Restoration of degraded portions of the Spanish Fork River Watershed. Significant portions of the watershed were severely impacted by the Bald Mountain and Pole Creek Fire of 2018. The watershed has experienced multiple sediment plumes resulting from rain event driven inputs of ash and sediment. Sediment plumes and high flows have resulted in several documented fish kills and habitat degradation.

1. Add Large Woody Debris to perennial stream reaches to create sediment deposition areas both within the active channel and to deflect debris flow onto the floodplain. Two different techniques are expected to be implemented. Post Assisted Log Structures (PALS) (50-60)will predominately be utilized in the Diamond Fork drainage and Directional Tree Felling (DTF) (40-50) will be implemented in the Nebo Creek drainage. 2. Install 15-20 boulder clusters consisting of 2-3 large diameter boulders (1500-2000 lbs each) to areas of low habitat complexity to enhance fisheries habitat. Structures may be used in conjunction with DTF/PALS. Diamond Fork River. 3. Install 10-15 rock vanes and/or J-hooks to redirect the thalweg away from vulnerable banks, reduce near shore stress, and enhance habitat complexity. The majority of structures will be installed in the Nebo Creek Drainage. 4. Take high resolution (before/after) aerial imagery via drone to track changes in channel/habitat. UDWR (Shane Hill) is currently building a model to monitor changes in utilizing the colors and reflections on the water's surface in the imagery to identify and delineate pools, runs, woody debris, and riffles (similar to the Columbia Habitat Monitoring Program (CHaMP, 2016). The effectiveness of this model currently unknown (still in testing mode) but at the very least the aerial footage will allow us to visually track significant changes in the channel. If the model proves to be effective, we will return to fly the reach annually for 2-3 years after restoration and then move to a 2-3 year interval or as needed. 5. Establish ground level photopoint monitoring sites, monitor every 6-12 months (Winter 2018-Winter 2022)). 6. Seed any riparian areas disturbed by installation of PALS, DTF, or rock clusters. 7. Obtain NEPA/EA from Forest Service (Spring 2021) and Arch. Clearance from FS or UDWR. 8. Stream Alteration Permit (Spring 2021).

Burned watersheds are vulnerable to intense pulses of high duration and short intensity discharge events triggered by spring runoff and/or monsoonal rains. Burned watersheds have lost the roughness and vegetative cover needed to retain topsoil and have often become hydrophobic. Such conditions contribute to high volume runoff (discharge) events that are saturated with sediment and can cause cause significant channel downcutting and movement of sediment downstream. Approximately 77% of the 34,278 acre Nebo Creek watershed was burned during the Bald Mountain and Pole Creek fire of 2018. Preliminary estimates by NRCS suggest nearly 700 acre feet of sediment will be mobilized over the next 5 years. Sediment plumes in the fall of 2018 have already caused fish kills that have extirpated the trout population within the drainage. Downcutting of streams can cause significant damage to the aquatic and riparian community by decreasing its connectivity with the floodplain and leading to the decline of floodplain dependent species. Loss of floodplain connectivity reduces floodplain attenuation of sediments which increases sediment loading within the channel, which subsequently increases downstream sedimentation. Lowering of the water table also is a common symptom of loss of floodplain connectivity as groundwater recharge is reduced. Lowering of the watertable can cause a riparian community once composed of obligate wetland species (sedge, willows, cottonwoods, etc) to convert to a xeric community. Historic/current hydrological conditions within the Diamond Fork drainage are not advantageous for timely natural recolonization of cottonwoods within the riparian corridor. Historic/current management has modified flooding regimes necessary for reliable recruitment of native cottonwoods within Diamond Fork and at many other locations throughout the West. Pre-fire many cottonwood stands within the drainage were dominated by a disproportionately high percentage of decadent cottonwoods (i.e. little regeneration/recruitment). Restoration of the fire impacted cottonwood gallery forest would improve biotic community stability (multiple age-class cottonwood structure for next 100-150 years), river fisheries (water temperature regime), wildlife use (resident, migrant, seasonal), and aesthetics (wilderness values). Cottonwoods are not a highly fire-resistant species and we fear even moderate fire intensities within the riparian community may have killed the majority of the trees (i.e. we don't anticipate a lot of natural regrowth). Conditions for a successful natural recruitment event (timing/intensity of flooding, adequate precipitation for seedling establlishment, etc) may not occur for several years (if ever). Planting of rooted cuttings will help re-establish groves several years sooner than if left to natural recruitment and help prevent domination of woody invasive plants such as tamarisk and Russian olive which can reproduce prolifically following fires. Woody additions to the stream channel will gather wildfire mobilized debris, sediment and associated nutrients, capturing and redistributing it within the system rather than letting it be flushed downstream to receiving waters such as Spanish Fork River, Utah Lake and eventually the Great Salt Lake and keeping it out of Municipal and Irrigation water systems. Diamond Fork has already been degraded by years of water distribution systems. These increased flows have reduced habitat complexity and degraded to system for aquatic biota, esp. fish species. Gathering a variety of bed materials, holding them high within the stream and increasing channel complexity will benefit downstream water users and fish and other wildlife in Diamond Fork. Without action sediments and debris will be unimpeded as it moves though the stream damaging the system further and delivering said sediment to water users.

