Utah Participation in the June Sucker Recovery Implementation Program - FY22
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Project ID: 6427
Status: Completed
Fiscal Year: 2022
Submitted By:
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Project Manager: Russ Franklin
PM Agency: Central Utah Water Conservancy District
PM Office: Orem Headquarters
Lead: June Sucker Program
WRI Region: Central
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Description:
The June Sucker Recovery Implementation Program (JSRIP) administers contributions from JSRIP signatory agencies, which includes the Utah Department of Natural Resources. The purpose of the JSRIP is to implement recovery actions for the federally threatened June sucker while allowing the continued use and development of water resources along the Wasatch Front. Using the June Sucker Recovery Plan (USFWS 1999) as its guiding document, the JSRIP implements projects across several recovery elements.
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Location:
The primary project location is Utah Lake and its tributaries in Utah County, but actions on refuge and captive populations of June sucker may also take place in Salt Lake, Cache, and Box Elder Counties.
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Project Need
Need For Project:
The June sucker (Chasmistes liorus) was federally listed as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1986. The June Sucker Recovery Plan (USFWS 1999) identified threats posed by nonnative and sport fish, water development, and habitat alteration as factors that resulted in the need to list the species. These factors contributed to a lack of recruitment for June sucker and the entire population consisted of relatively few, old individuals. At the time of listing, it was believed that the wild population consisted of fewer than 1,000 individuals. Subsequent estimates on the Provo River spawning population confirmed that the population was at very low levels (311
Objectives:
The goals of the JSRIP are to:
1) recover the June sucker so that it no longer requires protection under the ESA; and,
2) allow continued operation of existing water facilities and future development of water resources for human use in the Utah Lake drainage.
To achieve these goals the JSRIP is taking an ecosystem level approach using adaptive management techniques wherein biological information is gathered, reviewed and incorporated in JSRIP planning on an annual basis. The effectiveness of individual projects are monitored through separate monitoring efforts to provide feedback for future projects and recovery actions.
Project Location/Timing Justification (Why Here? Why Now?):
Relation To Management Plan:
June Sucker Recovery Plan (USFWS 1999) -- project allows implementation of recovery actions
CUP Utah Lake System EIS (CUWCD 2004) -- project provides legal compliance and fulfills environmental commitments necessary to allow completion and operation of CUP.
Utah Lake Master Plan (Utah Lake Commission and FFSL 2010) -- plan identifies need to recover the June sucker.
Fire / Fuels:
Water Quality/Quantity:
Compliance:
Because the JSRIP has federal partners and federal funds are contributed annually to the program, an Environmental Assessment was completed for federal participation in the program. Additional NEPA compliance may be necessary and will be conducted on an as-needed basis for specific projects implemented under the JSRIP. Past projects that have required NEPA compliance include the removal of carp from Utah Lake, habitat restoration on Hobble Creek, rehabilitation of Red Butte Reservoir, the augmentation of flows in Hobble Creek, and the Provo River Delta Restoration Project.
Methods:
JSRIP recovery elements group recovery actions identified in the June Sucker Recovery Plan by the threats that they are intended to address. Recovery elements include: 1) Nonnative and Sportfish Management, 2) Habitat Development and Maintenance, 3) Water Management and Protection, 4) Genetic Integrity and Augmentation, 5) Research, Monitoring and Data Management, and 6) Information and Education. The purpose of recovery elements is to ensure a diversified and balanced approach to recovery whereby funding and effort can be applied at the appropriate level for each recovery element. In FY21, general activities that will be conducted through the JSRIP include: continuing efforts to maintain a reduced carp population in Utah Lake; planning for and implementing habitat enhancement projects on the Provo River and Hobble Creek to benefit June sucker recovery (including the Provo River Delta Restoration Project); providing supplemental water to augment flows in the Provo River and Hobble Creek; maintaining captive populations and augmenting the wild population in Utah Lake; conducting monitoring and research to track the effectiveness of recovery efforts, and conducting proactive public outreach and media relations to support June sucker recovery actions.
Monitoring:
The recovery of June sucker is being addressed by research designed to clearly understand and develop approaches to managing threats and applied activities designed to address specific threats. Each activity conducted to benefit June sucker will be monitored and evaluated to gain information that can be applied to future efforts. The June sucker population is monitored annually during its spawning run in the Provo River and other tributaries. An increasing, self recruiting population in Utah Lake will be the long-term indication that threats are being successfully managed to allow for delisting.
