The San Rafael River in southeastern Utah is formed by the confluence of Huntington, Cottonwood, and Ferron Creeks. The San Rafael River is approximately 108 miles long and flows through some of the wildest landscapes in the state to its confluence with the Green River. The total watershed area is 2,432 square miles

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The Upper Sevier River watershed is located in south central Utah, within the borders of Garfield, Kane, Piute, and Iron counties. This watershed encompasses the headwaters of the Sevier River which are straddled by the mountains of the Markagunt Plateau to the west and the Paunsaugunt Plateau to the east

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Watershed Description:   The Upper Sevier River watershed is located in south central Utah, within the borders of Garfield, Kane, Piute, and Iron counties.  This watershed encompasses the head-waters of the Sevier River which are straddled by the mountains of the Markagunt Plateau to the west and the Paunsaugunt Plateau to the east.  The watershed covers an area over 831,000 acres and is comprised of: U.S. Forest Service land (425,539 acres), BLM land (188,249 acres), private land (132, 136 acres) State land (84,377 acres), and National Parks land (841 acres).  Private lands comprise approximately 16% of the watershed.  The Upper Sevier River watershed is important to local communities in terms of agri-cultural and livestock production (alfalfa and cattle) and recreational opportunities.  Vegetation con-sists of sparse, desert plants at lower elevations, pinyon pine and junipers at mid level elevations, and aspens and conifers at higher elevations. Over 350 species of wildlife and fish live in the Upper Sevier watershed for all, or a por-tion, of their lives. Improving Utah’s Water Quality Upper Sevier River Watershed    LOCAL CONTACT  Wally Dodds  Upper Sevier River Watershed Coordinator  P.O. Box 806  Panguitch, UT 84759  (435) 676-8190  dodds@scinternet.net   MAJOR WATERBODIES     Sevier River  East Fork Sevier River  Mammoth Creek  Piute Reservoir  Asay Creek  Panguitch Creek  Bear Creek   MAJOR CITIES  Panguitch   Antimony  Hatch   MAJOR LAND USES  Agriculture  Livestock production  Recreation  Development   LOCAL WATER   QUALITY ISSUES  Total Phosphorus  Sediment  Bank Erosion  Habitat Alteration Revised November 2012 extension.usu.edu/waterquality Project Description:  The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) began a large stream enhancement pro-ject on the Sevier River on September 16, 2008.  A private contractor and the DWR heavy equipment crew hauled approximately 4,000 cubic yards of large rock to the pro-ject site. Five full logging truck loads of large logs, woody debris, and root wads were purchased and hauled to the project site.  Two excavators, a front-end loader, and an articulated off-road dump truck were used to place the rock, logs, and woody debris into the stream as barbs, vanes, j-hook vanes, and cover to stabilize eroding stream banks and provide fish habitat, structure, and diversity.  Vertical eroding stream banks were sloped back and shaped, the channel narrowed and deepened in some spots, and floodplains, backwaters, and other features were created.  All disturbed areas have been reseeded with native upland or riparian grass mixtures. In-stream and bank work ended on December 9, 2008 with 2.5 continuous miles of stream enhancements to reduce bank erosion, provide better fish habitat, and improve geomorphologic and hydrologic functions of the stream.  Fencing and riparian restora-tion was completed along 5.5 miles of stream in spring 2009.  The project crossed through the property of 12 different private landowners.  This is a great example of co-operation, desire, and willingness of private landowners to work with a state government agency to improve the ecological integrity, function, and aesthetics of the river and ripar-ian corridor through their properties.  NR/WQ/2010-2 Upper Sevier River Water Quality Improvement Related Projects   Stream bank restoration Riparian restoration Rangeland restoration Irrigation run-off improvement Par tners   Upper Sevier Soil Conservation District Utah State University Extension Utah Association of Conservation Districts Dixie National Forest U.S. Bureau of Land Management Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Utah Department of Environmental Quality USDA Farm Service Funding $4.5 million U.S. Forest Service  EPA  Utah Grazing Network  National Fish and Wildlife  Federation  Landowners  Utah Agricultural Experiment  Station  Upper Sevier Soil Conservation     District  Panguitch City  To learn how you can participate or lend your support to Utah community water quality projects, please contact your local conservation district or county agent. P r o d u c e d  b y  U S U  W a t e r  Q u a l i t y  E x t e n s i o n ,  U t a h  W a t e r s h e d  C o o r d i n a t i n g  C o u n c i l ,   U t a h  A s s o c i a t i o n  o f  C o n s e r v a t i o n  D i s t r i c t s ,  a n d  U t a h  D i v i s i o n  o f  W a t e r  Q u a l i t y .  Utah State University is committed to providing an environment free from harassment and other forms of illegal discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age (40 and older), disability, and veteran’s status. USU’s policy also prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in employment and academic related practices and decisions. Utah State University employees and students cannot, because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or veteran’s status, refuse to hire; discharge; promote; demote; terminate; discriminate in compensation; or discriminate regarding terms, privileges, or conditions of employment, against any person otherwise qualified. Employees and students also cannot discriminate in the classroom, residence halls, or in on/off campus, USU-sponsored events and activities. This publication is issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Noelle E. Cockett, Vice President for Extension and Agriculture, Utah State University. Before After 

