The Lower White River is home to many native fishes, is frequently used by endangered big river fishes of the Colorado River basin, and has some of the best remaining cottonwood galleries and in-stream habitat across the tributaries of the Green and Colorado rivers. Due in large part to its relatively natural flow regime, the Lower White River maintains a high level of ecological integrity. This integrity manifests itself in both the diversity and density of various big game wildlife species in addition to endemic fishes such as elk, mule deer, pronghorn, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, turkey, and mountain lions. However, non-native and invasive Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) and tamarisk (Tamarix sp.) are expanding throughout the riverscape. These invasive plants degrade native plant communities and wildlife habitat by creating dense monocultures, preventing native plants from establishing or re-establishing along the riparian corridor. The impacts from these infestations also include the reduction and elimination of native plant communities, directly reducing plant community diversity, insect diversity, wildlife habitat diversity, aggressive wildland fire fuels accumulation, and reduction of cottonwood galleries that are important sources of large woody debris for fish habitat in the river. Crucially for native fish populations, the infestations of invasive woody vegetation armor the stream bank preventing lateral dissipation of stream energy, effectively narrowing and deepening the channel resulting in a loss of instream habitat complexity. These channel changes also disconnect the stream from the riparian zone reducing the amount of floodplain and backwater habitat available to juvenile endemic fish; backwater zones are important habitats for the native endangered and conservation agreement fishes in the White River. Therefore, invasion of woody tree species on the White River reduces habitat complexity thereby limiting reproduction of native fishes, and limits recruitment and survival of young fish through disconnection of backwater and off-channel areas . Control and removal of both Russian olive and tamarisk infestations are critical to a healthy and functioning riverscape, which directly affects the overall health of not only endemic fish species, but the watershed as a whole. Species Benefits: listed waterfowl species will benefit from restoring the ecological integrity of the White river ecosystem. Specifically, ducks and geese will benefit from the re-establishment of native plants on the banks that they can use as nesting habitat. Current conditions are totally choked out by olive and tamarisk. Fishes in the species list will benefit from the recreation of spawning habitat and backwater areas used by juveniles that will be created from the "unlocking of the stream channel" by the removal of invasive trees. Great planes toad and the Northern leopard frog will benefit from increased breeding habitat (backwaters), and the midget faded rattlesnake, milk snake, and other reptiles will benefit from the restoration of historic function in the White river ecosystem, namely from increased prey base. The Western yellow billed cuckoo will benefit from the re-establishment of multistory cottonwood galleries for nesting. Listed bats will benefit from reduced habitat complexity (easier foraging) and increased arthropod densities created from backwater areas that are restored. Raptor species such as the bald eagle will benefit from increased foraging and nesting habitat (backwaters, restored cottonwood galleries). Elk, deer, and wild turkey will benefit from increased foraging opportunities and the restoration of the native grass/forb community bolstered by native seed plantings. Monarchs will benefit from increasing the diversity and density of native flowering plants, as they generally use rivers as migration corridors.

Much restoration work in the Lower White River has focused on reduction of invasive tamarisk and Russian olive monocultures in riparian areas, particularly in close proximity to mature cottonwoods. Using a combination of multiple expert field assessments along with data on fish, riparian vegetation, and in-stream habitat complexity, we developed a holistic conservation, restoration, and monitoring plan for the Lower White River which, along with conservation of natural flows, will contribute to maintaining the high ecological integrity of the riverscape. Our objective for this proposal is to continue implementing the plan to achieve our broader objectives for the Lower White River: 1) Conserve necessary and sufficient habitat to allow for thriving native fish, vegetation communities, and riparian dependent animal species. 2) Conserve natural habitat-forming processes, such as lateral channel movement, beaver activity, and inputs of large wood. 3) Restore channel width to areas of the riverscape which have experienced narrowing from invasive vegetation encroachment. 4) Restore riparian vegetation communities to a more natural and less invaded state. 5) Maintain restoration progress and fuels reduction achieved through previous WRI projects to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire, thereby protecting water quality. 6) Conduct sufficient monitoring of conservation and restoration actions to quantitatively assess whether these actions are accomplishing the objectives and determine the causes of success or failure. Our proposed work will build on activities completed during the last few years, which focused mainly on removing invasive vegetation within the active channel to maintain active channel area. 7) Highlight the collaborative restoration successes we have had and share lessons learned by inviting resource managers on a site visit to explore the restoration that has taken place and showcase habitat improvements along the river.