Partners:
The JSRIP administers contributions from the JSRIP partners. The projects listed in this application have been approved by the JSRIP Administration Committee and will be administered by the Program Director's Office at DNR and the Central Utah Water Conservancy District (CUWCD). The JSRIP is a collaborative program among state, federal and local entities including DNR and its divisions, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), the Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission (URMCC), the Central Utah Water Conservancy District (CUWCD), the Provo River Water Users Association (PRWUA), the Provo Reservoir Water Users Company (represented by Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District), the Utah Division of Water Quality (DWQ) and an outdoor and environmental interests representative. On an annual basis each partner contributes funding and/or in-kind services commensurate with their respective role in the recovery effort.
Future Management:
An ecosystem-level approach towards recovery results in the implementation of actions that will benefit a broad array of species. The JSRIP Director's Office actively promotes coordination with the other management plans on Utah Lake and in the surrounding area. The Utah Lake Commission has worked with the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands to draft a master plan for the lake and its surrounding area. Objectives of that plan include the reduction of the lake's carp population and recovery of the June sucker.
The June Sucker Recovery Plan (USFWS 1999) is the guiding document for activities implemented under the JSRIP. Annual status reports are required for all projects approved for funding under the JSRIP. The Technical and Administration Committees meet on a regular basis to remain current on potential new threats and the status of JSIRP projects. These meetings are part of an adaptive management process that leads to timely adjustments to recovery strategies and ensures effective coordination of recovery activities.
The USFWS, under their ESA authority, determines if sufficient progress toward recovery is being made to allow for the JSRIP to serve as ESA compliance for federal water projects. The USFWS provided a memo to the JSRIP in May of 2015 indicating that sufficient progress towards recovery of the June sucker has been occurring.
Sustainable Uses of Natural Resources:
| Budget | WRI/DWR | Other | Budget Total | In-Kind | Grand Total |
| $300,000.00 | $1,255,500.00 | $1,555,500.00 | $8,000,000.00 | $9,555,500.00 |
| Item | Description | WRI | Other | In-Kind | Year |
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| Other | UDNR Contribution to JSRIP | $300,000.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 2022 |
| Other | In-kind contributions from State and Federal Partners | $0.00 | $0.00 | $8,000,000.00 | 2022 |
| Other | Other Contributions to the JSRIP | $0.00 | $1,255,500.00 | $0.00 | 2022 |
| Funding | WRI/DWR | Other | Funding Total | In-Kind | Grand Total |
| $1,555,000.00 | $0.00 | $1,555,000.00 | $8,000,000.00 | $9,555,000.00 |
| Source | Phase | Description | Amount | Other | In-Kind | Year |
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| Species Protection Account | Represents contribution from the UDNR towards participation in the JSRIP | $300,000.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 2022 | |
| State(Other) | State funding secured for specific projects on Utah Lake | $450,000.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 2022 | |
| Local | Contributions to the JSRIP from local agencies | $255,000.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 2022 | |
| Federal | Contributions to the JSRIP from Federal partners | $550,000.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 2022 | |
| Federal | Provo River Delta Restoration Project 2021-2022 costs | $0.00 | $0.00 | $6,900,000.00 | 2022 | |
| State(Other) | Utah Division of Water Quality work on Utah Lake Water Quality Study | $0.00 | $0.00 | $1,100,000.00 | 2022 |
Species
| Species | "N" Rank | HIG/F Rank | ||||
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| June Sucker | N1 | |||||
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| June Sucker | N1 | |||||
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| June Sucker | N1 | |||||
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| June Sucker | N1 | |||||
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| June Sucker | N1 | |||||
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| June Sucker | N1 | |||||
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| June Sucker | N1 | |||||
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| June Sucker | N1 | |||||
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| June Sucker | N1 | |||||
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| June Sucker | N1 | |||||
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| June Sucker | N1 | |||||
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Habitats
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Project Comments
Completion
Start Date:
07/01/2021
End Date:
06/30/2022
FY Implemented:
2022
Final Methods:
The June Sucker Recovery Implementation Program (Program) is a multi-agency partnership which includes the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Central Utah Water Conservancy District, the Utah Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Department of the Interior, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission, the Provo River Water Users Association, the Provo Reservoir Water Users Company, and Outdoor/Environmental Interests representation. Each partner provides funding and/or in-kind contributions to the Program. The regular annual operating budget for the Program is approximately $1.2 million.
