City of West Jordan will work to implement the restoration work on the West Jordan Big Bend Urban Fishery and Habitat Restoration along the Jordan River. The urban fishery will provide a centrally located fishing area along the Jordan River Corridor. It is easily accessible from the Jordan River Parkway, public transit, or along local roads. The main features of the project are a 4.3-acre urban fishing pond, trails, recreational amenities, riparian and river habitat restoration that are important to a variety of plant and animal species.
Major Basin: Great Basin
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Wuda Ogwa (Bear River) Water and Habitat Eco-Restoration Phase 2
The Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation is implementing Phase 2 of this restoration project which focuses on restoring hydrology and habitat along Battle Creek in Franklin County, Idaho. This phase includes constructing a new diversion structure, installing enhanced culverts to improve fish passage, and constructing two miles of new stream channel to reconnect Battle Creek with the Bear River. These efforts will restore 1,951 acre-feet of water to the creek and improve water quality, fish passage, and riparian habitat, while also utilizing water rights for streamflow enhancement. This project is part of a broader strategy by the Shoshone Nation to restore the landscape and watershed to its pre-1863 condition, enhancing ecological health and preserving cultural heritage.
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North Eden Creek Flow and Fish Passage Restoration
Trout Unlimited is leading a project to restore stream flow and fish passage in Utah by reconnecting ten miles of North Eden Creek to Bear Lake, replacing an impassable road culvert, and drilling a new agricultural well to replace an irrigation diversion. The restoration will support spawning and rearing of migratory cutthroat trout, enhancing the Blue Ribbon Fishery and recreational use of Bear Lake. This innovative project, with broad community support, will provide significant ecological and economic benefits through improved water stewardship and habitat restoration.
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Ladybug Project Forest Health
The Ladybug Forest Health Project, led by the National Forest Foundation (NFF), spans 2,500 acres in the Truckee Ranger District of the Tahoe National Forest. Located near Stampede Reservoir, the project focuses on hazardous fuels reduction through forest thinning, biomass removal, and other treatments to reduce catastrophic wildfire risk. The project will improve water supply and quality by removing encroaching conifers, enhancing snowmelt infiltration, and restoring degraded roads in the Hoke Valley drainage. It is supported by the Truckee Meadows Water Authority (TMWA) and has catalyzed the Middle Truckee River Watershed Forest Partnership to address watershed restoration.
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Drip Irrigation Conversion Howell Farm
The Great Salt Lake has seen a significant decline in surface elevation, dropping over 11 feet due to water withdrawals from the three major rivers supplying it, which account for 45% of annual surface flows. Restoring the lake’s water levels is critical for wildlife habitat, preventing harmful dust storms, and maintaining regional precipitation patterns. In response, the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) established the Agricultural Water Optimization Program (AWOP) to help farmers improve irrigation efficiency. With subsidiary drip irrigation (SDI), water loss due to evaporation can be nearly eliminated. Netafim and partners are supporting a Box Elder County alfalfa farm with 80 acres to implement SDI, aiming for water savings of 0.5 acre-feet per acre based on a 2021 study by Utah State University Extension.
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Great Salt Lake Resilience & Agricultural Modernization Project
Trout Unlimited (TU) will lease at least 1500 acre-feet of senior agricultural water rights over a three-year period to improve habitat conditions in the Weber River and sustain the Great Salt Lake ecosystem. The leased water will restore flows in the river and increase water inflow to the lake, while also supporting critical infrastructure upgrades at the Riverdale Bench irrigation diversion. These upgrades will enhance Bonneville cutthroat trout passage and bolster the sustainability of the local agricultural economy.
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Great Salt Lake-Ogden Bay Wetland Enhancement
The Great Salt Lake Ogden Bay Water Transaction Project will facilitate a permanent acquisition of 110-acre feet of water rights to enhance freshwater inflows to Ogden Bay Waterfowl Management Area to benefit wetland habitat and Great Salt Lake water supply.
The project is a partnership between the Utah Division of Wildlife, Audubon, and The Nature Conservancy. The project links with and supports the newly chartered Great Salt Lake Watershed Trust’s overall mission and objectives of retaining and enhancing water flows to the Great Salt Lake as well as preserving hydrologic connections along the shores of the lake and preserving wetlands.
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Bear River Canal Company Measurement and Telemetry Project Phase 1
The Bear River Canal Company (BRCC) is implementing the Measurement and Telemetry Project to install flume gates, slip meters, and telemetry equipment at 14 canal sites in Box Elder County, Utah. This project aims to improve irrigation efficiency by automating water flow monitoring and reducing manual adjustments, which currently result in significant water loss due to over-allocation and spills. The project will benefit local environmental interests, including the Bear River Bird Refuge and recreational duck clubs, by optimizing water distribution, reducing contamination, and improving water quality. This will also enhance water management, providing more efficient use of water resources across BRCC’s 126 miles of canals.
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Blacksmith Fork Fish Passage and Flow Restoration
This project aims to reconnect fish passage on approximately 25 miles of the Blacksmith Fork River, from its confluence with the Lower Logan River upstream to the Blue Ribbon Fishery in the canyon. The project addresses long-standing challenges at two irrigation diversions, improving both fish passage and water flow. Key actions include rebuilding diversion structures, restoring 1,500 feet of river channel and riparian habitat, and leasing water to enhance flow downstream. The project will eliminate dangerous conditions at the Nibley diversion and provide long-term ecological and recreational benefits. A diverse partnership, led by Trout Unlimited and including canal companies, local agencies, and landowners, is driving this innovative restoration effort.