Utah DNR receives grant to preserve, restore Utah watersheds
Sep 26, 2024, 8:00 PM
After snowstorms throughout the week, snow remains at Memory Grove Park in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Memory Grove Park, part of City Creek Canyon, is part of Salt Lake City’s protected watershed and is a valuable source of drinking water. (Megan Nielsen/Deseret News)
(Megan Nielsen/Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Department of Natural Resources (DNR) received a $24.6 million grant from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The money will go toward restoration and preservation efforts for Utah watersheds.
Of the grant, $1.3 million is coming from the Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act.
According to the DNR, the funding will go toward many efforts across a variety of ecosystems.
“DNR’s long-standing relationship with BLM through Utah’s Watershed Initiative has been one of the country’s most successful active land management partnerships,” said DNR’s Executive Director Joel Ferry.
Projects to help Utah watersheds
Some projects will focus on improving river areas by removing invasive species. The press release did not say what types of invasive species they will remove.
However, the removal of invasive species is important to their native counterparts. Per The Nature Conservancy, invasive species can cause harm to the ecosystem they take over.
If they go unchecked, they can eventually cause the extinction of natives.
Second, the DNR said that it would use some of the funds to install wildlife guzzlers.
According to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources website, guzzlers help animals get water in dry areas. The devices collect water from rain and melted snow and can help animals survive in times of heat and dry conditions.
The DNR also listed habitat improvement treatments on its list of focuses. It did not elaborate on the types of treatments they will carry out.
Finally, some of the money will go toward ensuring safe fish passages for Bonneville Cutthroat Trout.
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, dams and culverts can cause blockages in habitats, preventing fish from reaching important areas, such as food sources or breeding grounds. Fish passages can allow species to move freely through areas that may be obstructed.
“This additional funding will help benefit watersheds in Utah to help improve wildlife habitat and water quality and reduce catastrophic wildfire,” Ferry said.
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