The Colorado River cutthroat trout (CRCT) is covered under a Conservation Agreement to help protect and expand their populations and habitats to prevent them from becoming listed under the ESA. The DWR has constructed and maintains many fish barriers throughout southern Utah streams to protect conservation populations of cutthroat trout. The barriers are necessary to prevent non-native fish species from inhabiting streams with pure strain native cutthroat trout. Pleasant Creek currently supports brook and rainbow trout. The UDWR plans to remove the non-native trout and re-introduce native Colorado River cutthroat trout to create a new Conservation Population. There is a natural waterfall barrier lower on Pleasant Creek, but a fish barrier is needed on the diversion canal from Pleasant Creek to Lower Bowns Reservoir. The barrier will prevent non-native fish from Lower Bowns Reservoir re-invading Pleasant Creek after they are removed. Approximately 12 miles of stream will become habitat for CRCT. In addition, three existing barriers on the North and South Forks of North Creek, Beaver County, had maintenance work completed on them in fall of 2019, but there was too much water to repair the concrete splash pads. On one barrier, the pad has completely washed away and needs to be rebuilt, and the other two have holes in the concrete splash pads that need to be repaired.

Construct a fish barrier on canal from Pleasant Creek to Lower Bowns Reservoir. Prevent nonnative trout from re-invading Pleasant Creek. Establish a Conservation population of CRCT in Pleasant Creek. Repair concrete splash pads on three existing fish barriers.

Will help prevent the CRCT from becoming listed as a T&E species under the Endangered Species Act. Barrier could fail and non-native trout re-invade Pleasant Creek. Non-native trout could be moved by public into Pleasant Creek.

Meets objectives in Colorado River Cutthroat Trout Conservation Agreement with the USFWS by expanding genetically healthy populations, creating metapopulations, and improving, restoring and protecting existing and potential cutthroat trout habitat. Meets UDWR goals and objectives to conserve, enhance and manage Utah's protected wildlife populations by: - maintaining and increasing critical habitats and watersheds - decrease risk to species and habitats - Manage sensitive species populations to prevent them from being federally listed

Not applicable

Temporary increase in sediment flows into canal and Lower Bowns Reservoir during construction. No change in water quality or quantity after completion of barrier.

Fishlake National Forest is working to complete a CE for NEPA compliance for the barrier. Approval will be finalized before construction. Will secure a Stream Channel Alteration permit before work starts.

The DWR Heavy Equipment crew will be used to construct the barrier. An excavator will travel off-road from FS road #168 approximately 300 yards to the barrier site. There is a large quantity of big rock located around the barrier site. Native rocks will be collected and used to construct the barrier, which will be 5' high, 15'-20' across, with vertical side walls and a concrete splash pad. ATVs will follow the excavator route into the barrier site to haul in concrete and other materials. Splash pad will be poured by hand. The trail in to the barrier site will be rehabbed and closed after completion of barrier. Disturbed areas will be reseeded. Three existing barriers: A new concrete pad will be poured by hand on an existing barrier where flooding washed the pad out and to repair holes in two other barrier pads.

All barriers are inspected periodically to make sure they are functioning as needed. Fish population assessments will be completed on Pleasant Creek.

Fishlake National Forest

Maintain the barrier so non-native trout will not re-invade Pleasant Creek. Conduct fish population surveys of Pleasant Creek.

Fishing Pleasant Creek is open for public use. No impact to the fishery in Lower Bowns Reservoir.

07/01/2022

04/30/2024

2024

The DWR Heavy Equipment crew constructed the barrier on the Pleasant Creek canal using methods detailed in the proposal in September of 2023. An excavator traveled off-road from FS road #168 and utilized a large quantity of big rock located around the barrier site. Native rocks were collected and used to construct the barrier, which is 5' high, 15'-20' across, with vertical side walls and a rock splash pad. The trail in to the barrier site was rehabbed and closed after completion of barrier. Disturbed areas were reseeded. The new concrete pads were not poured at the three existing barriers on the North and South Forks of North Creek in Beaver County as originally intended, because there was not adequate funding and these pads were second in priority to the Pleasant Creek canal barrier construction.

The project was necessary as part of efforts to expand populations of Colorado River Cutthroat Trout (CRCT). CRCT are covered under a Conservation Agreement to help protect and expand their populations and habitats to prevent them from becoming listed under the Endangered Species Act. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) has constructed and maintains many fish barriers throughout southern Utah streams to protect conservation populations of native cutthroat trout. The barriers are necessary to prevent non-native fish species from inhabiting streams with pure strain native cutthroat trout. Pleasant Creek currently supports brook and rainbow trout. The UDWR plans to remove the non-native trout and re-introduce native CRCT to create a new Conservation Population. There is a natural waterfall barrier lower on Pleasant Creek, but a fish barrier is needed on the diversion canal from Pleasant Creek to Lower Bowns Reservoir. The barrier will prevent non-native fish from Lower Bowns Reservoir re-invading Pleasant Creek after they are removed. Approximately 12 miles of stream will become habitat for CRCT. The work was originally scheduled for the fall of 2022, but there were several issues that had to be worked through and ultimately delayed the project and changed the location of the barrier. After discussing the original site for the proposed barrier with local water users, it became clear that the site would not work because water was being diverted from Oak Creek and flowing into the Pleasant Creek canal upstream of the proposed barrier site, effectively making the original site unacceptable since Oak Creek has a fertile population of Brook Trout and cannot practically be treated to remove them. There were also some archeological concerns with the original plan. However, working with water users and archeologists, an alternative site was located and the barrier was constructed there. This process highlighted the importance of communicating early and often on these types of projects and the huge benefit that comes from having partners and working in a collaborative manner. Once all the work on the Pleasant Creek barrier was completed, there were not adequate funds remaining to pour new concrete pads at the three existing barriers on the North and South Forks of North Creek in Beaver County. These pads were second in priority to the Pleasant Creek canal barrier construction.

The barrier will continue to be monitored visually each year and repaired as needed. Periodically the fishery above barrier will be sampled to be sure non-native fishes do not occur.