Restoration of riparian habitat within the Spanish Fork River drainage addresses goals and objectives identified in the following management plan. Diamond Fork Aquatic Habitat Evaluation and Enhancement Planning. October 2018. Allred Restoration, Bio-West, and URMCC. 123 pages. Diamond Fork Area Assessment. 2000. A cooperative project between URMCC and the U.S. Forest Service. 175 pages. Lower Diamond Fork Restoration Plan. 2008. Land and Resource Management Plan-Uinta National Forest. 2001. USDA Forest Service. -Plan sites management of riparian areas (pg 2.2), management of aquatic species (pg 2.3), wildlife (pg 2.5), and vegetation (pg 2.5). Utah County RMP: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Cn80Wzst8eoa0o_BqoTBHOPfPm8M6MIe Document cites need and County support for: Fire Management (p31) Fisheries (p35) Floodplains and River Terraces (p39) Recreation and Tourism (p72) Riparian Areas (p75) Threatened, Endangered, & Sensitive Species (p78) Water Quality and Hydrology (p81) Wetlands (p90) RANGE-WIDE CONSERVATION AGREEMENT AND STRATEGY FOR BONNEVILLE CUTTHROAT TROUT (Oncorhynchus clarki utah). Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Publication Number 00-19, Salt Lake City, UT. -Diamond Fork and tributaries are current (5th Water) or future potential (DiaFrk) BCT population centers. 2003. Land and Resource Management Plan. Uinta National Forest. USDA Intermountain Region. 513 pages. See section 3-2, 5-136, and numerous other objectives relative to riparian habitat within the management plan. 2015. Utah Wildlife Action Plan 2015-2025. Project goals address major threats including "fire and fire suppression", "channel downcutting", "improper sediment balance", etc. and addresses threats to multiple WAP species, both aquatic and terrestrial.

Several experts in range and fire science have identified the role healthy riparian systems play in wildfire dynamics by serving as fire breaks, safety zones, water sources, and burn out points. Numerous authors cite similar observations. Workshop on the multiple influences of riparian ecosystems on fires in western forest landscapes. Summary Report 2001. Kauffman, J.B. Riparian fuel treatments in the western USA: Challenges and considerations.Dwire, Kathleen A.; Meyer, Kristen E.; Riegel, Gregg; Burton, Timothy. 2016. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GT R-352. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 156 p.

There are three current TMDL's that are impacted by this project. Thistle Creek sub-watershed (of which Nebo Creek is a part) has a TMDL for sediment and TDS, Spanish Fork River has one for the same and Utah Lake has another. This project directly will potentially move the system to attainment, but will certain prevent further degradation cause by wildfire effects. The project will also directly benefit water quality in several ways, including the following: 1. Prevent channel downcutting and promote aggredation of sediments in entrained reaches. 2. Reduce sedimentation delivered further downstream (i.e. Thistle Creek, Spanish Fork River, Utah Lake, Jordan River and The Great Salt Lake) 3. Retain stream and floodplain connectivity (advantageous in many ways especially by promoting health riparian plant community) 4. Promote infiltration of precipitation and surface flow into the groundwater table. 5. Slow/buffer the flow of precipitation and overland flow into the river, thus extending the hydrograph but reducing its peak 6. Trap/filter sediment, nutrients, and contaminants thus prevent (reducing) its movement downstream. Riparian vegetation also can remove/alter organic nutrients through processes such as denitrification, absorption by clays, etc.

