Recent flooding and fires in the Mill and Pack creek watershed have highlighted the need for continued and expanded collaborative stewardship of the riparian corridors and the watersheds in Grand and San Juan counties. In the upper watershed, on USFS areas where the 2021 fire has impacted the stream channel intensive stream channel work is required. In the middle watershed, on BLM managed areas large floods have had an impact, and ravenna grass is continuing to spread work to remove invasive plants and reduce erosion in gullies is needed. In the lower watershed through the most populated areas, fire fuels mitigation, bank laybacks and other revegetation actions are needed. In order to maintain creek corridors through the lower watershed significant planning and engineering is needed to enhance habitat through the town while also protecting necessary infrastructure including water and sewer lines as well as transportation corridors. Upper Pack Creek (USFS/RRR): After the Pack Creek fire in 2021, dozens of debris flows occurred in Pack Creek that have created vertical incisions and channel downcutting that is lowering the local water table. This local unconfined aquifer is used by the Pack Creek Ranch for municipal water and the community has expressed concern that the aquifer is being dewatered. Work in the upper watershed of Pack Creek will supplement work done in FY 2024 to stabilize the channel on the Forest, and will extend work onto the private land below it. The upper and middle Pack and Mill Creek watersheds on USFS land are year round habitat for Mule Deer and are a low to medium use migration corridor. Upper Pack Creek is also habitat for turkey populations. Stream restoration and work in riparian areas within the watershed will improve wildlife habitat and improve water availability and quality as well as food sources for both Mule Deer and turkey. Middle Mill Creek and Pack Creek sub-watersheds(BLM): This project addresses overall watershed health by improving water quality conditions, improving soil conditions, increasing floodplain functionality, increasing streambank stability, decreasing fire hazards, increasing native plant diversity and densities, and improving wildlife habitats. This would be accomplished by removing invasive plant species, construction of gully control structures, re-seeding of disturbed areas, and by planting willows on eroding streambanks. Additional monitoring of sensitive species response to disturbance from fire, invasive species, grazing, drought, and restoration treatments will better inform future management decisions and gain vital information about species trends and fill data gaps. Lower Watershed Need (RRR/FFSL): The lowest 5 miles of Pack Creek and 3.5 miles of Mill Creek run through Spanish Valley and the City of Moab. In many areas with perennial flow the creek corridors are dominated by areas of dense woody invasive species. In the last 5 years there has also been an increase of invasive ravenna grass along both Mill and Pack Creeks increasing fire hazards and reducing native plant diversity. In addition to dangerous levels of fire fuels, the dense woody vegetation in some areas along the creek focuses high water flows into the channel rather than allowing it to spread, resulting in significant downcutting, channelization and lateral creek movement, as well as creating significant debris dams that divert high flows. This downcutting has lowered the water table along the creek, reduced native riparian vegetation, and increased erosion. Channel diversions due to debris dam establishment during flood events has also caused some significant damage by diverting the flow out of the established floodway.

Upper Creek Objectives (USFS, RRR) 1) Collaborate with and meet the needs of the Pack Creek community. 2) Phase 2 of work started in FY 2024 to slow debris-flow velocities. 3) Follow up on work from FY 2024 to restore channel dimensions by accumulating sediment within the incised sections of Pack Creek. 4) Faciliate the regeneration of riparian vegetation. 5) Protect the Pack Creek unconfined aquifer. BLM (middle Mill Creek and Pack Creek sub-watersheds): 1) improve streambank stability and floodplain functionality by vegetating eroding streambanks 2) reduce erosion by closing social trails, restoring disturbed areas and constructing gully control structures 3) improve riparian conditions with higher native plant densities by reducing invasive plant species including Russian Olive and Tamarisk 4) reduce risk of catastrophic wildfires and associated downstream damage by reducing the density of invasive plants to less than 5% in the riparian corridor 5) improve water quality conditions with frequent trash removal in high use recreation areas 6) improve wildlife habitat conditions by increasing native plant diversity 7) conduct detailed plant surveys in order to develop threat abatement strategies for sensitive species. Lower Creek Objectives (Mill and Pack, RRR and FFSL) Improve resiliency of the Riparian Corridors through Moab in ways that enhance habitat while also protecting infrastructure through the following actions: 1) Reduce fire fuels in critical areas to reduce fire hazard as well as reduce high flood flow debris damming and channel shifts 2) Establish vegetation in recently cleared areas where it is not passively regenerating 3) Implement bank stabilization and channel work to help mitigate for high flood flows, and improve stability and access during lower flood flows 4) Provide detailed plans and engineering for key pinch points and areas where infrastructure is vulnerable during high and extreme flows using bioengineering techniques to preserve functional habitat in the lower reaches of the creeks.

