Bonneville Cutthroat Trout (BCT) are covered under a Conservation Agreement to help protect and expand populations and habitat to prevent it from becoming listed as a T&E species. Streams in the Clear Creek watershed were identified as an area to re-establish conservation populations of BCT. BCT restoration efforts in the watershed began in 1977 when BCT were re-introduced in Sam Stowe Creek, a Clear Creek tributary. More recently, Clear Creek and all other headwater tributaries (Pole, Shingle and Fish Creek) were treated to remove non-native fishes and have had BCT re-introduced. Approximately 65 miles of stream in the Clear Creek drainage now contains BCT and other native fishes. In comparison, the total miles of streams occupied by native cutthroat trout in the Southern Bonneville Management Unit before the Clear Creek restoration work was 95 miles. Restoring native BCT to the entire watershed was a significant step forward in preserving and expanding BCT populations in southern Utah. Non-native fishes are removed by chemical treatments and pure strain native cutthroats and other native species are then stocked back into the stream. Effectively managing fish passage (both allowing and preventing in key locations) is critical to keep non-native fishes from moving back upstream and reinvading stream sections already treated to remove them, where they would again displace native fish. However, allowing fish passage as much as possible beyond prevent reinvasion of non-native fishes is vital the the health and resiliency of the BCT population. Additionally, suitable habitat is often a limiting factor for BCT and maximizing the amount of suitable habitat in the Clear Creek drainage is important. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Sevier County have planned a project to stabilize a section of Clear Creek near Fremont Indian State Park by essentially creating a long, grouted chute in order to reduce the risk of losing a section of road. This section of stream and road suffered from flooding following the Twitchell Fire in 2010 and emergency work was soon done to stabilize sections of stream and repair flooded sections of road. One of these initial efforts to stabilize a section of stream is now failing and the proposed plan is to extend the failing grouted structure another 100'. There are two fish-related issues with the original proposal: (1) It would likely prevent fish passage long-term and (2) basically eliminate fish habitat for that grouted section. After meeting with Sevier County and the engineering firm designing the project, an alternative design was developed that would address the failing structure, protect the road, and address the fish-related concerns. However, the alternative option is expected to increase the cost of the project by at least $10,000 over budget.

(1) Work with FEMA, Sevier County, and the engineering firm designing the project and overseeing construction to redesign the improvement site of concern in order to prevent the loss of aquatic habitat and allow fish passage long-term and (2) help to cover additional costs as a result of the redesign that would cause the total project to go over budget.

If this project does not go forward there would be the long-term loss of aquatic habitat in about 100' of Clear Creek and fish passage in a drainage of >65 miles would be limited long-term.

Meets objectives of the BCT Conservation Agreement by expanding genetically healthy BCT populations, creating metapopulations, and improving, restoring and protecting existing and potential BCT habitat. The DWR Middle Sevier River Watershed Management Plan identified the Clear Creek drainage as a priority area for restoring BCT. A formal plan to expand BCT in the Clear Creek drainage was established in a 2007 Environmental Assessment (UDWR). Meets UDWR Goals and Objectives to "conserve sensitive species to prevent them from becoming listed..."

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FEMA, Sevier County, and the engineering firm designing the project and overseeing construction will cover all compliance-related requirements and most required approvals have already been obtained.

The engineering firm designing and overseeing implementation of the project has redesigned the plan from a single, long grouted chute to a series of drop structures that will allow fish passage and provide fish habitat, while still helping to stabilize the stream and protect the highway. See "Documents" section for original plan and redesigned plan.

The fish population is regularly monitored through electrofishing surveys. The construction of the redesign would be monitored by the engineering firm.

Sevier County, FEMA, U.S. Forest Service.

The site will be monitored and repair work implemented if needed.

The project will allow for a healthier and more resilient fish population for anglers.

10/01/2023

06/30/2024

2024

There were two main phases to this project, planning and implementation. The planning phase was completed by early spring of 2024 as Sevier County worked with the contracted engineering firm to develop an alternative design was developed that would address the failing structure, protect the road, and address the fish-related concerns. The implementation phase was delayed and is currently planned for late fall of 2024.

The project has essentially unfolded as planned and described within the "Project Details" section, with the notable exception of taking longer than expected to implement.

In FY25, the primary goal is to have the alternate design actually constructed. Beyond FY25 and project implementation, the structure will be monitored annually and repairs made if needed.