The continued establishment and expansion of Russian olive and tamarisk along the White River reduce native plant recruitment, diversity, and density. Invasive plant infestations degrade channel form resulting in loss of instream habitat and complexity for native endangered and conservation agreement fishes and other wildlife species that utilize the riparian corridor. A secondary risk is the continued expansion of these invasive species into other connected tributaries and subsequent increases in fuel accumulations that could result in more intense and extreme fire events, which could further destroy habitat, and alter natural fire regimes. The Lower White River is an ideal location for conservation and restoration, because it currently supports robust populations of native fishes, native vegetation, and abundant native wildlife relative to other tributaries to the middle Green River. However, it has been degraded by altered riparian vegetation communities, and faces future threats from continued water development, further expansion of nonnative species, along with anthropogenic and climate change induced reductions in flow such as reservoirs and altered weather patterns. The Lower White River is currently at a tipping point at risk of crossing a threshold which will reduce the diversity and density of wildlife it is capable of supporting. Images and videos from ~25 years ago illustrate that there was a very low density of invasive tree species, which is in stark contrast to current levels of invasion that are so thick that they impede wildlife movement and recreation along with increasing the risk of stand replacing fires. Without intervention, invasive riparian vegetation will continue to spread leading to a state change similar to what has occurred in other riverscapes (e.g., San Juan River) throughout the western United States.

Vernal BLM Fire Management Plan *Chemical treatments would be utilized in conjunction with prescribed fire and mechanical treatments to achieve desired objectives, and to also control invasive species. Vernal RMP ROD Works towards Goals and objectives for Special Status Species in the Vernal RMP (pg. 128) Vegetation Management Decisions; *VEG-4; Manage the vegetation to attain the ecological stage that will benefit wildlife in crucial habitat and livestock grazing. Manage vegetation in remaining areas that results in high vegetation species diversity. *VEG-5; Allow mechanical, fire, biological, cultural or chemical methods for vegetation manipulation, using the type of manipulation appropriate to and consistent with other land use objectives, and incorporating standard operation procedures and BMP's, as applicable, to protect other resources. *VEG-9; Manage the vegetation to attain the ecological stage that will: ensure sustainability, meet authorized use allocations (wildlife, livestock), ensure species diversity. Deer Statewide Management Plan *The plan states mule deer do best in habitats that are in the early stages of plant succession, this project returns portions of the White River Corridor to this state. Other threats include catastrophic Fire, and expansion of invasive plant species resulting in loss or degradation of habitat. Habitat objective 2 line e: states use WRI to improve riparian habitats throughout Utah. Strategic Management Plan for Wild Turkey 2000: Suitable general habitat includes 3 key ingredients, trees, forbs, and grass which are not found in invasive species monocultures. Which is what the White River corridor will become without management action. The plan states cottonwood riparian habitats are most important for Rio Grande Subspecies of wild turkeys, this project restores that habitat; *. Yellow-billed Cuckoo, A Technical Conservation Assessment Utah-Conservation Strategy *The plan's recommendations for Utah include: maintain/improve natural flow regimes in riverine/riparian systems. By removing highly flammable tamarisk biomass, the project protects the riparian resource and supports Objective #1 for Inappropriate Fire Frequency and Intensity in Utah's Wildlife Action Plan (WAP, 2015): "Fire is excluded from habitats in which potential burns now would be frequent, large, and destructive to soils and native vegetation; the habitats are being actively managed (treated) to reduce components or factors that promote risk of catastrophic fire...". Project actions also support Objective #2 for Invasive Plant Species (WAP, 2015), which reads: "Invasive plant dominance/presence is reduced or eliminated in locations or habitats where such an outcome is realistic (ecologically and economically)." Three Species Range Wide Conservation Agreement/Utah Three Species Plan: The three species are currently managed under a range-wide and state conservation agreement to which the BLM and UDWR are signatories. The proposed restoration specifically targets improvement of these species populations by improving habitat and implementation of a monitoring plan, helping accomplish the goals of the agreement. Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program: The endangered Colorado pikeminnow, bonytail, humpback chub, and threated razorback sucker have all been observed in the White River. The proposed project will benefit these endangered species and contribute toward the goal of recovering populations of each species. State of Utah Resource Management Plan: This project helps meet 3 Riparian Area Objectives (p191) "Active management should be used to improve and enhance riparian resources to provide for appropriate physical, biological, and chemical function 2) "Prioritize and manage riparian areas to attain desired future conditions for riparian-related resources" 3) "Riparian areas and wetlands should be managed for the mutual and maximum benefit of wildlife, livestock and special status species." Uintah County Resource Management Plan (p52): 20.4.1 Inventory and map riparian areas so that appropriate measures can be taken to protect or avoid impacts to them, when possible, 20.4.2 Conserve and protect riparian areas through application of best management practices, 20.4.3 Participate in state, federal and local riparian planning opportunities, 20.4.4 Support the eradication of invasive species which can degrade habitat value and impact groundwater levels, 20.4.7 Use scientific methodology to guide management decisions in riparian areas