Primary threats to the Mill Creek Watershed include invasive woody and non-woody plant concentrations that result in: - decreased riparian diversity and native plant density which results in loss of habitat, - reduced channel stability and flood channel predictability, and - increased fire fuels density and distribution which increases risk of fire. Other threats include post fire erosion, post flood streambank destabilization (Pack Ck Watershed), development of primitive roads in Mill Creek Canyon within the riparian corridor (Flat Pass area) and increased recreation use causing increased erosion in the uplands and riparian corridor on BLM lands. This project will build on the momentum and interest in riparian management active revegetation in areas where passive regeneration does not occur as well as channel stabilization work in critical areas created by work over the past four years. Work is occurring in the uppermost watershed on USFS, in the middle watershed on BLM lands, and work in lower watershed in town. While the floodway is still relatively clear from the high flows during recent monsoons in 2022 this project will help restore riparian corridors that are easier to maintain for high flood flows and lower fire risk into the future. High flows in 2021 and 2022 years due to active monsoon seasons exacerbated issues in both creeks. 2022 was a very active monsoon year creating extreme problems in the lower reaches of the creeks. Bank stabilization work, channel work and other active native plant regeneration is needed to help increase the resiliency of the riparian area. Engineering at key locations is needed so that the riparian corridor can provide habitat and ecological functions while also accommodating infrastructure such as water and sewer lines, and protect structures and roadways that intersect the floodplain. Improvements to the watershed from headwaters to the confluence with the Colorado River include removal of invasive plant species, willow plantings and erosion control structures. Upper Pack Creek Restoration (USFS/RRR) Currently, the Pack Creek watershed is the most critically threatened watershed in the La Sal Mountains. Since the Pack Creek fire in 2021, south facing slopes are regenerating vegetative cover, but the channel still needs to be stabilized as it continues to downcut. Work in FY 2024 should address most of the changes to the drainages from the high flows after the fire. Work in FY 2025 will ensure that in stream structures settle in and vegetation is established in key areas to reinforce the bank and channel structures. Lower Watershed (both creeks FFSL/RRR) While vegetation is recovering in the burned areas of Upper Pack Creek, a particularly active monsoon season in 2021 and 2022 changed a lot in both drainages through the populated portions of the watershed. Now that emergency clean up work has been done there is momentum to continue to improve floodplain resilience and protect infrastructure in a way that also improves riparian conditions and habitat.

