1. Timber Canyon barrier: A barrier has been constructed previously on Timber Canyon Creek and has functioned well up to this point to prevent re-invasion of the Timber Canyon Creek CRCT population from brown trout residing in the Strawberry River. We re-patriated this CRCT population approximately 15 years ago and was the subject of a rotenone treatment. However, some catastrophic damage has occurred to the barrier recently. The Dollar Ridge fire scar has been widely talked about among the WRI audience. The Timber Canyon barrier is now one of the casualties of the fire and subsequent flooding. A debris fan has activated along the west side of the canyon and has caused some damage to the structure itself. However the larger issue is that the barrier is now mostly buried. The barrier no long has sufficient drop to prevent upstream fish migration because the channel below the barrier has aggraded approximately 5-6 feet. While it may be possible to excavate portions of the channel, the larger issue at hand is that the location is no longer suitable because of continued threat of the barrier becoming buried under additional debris flows. Despite that we are several years removed from the fire, additional debris crossed the road and further exasperated the problem in 2021. We propose to leave the current structure in place, and construct an additional barrier in a nearby location that will not be prone to channel aggradation or side-canyon debris flows. We are not at imminent risk due to the extreme drought we are experiencing that has dewatered the channel, and several log/debris jams have created temporary barriers that have made it impossible at the moment for fish passage up to the barrier. However, these are temporary and a permanent solution needs to be devised. The U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Ashley National Forest (ANF) will take a lead on this portion of the partnership project with any assistance requested of UDWR staff. East Fork Carter Creek barrier: The UDWR is leading a project to create a metapopulation of Colorado River Cutthroat trout (CRCT) on the North Slope Uinta Mountains. Phase I of this project has already been completed in the way of the Middle Fork Sheep Creek treatment and restoration (2012-2014). Phase II of this project is now completed as of August 2021 and includes the East Fork Carter Creek and several unnamed tribs. Phase III of this project is underway with the first treatment having occurred in August 2021. The Phase III area of this treatment is downstream of the proposed barrier location, and primarily consists of the West Fork Carter Creek. Additional phases of the project further downstream include treating North Fork Sheep Creek, South Fork Sheep Creek, West Fork Carter Creek, and the remaining catchment from the Sheep Creek Irrigation Canal, which captures water from the upper Carter Creek drainage and delivers water via interbasin transfer to Sheep Creek. Future planned phases of the treatment restoration include West Fork Carter/Beaver/Weyman (2021-2022); South Fork Sheep Creek (2023-2024); and North Fork/mainstem Sheep Creek (2025-2026). The Canal system both serves as a blessing and a curse in that it complicates the treatment, but eliminates other fish barrier problems while creating a larger-than-otherwise possible metapopulation scenario. In order for the remainder of the upper Sheep Creek drainage to be secure to pursue future CRCT restoration, several fish barriers have to be pursued to isolate headwater reaches of the Sheep Creek Irrigation Canal that tie it into the Carter Creek drainage on a seasonal (high water) basis. By isolating and treating this area, this project will create a metapopulation of approximately 100 miles of linear, connected stream in addition to over a dozen high mountain lakes with natural reproduction potential. A similar project was funded and successfully completed in 2018 (WRI project #4462) to isolate the treatment area from potential reinvasion threats existing on lower West Fork Carter Creek. At the time, we identified these areas as the only threats to reinvasion from downstream sources. During the 2020 treatment of East Fork Carter Creek, additional staff field-truthed the "fish barrier" preventing fish migration from lower East Fork Carter Creek from the treatment area. Numerous staff discussed that we would feel more comfortable with this area being a barrier if we put an additional vertical drop structure at the top end of the high gradient confinement zone. The group judged the area below the point feature identified in this map of the project to typically be a fish barrier during most spring discharge events, but we are concerned that during 10-20 year events, such as the 2011 runoff, there will likely be connectivity for fish to migrate upstream. This project is intended to address this potential threat by eliminating any potential of fish passage up into the treatment zone. It is also important to note that this area of East Fork Carter Creek exists at the very top of the 100 mile treatment zone. If a fish invasion were to occur in this area, it would have the potential to endanger the entire treatment zone, hence why we are proceeding with the most conservative route in the form of building a fish barrier to fortify against our concerns. This fish barrier will mostly be constructed to rock materials found on site. Additional materials such as logs may be used for foundation. We have purchased geo fabric (thick, durable geotextile canal liner) behind the rock barrier to further fortify it from any leaking potential. This project was submitted and funded in FY22. We were unable to construct the barrier because heavy equipment was beyond difficult to rent last year with the equipment shortages and demand uptick. The machine we needed to do this was not available last year for the two-month window we had open to do it. Unfortunately we could not do the project later in October because of early snows. We do not anticipate the problem to be as severe in 2022. We utilized some of the funds approved for FY22 to purchase the material and turned back the remainder of the funds. The proposal was then lumped in with Timber Canyon because they are essentially part of the same cutthroat restoration project involving the same partnership personnel and agencies.