Watershed Fact Sheet: Improving Utah\u27s Water Quality, Upper Sevier River Watershed

Watershed Description:   The San Rafael River in southeastern Utah is formed by the confluence of Huntington, Cottonwood, and Ferron Creeks.  The San Rafael River is approximately 108 miles long and flows through some of the wildest landscapes in the state to its confluence with the Green River. The total watershed area is 2,432 square miles.   The San Rafael River is one of the most perturbed ecosystems in the state and is currently on the 303D list of degraded waters due to high concentrations of total dissolved solids. Total dissolved solids result from both natural sources and irri-gation return flow over salt impregnated soils. Another principal effect of irrigation is the dewatering of large sections of the river in late summer.  Most of the land along the San Rafael River is managed by the BLM. The primary uses for this property include recreation and rangeland for cattle grazing.   In addition to the water quality and quantity problems, the river has been severely im-pacted by invasive species including  tamarisk and Russian olive.  These species have re-placed much of the native vegetation along the riparian zone.  The presence of tamarisk on sand bars within the river traps addi-tional sediments, eventually narrowing and deepening the channel. This re-duces the ability to carry large flows, which increases flooding.  Non-native fish are currently found throughout the lower reaches of the river.  Abundances of these species are low throughout the entire river; however, it is reasonable to expect that their numbers would in-crease with improved habitat. Improving Utah’s Water Quality San Rafael River Watershed  MAJOR WATERBODIES San Rafael River  Huntington Creek Cottonwood Creek Ferron Creek Muddy Creek Huntington North Reservoir Millsite Reservoir Electric Lake Joes Valley Reservoir  MAJOR CITIES Huntington Castle Dale Ferron Orangeville Emery MAJOR LAND USES Coal Mining Rangeland Agriculture LOCAL WATER  QUALITY ISSUES Salinity Dewatering Invasive Species Flooding LOCAL CONTACT:   Daniel Gunnell   West Colorado River     Watershed Coordinator   (435) 381-2300 x117  daniel.gunnell@ut.nacdnet.net extension.usu.edu/waterquality Revised November 2012 Project Description: A project is underway to remove nonnative tamarisk and Russian olive on 1,050 acres of state owned land on the lower San Rafael River.  These areas will then be planted with native vegetation.  Tamarisk and Russian olive seedlings will be treated with herbicide for 3 years following the removal to assure native vegetation be-comes established.  Riparian vegetation restoration will aid in the restoration of in-stream and riparian habitat.  Currently 650 acres have been cleared of nonnative vegetation and planting on 322 acres was completed during winter 2010.  Restora-tion monitoring will continue following the completion of this project. Designs to restore connectivity between the upper and lower sections of river are being researched.  Currently the Hatt diversion dam creates a barrier to upstream fish movement that is impassible at all flows.  One potential solution to this is the removal of the diversion dam and replacement with a diversion that does not create a barrier.  This design would also aid in the restoration of instream habitat. Nonnative fish species in the San Rafael River pose a significant threat to native species.  Techniques to control and eradicate nonnative fish species in the San Rafael River are being researched.  One potential solution to this problem is the construction of a fish barrier that prevents the passage of nonnative fishes while allowing native species to pass near the confluence with the Green River.  Related Projects  Stream Restoration  Irrigation Systems Par tners  Bureau of Land Management Utah Division of Water Quality Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Emery County Mosquito and  Weed Abatement Emery County Public Lands Council Emery Water Conservancy District Natural Resources Conservation Service PacifiCorp Energy The Tamarisk Coalition Utah Association of Conservation Districts Utah Department of Agriculture and Food Utah State University Extension San Rafael River Water Quality Improvement P r o d u c e d  b y  U S U  W a t e r  Q u a l i t y  E x t e n s i o n ,  U t a h  W a t e r s h e d  C o o r d i n a t i n g  C o u n c i l ,  U t a h  A s s o -c i a t i o n  o f  C o n s e r v a t i o n  D i s t r i c t s ,  a n d  U t a h  D i v i s i o n  o f  W a t e r  Q u a l i t y .  Utah State University is committed to providing an environment free from harassment and other forms of illegal discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age (40 and older), disability, and veteran’s status.  USU’s policy also prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in employment and academic related practices and decisions.   Utah State University employees and students cannot, because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or veteran’s status, refuse to hire; discharge; promote; demote; terminate; discriminate in compensation; or discriminate regarding terms, privileges, or conditions of employment, against any person otherwise qualified. Employees and students also cannot discriminate in the classroom, residence halls, or in on/off campus, USU-sponsored events and activities.  This publication is issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Noelle E. Cockett, Vice President for Extension and Agriculture, Utah State University. To learn how you can participate or lend your support to Utah community water quality projects, please contact your local conservation district or county agent. For funding opportunities in the San Rafael River Watershed, con-tact the San Rafael Conservation District.  Funding San Rafael River restora-tion efforts Irrigation systems for Emery County salinity project $1,532,437  $90 million After Before NR/WQ/2011-3 

Watershed Fact Sheet: Improving Utah\u27s Water Quality, San Rafael River Watershed

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Watershed Fact Sheet: Improving Utah\u27s Water Quality, San Rafael River Watershed

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