The project is consistent with the Standards and Guidelines of the Manti-La Sal Forest Land and Resource Management Plan of 1986, as amended. III-11: Flood damage repair programs in conjunction with fisheries improvement would result in improved conditions of damaged streams. Other identified watershed improvement needs would be completed at a reasonable rate throughout the planning period, which would reduce soil erosion and stream sedimentation. The BLM Moab Field Office 2008 Resource Management Plan (RMP) identifies two objectives that would be accomplished by implementing this plan. Goal/ objective #VEG-9 states "reduce Tamarisk and Russian Olive where appropriate and restore riparian habitat to native willow and cottonwood communities". Goal/ objective #WL-8 states "prevent the spread of invasive and non-native plants especially cheatgrass, Tamarisk and Russian Olive. Strive for a dense understory of native species in riparian areas with a reduction in Tamarisk and improvement of cottonwood and willow regeneration." This project would reduce the amount of invasive and non-native plants including Russian Olive and Ravenna Grass in the riparian areas in Mill Creek Canyon, allowing native species such as cottonwoods and willows and native understory species to flourish and regenerate. The 2005 BLM Utah Riparian Policy states:" riparian areas are to be improved at every opportunity." This project would improve the riparian area by reducing the non-native invasive plant species and increasing native plant species diversity and densities in Mill Creek Canyon. Lower Watershed (Mill and Pack creeks): The Grand County General Plan includes the vision and goal of preserving riparian habitat by improving the condition of land along the Mill Creek corridor. This project will improve riparian habitat by reducing the amount of invasive plant species and increasing native plant diversity and densities in Mill Creek Canyon. Grand County Noxious Weed List includes Russian olive, and recently Ravenna Grass was recently added. This project would reduce the amount of Russian olive, tamarisk and ravenna throughout the entire watershed. The Grand County Resource Management Plan encourages public land managers to enhance and restore watersheds in the Moab and Spanish Valleys and encourages FFSL to reduce wildfire hazards in the wildland-urban interface. The plan also identifies that invasive weeds should be reduced in order to allow native species to thrive with wildlife corridors that connect natural areas. The plan specifically mentions that riparian habitat should be preserved and restored. This project would reduce the risk of fire, particularly in the wildland-urban interface while reducing invasive weeds such as Tamarisk, Russian Olive, and Ravenna grass. Restoring the riparian area will create more continuous native habitat and improve the watershed by reducing erosion in the creek. The Grand Conservation District Resource Assessment identifies natural and social resources present in Grand County and details specific areas of concern, including soil erosion and noxious weeds. The assessment cites a need to improve stream banks and riparian areas by removing invasive species and improving native plant communities. This project would reduce the amount of noxious weeds in Mill Creek Canyon, improving riparian conditions and increasing native plant diversity and densities. The Southeast Utah Riparian Partnership (SURP) prepared the Colorado River Woody Invasive Species Management Plan through collaboration with 29 local partners including the Tamarisk Coalition, Grand County Council and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. The plan's main objective is to reduce non-native plant species within 80% of high priority streams by 2020. The Mill Creek Watershed is listed as a high-priority area in this plan. This project would reduce the amount of non-native invasive plant species in Mill Creek Canyon. Moab Valley CWPP (2020) - Mill and Pack Creek Corridors are priority areas 1 and 2 under the latest (2020) version of the CWPP. Data from the Utah Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal categorizes both corridors as having a "very high" to "extreme" risk due to the fuel loading and proximity of structures to the fuels. The CWPP lists "Reduce undesirable fuels adjacent to riparian areas to reduce fire impacts and maintain channel stability" and "Manage vegetation adjacent to roadways, trails, and railroad lines to prevent wildfire ignitions and to create green strips and fuel breaks" as priority management actions across the Valley. The plan also focuses on noxious weed control, improvement of wildlife habitat, improvements to channel stability and management of recreation areas to prevent wildfire ignitions. The Utah Wildlife Action Plan, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, identifies actions needed to protect lowland riparian habitats including restoring degraded habitats. This project would protect lowland riparian habitats by reducing the potential for catastrophic wildfires, reducing the potential for damage from large flood events by increased overflow channels in Mill Creek Canyon, and decreasing sediment loading from gullies adjacent to Mill Creek. The WAP also identifies Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Southwestern Willow Flycatcher as species of greatest conservation need. The removal of non-native vegetation followed by revegetation of native species such as cottonwood and willow may create stopover and foraging areas for these species. As willow patches become more dense through time, willow flycatchers may find nesting opportunities within the project area. Big Free-tailed Bat and Allen's Big-eared Bat are also benefited by improvements to the watershed. Threats to these species may be riparian management and disturbance near roost sites. This project will improve the riparian area and also aims to reduce disturbance from recreation by eliminating trails. BLM Moab Field Office Resource Management Plan (RMP) goals and objectives for vegetation seeks to maintain, protect, and enhance special status plant and animal habitats in such a manner that the potential need to consider any of these species for listing as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act does not arise. Supporting management decisions are as follows: (1) SSS-1 as required by the Endangered Species Act, implement recovery actions identified in Recovery Plans and in Conservation Agreements, Plans and Strategies in coordination with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR), and other interested entities. The BLM will be an active participant in all recovery implementation teams; (2) VEG-6 gather necessary vegetation information and continue monitoring to assess if planning objectives are being met; and (3) GRA-9 collect monitoring data, including trend, utilization, actual use, and climate data to determine if existing livestock management practices are meeting land-use planning and resource objectives. BLM participation in the "Conservation Agreement and Strategy for Cisco milkvetch, stage station milkvetch, and Isely's milkvetch" (CAS) includes four levels of monitoring: (1) population and habitat monitoring, (2) effectiveness of conservation actions, (3) adaptive management, and (4) compliance with regulatory mechanisms. Relevant stressors listed in the document include recreation, livestock grazing, nonnative, invasive plant species, land development and conservation, and periodic drought and climate change.