FS/DWR to complete cultural resources clearance DWR to complete stream alteration permit FS to complete NEPA compliance

1. Add Large Woody Debris to perennial stream reaches to create sediment deposition areas both within the active channel and to deflect debris flow onto the floodplain. Two different techniques are expected to be implemented. Post Assisted Log Structures (PALS) 50-60 will predominately be utilized in the Diamond Fork drainage and Directional Tree Felling (DTF) 40-50 will be implemented in the Nebo Creek drainage. 2. Install 15-20 boulder clusters consisting of 2-3 large diameter boulders (1500-2000 lbs each) to areas of low habitat complexity to enhance fisheries habitat. Structures may be used in conjunction with DTF/PALS. Diamond Fork River. 3. Install 10-15 rock vanes and/or J-hooks to redirect the thalweg away from vulnerable banks, reduce near shore stress, and enhance habitat complexity. The majority of structures will be installed in the Nebo Creek Drainage. 4. Take high resolution (before/after) aerial imagery via drone to track changes in channel/habitat. UDWR (Shane Hill) is currently building a model to monitor changes in utilizing the colors and reflections on the water's surface in the imagery to identify and delineate pools, runs, woody debris, and riffles (similar to the Columbia Habitat Monitoring Program (CHaMP, 2016). The effectiveness of this model currently unknown (still in testing mode) but at the very least the aerial footage will allow us to visually track significant changes in the channel. If the model proves to be effective, we will return to fly the reach annually for 2-3 years after restoration and then move to a 2-3 year interval or as needed. 5. Establish ground level photopoint monitoring sites, monitor every 6-12 months (Winter 2018-Winter 2022)). 6. Seed any riparian areas disturbed by installation of PALS, DTF, or rock clusters. 7. Obtain NEPA/EA from Forest Service (Spring 2021) and Arch. Clearance from FS or UDWR. 8. Stream Alteration Permit (Spring 2021).

Take high resolution (before/after) aerial imagery via drone to track changes in channel/habitat. UDWR (Shane Hill) is currently building a model to monitor changes in utilizing the colors and reflections on the water's surface in the imagery to identify and delineate pools, runs, woody debris, and riffles (similar to the Columbia Habitat Monitoring Program (CHaMP, 2016). The effectiveness of this model currently unknown (still in testing mode) but at the very least the aerial footage will allow us to visually track significant changes in the channel. If the model proves to be effective, we will return to fly the reach annually for 2-3 years after restoration and then move to a 2-3 year interval or as needed. Establish ground level photopoint monitoring sites, monitor every 6-12 months (Winter 2018-Winter 2022)). Fish population monitoring will be conducted every 3-5 years within the drainage

In the fall of 2018 CRO DWR and the Forest Service convened a regional streams fire rehab coordination team which was attended by over 30 people from numerous agencies. From this meeting a subgroup was appointed to focus on restoration within the Nebo Creek Watershed. Numerous people have contributed to the group, but the major partners are UDWR, the U.S. Forest Service, Utah County, and NRCS. Other groups such as River Restoration and URMCC have provided valuable input. U.S. Forest Service. Assistance with final design and project objectives. Fullfill NEPA requirements through categorical exclusion. Issuing forest resources collection permit for cottonwood cuttings. Funding assistance (in-kind). URMCC. Assistance with final design and project objectives. Allowing collection permit for cottonwood cuttings on lands they administer. Funding assistance (actual and in-kind).

Future management will be guided by the management plans mentioned in the "relation to management plans" section and the working group listed under partners. Restoration and monitoring efforts are anticipated to continue for the next 3-5 years.

The projects goal centers upon speeding the recovery of the riparian and aquatic community with the ultimate goal of restoring a self sustaining trout fishery for recreation and conservation purposes. Nebo Canyon is a moderate Use Recreational area for dispersed camping, hiking, hunting and ATV'ing, stream restoration efforts will speed desirability of the area for the public. Diamond Fork Canyon is a High Use Recreational area for dispersed camping, hiking, hunting and ATV'ing, stream restoration efforts will speed desirability of the area for the public. Reseeding and reestablishment of watering areas and riparian forage will shorten post-fire rest periods on the two grazing allotments. Multiple grazing allotments within the drainages will/have benefitted from seeding, riparian restoration, and instream practices designed to limit channel downcutting (loss of floodplain "irrigation"), and sediment retention.

