Trout Unlimited Staff

Public Land Policy

 Utah Roadless & Fire Mitigation - leading the sportsmen's voice on a working group with the USFS and a broad range of other stakeholders, from "green" environmental groups to local government and industry folks

 Legislature - working on a number of angles to rethink and possibly reshape Utah's public lands strategy, moving it toward a more collaborative model

 New Utah Connectivity & Migration Corridor working group -representing aquatic interests on this group that came about as a result of a bill we passed in the 2020 legislature.

 Working with Utah's congressional delegation on support for and possible co-sponsoring of critical minerals legislation.

Water Policy

Several members of our staff are working on the statewide water banking effort. Our goal is to use marketbased approaches to develop instream flows in several priority basins in the state. The water banking effort has established three case study or pilot areas where we are hoping to test the specific questions related to developing and running water banks. These three areas are:

•Cache Valley: The Cache Water District hopes to use water banking to move water throughout Cache Valley. TU has identified several stream reaches that dewater due to the diversion of water. Our role in the water banks will be to develop transactions that maintain flows in the priority streams.

•East Canyon Creek (Park City): East Canyon Creek is a major tributary to the Weber River. Water use in the Park City area is primarily municipal and outdoor use. The water bank in Park City will focus on ways to incentivize urban demand management. Our primary goal in this water bank will be to focus on finding ways to get water into East Canyon Creek as an instream flow. We have collected extensive data on temperatures and flow in the creek and the literature has established a target flow of 7 cfs to sustain the coldwater fishery in East Canyon Creek.

•Price River: The purpose of this water bank will be two-fold. It will continue to build upon the unique agricultural water demand management solutions for the Colorado River that TU and our partners have been working on for several years in the Price River drainage. The water bank will also allow us to continue to build critical relationships with agricultural producers in the Price River to establish instream flows in the Lower Price River.

Water and Habitat

Weber River: We are currently engaged in three primary efforts in the Weber.

•Riverdale Bench Diversion. Complementary to our past barrier removal efforts on the mainstem of the Weber we are continuing with the design process of the Riverdale Bench Diversion on the Lower Weber River.

This is an irrigation diversion composed of waste concrete that is about a 12-foot drop. We are planning to move this irrigation diversion upstream so that it is no longer a tall structure so that it passes fish, but we are also going to improve fish habitat throughout the reach impacted by the project. We are currently in the preliminary design phase. TU staff will be surveying the site in the next couple of weeks and providing that information to our engineer.

•Dalton Creek Culvert. Dalton Creek is a tributary to the Weber River. Cutthroat trout have been observed attempting to move up Dalton Creek for spawning but they are blocked by a culvert at the access road along the Gateway Canal. We have raised about $45k and are planning to replace this culvert in August or September in cooperation with the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District.

•South Fork Chalk Creek watershed restoration. TU continues to play a leadership role in Chalk Creek. The South Fork is one of the main contributors of fine sediment and nutrients to Echo Reservoir. Our actions are mainly focused on developing ways to reduce sedimentation. This included working with the ranchers on grazing improvements, fencing, and off-stream watering. We are also developing several Beaver Dam Analog projects throughout the South Fork, to trap sediment and restore the historic floodplain. Our other effort focuses on the five irrigation diversions on the South Fork. Each Diversion is a barrier to fish passage and we are in the process of reconstructing the diversions so that they are passable to native fish. Over the past years 5 diversions have been rebuilt and more are scheduled.

Uintah Basin:

•Clayburn Bank Stabilization. We have obtained funding to install 250 feet of toe wood along with two J hooks to stabilize a portion of the Duchesne River. This project was originally planned to be a rip rap bank but we worked with the landowner to explain that Rip Rap may not be the best choice when considering river health and were able to talk him into Toe Wood which will create fish habitat and also stabilize an eroding bank which is contributing large amounts of sediment.