The purpose of the Program is to recover the threatened June sucker, which is endemic to Utah Lake, so that it no longer requires protection under the Endangered Species Act. Equally important with the recovery effort is the Program goal to allow for existing uses and future development of water along the Wasatch Front.
The Program Director's office is housed in the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources while the Central Utah Water Conservancy District (CUWCD) provides an account to fund Program activities and serves as the primary contracting agent for the Program. At times, Program partners will contract directly with entities performing Program activities, however such circumstances are rare. Specific accomplishments of the program are outlined in project reports written by primary investigators, scientists, administrators and other project leaders who participate in Program efforts.
Project Narrative:
A general overview of activities completed during FY 2022 includes:
* Continued the large-scale removal of common carp from Utah Lake by removing an additional 190,000 pounds of carp bringing the total amount removed since 2009 to over 29.7 million pounds. The FY22 carp removal pounds was lower than previous years due to several factors including: a reduce adult carp population in the lake, sampling issues due to COVID, and issues involving worker shortage for manual labor due to inflation and job market demands.
* Northern Pike Telemetry Study was continued with submersible underwater receivers (SURs) being deployed and tagged fish being tagged around the lake. Technical issues with equipment has resulted in less data than previously thought and this project is working through these issues.
* Continued excavation and development on the Provo River Delta Restoration Project. The Provo River should be diverted in winter 2022.
* Supplemented flows (over 27,000 acre-feet) in the Provo River and Hobble Creek to aid June sucker spawning and recruitment.
* Stocked June sucker from the Fisheries Experiment Station and Rosebud Ponds into Utah Lake. This last stocking has resulted in almost 1 million June sucker being stocked from FES over the course of the Program.
* Applied results of past research on the post-stocking survival of captive reared June sucker stocked to Utah Lake by increasing the size at stocking to improve survival. This has led to higher survival rates but less fish being stocked.
* Monitored the Utah Lake fish community with an emphasis on tracking June sucker and common carp population status.
* Continued ongoing monitoring of the Utah Lake ecosystem to document changes in the ecosystem due to carp removal and other recovery actions.
* Installed stationary PIT tag monitoring arrays on the Provo River and Hobble Creek to improve our ability to track changes in the June sucker population.
* Represented and promoted the Program through press releases and facilitating media coverage of Utah Lake.
* Participated in virtually hosting the Utah Lake Festival in conjunction with the Utah Lake Commission to increase awareness of the importance of the Utah Lake ecosystem.
* Represented the Program to the Utah Lake Commission and participated in the implementation of the Utah Lake Master Plan.
* Change in status of June sucker from Endangered to Threatened (Feb 3, 2021).
Future Management:
In FY2023, the Program should work to continue the removal of common carp from Utah Lake, with an emphasis on evaluating potential strategies to maintain a reduced carp population in the lake. Additional research into other control strategies is needed to increase the effectiveness of control actions on the reduced carp population. Habitat enhancement work should continue to be a priority for the Program, as implementation of the Provo River Delta Restoration Project, would improve habitat conditions for the millions of larval suckers spawned in the Provo River each year. On Hobble Creek, restoration efforts should be focused on addressing impacts of irrigation diversions and restoring spawning habitat upstream of I-15. The continued supplementation of flows in both the Provo River and Hobble Creek is necessary to ensure successful spawning of the species and to support rearing of young of year suckers. Supplementing the June sucker population in Utah Lake with hatchery and refuge population reared individuals should continue. Continued monitoring of the June sucker population in the lake and changes in the ecosystem are also necessary to gauge Program progress. June sucker monitoring may be improved by using in lake monitoring strategies or researching the movement of June sucker among Utah Lake tributaries. The Program Directors Office should continue to cooperate with the Utah Lake Commission (now the Utah Lake Authority) and provide updates of Program progress local municipalities and other interested parties.
Funding and participation in the June Sucker Recovery Implementation Program are on-going and will be required until program goals and delisting are accomplished.
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