To prevent non-native fish passage to CRCT restoration areas, fish barriers need to be constructed. In this case, the primary invasive fish species are brown trout (Timber Canyon) and brook trout (East Fork Carter Creek). Simple objectives include: Use natural on-site materials in addition to supplemental artificial materials to be imported in to project sites in order to create two permanent equipment-constructed barriers.

The Utah Wildlife Action Plan (WAP) identifies the CRCT as an encumbered species. Ensuring continued broodstock operations and maintaining our ability to rear these fish in the hatchery system is integral to future recovery and protection of the species. Ensuring wild populations that we can draw from for brood sources (both of these locations were utilized for forming their respective broodstocks) is extremely important in order to always have a pure population to draw from. Project reduces/eliminates risk of non-native fish immigration to native Colorado River Cutthroat trout restoration area Project involves constructing fish barriers in order that future rotenone projects be undertaken to expand range of Colorado River Cutthroat trout and protect already extant populations. Circumstances and habitats that would allow for metapopulations (interconnected habitat of >50 miles) of Colorado River Cutthroat trout are extremely difficult to achieve due to 1. lack of available water or habitat 2. resistance of public/anglers 3. possibility of eliminating non-native fish pressures and threats. This project has the makings of having enough interconnected water, remote enough to not offend anglers, and particularly addresses fish barriers, thereby cutting off non-native fish introduction possibilities. The point of creating a metapopulation is to allow future species (in this case CRCT) persistence where the population as a whole is less likely to go extinct due to selective pressures, and thus allow immigration/emigration from other parts of the metapopulation, while allowing future genetic exchange and reducing the risk of inbreeding due to the extent of range and possibilities of population growth across this landscape.

Creating and maintaining metapopulations is crucial for species recovery. In the tri-state guiding document CONSERVATION STRATEGY FOR COLORADO RIVER CUTTHROAT TROUT, recovery goals are loosely laid out, however, the creation of metapopulations is the most concrete and commanding way to meet those goals. The strategy within the forthcoming UTAH'S COLORADO RIVER CUTTHROAT TROUT CONSERVATION STRATEGY has goals that are more quantitatively defined, and creating and defining metapopulations and what they mean for species recovery is laid out; this project will assist in meeting those objectives.

N/A

This project will not have any adverse impacts to water quantity - no water will be retained, redirected, or lost behind the fish barriers. No changes will occur with regard to evaporation loss. Additionally, the East Fork Carter project site is dewatered by a complete water withdrawal from the Sheep Creek Irrigation Company for approximately 8 months per year. Water quality should not be impacted - construction will occur when the stream is dry, and no sediments will be released as a result of project. From a water quality perspective, the fish barrier will not expose additional sediments. Small sediment deposit may occur behind the barrier from upstream typical sediment transport sources. Likewise with Timber Canyon, the proposed new barrier location is in a dewatered reach of stream due to natural subbing. We do not anticipate any negative water quality issues as a result of our work.

East Fork Carter: The Ashley National Forest has completed a categorical exclusion and the project is approved. A 404 permit/stream alteration permit has already been secured in spring 2021. Timber Canyon Creek: Ron Brunson is working through a NEPA process for a new barrier and this will be complete well in advance of ground work. Ron Brunson will work to secure the 404 stream alteration permit ahead of the project ground work. The permit should not involve extensive review for a 404 permit because of the structure that was already there and the adjacency of the proposed new structure. Thus the permit will be easier to get as a maintenance or replacement of existing structure.

East Fork Carter: One permanent fish barrier will be constructed mostly of locally reclaimed rock. Abundant rock exists around the project site. Abundant timber exists around the project site if needed for additional supporting structure. We will plan to rent a 306/307 class mini excavator and walk it up to the project site. Most of the distance to the location is accessible via the Sheep Creek Irrigation Canal dyke, however, we will have to access approximately 1/4 mile through forest. Luckily, almost the entirety of this 1/4 mile distance can be covered on an existing hiking trail where we may have to eliminate a few small trees to get through, but we can make additional improvements to the trail and reclaim any damage on the way out. Overall the hiking trail is overly wide through most of the affected corridor. The excavator will be used to key in rock material and build up a vertical fish barrier of a height of approximately 6 feet. Below and immediately adjacent to the barrier we will construct a splash pad primarily of local rock, but will utilize cement to help strengthen the structure as well as pass water. Geotextile fabric will be placed behind and sandwiched into the fish barrier with additional rock in order to prevent erosion issues around the barrier or allow water to get through that fish may utilize to pass through the barrier. We expect the construction to take approximately 1 week, with several additional days allotted for transporting/walking the machine to and from the project site. Natural rock already exists on each side of the bank, allowing for a relatively easy project for keying the structure into the banks. This barrier is meant to be complimentary to additional high gradient features immediately downstream of the construction location. Local rock will be utilized to create a vertical barrier within a steep gully channel. Barrier height should exceed 6 feet. The Forest Service roads crew is scheduled to help completed this project and will operate the heavy equipment to construct the barrier within the stream channel. Canal liner may be placed behind the rocks to fortify it against any leaking or erosion issues.