•Young Living Projects. We have had discussion about improving a diversion structure and including a fish screen with the structure. We have also be doing bank stabilization along with some type of water savings project.

•Little Hole Trail. With the purchase of $50K worth of decking to continue the upgrade along the trail from the Dam to Little Hole on the Green River. This money was awarded to Pat Nichols of High Desert Anglers before his passing and we just helped in completing the purchase.

•Diamond Mountain Lakes. We have had initial discussion with the UDWR and water rights to understand how the Diamond Mountain Lakes water rights work. We will be working with the Uintah Conservation District and others to further investigate what may be causing the Algae Blooms in the lakes and hopefully being able to resolve these blooms

•Strawberry River. Duchesne County is moving ahead with the Emergency Watershed Protection portion of the project. The work started in mid-July and is scheduled to be concluded this fall. We have been involved in reviewing plans for restoration and have also provided comments and suggestions during a series of meetings stating that we would prefer to not see Rip Rap installed in the stream channel. As work moves along, we will visit the construction site regularly to monitor how things are going.

•Along with working with landowners we have been heavily involved with UDWR on a variety of projects ranging from aerial stocking, cutthroat spawning activities, habitat improvement work on Lake Canyon Lake, and various surveys around the region looking at the health of fisheries. In the coming months we will be assisting with a variety of activities to restore Colorado River Cutthroat Trout.

•Oweep Cutthroat Restoration. Worked with DWR staff to restore Colorado Cutthroat trout to their original range in the Oweep Drainage on the South Slope of the Uinta Mountains.

Bear River Basin

•Deadman Creek: an onstream dam was reconstructed to serve as a fish barrier on this Uinta Mountains stream. The pond behind the dam was excavated to improve a recreational fishery for the Uinta Lands subdivision. Construction was begun during autumn 2019 and completed during June 2020. The creek supports Cutthroat Trout, Northern Leatherside Chubs, and Boreal Toads.

•East Fork Bear River: also, in the Uintas, the East Fork Hilliard Canal diversion was rebuilt to improve fish passage, stream habitat, water quality, and irrigation water management. Two earthen push-up dam structures were replaced with large-rock diversion structures. About 600’ of side channel was restored. A fish screen (41 cfs maximum design) was installed in the canal. This work fully reconnected fish passage for about 22 miles of the East Fork Bear River and mainstem Bear River. Local ranchers have had nothing but praise for TU’s actions in this area.

•Bear Lake Tributaries: a Utah Watershed Restoration Initiative grant was received for design work on irrigation system upgrades and stream restoration on North Eden Creek and design/construction on Mil Canyon (Laketown) Creek. The goal on North Eden Creek is to restore fish passage for migratory Cutthroat Trout from the lake to about 10 miles of creek. On Mill Canyon, ATV road crossings of the creek will be improved to reduce erosion and sedimentation to benefit habitat for resident populations of Cutthroat Trout.

We will continue working in the north slope of the Uintas on Carter Creek and Mill Creek.

Raft River Basin

•Basin Creek: An irrigation diversion near the stream confluence will be rebuilt to improve fish passage and water management. A fish screen will be installed to eliminate fish loss to the canal. Construction will occur in October. This project is part of a larger fish passage and native species restoration effort for Cutthroat Trout and Bluehead Suckers on the South Fork Junction Creek and Upper Raft River.

Price River Basin

•Lower Fish Creek Instream Flow: A change application was approved earlier this year that will put a maximum of 3.5 cfs throughout the winter months into Lower Fish Creek to prop up the fishery. Delivery of the water is problematic at those low flows so we are currently working with the Carbon Water Conservancy District and Price River Water Users Association in concert with USBOR on designing a method for low flow delivery through the dam.

•Miller Creek: We are beginning the final phase of restoration work on Miller Creek to rehab the stream and riparian area after the Seeley Fire of 2012. The focus of the work has been on Beaver Dam Analogs but we have also done large upland treatments and large instream log structures to stabilize the watershed and aggrade the streambed. This is a highly successful project.