Russian olive and tamarisk trees alter the structure of plant communities by increasing vertical and horizontal canopy density, increasing fuel continuity, and creating volatile fuel ladders (Zouhar et al. 2008, Katz and Shafroth 2003). Tamarisk and Russian olive can form dense, fire-prone thickets that develop into monospecific stands because of vigorous root sprout growth following fire. The potential for more extreme fires will intensify as the density and cover of the tamarisk and Russian olive encroachment increases. By reducing the hazardous fuel load this will reduce the likelihood and intensity of fire events. Increased fire frequency and intensity favor tamarisk and Russian olive re-establishment over less fire-adapted native riparian species, such as willow and cottonwood, which are slower to re-sprout post fire (Zouhar 2003).

Water Quality: Tamarisk brings up salts from the soil and deposits them on the surface, which can impact water quality by increasing water salinity. Tamarisk and Russian olive removal can also act as a preventative water quality improvement tool by reducing the risk of severe wildfire, which causes runoff of ash that is detrimental to water quality. Furthermore, native riparian species, particularly sandbar willow, can improve water quality by removing pharmaceuticals and other contaminants. Water Quantity: Tamarisk and Russian olive may not transpire significantly more water than native riparian plant species on a plant-to-plant comparison. However, as tamarisk frequently persists in greater densities than native vegetation and on sites that are higher above the water table and too dry for most native riparian species, tamarisk can increase the density and areal extent of transpiring vegetation and total transpiration-related water losses. Furthermore, tamarisk and Russian olive are often found in densities that far exceed those observed in native vegetation stands. Therefore, at a landscape scale, water savings could be accomplished through the replacement of tamarisk and Russian olive with native riparian and upland species. Additionally, this project is in drinking water surface protection zone 3 for the Green River (System #08005)

NEPA was completed by the VFO BLM in December 2014, included in the NEPA are avoidance measures for Wildlife, Botany, Archeology and Cultural resources. A Pesticide Use Proposal will be issued for the application of herbicides.

