Watershed restoration project aims to revive endangered trout

In a recent government meeting, officials discussed two significant environmental projects aimed at restoring aquatic habitats and enhancing fish populations in the southeastern region.

The first project, the Gordon Creek Watershed Restoration, is a collaborative effort involving the Division of Wildlife, the Manatee La Salle National Forest, and Trout Unlimited. Calvin Black, the assistant aquatics manager, outlined the initiative's goals, which include improving riparian vegetation and rehabilitating stream functions in Bob Wright and Second Water streams. These streams, located near Price, Utah, previously supported populations of Colorado River cutthroat trout, which were lost due to the Seeley fire and subsequent debris flows in 2012. With the upland areas now stabilized, the project aims to reintroduce these trout by installing beaver dam analogs (BDAs) and post-assisted log structures (PALS) to create pool habitats and improve sediment retention. The project is seeking $73,000 in funding, with $53,000 from Habitat and $20,000 from Blue Ribbon.

The second project discussed was the Recapture Reservoir Fish Habitat Enhancement, which also involves collaboration with the Bureau of Land Management and Landing City. This initiative aims to install artificial habitat structures for black crappie and largemouth bass in the Recapture Reservoir. As the reservoir is drawn down to a conservation pool, fish face increased predation from northern pike due to exposed shorelines. The proposed structures will be placed in deeper water to provide refuge for these fish, thereby improving spawning success and overall fishery health.

Both projects reflect a commitment to restoring and enhancing local ecosystems, with a focus on collaborative efforts and targeted funding to achieve their environmental goals.