Parley's Canyon Fire Rehabilitation Project
Project ID: 5868
Status: Completed
Fiscal Year: 2022
Submitted By: 538
Project Manager: Robert Edgel
PM Agency: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
PM Office: Central Region
Lead: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
WRI Region: Central
Description:
In August of 2021, the Parley's Canyon Fire was started from a vehicle on I-80. The fire threatened cabins and homes in Summit Park and Lambs Canyon. Thankfully fire fighters were able to stop it before it burned through these communities. To reduce the risk of erosion and mud slides on the highway, weed colonization, and to improve wildlife habitat we are proposing to seed the fire with a fire resistant seed mix.
Location:
Located between Lambs Canyon and Summit Park on the south side of Parley's Canyon.
Project Need
Need For Project:
The Parley's Canyon Fire took place in August of 2021. The fire started from interstate 80 and burned up slope until fire crews were able to contain it near the ridge. It came very close to burning communities in Summit Park and Lambs Canyon. To reduce the risk of future fires, improve wildlife habitat, to reduce erosion and flooding, and reduce the risk of invasive weeds from spreading we propose this project.
Objectives:
1. Reduce future fire risk. 2. Improve wildlife habitat. 3. Reduce erosion risk and speed up recovery time. 4. Reduce the risk of invasive weeds from establishing.
Project Location/Timing Justification (Why Here? Why Now?):
By not investing in this project now we run the risk of increased invasive weeds that will be much harder to control and a lot more expensive. We have the potential to have non native grasses establish like cheatgrass and smooth brome that are not as beneficial for wildlife. Vegetatin that is more susceptible to fire may establish and increase future risk to communities.
Relation To Management Plan:
UDWR mule deer management plan UDWR elk management plan
Fire / Fuels:
We plan to plant vegetation that stays greener longer and is less of a fire risk. This will help reduce risks for the future.
Water Quality/Quantity:
By seeding we help to increase the speed and the amount of goround cover vegetation that will establish to reduce the amount of bare soil that is vulnerable to erosion. This reduction in erosion potential will help improve water quality.
Compliance:
We will just be flying seed on aerially and will not be disturbing the ground. So no cultural surveys will be necessary.
Methods:
We will hire a pilot to fly a fixed wing or helicopter to aerially broadcast seed across the entire burn scar. We will plant a seed mix that will stay greener longer and provide better forage for wildlife.
Monitoring:
Photos will be taken previous to the seeding effort and follow up photos will be taken to monitor the success of the project.
Partners:
SLCPU, UDOT, USFS, FFSL
Future Management:
We will continue to work with all partners involved and interests groups. If we need to do more work in future years we will evaluate that.
Sustainable Uses of Natural Resources:
This project will help benefit wildlife and fish which provide recreational opportunities through hunting and fishing.
Budget WRI/DWR Other Budget Total In-Kind Grand Total
$81,102.00 $0.00 $81,102.00 $1,200.00 $82,302.00
Item Description WRI Other In-Kind Year
Contractual Services Aerial fly seed on 642 acres X $12/acre= $7,704 $7,704.00 $0.00 $0.00 2022
Personal Services (permanent employee) UDWR ful time employee time to plan and implement project $0.00 $0.00 $1,200.00 2022
Seed (GBRC) SLPCPU seed mix for 490 acres = $54,044 $54,044.00 $0.00 $0.00 2022
Seed (GBRC) USFS mix 152 acres = $19,354 $19,354.00 $0.00 $0.00 2022
Funding WRI/DWR Other Funding Total In-Kind Grand Total
$67,337.91 $0.00 $67,337.91 $1,200.00 $68,537.91
Source Phase Description Amount Other In-Kind Year
DNR Watershed U004 Amount needed to cover DNR Fire Rehab shortfall. $30,000.00 $0.00 $0.00 2022
FEMA Post Fire Hazard Mitigation U096 $37,337.91 $0.00 $0.00 2022
DWR-WRI Project Admin In-Kind $0.00 $0.00 $1,200.00 2022
Species
Species "N" Rank HIG/F Rank
Bonneville Cutthroat Trout N4 R1
Threat Impact
Inappropriate Fire Frequency and Intensity Very High
Bonneville Cutthroat Trout N4 R1
Threat Impact
Stormwater Runoff Low
Elk R2
Threat Impact
Invasive Plant Species – Non-native Low
Mule Deer R1
Threat Impact
Invasive Plant Species – Non-native High
Habitats
Habitat
Gambel Oak
Threat Impact
Inappropriate Fire Frequency and Intensity High
Gambel Oak
Threat Impact
Invasive Plant Species – Non-native Medium
Project Comments
Comment 08/22/2022 Type: 2 Commenter: Alison Whittaker
Thank you for submitting your completion form on time. I have moved this project to completed.
Completion
Start Date:
11/06/2021
End Date:
11/13/2021
FY Implemented:
2022
Final Methods:
On November 6, 2021, we aerially seeded with a helicopter two different seed mixes on the Parley's Canyon fire burn scar. We seeded a mix of only native forbs and shrubs on 152 acres of USFS lands. We also seeded a combination of native and preferred forbs and shrubs on 490 acres of SLCDPU managed lands. The total acreage of seeded areas was 642 acres.
Project Narrative:
The Parley's Canyon Fire took place in August of 2021. The fire started from interstate 80 and burned upslope until fire crews were able to contain it near the ridge. It came very close to burning communities in Summit Park and Lambs Canyon. To reduce the risk of future fires, improve wildlife habitat, reduce erosion and flooding, and reduce the risk of invasive weeds from spreading we seeded the burned with native and preferred shrubs and forbs.
Future Management:
We will continue to monitor how well the seed does at germinating and outcompeting undesired weeds. if needed we can propose additional efforts to spray weeds with herbicide and do additional seeding. We have an adjacent WRI project that will also help with the adjacent lands to reduce weeds and fire risks and improve wildlife habitat.
Map Features
ID Feature Category Action Treatement/Type
10813 Terrestrial Treatment Area Seeding (primary) Broadcast (aerial-fixed wing)
10814 Terrestrial Treatment Area Seeding (primary) Broadcast (aerial-fixed wing)
Project Map
Project Map