Our assessment of the current conditions in the Lower White River, along with the current state of the science on vegetation encroachment in arid-land rivers (see attached plan and references therein), has identified key geomorphic and biological features that are threatened by future degradation, and if conserved, will likely increase the river's ability to maintain a complex and dynamic state within the confines of climate change effects on flows. We identified priority conservation and restoration reaches by developing a detailed model of vegetation that classified native vs. non-native vegetation. We conducted multiple field visits and used expert opinion to validate the model. We also used riverscape characteristics from the Valley Bottom Extraction Tool (VBET) (http://rcat.riverscapes.xyz/) to identify reaches based on geomorphic breaks (primarily changes in valley width), geologic transitions, measures of instream habitat complexity (e.g., instream large wood density), and a strong gradient in riparian vegetation density. Based on these criteria, we identified four major reaches (a figure showing the 4 reaches has been added to the website). The annual treatment methods will be based on the predicted type of flow year. (e.g., subsequent years of back-to-back low flows, years with predicted average spring flows, or years with predicted above average spring flows). Details of the flow years can be found in the recommended actions section of the attached restoration plan Pages 39,40. Following is a summary of the methods. Details of the treatment methods can be found on pages 41-45 of the restoration plan which the methods here are based on. Follow-up treatments of re-sprouts and secondary weeds as well as seeding and planting of native species are often necessary to maintain restoration trajectory. Because 2023 was a near average flow year and soil moisture conditions were below average going into the winter of 2023-2024, we are planning treatments based on either a low flow or average flow year in 2024. Thus, in high priority reaches, the following actions will be implemented based on the restoration plan. Objective: Reduce further channel narrowing and determine treatment efficacy Potential treatments: Mechanical removal and basal spraying (i.e., brush cutting) of young, establishing vegetation on bar features (point bars, bank attached bars) within the active channel. These actions will be implemented by Utah Conservation Corps crews using WRI funds and supplemental funds acquired through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Experimental design: We previously identified 40 bar features that occur on BLM-managed land in Reaches 1 and upper Reach 2 (see attached shapefiles for locations of bar features). In 2023, crews conducted treatments on 10-point bars and 7 bank attached bars. In 2024, we will randomly assign three treatments to bar features: 1) removal of all vegetation (native and nonnative) with basal spraying (n=7) 2) removal of all vegetation with brush cutting (n=7) 3) control (no removal) and monitor control bars to quantify composition of vegetation community colonizing depositional bar features (n=7). This experimental design allows us to assess efficacy (and efficiency) of different treatment types and methodologies of vegetation removal on bar features. The controls allow us to monitor the types of vegetation colonizing these geomorphic features over shorter temporal scales (within years), and allows us to assess the effects of our experimental treatments on preventing further channel narrowing over longer temporal scales (among years) and multiple phases of the project. Objective: Promote continued movement of the active channel and recruitment of native plants Potential treatments: Whole tree removal (or mastication and herbicide treatment) of Russian olive within 30 m of the active channel where the river is contacting high terraces (i.e., biological linkage areas). We will utilize State of Utah operations crews and contract labor where possible for heavy equipment to remove invasive vegetation. These treatments will be limited to points on the river that have road access. BLM operations crews will be utilized as in-kind contributions as well. Whole tree removal will likely have the most ecological and geomorphic benefits, but site access restricts use of heavy equipment along the Lower White River. Some alternative treatments are: Stump cuts or Stump cuts and stump grinding with compact equipment (motorized winch for whole tree removal) or mastication. These treatments will be followed up by seeding a native mix from the GBRC. Sites treated in this manner will be re-treated by hand crews to identify any missed olive or tamarisk trees, and treat them with herbicide. The goal in these areas will be a full extermination of the invasive trees followed by recolonization of native plants. Cottonwood trees will be planted in some treatment areas to provide shading of the riverbank in the future in an attempt to stifle the colonization and growth of these areas by invasive tree species. We will place removed Russian olive trees and any large fallen trees into piles near the active channel but not in the active channel itself. This ensures a higher probability of coming in contact with spring floods and allows for a more natural way to promote movement of the active channel. In addition to the methods outlined in the plan we will also maintain the restoration progress accomplished through earlier WRI projects on the White River through monitoring, treating regrowth/resprouts/secondary invasive weeds as needed, and reseed and/or planting native forbs, shrubs, and trees where passive recruitment is not meeting site goals. Objective: Regain channel width and promote native seed germination Potential treatments: We will pilot the use of lance-based herbicide injection (e.g., https://www.arborsystems.com/ez-ject/ez-ject-lance/) to selectively treat Russian olive and tamarisk trees within 10 m of the active channel along previously narrowed, and simplified reaches, of the Lower White River. Killing the trees and leaving them standing, combined with native seed additions, will aid in our efforts to restore the native ecology of the White River. We will treat trees in at least two reaches of river where Russian olive have established along the inside bend and are functioning to prevent channel migration. This will be accomplished by conservation crews.

Monitoring is an essential component of successful ecological restoration and adaptive management (Palmer et al. 2005), because it provides information on the effectiveness of restoration actions, and if done properly, information on why actions were or were not effective. Restoration can be viewed as an ecological experiment (Palmer et al. 1997), and proper monitoring thus advances river science and the practice of river restoration in general. Full details of the monitoring can be found in the monitoring recommendations section of the attached restoration plan pages 46-49 but in summary are as follows: We will monitor experimental treatments on bar features and within 30 m of the active channel throughout the riverscape using drone imagery and repeat photos points as mentioned above in the Methods section. We will also monitor vegetation establishment on control bar features using a rapid assessment protocol that uses ocular assessments to document absolute vegetation cover, relative cover of native and invasive plants, and the most common native and invasive plants. Data collected on treatment areas will include area of treatment, percent of stumps with regrowth/resprout, average resprout height, recruitment of native seed mix treatment areas, and native passive recruitment. Two Utah Department of Water Quality monitoring stations have been reactivated through coordination with UDEQ and BLM; one near the highway 45 bridge (ID 4933970), the other above the confluence with Bitter Creek (ID 4933780). The BLM has conducted 5 surveys in the project area using their Assessment Inventory, and Monitoring protocol (AIM). These surveys gather quantitative chemical, physical, and biological data within a statistically valid framework. These surveys can be repeated in future years as part of a larger long term monitoring effort. Monitoring and implementation planning are accomplished during coordinated site visits by project manager and partners, using boats to access the majority of sites. Photos and drone imagery from implementation and monitoring activities will be organized with captions and uploaded to the WRI website. We will also sample for fishes with seines in near-shore and low-velocity habitats throughout the restoration reach and in upstream or downstream reaches where restoration efforts are not taking place to assess fish densities.

