Seven projects associated with the Southeast Utah Riparian Partnership in Grand County have been chosen for continued funding by the Utah Watershed Restoration Initiative (WRI). WRI was created by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and other partners to help provide funding for projects designed to conserve, restore and manage ecosystems across the state. Organizations receiving the funding are involved in the partnership.
The Nature Conservancy will receive $5,616 for the Scott M. Matheson Wetlands Preserve, which is co-managed by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. This grant will treat tamarisk and Russian olive resprouts on 118 acres.
Grand County received $7,000 to control 20 acres of knapweed and other noxious weeds on BLM and State Sovereign lands along the Colorado River just upstream from the confluence of the Delores River. The project will be followed by native seeding.
Plateau Restoration received $29,500 and will continue work on their Jackson Bottom restoration project. Jackson Bottom is on Mile 0 on the Potash Road. The goal of the project is restoration of wildlife habitat on 65 acres of Colorado River bottomlands with mechanical and manual tamarisk removal in 5 untreated acres and revegetation of approximately 35 acres through weeding, seeding, planting, and irrigating.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received $60,000 to maintain 200 acres of existing riparian restoration and will treat up to 100 additional acres: controlling tamarisk resprouts, secondary weeds, and replanting native species. This project will occur mainly on BLM lands along the Colorado River and major tributaries in Grand County.
Forestry Fire and States lands received $30,000 for the fourth phase of the Castle Creek project. Tamarisk and Russian olive resprouts will be treated on 30 acres along Castle Creek that was originally cleared during the winter. Four new acres will be cleared of tamarisk and Russian olives downstream. This spans 11 private landowners and 1.4 creek miles.
Rim to Rim Restoration was awarded $107,643 to continue work on Mill and Pack Creek. This is the tenth year of restoration work along these creeks through Moab linking the Matheson Wetland to Mill Creek Canyon and Upper Pack Creek. A total of seven stream miles have been treated; two in Mill Creek and five on Pack Creek.
A joint grant of $32,150 for follow up treatments on private land will be distributed to Plateau Restoration, Grand County Weed Department, Division of Wildlife Resources and Rim to Rim Restoration. Seven private parcels along 34 miles of the Colorado River from Cisco to the Mayberry property will be treated.