Barriers will be monitored annually during the duration of CRCT restoration project to ensure barriers are functioning and no problems are developing structurally. Restoration project on North Slope will continue for the next 6 years. Any issues with barriers will be addressed immediately due to importance of function. Following restoration projects, barriers will be monitored semi-annually, pending no change to status of barriers during restoration activities. Barriers that we constructed in 2018 have been monitored several times in the past two years, and have been "rock solid" with no problems detected so far. We expect a similar result for this barrier. This barrier will be built with an excavator rather than by hand because (1) it is moderately accessible compared to other barrier locations we did in 2018 (2) East Fork Carter Creek is a larger stream during high discharge events than the others we constructed barriers on in the adjoining areas; (3) most of the rocks in the project area are very large and would be difficult to utilize by hand

Ashley National Forest is a partner with this project - the Forest continues to support the program and this overall project with funding for internship program that will be used on project. ANF will take the lead on the Timber Canyon portion of this project; UDWR will take the lead on the East Fork Carter portion of the project. ANF has/will conduct the NEPA compliance documentation for project to move forward, the property sites are managed by the Forest Service and all natural materials are property of the US government, and last, ANF staff will assist directly with the implementation phase of barrier construction and design as well as permit reviews as necessary.

Future management will focus on the continued existence of the metapopulations created by the CRCT restoration projects described within, and the fish barriers created by this project proposal. Future management will focus on maintaining the permanent fish barriers created.

Sustainable uses are limited in scope for this project: 1. The overall CRCT reintroduction project will provide a native trout fishery for all future generations to enjoy. Timber Canyon receives camping and fishing attention mostly because it is a native trout water. Otherwise it is unremarkable. 2. Barriers allow us to flexibly manage surrounding waters for native and non native fishing opportunities 3. We will be conducting some considerable hiking trail maintenance and improvements through the section that we will be accessing on the North Slope. 4. Placing a new barrier on Timber Canyon will remove a conflict with the current barrier. We will place less emphasis on the old barrier where our primary focus can be on maintaining the forest service access road with less worry about consequences to the fish barrier.

09/05/2022

05/31/2024

2024

We constructed several fish barriers to protect large sections of inhabited cutthroat trout streams from non-native trout invasion. We repaired previously constructed fish barriers on the East Fork Carter Creek (at confluence of Sheep Creek Irrigation Canal) and Timber Canyon. Two new fish barriers were constructed, one on West Fork Carter Creek and one on Teepee Lake outlet. We primarily used local materials (rock and logs). At Timber Canyon we also used local materials but supplemented by limited quantities of non-native rock to construct and fortify barriers. We used canal liner cloth behind new barriers to prevent erosion and leaking. Most of the work was completed by DWR regional staff and FS staff. The vast majority of the funds expended with this project were for heavy equipment rental. The East Fork Carter, West Fork Carter, and Teepee Lake outlet barrier construction all occurred and was completed September 2022. The Timber Canyon barrier work was completed the following spring in approximately May 2023. Record snowpack received during the winter of 2022-2023 did not affect this project since the high altitude barriers were constructed in the fall, and preceeded the high snowpack winter. The Timber Canyon barrier work occurred before we received runoff temperatures (barrier is low elevation and accessible for most of the year). The Forest Service completed the Timber Canyon barrier work independently of DWR staff so we were not able to obtain before and after pictures. However, the work they completed did not really affect the visual of the barrier where they mostly enhanced the vertical drop to previous levels. The rock we purchased was submerged and buried within the barrier and was not visible. The majority of funds expended under this project were expended as part of the other barriers though.

Numerous barrier needs were identified in 2021-2022 to prevent non-native fish migration into stream and lake areas that housed conservation populations of native cutthroat trout. We constructed these barriers between 2022 - 2024 to protect these native fish populations and mitigate any risk associated with flooding or other opportunities for fish passage.

Fish barriers were completed. No additional needs are foreseen at this time. We will continue to annually inspect these barriers to ensure effectiveness and mitigate any damage that might occur (e.g., flooding)