•Mud Creek: We recently completed the planning and permitting of 1 mile of Mud Creek above the town of Scofield. Construction will begin in 2022. This should help offset the phosphorus load in Scofield Reservoir and reduce the chances of harmful algal blooms.

•Olsen Reservoir: TNC and UDWR as the lead agencies and TU as a partner organization with many others are working to reconstruct the Olsen Reservoir as a wetland that will propagate roundtail chub and release late season water in the Price River.

•TU is working as partner with UDWR to install habitat features in Huntington Creek to prop up sportfishing as a post fire rehab activity from the Seeley Fire of 2012.

Price River, Gooseberry Dam, & Water conservation on the Price River

We have continued to try to watch over water issues on the Price River. Partially as a consequence of our efforts over the years, the original Gooseberry plan to literally divert the entire flow of the upper Price River and Gooseberry Creek away from Price and into the Sanpete Valley seems to have been blocked for now. Gooseberry Creek and the upper Price are wonderful small streams. There have been rumors of an alternative plan to directly the entire streamflow into Sanpete Valley without building a dam. So far, there have been nothing except rumors.

Jordan Nielsen with TU’s Western Water Project has been working to eliminate barriers to fish movement on the Price River. He has also worked with the Bureau of Reclamation and other Colorado River water users to reduce irrigation diversions allowing more water to flow through the lower Price River downstream to Lake Powell. This effort has led to some controversy in the Price area and some water uses have been critical of Trout Unlimited’s support of this program. This spring I met with Jordan and the head of the Carbon County Water Conservancy District to discuss these concerns.

Provo River

•Lower Provo River: TU recently signed a power loss agreement with CUWCD to purchase water to restore the lower Provo River for 90 days each year for the next ten years. The amount of water purchased will depend on funding available each year. In 2020 we are purchasing 19 cfs. Other partners include DOI, UDWR, and the Mitigation Commission.

Innovative Techniques

Barrier assessments. TU Staff have been working closely with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources on developing an app that we can all use to document and measure barriers to fish movement throughout the state using our phones. This stemmed from several barrier inventories and assessments that TU completed in the Weber and Escalante Rivers, and in Otter Creek (Bear River). This comprehensive data layer is key to understanding the threats to fisheries in UT, and in identifying future priority project areas.

Drone Imagery. TU Staff have been flying drones and tying the imagery to GPS points on the ground to establish 3d surface models of some of our project areas. This is revolutionizing how we design some of our projects like Beaver Dam Analogs, and culvert replacement projects. We are excited to continue this work!

Beaver Dam Analogs. This work traps significant amounts of sediment, which improves water quality and the longevity of downstream reservoirs — in this case, Echo Reservoir. At the same time, trapped sediment rebuilds streambeds, which reconnects floodplains, modulates high water events, and improves water quantity and quality during hot summer months.

These are just two of many groups for women who fly fish and live in Utah.

Utah Women Flyfishers holds meetings from September through May at Western Rivers Flyfishers in Salt Lake City. Meetings are geared towards technical aspects of fly fishing such as knot tying, hatch info, casting lessons, fly tying, setting up a rod/reel, lines/leaders/tippet info, and so on. On the water meetings include reading water and entomology and catching a Utah native cutthroat! Heidi Lewis, Utah Trout Unlimited Women’s Initiative Chair, helps to coordinate this group. Close to home outings are often planned through the year so stay connected! Feel free to post with a fishing question or to connect with someone else on the river. All skill levels welcome. You can find us on Facebook (Utah-Women-Flyfishers) or e-mail us at utahwomenflyfishers@gmail.com

