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The Wallsburg Coordinated Resource Management Plan (CRMP)
Over
a number of years, the Provo River Watershed
Council has identified Main Creek as a significant contributor of
phosphorus to Deer Creek Reservoir. In
2007, the Wasatch Conservation District created the Wallsburg Watershed
Coordinating Council to come up with solutions to this and other resource problems
in the watershed. The council used a
watershed approach that involves a high level of input from local citizens,
agencies, and other stakeholders in developing the CRMP. Watch the following video to better understand the water quality problems and solutions. Download the CRMP Here
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The Watershed
The Wallsburg Watershed is a narrow river valley of about 45,000 acres in northern Wasatch County, Utah. Elevations range from 9,500 feet in the surrounding peaks to about 5,500 feet at Deer Creek Reservoir. Forests in the higher elevations give way to sagebrush dominated shrub- lands in its mid elevations.
Agriculture and residential areas are found in the valley of the watershed major waterway, Main Creek and its tributaries. The town of Wallsburg is the only incorporated community in the watershed, which currently has a population of approximately 600. The town and surrounding valley are expected to see high growth in the future due to proximity to urban and recreational areas.
The Wallsburg Watershed is a narrow river valley of about 45,000 acres in northern Wasatch County, Utah. Elevations range from 9,500 feet in the surrounding peaks to about 5,500 feet at Deer Creek Reservoir. Forests in the higher elevations give way to sagebrush dominated shrub- lands in its mid elevations.
Agriculture and residential areas are found in the valley of the watershed major waterway, Main Creek and its tributaries. The town of Wallsburg is the only incorporated community in the watershed, which currently has a population of approximately 600. The town and surrounding valley are expected to see high growth in the future due to proximity to urban and recreational areas.
The Problem
Main Creek is one of several tributaries to Deer Creek Reservoir, which is an important source of drinking water for communities along the Wasatch Front. In 2002 the Utah Division of Water Quality conducted a total maximum daily load (TMDL) study for Deer Creek Reservoir, and this study identified Main Creek as a major source of phosphorus in the reservoir. Historically, Main Creek contributes 8% of the reservoir’s inflow, but 17% of its total phosphorus load. Phosphorus is of concern in Deer Creek Reservoir, because it results in excess concentrations of microscopic algae and other aquatic plants. To address this and other water quality concerns, the Wasatch Conservation District initiated the Wallsburg Coordinated Resource Management Plan (CRMP).
Main Creek is one of several tributaries to Deer Creek Reservoir, which is an important source of drinking water for communities along the Wasatch Front. In 2002 the Utah Division of Water Quality conducted a total maximum daily load (TMDL) study for Deer Creek Reservoir, and this study identified Main Creek as a major source of phosphorus in the reservoir. Historically, Main Creek contributes 8% of the reservoir’s inflow, but 17% of its total phosphorus load. Phosphorus is of concern in Deer Creek Reservoir, because it results in excess concentrations of microscopic algae and other aquatic plants. To address this and other water quality concerns, the Wasatch Conservation District initiated the Wallsburg Coordinated Resource Management Plan (CRMP).
The Solution
In
March 2007, local landowners and conservation agencies met to address local
resource concerns and to form the Wallsburg Watershed Coordinating Council
(WWCC) as the planning group for addressing these concerns. Using the CRMP
process, stakeholders and the WWCC spoke about the local resources and the
potential for actions to protect and restore these resources. Participants at
the meeting listed the resources about which they had concerns and then ranked
them by priority. The top 10 concerns were:
Water Conservation
Water Quality
Noxious and invasive weeds
Water rights
Irrigation water management
Wildlife habitat
Forest health
Septic tank management
Air quality Wetland protection
Water Quality
Noxious and invasive weeds
Water rights
Irrigation water management
Wildlife habitat
Forest health
Septic tank management
Air quality Wetland protection
The
resource assessments conducted for the CRMP identified specific concerns,
degraded conditions, and land-use activities that could be better managed. The
potential actions and recommendations focus on improving water quality and
water management, conserving water, improving rangeland and pastureland, and
restoring riparian and aquatic habitats while allowing a compatible level of
agricultural use.
The process required substantial water quality monitoring and information gathering, leading to prioritization of targeted problems, and proposed, integrated solutions. Data collected through the Provo River Watershed Council was used in the analysis phase of the CRMP and specifically in the Wallsburg Watershed Water Quality Assessment.
The process required substantial water quality monitoring and information gathering, leading to prioritization of targeted problems, and proposed, integrated solutions. Data collected through the Provo River Watershed Council was used in the analysis phase of the CRMP and specifically in the Wallsburg Watershed Water Quality Assessment.