With the recent drought and reservoir management at Flaming Gorge Reservoir, lake levels will likely fluctuate more widely than in previous years, causing accessibility issues for the public. Lake levels dropped 10 feet in 2022 forcing Cedar Springs Marina operators to move the marina out of the protected cove where it had resided for decades. In 2023, reservoir elevation climbed 26 feet, once again changing the functional configuration of the marina. These fluctuations make it necessary to relocate the public boat courtesy dock and marina gangway entry point by reconstructing earthen trail using heavy equipment. Building a shoreline trail is extremely difficult due to the terrain, grade, and the fluctuating reservoir levels. In wet years, the water level could rise and cover the trail, or in a drought scenario, end up being far away from the water surface. Either scenario is unpredictable and requires annual reconnection/reconfiguration. New shoreline trail development also requires permitting through the US Forest Service and Bureau of Reclamation, which can take a year or two to complete. Permitting is a time constraint when the reservoir fluctuates during the approval period. The proposed fishing pier project will be attached to 500 feet of 100-inch wide dock extending from the boat ramp (A) to the marina (B). Two ADA accessible gangways will provide public access at the boat ramp and at the marina. Both ends of the new trail system will be used for public courtesy boat docking, one for boat ramp launching/receiving and the other side for marina courtesy use. The middle section, which this proposal encompasses, will measure 166 feet and be used as a fishing pier and wildlife viewing area. This component of the facility will include guardrails, fishing rod holders and seating for the public. The entire floating facility can be reconfigured and adjusted to adapt to changing reservoir elevations. The Cedar Springs boat ramp also has the lowest usable elevation of any ramp on the reservoir, extending past the minimum water elevation required to generate hydroelectric power at Flaming Gorge Dam. This floating system will be usable at all elevations from full pool to minimum power pool. Shoreline fishing access is also limited in this region of the reservoir. In the 2023 creel survey, only 22% of the shoreline fishing pressure occurred in the Canyon Region, which is the vast majority of Utah's portion of the reservoir. Shoreline fishing in the Canyon is impaired by limited access points, rough/steep terrain like talus slopes or cliffs, and mostly restricted to the areas around the boat launches. Handicap/disabled accessible fishing is extremely limited and this angler type typically uses the launch ramps and/or courtesy boat docks for a suitable platform. Boater-shore angler overlap in these areas is also unsafe and a source of conflict. A floating fishing pier at Cedar Springs will offer shore anglers an easy option with parking, access and amenities nearby. Based on success, this project will also serve as a prototype for other reservoirs around the state, specifically those with drastically fluctuating elevations. Docks that are easily adjusted and reconfigured with water levels, will save managers personnel time and expense in the long-term.

This project is a joint effort between Cedar Springs Marina and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (Division), to address concerns with the ever-changing shoreline and the impacts to public access on Flaming Gorge Reservoir. The primary component- a floating trail to the marina, provides a long-term solution for access that can be maintained at all elevations. The addition of a ADA approved fishing pier to the trail, will provide a significant benefit for the angling public in the lower section of the Flaming Gorge Reservoir where shoreline fishing access is limited. Finally, the entire structure (floating trail and fishing pier) will also serve as an attenuator or break water to protect the marina entrance, public boat ramp, and about 500 feet of shoreline from wind and wave action. Both Cedar Springs Marina and the Division agree that this is a win-win project and necessary to ensure continued shoreline fishing access as reservoir levels fluctuate.

The fishing pier will be attached to a floating trail (pending Boater Access Proposal) and installed at Cedar Springs Marina. It will be connected to shore near Cedar Springs public boat launch on the east side and to the marina on the west side. The marina is located on Flaming Gorge Reservoir, UT, approximately 1 mile west of Flaming Gorge Dam at 40.54'43.3" N 109.53.5" W. This facility will provide an adjustable trail system between Cedar Springs Marina and the Cedar Springs public boat ramp allowing the general boating and angling public to access both the marina facility and the launch ramp loading area with ease, as well as offering an ADA accessible fishing area in the canyon reach of the reservoir where shoreline access is limited. This floating trail system offers an adjustable alternative to navigating the rocky shoreline to get from point A to point B while maintaining ADA accessibility to and from the marina.

UT/WY Flaming Gorge Reservoir Collaborative Sport Fishery Management Plan, Goal 4, Objective 1- "Maintain and enhance angler access to Flaming Gorge Reservoir"

Not applicable

This 500 foot long structure will run parallel to the shoreline between the Cedar Springs public boat launch and the marina, which will attenuate wind and boat wave action, thereby reducing bank erosion and sedimentation.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Project has been approved by the Ashley National Forest

The entire project includes 500 feet of 100-inch wide dock extending from the boat ramp (A) to the marina (B) (Figure 2). Gangways will provide access at the boat ramp and at the marina. Both ends of the dock will be used for courtesy boat docking, one for boat ramp launching/receiving and the other side for marina courtesy use. The middle section (proposed here) includes 100-inch wide dock measuring 166 feet, that will be used as a fishing pier and wildlife viewing area. There will be two winches/anchors every 60 feet throughout the dock system. If the project(s) are funded, the equipment/parts will be procured and upon delivery, installed by Cedar Springs Marina (in-kind) as early as September of 2024. Long-term maintenance will also be completed by the marina (in-kind). Honey Hole Dock Droppers will be installed underneath the fishing pier by UDWR as fish attractants (trout and bass) to help increase angler success.

Angler use and success will be monitored during creel surveys conducted on Flaming Gorge Reservoir. Measurements of success will include catch/harvest rates, fishing effort, and fishing trip satisfaction.

Cedar Springs Marina, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, US Forest Service

This will help achieve goals to increase shoreline angler access in the lower reaches of Flaming Gorge Reservoir, which is identified in the reservoir management plan referenced above.

Being shoreline angling access is limited in the lower reaches of Flaming Gorge Reservoir, the fishing pier will provide increased fishing opportunities, specifically for limited mobility anglers. Commonly caught fish species will include smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, and cutthroat trout. These species of fish are shoreline oriented but also attracted to artificial habitat created by dock infrastructure. In fall, winter, and spring, lake trout will be a potential catch, including trophy fish exceeding 28-inches. Finally, the pier will also provide a wildlife viewing opportunity for raptors, water birds, and otters to name a few.