This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Four southern Utah water projects got a cash infusion Friday from the federal government.
As part of the Wildland Fire Resilient Landscapes program, the U.S. Department of Interior announced $2.6 million in grants for the Bureau of Land Management and the Utah Watershed Restoration Initiative (WRI).
The money will complete four projects to restore landscapes, improve habitat and reduce wildfire fuels. They include:
• A 10,000-acre plan in the Hamlin Valley north of Modena to remove pinyon and juniper from the watershed and improve sage grouse habitat;
• The 3,174-acre Parker Front project south of Greenwich, which will improve sage grouse, mule deer and elk habitat while installing a 21,500-gallon tank system;
• South Canyon, south of Panguitch, a 6,000-acre plan to boost wildlife habitat and cut fuels near Harch by mulching, thinning and seeding; and
• The 3,200-acre Yellowjacket project north of Kanab, which will mechanically mulch and seed near Cave Lake to improve mule deer habitat and cut wildfire fuels.
The projects will be coordinated by the Utah Department of Natural Resources.
"Utah's Watershed Restoration Initiative has a significant number of projects ready to go," Alan Clark, natural resources watershed program director, said in a statement. "We can put the money to work immediately to improve our watersheds."
This year, the initiative is scheduled to fund 113 projects statewide at a cost of about $17 million. Funds come from over 90 different partners, including the Utah Legislature, Mule Deer Foundation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Sportsmen for Fish & Wildlife.
Clark said the federal funds will allow the initiative to complete "more projects than anticipated."
Last year, the initiative finished over 130 projects that restored more than 112,000 acres of uplands and 55 miles of stream and riparian areas.