This project seeks to reduce the threat and intensity of fire by expanding and connecting fuel breaks on private lands along vulnerable stretches of Mill and Pack Creeks in the lower reaches of the creeks. This is accomplished by removing understory invasives under cottonwood groves that are present throughout the creek system. These fuel breaks are designed to break up contiguous fuel loading and protect ecological and human values along these riparian corridors. According to UWRAP (Utah Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal), there are high and very high levels of fire risk along a large portion of these riparian corridors, which means there is a high likelihood of loss or harm in the event of a fire. This was proven to be true in the 2018 Cinema Court fire, in which 8 homes were lost in hours along Pack Creek. The community has since voiced desire for fire protection, and Pack Creek is being prioritized for fire resiliency. In Mill and Pack Creeks in the Moab valley, nonnative woody species (Russian olive and tamarisk) have largely replaced fire-resilient natives such as willows, sumac, and in some places cottonwoods entirely. Ravenna grass, a nonnative and fast-growing ornamental bunchgrass, has also been outcompeting natives along these creeks. Contiguous loading of these species serves as a serious wildfire threat for the riparian area. Russian olive, tamarisk and Ravenna have created a dense understory of growth below native cottonwood trees. They all produce large quantities of volatile fuels that allow fire to spread vertically and reach native canopy cover, creating devastating crown fires in the cottonwoods. The current fuel loading also exacerbates the speed and intensity with which fire moves horizontally. Furthermore, fire spread and intensity are more extreme when there is an extended drought in the area or a buildup of dead and senescent material in the tamarisk crowns, as is currently the case. Removal efforts are expected to reduce the risk of catastrophic fire by reducing volatile fuel loads in some of the more choked sections of the creeks. Previous work in the creeks has improved access along the creeks for fire personnel in the event of a fire. This work will not only continue to improve firefighter safety, it will also protect the homes and structures adjacent to the creek due to better access. Additionally, removing the invasive vegetation will promote the establishment of under-story native vegetation and will reduce soil erosion, which is critical to maintaining riparian ecosystem resilience. BLM: The proposed project would significantly reduce the risk of wildfire and reduce the continuity of hazardous fuels, particularly ladder fuels that build up under Russian olives and are created by Ravenna grass. The entire Mill Creek riparian corridor is connected by fairly dense riparian vegetation and if a fire were to start in this corridor, it has the potential to be a large-scale catastrophic burn. The potential for a wildfire caused by human ignition is high in the heavier use areas on BLM managed lands. Removing Russian olives and Ravenna Grass not only reduces fuel loads but also isolates smaller fuel load areas. If a fire were to start, the chance of a large scale catastrophic fire would be greatly minimized as the fire would be more accessible and suppressed more easily, and may not spread as rapidly. The relatively intact habitat corridor from the La Sal Mountains to the Colorado River would also be protected. Continuing this work is more important now with increased recreation uses in Mill Creek Canyon raising the potential for human caused fires, and with more frequent drought years making fuels drier for a longer portion of the year.