Since 2014, the Wasatch Women's Fly Fishing Club has been on a mission to help get women on the water with confidence while building new connections and friendships. Throughout the entire year, WWFFC holds events on and off the water for anglers of all skill levels. From early April until late October, the club hosts fishing outings, volunteer opportunities, entomology classes, casting clinics, camping trips and much more! During the colder months, from November through March, the club focuses on fly tying at each meeting while also planning events for the upcoming year. Through donations and outreach, WWFFC also has a program called Community Outreach Tackle and Gear that helps outfit members who are struggling with low income and cannot afford their own equipment. With support from its members, WWFFC is on track in expanding the Community Outreach Tackle and Gear program to more young girls and women in low-income communities throughout the state. Find them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/WWFFC or shoot them an email at wwffclub@gmail.com

High Country Fly Fishers, located in Park City, has a very active women’s group and activities. Visit their website for upcoming events. http://www.highcountryflyfishers.com.

United Women on The Fly is a great resource if you are traveling outside of Utah and want to connect with women anglers. https://unitedwomenonthefly.com or Facebook/unitedwomenonthefly.

HOPE TO SEE YOU ON THE WATER!

Utah Cutthroat slam

https://www.utahcutthroatslam.org/

The original concept of the Utah Cutthroat Slam was presented by Trout Unlimited to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources as a way to have an angling adventure and support our native trout legacy. For just $20, you can register to embark on the challenge. 95% of the money raised will be used to help fund native cutthroat trout conservation projects across the state. Over $70,000 has been raised for Cutthroat projects. Utah Trout Unlimited has spent $18,000 on numerous projects, Utah State University has spent $4,300, the U.S. Forest Service has spent $1,500, and DWR has invested $32,300 in CuttSlam projects.

Cutthroat trout are beautiful, live in pristine environments and are the only trout native to Utah and much of the Rocky Mountain region. Help Trout Unlimited and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources protect this natural treasure. There are four species of Cutthroat trout in Utah; the Bear River, the Yellowstone, the Bonneville and the Colorado River cutthroats.

Each angler that completes the Utah Cutthroat Slam will receive a certificate of completion, a Cutthroat Slam medallion, bragging rights and official recognition on the official Utah Cutthroat Slam site, along with the appreciation of Trout Unlimited, the Utah Division of Natural Resources and anglers across the state for supporting efforts to protect our native cutthroat trout.

Can you catch and release each of the four Utah cutthroat trout subspecies in their native waters?

Over 1,000 anglers have completed the CuttSlam! How about you?

Nearly every Trout Unlimited chapter in Utah is associated with three or more elementary schools providing guidance and coordination with Utah Division of Wildlife Resources to teach kids about trout populations

Trout in the Classroom is a project where students are able to take part in the rearing of trout in a classroom environment. This is done by setting up an aquarium tank and stocking it with live fertilized trout eggs provided by the local DWR. They get to watch as the eggs develop into small fry and then grow into 2- to 4-inch young at which time they will get to participate in planting them in a local body of water. It is also watched over, supported and run by the volunteer teachers who are hosting the tanks in their classrooms. This could not be possible without them and their efforts.

In early January, about 200 – 300 fertilized fish eggs are delivered by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) to more than 40 classrooms around the state. From that point, the teachers, liaisons and students raised the fish in the classroom until May, when those that survived will be about 2-3 inches in size. Most classrooms have a success rate of about 60 – 100 surviving fish, which is fantastic. As you might expect, this kind of success does not come without a lot of hard work at keeping the tanks clean and at the correct water temperature and chemical balance. Proper feeding also is a necessity.

All of this effort was well worth it. The teachers reported amazing levels of interest and responsiveness from their respective students. Not only do the students learn important lessons in biology and fish husbandry, but they developed a love and excitement for fishing. These students are the future of TU and of conservation efforts to preserve the resource that we all enjoy.

In most schools, the fish were a topic of interest and pride for the entire school. Students from other classes, as well as other teachers, would occasionally “check in” on the fish to see how they were doing. There was a general sense of common purpose and community with the project throughout the school, which built team spirit and comradery.