UDWR, USFWS, and BLM staff have contributed data and subject matter expertise to USU's conservation, restoration and monitoring plan. Water quality monitoring has been established with UDEQ. SITLA is engaged and grants Range Improvement Project (RIP) permit to conduct restoration activities on its White River riparian properties. All project contributors (BLM, REW, SITLA, USU, UCC, OSU) participate in the White River Partnership (WRP), which has a memorandum of understanding among 14 federal, state, county, city, and nonprofit entities supportive of riparian restoration activities in the White River basin in Utah and Colorado. Researchers at USU (Macfarlane/Gilbert) and at The Ohio State University (Pennock) continue to provide expertise in design, data collection, and analysis. REW continues outreach, coordination, and engagement with partners upriver and downriver of the proposed project area. Utah Conservation Corps (UCC) continues to coordinate Conservation Corps crews to complete the proposed treatments. BLM will assist in surveying fish, monitoring vegetation treatments, and tree removal. This coordination increases the likelihood of long-term project success through landscape-scale connectivity of restoration projects and improved communication among partners and stakeholders.

The project is part of a multi-year effort to improve the health and resiliency of aquatic, riparian, and floodplain ecosystems along the Llower White River. Future actions will prioritize 1) Restoring and maintaining wildlife habitat through increasing riparian vegetation communities comprised primarily of diverse, native plant species, 2) Maintaining and re-establishing natural river functions (e.g. floodplain connection, large woody material inputs) and complex fish habitat, and 3) Maintaining the restoration progress and investment made in previous years through site maintenance and follow-up treatments. Potential future management actions are outlined in the Conservation, Restoration and Monitoring Plan for the Lower White River (see "Documents" section). Specific management actions will be informed by current year waterflow, previous year water flow, and monitoring results. For example, as stated previously, in years with back-to-back low flows, restoration efforts will focus on removing new growth from within the active channel to prevent their establishment and likelihood of channelizing that section of river. Outreach and engagement within the watershed in Utah and Colorado will also continue to bring additional partners to the table and increase project impact and communication at the watershed scale.

Tamarisk and Russian olive infestations can decrease the availability of water for livestock (Hill pers. comm. 2009). By eliminating large stands of tamarisk and Russian olive in this riparian system livestock will be able to use this system and the vegetation diversity benefits these efforts are expected to achieve. Removing invasive woody vegetation will facilitate the re-establishment of perennial grasses, native forbs, and shrubs that have much higher forage value than tamarisk. However, targeted revegetation and broadcast seeding will accelerate the recolonization of native grasses and shrubs in selected areas where native grasses are sparse in habitat adjacent to treatment sites. Control of tamarisk can simplify livestock management. Previously dense stands of tamarisk that have either been removed or thinned (depending on site-conditions) increase access for ranchers to monitor and manage cattle on public allotments. Project managers work with lessees and private landowners to achieve sustainable levels of vegetation management and biomass utilization. Additionally, grazing and animal distribution will increase since more riverbank is accessible for watering livestock and wildlife. Monocultures of tamarisk and Russian Olive can impede access to the river and recreational activities. Thick tamarisk and Russian olive stands will be targeted for removal so that access to the river will be enhanced, providing a better experience for people looking for lesser-known public lands where they can enjoy solitude hiking, camping, or floating along the river. Providing access to quality recreational areas is critical to the sustainability of recreation on public lands. Additionally, numerous birds and amphibians can be found and heard along the riparian area. This project creates access into these areas for non-consumptive wildlife users.