Mill Creek and Pack Creek are the main perennial streams of the Mill Creek Watershed and are listed by the State of Utah Division of Water Quality (UDWQ) as not meeting the state standards associated with its assigned beneficial uses. Parameters of concern include high stream temperatures, high readings of e.coli bacteria and high levels of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). In 2002, UDWQ prepared a TMDL report recommending actions to protect and improve water quality conditions such as improving riparian and streambank conditions. The Mill Creek Watershed has been designated as a "Sole Source Aquifer" by the EPA to protect the shallow unconfined aquifer that provides drinking water to the residents of Moab and Spanish Valley. This designation is recognized by both the BLM and USFS in their respective management plans, and most surface disturbing activities are not allowed on federal lands in the Mill Creek Watershed. This project has the potential to improve and protect water quality conditions over both the short and long term by increasing the functional integrity of the riparian areas, by improving soil and vegetation conditions in the uplands, and by reducing the risk of severe, large scale wildfires. VEGETATION MANAGEMENT Invasive plants such as Russian olive and tamarisk constrain the channel, clog overflow channels, increase streambank erosion while reducing native tree and shrub regeneration. Reducing the density of invasive plant species in the riparian corridor will increase the functional integrity of the riparian corridor by improving floodplain connectivity, increase streambank stability which reduces erosion during larger flood events, and increase bank storage in times of high runoff allowing higher releases of shallow groundwater during periods of low stream flows. These actions would improve stream temperatures and reduce sediment loads in the perennial streams. This project improves upland soil and vegetation conditions by managing high use recreation areas and trails, re-seeding disturbed areas and by constructing small gully control structures. Better upland conditions lead to improved infiltration rates, reduced overland flow and associated erosion and sediment loading to Mill Creek during larger rain events. REDUCING RISK OF SEVERE FIRE By reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfires in the watershed, the potential for associated damage including reduced soil infiltration, increased erosion and loss of top soil, long term loss of soil productivity, and accelerated sediment loading to the system would be greatly reduced. This project reduces the risk of severe large scale wildfires by clearing fuels from riparian areas and drainages. Treatment of drainages that could act as funnels during a wildfire will further protect and enhance riparian areas. RESTORING FLOOD PLAIN FUNCTION Removing denser stands of invasive plant species and encouraging native plant regeneration in the riparian corridor will improve floodplain connectivity and functionality, allowing natural hydrologic streambank storage processes to improve. Water, during high runoff periods, can recharge small banks and point bars; the stored water will be released during periods of lower stream flows, enhancing instream flows and water quantity conditions. Improving soil and vegetation conditions in the upland areas, with increased infiltration rates and decreased runoff rates, and increased bank storage, water quantities would increase throughout the watershed. In the lower watershed, where the floodplain is intersected by infrastructure including roads, water and sewer lines and bridges, thoughtful drainage planning and site specifici engineering and is necessary to protect the functionality of the stream corridor as habitat while also functioning as a drainage way during high and extreme flood events.

Upper Pack Creek (USFS): The Moab District Watershed Restoration CE which covers most watershed restoration techniques on NFS lands in the La Sal Mountains was signed in January 2023. BLM (middle Mill Creek and Pack Creek sub-watersheds): The proposed project is ready for implementation on BLM lands. All necessary NEPA documents have been completed and approved. This included consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding the Endangered Species Act. All Pesticide Use Approvals and archaeological clearances have been completed. Lower Watershed: Most project locations are identified and project designs are evolving due to changes in the floodplain from the 2022 floods. Any permitting (404, stream alteration and city or county) will be in place prior to any work commencing. Local permits expire after only 3 months so these permits will be submitted and acquired at the appropriate times for work to be done. Some project areas will need engineering, included in this project budget.

