Utah's many wildlife management areas (WMAs) are vital in helping the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources achieve its mission of serving the people of Utah as trustee and guardian of the state's wildlife. The WMAs help the UDWR achieve its resource goal of expanding wildlife populations and conserving sensitive species through protecting and improving wildlife habitats. The Hardware WMA is a popular recreation area, especially for those living in the Cache and Ogden valleys. The WMA is heavily utilized for camping from Easter weekend through the elk hunts in November. The Wapiti Area, in particular, is very popular. It's near the upper and more huntable end of the WMA. It's also close to the Blacksmith Fork River and the highway. On busy weekends, including the Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day weekends, camping outfits (RVs) can exceed 30 units, with every conceivable spot in the area holding a tent, a trailer, or a passenger vehicle. Camping also occurs in other dispersed areas on the WMA along SR-101 and between the Curtis Creek and Rock Creek drainages. These numerous sites are filled almost every weekend and if a spot is not available new ones are "carved out" by the camping public.

This project meets Objectives 4 and 6 in the HWMA management plan to reduce camping-related habitat impacts by 25% and maintain or enhance riparian & aquatic habitats in the following ways: 1) Protect sensitive areas by adjusting high-use recreation patterns away from these areas. 2) Remove the existing toilet which could contribute to water contamination. 3) Improve the riparian corridor through fencing. The fencing will protect the area and allow both active and passive restoration to happen. 4) Establishing a WMA camping season, implementing a site plan for camping areas, and identifying camping areas through signage and structure.

The Wapiti Camping area currently has a pit toilet located in the southwestern area of the site. The toilet is over 40 years old and has not been functional for over 10 years. The toilet is currently closed to any kind of use due to the lack of structural integrity of the building as well as the location of the toilet on the lower terrace where a high water table threatens to transport human waste from the toilet into the Blacksmith Fork River. In spite of the structure being closed and signage indicating the toilet is not to be used, evidence of use has been frequently observed by WMA staff. High observable visitation at the site and no operative restroom facilities mean that visitors are using the surrounding landscape as a restroom facility. The proximity of the site to the Blacksmith Fork River and the high water table at the western end of the site creates a vector for contamination. The increase in camping usage has also seen a rise in the amount of litter left in campsites, new areas being utilized, fences being taken down to access restricted areas, etc. The increased presence of OHV/ATV machines has contributed to the increase of invasive weeds along the WMA roadways.

Per the 2018-2023 HRWMA Management Plan: Wildlife Goal - Objective 4: Decrease habitat impacts in controlled and dispersed camping sites by a minimum of 25% over the life of the plan. -Strategy 1: item b. Establish a camping season. -Strategy 2: items c, e, & f. c) Reduction or elimination of approved camping locations. e) Develop a site plan for Camp Wapiti. f) Identify designated camping sites using logs, rock structures, and/or signage. Objective 6: Maintain existing riparian and aquatic habitat and explore opportunities to enhance these habitats during the life of the plan. - Strategy 1: Identify riparian areas that require habitat enhancement...

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The Blacksmith Fork River is designated a class 2B: (Infrequent primary contact recreation (e.g. wading, fishing), 3A: Coldwater fishery/aquatic life, and 4: Agricultural uses, stream. The Blacksmith Fork river at the location of the site is currently is on the EPA and Utah Division of Water Quality 303d list of water bodies that do not meet water quality standards pursuant to their designated class (2016 designation). The cause of impairment was identified per class was: 2B: E.coli, 3A: Dissolved Oxygen. This project seeks to be a source of improving the E. coli issues through removing potential human waste contamination sources and improving dissolved oxygen through increased shading of the stream channel.

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1) Establish a WMA Camping Season: A camping season will allow areas utilized by the camping public to dry out and be less damaged by recreational use. * Proposed camping season from the Friday preceding Memorial Day to Dec 31 * Signage placed at the 3 main entrances to the WMA (SR-101, Ant Flat, & Laketown Rd.) indicating camping is in permitted areas only within designated dates * Signage identifying designated camping areas & conditions of use 2) Reduction or Elimination of Approved Camping Sites: Consolidation of some camping sites and elimination of others will improve our ability to monitor public use, reduce the drain on man-hours utilized to monitor camping, and simplify enforcement of rules and regulations that deal with camping. It will also protect the resource by removing problematic contamination sources to waterways and reducing widespread impacts to surrounding habitats. * Convert all dispersed sites along SR-101 and between Curtis Creek and Rock Creek to Day Use. * Reduce the Wapiti Camp Area footprint and remove decommissioned vault toilet * Convert Tie-Out Camp to a parking area for livestock access into Pole Hollow o Remove existing feed bunks * Consolidate Tie-Out camping & the Baxter/Rock Creek Camp Area into one, at the Baxter site. 3) Identification of Approved Camping Sites: Identified sites will direct the camping public to areas we designate and feel can sustain the impact, will reduce the amount of pollution in WMA streams and rivers, and simplify enforcement for where camping can occur. (See Wapiti Camp, Baxter/Rock Creek, & Squaw Flats Maps) * Wapiti Designated Camp Area o Use fencing and rock blockades to limit camping to the eastern half which can sustain the impact o Use signage to designate sportsman access points, parking, and livestock areas * Baxter/Rock Creek Designated Camp Area o Use signage to designate permitted camping and livestock areas in order to protect sensitive habitats and waterways o Use rock blockades to separate regular camping & livestock camping portions o Install feed bunks and tie-outs in the livestock area * Squaw Flats Designated Camp Area o Permitted camping from Aug 1 -- Dec 31 (limited to hunting seasons) o Use rock blockades and fencing to close the southern half of this high meadow to camping and vehicle damage This is a large project and will be implemented in phases. Phase 1 for the summer of 2022 (FY23) will include: - Establish the existence of a WMA camping season through signage posted at all WMA entrances. These signs will mark the WMA boundaries at major roadways and inform the public that camping is permitted in designated areas only and within designated dates. - Designate all camping sites along SR-101 and between Curtis Creek and Rock Creek drainages on the Laketown Rd. to Day Use through signage, and barriers as needed. - Identify through signage the Wapiti, Baxter/Rock Creek, and Squaw Flats camping areas. Signage will include the dates camping is permitted and conditions of use. - Reduce Wapiti Camp Area footprint and remove the decommissioned vault toilet.

The use will be monitored by both WMA staff and DWR law enforcement, both to inform and enforce recreation that is consistent with a day-use area.

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Frequent contact with the public using the area will be needed to inform and educate the reason behind the restoration and to provide regular maintenance to fencing protecting the restored area.

This development will continue to allow for hunting, angling, and other wildlife-oriented recreation associated with Hardware WMA while enabling the protection and restoration of sensitive habitats for the future.

07/01/2022

06/30/2023

2023

Wildlife-friendly drill pipe fence was installed to mark the boundary of the new footprint for the Wapiti Camp Area. The top rail of this fence is set at 42". The project was underbid since the cost of drill pipe increased substantially after submitting the project.

We worked with a citizens group interested in maintaining some camping on the WMA to improve the road into Wapiti and set posts. Dedicated Hunters helped with some of the welding and installation as well. The top rail was welded to set posts at 42".

Due to the increased cost of materials, some sucker rods will have to be purchased to finish the fence. The bottom sucker rod will be hung 16" above the ground and the middle rod will split the difference. The southeast end of Wapiti has some very hard material under the top soil that the skid steer could not drill a hole. For this section, I'll have to install some buck & rail fencing to fence this area. These things will be in a coming project.