Highway 191 crosses Big Brush Creek approximately 10 miles north of Vernal. Downstream of this crossing, Big Brush Creek flows through a sandstone canyon for about 1 mile before flowing into Red Fleet Reservoir. An access road provides a way for recreationists to access the BLM-managed portion of the stream. This area holds great fishing habitat, and is considered a high-use area, primarily for day users. Because of this, we have been working to develop a project to enhance the habitat of this stretch for angling opportunities and to benefit fish species who inhabit the stream. Over the past few years, beavers have developed a large complex of dams just upstream of the reservoir. This complex is helping to prevent the erosion of multiple cutbanks and has created a strong connection between Big Brush Creek and the surrounding floodplain. However, there is a long straight stretch just upstream of this section with limited habitat variability. Habitat in this straight stretch can be improved with low-tech process-based restoration (LTPBR) structures. Installation of these LTPBR structures in this stretch will have multiple benefits for the system and will work alongside the natural beaver activity benefiting this stretch. These structures will create pools and help reshape the habitat of this stretch. Pools will provide important holding areas for both the salmonid species who inhabit the stream but also native species such as flannelmouth sucker. Additionally, these pools would provide refuge habitat for aquatic species during drought conditions. Additionally, the processes that create these pools will create sorted gravel bars just downstream of the pool. These sorted gravel bars could promote the spawning of flannelmouth sucker and salmonids leading to better fish populations. Without implementation, habitat variability will remain low throughout this reach. We hope this implementation will lead to a healthier fishery.

1. Install low-tech structures that mimic Rosgen-style vanes to allow processes to increase habitat variability.

This project will take place along a 270 foot reach of Big Brush Creek located just off of the access road from HWY 191. Big Brush Creek is frequently used by day-use recreationists and could serve as a unique angling opportunity close to Vernal. An improved fishery such as this is included in the Uintah County Resource Management plan as on of their objectives. Additionally, Big Brush Creek is the feeder stream to Red Fleet Reservoir, which serves as a source of agricultural and M&I water. A project such as this can help improve sediment transport, improving aquatic habitat and water quality. We have been looking to implement a stream habitat enhancement in this stretch of Big Brush Creek for quite some time. In the planning and preparation of this project, beavers have improved habitat throughout much of the downstream area but have not built any structures through our implementation area. Though hard to predict, we believe this area will be avoided by the beavers as it does not provide a good spot to create ponding. Therefore, our actions will help to integrate improved habitat into the existing beaver complex. With minor habitat enhancement, we could greatly improve fish habitat in this reach for the benefit of native and game species. Without implementation, the reach we plan to work on will likely not improve on its own.

Vernal BLM Resource Management Plan- SSS-11: Enhance habitat and remove or control of non-native fish that threaten various life stages of the special status species fish. SSS - 17: Implement range-wide conservation agreement for bluehead sucker, flannelmouth sucker, and roundtail chub. Uintah County Resource Management Plan Objective 8.4.1: "Support the maintenance, enhancement, and expansion of sport fishing opportunities" Objective 8.4.8: "Support efforts to protect water quality and the quality of the associated fisheries." Objective 22.4.13: "Support projects that improve water quality and increase quantity and dependability of water supply." Utah State Wildlife Action Plan This project will help to address threats to river and stream habitats in the State Wildlife Action Plan. Those threats are: Channelization/Bank Alteration, Droughts, and Increasing Stream Temperatures. Channelization/Bank Alteration will be addressed through providing aggradation areas to help reduce any bank erosion. Droughts and Increasing Stream Temperatures will be addressed through creating refuge pools for aquatic species to use during times of low flows and/or increased stream temperature. Additionally, this work will help with climate change adaptivity through the creation of refuge sites to help with short periods of high stress related to increased temperature. This is a listed threat under climate change (11.1.1).

Although this project does not directly address fire and fuels, it will improve connectivity of the stream to its floodplain in our project reach and would provide refuge habitat for fish in the event of a fire. Increased connectivity between a stream and its flood plain promote a healthy riparian buffer and potential fuel break for fire.

Big Brush Creek is the feeder stream for Red Fleet Reservoir which serves as a source of agricultural and M&I water for Vernal and surrounding areas. Currently, Big Brush Creek is not considered impaired but water quality benefits are still possible. First, our structures will help improve sediment transport through this stretch through creating varied water velocities. On the downstream end of the structures, the act of creating a pool will create sorted gravel bars which should remain sediment free. Such bars could be used by Colorado River cutthroat trout, brown trout, and flannelmouth sucker for spawning. Additionally, an aggradation area will be formed on the upstream end of the structure which will help capture excess sediment. In addition, we will be providing localized areas of deep water refuge for aquatic species during periods of elevated temperatures or reduced flow. Oftentimes, these refuge pools remain colder during high temperatures allowing species to persist. We also expect there to be localized water quantity improvements at this project. Although we aren't slowing water like a BDA, we will increase the elevation of water on the upstream end of the structure. Such increases in elevation could lead to increased groundwater storage in our treatment reach.

BLM will complete the necessary NEPA steps to install the LTPBR structure. Trout Unlimited will obtain a stream alteration permit prior to implementation.

We plan to install low-tech style structures that mimic j-hooks or crossvanes. We will site these through identifying areas in the project reach that will provide the most benefit following implementation while limiting the potential for adverse effects. Our designs for structures will be based on similar, naturally-occurring structures where logs have fallen into the stream. We will utilize large woody-debris from nearby sources and will purchase untreated posts to pin structures in place. All structures will be constructed by volunteers from the High Desert Anglers chapter of Trout Unlimited with assistance from BLM and Trout Unlimited staff.

Fisheries monitoring will follow the standard sampling cycle established by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. Additional "hook-and-line" sampling will be provided by the High Desert Anglers chapter of Trout Unlimited to report on angling conditions and to request maintenance as needed. We will use standardized photo points to assess the long-term evolution of these structures.

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources has been included in project discussion and is in support. The BLM has contributed to the development of this project and will complete the required NEPA actions. High Desert Anglers chapter of Trout Unlimited will contribute volunteer hours during implementation of this project.

The High Desert Anglers chapter of Trout Unlimited will report on maintenance needs of the habitat structures. Additionally, they have offered to help ensure the area remains clean. Additionally, we plan to seek out additional projects along Big Brush Creek to continue the trend of habitat improvement. For example, we would like to address fragmentation concerns on Big Brush Creek upstream of our restoration reach. We will also conduct annual visual inspection and take measurements of the resulting pools and sorted gravel bars. These methods will allow us to ensure we are getting the desired effects out of this project. Additionally, we can use these methods to adapt to any unforeseen, undesired changes rapidly.

The stream will hold or grow more quality fish following the implementation of this project. Currently, the non-beaver-dammed portions of the stream lacks deep, complex habitat which could be limiting holding and spawning habitat for fish. Additionally, these structures will promote healthy sediment transport through this reach, improving water quality.