Upper Pack Creek Restoration (USFS): 1) Contract for follow up, or phase 2, of the channel and bank stabilization work done in FY 2024 2) Add vegetation to the banks where it does not passively regenerate after work is complete in FY 2024 3) Extend channel work into the private land to the irrigation diversion, which acts as a channel stabilizer at the downstream end. BLM (middle Mill Creek and Pack Creek sub-watersheds): 1) mechanical, chemical and hand treatments to eliminate or control Russian Olive, Tamarisk, Ravenna Grass and other invasive plants in coordination with the Grand County Weed Dept 2) plant willows and other native plants in disturbed areas 3) reseed disturbed areas by hand 5) construct small Zeedyk style erosion control structures using native materials in small gullies 6) conduct daily trash pickup and trail management using volunteer groups whenever possible Lower Watershed Methods (RRR/FFSL) RRR will use a variety of methods to meet project objectives. Some of these efforts will connect with local school groups led by Science Moab, and volunteer efforts to help implement them. All projects in the City will be developed with the City Floodplain Administrator, and with the County Floodplain Administrator in areas outside the City. Labor for implementation will come from FFSL seasonal staff, youth corps,and other contractors, with Grand County Weed Department expertise and assistance. 1) Establish vegetation with seeding, containerized plants, poles and wattle installations in key locations. 2) Reduce fine fuels and competition for native perennial species through mowing and other fine fuels reduction efforts 3) Ensure previous olive removal activities are followed up on through basal bark, foliar and cut stump treatments. We have found 3 years of follow up is needed to ensure full kill on removed olive trees 4) Work with land owners, city and county governments and others to link efforts across administrative and legal boundaries to ensure project consistency and collaboration. This includes detailed planning and engineering at key pinch points and sensitive areas. 5) In key areas stabilize banks using bio-engineerd techniques including: a) bank laybacks, willow wattles and grass plantings. b) gabion baskets (with vegetation included) in some areas c) cross veins and other in stream structures where needed. FFSL will continue to work with private landowners to remove invasive woody vegetation along the creek corridors to improve the riparian habitat in Mill and Pack creeks. To meet the objectives FFSL will: 1) Reduce fuel loading by Hand-thinning, treating, and chipping Russian olive and tamarisk along Mill and Pack Creeks in identified polygons on WRI map. 2) Applying herbicide on cut stumps and foliar spray resprouts for 3-year post-treatment to ensure maintenance of the work. 3) Supply landowners with followup treatment plans to continue retreatment of creek corridor after 3 year period. FFSL may also in specific situations provide herbicide to landowners through other grant funds to ensure treatment happens. Mill and Pack Creeks -- Youth corps crews working with the BLM botanist will conduct sensitive status plant surveys in Mill Creek and Pack Creek in support of habitat protection efforts. Such species included (with NatureServe ranking) are Isley's milkvetch (G1S1), stage station milkvetch (G1S1), and Canyonlands biscuitroot (G2S2). Youth corps will be trained to assist the BLM botanist with a variety of non-destructive surveys for abundance, basic demography, and visual cover using transects, nested quadrats, and line-point intercept methods. This is a developmental component to youth corps, giving additional perspectives on watershed restoration with respect to plant monitoring and long-term conservation goals. Existing project actions to be monitored include areas near Russian olive and Ravenna grass removal, rangeland infrastructure maintenance, and USGS gage maintenance. This survey effort is intended to follow up the 2024 pilot surveys to close data gaps and inform future surveys. Site locations are in proximity to other watershed restoration work and explore ecological relationships with soils, water, invasive species, grazing, pollinators, and other wildlife.

Each participating collaborator is performing monitoring in their areas. By including work from the top of the watershed to the river, mapping of exotic plant presence will be better connected, which is particularly important with new invaders like ravenna grass. Upper Pack Creek Restoration (USFS): 1) Longitudinal transects will capture % grade and channel features before implementation and post-years 1,2,3,4,5,10. 2) Photopoints will be taken pre and post implementation to capture the visual changes in morphology. BLM (middle Mill Creek and Pack Creek sub-watersheds): BLM monitoring will involve long term photo points, vegetation monitoring, multiple indicator monitoring (MIM) and water quality sampling. Water quality investigations will be conducted in cooperation with the Moab Area Watershed Partnership and the local UDWQ watershed coordinator, as part of a watershed wide water quality study. A comprehensive monitoring report will be completed after project implementation is completed. Lower Watershed Monitoring will include 1) mortality monitoring of planted materials 2) channel cross sections in bioengineered areas 3) photopoints to track vegetation changes and channel changes over time FFSL revisits project sites annually to monitor regrowth and learn from past removal efforts. Through annual site visits we identify sites that need retreatment within our 3 year window and schedule time for our crew to visit and retreat areas.

