number of visitors and size of boats. The facilities are in poor condition, and present safety hazards for those who use them. The purpose of the project is to increase the capacity of the marinas to meet current and projected future demand and improve safety of the facilities.

Renovate, expand and upgrade Bowery Haven Marina at Fish Lake Increase and improve public use of facilities. Make facilities safer.

Less public use of the lake. Boats are damaged. Reduced recreational opportunities.

Meets goals and objectives in Fish Lake Fishery Management Plan, 2014, by increasing angling opportunities. Satisfies DWR Resource goal of meeting management plan objectives and expand quality fishing and hunting opportunities. Satisfies DWR Constituency goal to achieve broad-based support for division programs and budgets by demonstrating the value of wildlife to all citizens of Utah; and expand programs to recruit and retain young hunters, anglers and wildlife watchers. Meets recreational goals in the Fishlake National Forest Plan to improve and expand recreation facilities and opportunities.

Not applicable

No changes to water quantity or quality.

All NEPA work is completed and approved by Fishlake National Forest. We need an Army Corp of Engineers (ACOE) 404 permit. Permit application process is started. We need approval from Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), which will be completed before construction.

Jones and DeMille Engineering is completing final design plans for the Bowery Haven Marina, along with an updated cost estimate. They are also completing ACOE 404 permit and DEQ approval. J&D and DFCM be supervising construction, material testing, and change orders. Construction work will be bid out in July through Utah State Purchasing.

Follow-up visual inspections to be sure public and private needs are met and maintenance work is being completed.

Fishlake National Forest Bowery Haven Marina Fish Lake Resorts Inc. Sevier County Utah Outdoor Recreation Program

Marinas and boat ramps will remain open for public use. Marina owners are responsible for maintenance and will submit annual report to DWR. Additional marina improvement work will continue on a smaller scale.

Not applicable.

09/07/2021

12/31/2021

2022

Utah DFCM was in charge of construction for the project. The state bid purchasing process was use to hire a construction company for construction. Perco Rock was the successful low bidder and did the work. They used a lot of different pieces of heavy equipment and trucks to haul materials and complete marina renovation work as planned. Additional work was added to the construction contract, which was to build a wetland mitigation site, extend one dike further out into the lake and install boat dock anchors. One dike was in too deep of water and dike material kept sloughing off into deep water. A section of the dike had to be moved about 20' into shallower water to make it stable. Once the new permanent outside dikes were completed, a temporary dike was placed across the marina entrance to isolate the inside of the marina. Water was pumped out and the marina was dredged to the proper depth.

In fall 2019, the first phase of the Bowery Haven Marina renovation project was completed that included expanding the parking lot by two times, rebuilding a collapsing marina wall and installing a new double pit toilet. The current completed project was phase 2 and it was completed in December of 2021. The project continued the renovation, expansion, and improvement of the Bowery Haven Marina. The most significant part of the phase 2 project was constructing two new outside dikes and removing old inside dikes that expanded the marina by more than twice the original size. Other construction work completed was a new double-wide boat launching ramp, expanded parking lot and boat launching prep area, a new concrete retaining wall along the marina edge, dredging to deepen the marina, and installing concrete blocks for anchoring boat docks. Construction work completed also included creating a new wetland mitigation area, hauling rock riprap and rehabbing the rock pit area, and partial rehab of the gravel pit area at Pelican Point. Marina owners are purchasing some new boat docking slips. The project greatly benefits public boaters and anglers because larger boats can now launch and be retrieved without risk of damage and colliding into parked boats, more boaters can utilize the expanded marina, access to boat slips and the dikes is safer and easier, there is much more room for parking at the marina, and an overall more pleasing recreation experience. Boat launching ramp, parking, restrooms, and marina access remains open for all public use. Boating facilities at all three marinas at Fish Lake have been greatly enhanced and expanded over the last three years. The total cost of phase 2 of the Bowery Haven Marina renovation was about $1,602,500.00. Perco Rock construction company was great to work with and they completed all work excellently.

Bowery Haven Marina owners have signed a Cooperative Agreement that they will do all maintenance and upkeep of the marina and of a new fish cleaning station installed. The marina and boat launching ramp will always be open for public use. The marina will continue to add boat slips and improvements in the coming years. The DWR is planning to purchase and install and public courtesy boat dock in summer 2022.