09/01/2021

12/10/2021

2022

Diamond Fork River: The bulk of the project centered on the installation of 40 post assisted log structures (PALS) within the approximate 1 mile reach upstream of Monk's Hollow. This area was identified as a priority reach within the Diamond Fork Aquatic Habitat Evaluation and Enhancement Plan (2018). PALS were installed using a combination of heavy equipment (thumbed excavator) and hand crews consisting of UDWR employees and Utah Conservation Coops contractors. A typical PALS included placement of 1-2 foundation logs (typically fire killed trees) by heavy equipment. The foundation logs were then backfilled with smaller diameter limbs, brush, etc by both hand crews and heavy equipment and then secured with 3-4 inch diameter 4-6 feet posts using a hydraulic post pounder. Ideally the posts were placed at an angle on each side of the log and overlapped at the top to prevent movement caused by higher flows floating the log. Often actual placement was complicated by areas of large boulders or other obstructions that required a trial and error approach to secure the structure (i.e. one often could not drive a post securely into the idea location and you had to take what you could get). All significantly disturbed areas such as heavy equipment access points, rock vanes keyed into a bank, etc. were seeded with an appropriate seed mix (see seed mix template located at https://wri.utah.gov/wri/project/seed.html?id=5709). Numerous rock vanes and boulder clusters were also installed using traditional techniques (see images/documents section for more information (https://wri.utah.gov/wri/project/attachments.html?id=5709). After consultation with project partners it was decided to postpone proposed project work within the Nebo drainage. 30 BDAs were constructed in the Dairy Fork creek in the spring of 2022.

Who: Implementation and oversight by UDWR personnel with technical assistance from the Forest Service, URMCC, and NRCS. What: Implementation of stream restoration practices (PALS, rock vanes, j-hooks, etc) on the Diamond Fork River to mitigate the impacts of past forest fires and other landscape disturbances. When: Implementation in the fall of 2022 with monitoring and minor maintenance in the spring of 2023. Where: Approximate 1 mile reach of the Diamond Fork River. The beginning of the reach is located 1.3 miles upstream of the Monk's Hollow Trailhead. Why: The Diamond Fork River has been negatively impacted by numerous stressors over the past 20 years, including artificially high flows and altered hydrology due to transbasin water delivery and numerous forest fires (the latest in 2018). This project is one of at least 4 restoration projects implemented in the past 10 years and future projects are expected to continue 2023-2025. Preliminary Results: 1 year post implementation monitoring will be completed this fall but preliminary monitoring of a subset of PALS does provide some insight. PALS are intended to be temporary structures with a relatively high rate of short time failure (you build a lot, relatively cheaply, with an expectation many will fail). Our initial results suggest a higher failure rate than anticipated with 50% of the subset of structures failing during spring runoff and/or flash flood events associated with summer monsoons. The structures appear to have been hit with high floods that essentially ripped out installed posts and moved woody debris downstream. No negative consequences have been identified at this time (i.e. there was little bank disturbance and the woody debris has collected in places downstream, thus a "natural" PALS) but the initial failure rate is discouraging. The PALS installed in our initial pilot study in a reach near the Diamond Fork Campground are all still intact 2 years post installation and functioning as designed. The reach for this project is slightly more confined and also has numerous boulders that at times hampered post placement. We will complete post 1 year monitoring this fall and further assess the project's successes and failures. All installed rock structures (vanes, j-hooks, etc) are functioning as designed currently. A subset of monitored disturbed and rehabilitated areas also show encouraging signs of willow and riparian vegetation regrowth. Future Considerations: Monitor all PALS in the fall of 2022, evaluate design and implementation features that contributed to success vs failure. Continue to monitor pilot project PALS that are performing as designed 2 years after installation. I encourage other individuals interested in PALS installation to contact Chris Crockett, chriscrockett@utah.gov, to discuss design options.

Monitoring of all installed features in the fall of 2022. Continue fisheries population monitoring within the drainage. Continue to implement restoration practices as identified in the Diamond Fork Aquatic Habitat Evaluation and Enhancement Plan (2018). The next phase of restoration is planned for the fall of 2023 using predominantly rock features, soil lifts, and riparian plantings.