PARTNERS INCLUDE: Upper Pack Creek community, San Juan County, Grand County Weed Dept, Utah Division of Water Quality, Bureau of Land Management, United States Forest Service, Utah State, City of Moab, Rim to Rim Restoration, Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, Moab Valley Fire Department, private land owners throughout the watershed, The Moab Area Watershed Partnership (MAWP) and the local non-profit organization Moab Solutions. . The Utah Division of Water Quality (UDWQ) is a partner on BLM actions in the Mill Creek Watershed, providing funding and technical support on a multi-year basis. This work is important to UDWQ as it is improving water quality conditions and protecting beneficial uses including recreation, wildlife and livestock throughout the watershed. The Moab Area Watershed Partnership is a local group of water users, water and land managers that work together to resolve water related issues in the Mill Creek Watershed. This group supports this project proposal and has helped with related monitoring efforts. The Bureau of Land Management is committed to improving watershed health, mitigating impacts from increased recreation and reducing the potential for catastrophic wildfires. The Grand County Weed Dept is supportive of this project and has been an active partner with implementation on BLM and private lands, focusing on Ravenna Grass treatments. Moab Solutions is a local non-profit organization that works closely with BLM on resource protection efforts in Mill Creek Canyon, especially working on trail management and trash pickup. Rim to Rim Restoration works with land owners in the upper and lower watersheds to facilitate work across administrative and legal boundaries, manages field crews, assists with project installation, and performs quality control on project installation. The City of Moab and Grand County have identified key locations for urgent projects, which are included in this proposal. In addition, the City and County are working with the state on floodplain mapping to develop a Mill Creek Watershed Restoration Plan. This will include activities such as mapping the current effective flood conditions - to include any changes from the recent flood events, identifying a series flood mitigation projects and solutions that support restoration of the watershed. This mapping will provide context for the more detailed engineering included in this proposal. Moab Valley Fire Department provides assistance with land owner communication, fire monitoring (if mowing occurs during times of high fire concern), and project planning. FFSL has been implementing fuels reduction work in the Moab Valley for the past 10 years. FFSL will provide landowner outreach and project implementation with it's permanent and seasonal staff. Private land owners throughout the watershed has been involved in project implementation and planning efforts. Many are also engaged in post project maintenance.

The floods and fires in the watershed that have occurred over the past few years have resulted in more attention to the creek corridors by all project partners. There is commitment by all to continue to improve the creek corridors through collaborative management planning and action as follows: Upper Pack Creek (USFS): Future management in Pack Creek will be focused on the long-term recovery of the ecosystem after the Pack Creek fire in 2021. On forest service lands, multiple-use will still be a mission goal, but emphasis will be placed on the restoration and protection of resources to achieve long-term sustainability. BLM (middle Mill Creek and Pack Creek sub-watersheds): Future management of the Mill Creek watershed will continue to support the goals of this project. BLM designated this watershed as a municipal watershed, with no new surface disturbing activities allowed. Most of the BLM lands in the Mill Creek Watershed are within the Mill Creek Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) based on important ecological resources as well as within the Mill Creek Wilderness Study Area (WSA). Grazing activities have been suspended indefinitely in Mill Creek Canyon to protect the important ecological and archaeological resources, therefore there is more forage available for wildlife. Grazing will continue in the middle Pack Creek watershed as vegetation conditions recover with fire rehab actions. Lower Watershed (FFLS, RRR) Extreme floods in 2022 have catalyzed some additional action at the City and County levels and RRR is currently assembling a formal long term collaborative efforts including City, County and State entities to help sustain consistency in floodplain management throughout the watershed. Work being done now is a part of larger long term planning efforts. This includes: - creating resilient firebreaks and improving coordination of mitigation efforts and long-term follow-up, - providing a solid framework for sustained coordination, - reconnecting the Mill and Pack creeks channels to their flood plains through the use of native plants and instream structures to slow flows and encourage natural processes that will encourage groundwater recharge. A few locations have been identified for on the ground work during this project time frame. Sites may be added as engineering for no rise certificates is completed, meaning more channel and bank stabilization work will be forthcoming in future years. Russian olive removal projects have been ongoing in the area for over a decade. The Colorado River mainstem sees annual treatment of all Russian olive presence. Castle Valley is seeing work completed to remove olive. Mill and Pack Creeks is one of the last significant regional holdouts of Russian olive. By reducing seed source in the region we will see decrease in Russian olive establishment. While we are years out from completely eradicating it from the watershed sites should start to see less establishment of Russian olive and thus reduced cost and labor in retreatments. FFSL also will be involving landowners in removal work where landowners are able bodied enough to participate. After our 3 year window of retreatment we will be handing them long term treatment plans and herbicide where necessary for landowners to maintain their sections of the creek.

Upper Pack Creek (USFS): The project area is part of three grazing allotments. The decreased amount of woody vegetation (especially pinyon-juniper and oak) within much of the grazed areas in these allotments has led to increased production of herbaceous vegetation (grass and forb species). Replanting associated with this project work is focused on grasses and forbs, or smaller shrubs, which will help keep the woody plant composition lower than in the past. Decreasing the amount of woody vegetation increases soil health and allows for a more even distribution of livestock and wildlife. In addition, less woody encroachment leads to greater spring flow which is also a tool to help with distribution of livestock and wildlife. Noxious weeds are not expected to increase or spread as a result of the treatments as best management practices will be implemented. Range trend studies showed little cheatgrass in the areas to be treated and the risk of cheatgrass being established as a result of the project is very low, due to the existing diversity and healthy grass production of most of the understory layers and because of the elevation. Any other noxious weeds in the area would continue to be treated. In the short-term there could be some interruption of grazing operations; however, the long-term benefits to the range resource outweigh the short-term negative impacts that may have to occur to individual permit holders such as resting pastures or exclusion of livestock from areas. Livestock will still be able to continue to graze in the area above the private in-holding in Pack Creek and have access to a small part of Pack Creek for water. In the future, off-site water developments will decrease livestock need of accessing the creek for water. BLM (middle Mill Creek and Pack Creek sub-watersheds): This project would provide more sustainable uses of natural resources due to improved watershed health. Domestic livestock and wildlife, both aquatic and terrestrial, would benefit from improved watershed conditions in the Pack Creek portion of the watershed from the post fire rehab actions. Although there is no grazing currently authorized on BLM lands within Mill Creek Canyon, both upland and aquatic wildlife habitats would be improved from this project. These improvements include increased forage for wildlife species, increased pools and habitat diversity for native fish, and more habitat connectivity for all wildlife species. With the heavy recreation use in parts of Mill Creek Canyon, this project will allow use to continue while protecting natural resources. Pack Creek - Because of the recent Pack Creek fire, the Forest Service will be resting portions of allotments that were impacted by the fire for a period of 2-3 years. Grazing will only resume when land managers determine it to be sustainable based on the current regeneration of vegetation. On sites with adequate access for a large pickup and dump trailer FFSL will take wood cut from sites along Mill and Pack Creek for the National Forest Foundation's Wood for Life program. Wood for Life is a program to distribute free firewood to underserved people who primarily heat their homes with firewood. Our Area Forester is currently working to improve our collection and distribution of firewood rounds cut on our fuels reduction project to wood banks for Wood For Life. Wood banks are currently located in Monticello, Bluff, and Monument Valley. These facilities primarily serve indigenous communities on White Mesa and the Navajo Nation. To date we have brought approximately 50 tons of firewood to wood banks in the region and this project we have allotted for 10 loads of approximately 2-3 cords each to get driven to Monticello. Lower Watershed (both creeks) A focus of our work in the floodplain is to increase infiltration in a way that will also improve the flood capacity of the riparian area by allowing water to spread out and soak in during large events rather than simply rush down a tight channel, downcutting and eroding as it flows. The project also has the potential to both improve and increase forage along both creeks with the removal of dense and dead stands of woody invasives. The removal of these invasives will open up the understory and will allow for increases in native grasses and forbs which are more desirable for many native species. Invasives removal will also allow for greater access to the creek for wildlife. There is currently no grazing along this part of the project area. Some of the project area is located on public land owned by the City of Moab and the Grand County School District. This project has the opportunity to improve recreation areas along Mill and Pack creeks by opening more vegetation choked land to use as well as improving barren areas by reestablishing native plant species. For FFSL aside from wood collection chipping is our primary method of biomass reduction. In many areas of removal work we can't leave all of the chipped biomass due to size of working areas and chipper access. When collection of chips is necessary we have delivered chips for use to multiple non-profits around town including Moab Community Gardens and Moab Valley Multicultural Center. When local community organizations fill up we then make chips available for pickup for community members.