SALT LAKE CITYSALT LAKE CITY

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITIESDEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES

Red Butte Creek Riparian Corridor StudyRed Butte Creek Riparian Corridor Study

Public Workshop 4Public Workshop 4December 9, 2009December 9, 2009

Facilitated by BIO-WEST, IncFacilitated by BIO-WEST, Inc.

Workshop Presentation Outline• Review of Workshops 1,

2, and 3– Purpose/Need of Study– Study Plan and Schedule– Riparian Corridor Definition &

Functions– Baseline Assessment– Recommended Types of

Improvement Projects

– Vision Statement

• Overview of Draft Report Organization

• Useful Tools

Why is SLC Conducting This Study? • To assess current

conditions

• To determine desired future conditions

• To identify opportunities for restoration and remediation of Emigration Creek

Why is SLC Conducting This Study? • To use the

information, data, and maps developed during the study to inform planning, permitting, and administrative processes of the Riparian Corridor Overlay District Ordinance (RCO)

What Will the Riparian Corridor Study Management Plan Include?• Statement(s) of desired future

conditions

• Identification of restoration and remediation projects

• Cost analysis and ranking of projects

• Identification of project funding mechanisms

• Presentation of best management practices

• Inventory of GIS-based information

• Continuation of public outreach

What Does a Riparian Corridor Study Involve?

BIO-WEST

Planning & Public Outreachpublic workshops (four)

subcommittee/stakeholder meetings (quarterly)

web site comment form

Baseline Condition Assessmentvegetation

stream condition

Historical and Current Trend Assessment

Salt Lake City Public Utilities

Management Plan / Desired Future Conditions

Timeline and Milestones

Fall 2008 Winter 2009 Spring 2009 Summer 2009 Fall 2009

Field Evaluation

Public Workshop 1

Public Workshop 2

Public Workshop 3

Public Workshop 4

Historical Trend Assessment

High Flow Field Evaluation

Identify Improvement Projects

Draft and Final

Mgt. Plans

Riparian Area Definition: • Zone of influence or “transition zone”

between aquatic and upland areas• The city’s Riparian Corridor Overlay

Zone Ordinance (RCO) applies to the area within 100 feet of the annual high water level of above-ground streams.

Riparian Corridor Functions:• Wildlife and Aquatic

Habitat– 60% of vertebrate species in arid

Southwest rely on riparian areas (Ohmart and Anderson 1982)

• Shading and Water-Temperature Control

• Aesthetics• Recreation and Open Space• Floodplain Storage

and Flood-Damage Reduction

Riparian Corridor Functions:• Wildlife Travel

Corridors/Connectivity

• Organic Matter Inputs

• Stream Stability/Safety

• Pollution and Nutrient Filtration

• Storm Water and Irrigation Water Conveyance

Baseline Condition Assessment

Baseline Condition Assessment

Baseline Assessment Results Review• Aesthetics Function – Litter

• Wildlife Habitat Function – Invasive Plants

• Filtration Function – Lack of shrub and understory cover

• Stability Function– Erosion from storm runoff and

drain outfalls– Scour around concrete– Culverts narrower than channel

width– On-going stream channel

adjustments– Altered hydrology

Improvement Projects Review

• Riparian Corridor Projects– General Projects

•Appropriate at any scale

– Local-scale Projects•Relevant to specific individual

locations or features (storm drain, culvert, etc.)

– Reach-scale Projects•Stream bed and bank

stability should be addressed at this scale

• Watershed-scale Projects

Figure from SLCO 2009

Improvement Projects Review

• General Projects– Stream Cleanup– Invasive Plant Removal– Biotechnical Slope

Stabilization

• Local-scale Projects– Storm Drain Outlet

Protection– Stream Crossing

Design/Culvert Replacement

– No-trespassing Signage

Improvement Projects Review• Reach-scale Projects

– Should implement comprehensively through reach from “hard point” to “hard point”

– Grade Control– Bank Stabilization

• Toe protection

Draft Red Butte Creek Document

• Section 1: Introduction– RCO ordinance, setbacks– study goals, objectives,

mayor’s goal– riparian corridor

functions

• Section 2: Baseline Assessment Methods– study reaches– stream-condition

assessment– vegetation assessment– watershed/historical

information

Draft Red Butte Creek Document• Section 3: Baseline Assessment Results

– watershed conditions– historical conditions– field assessment results

• Section 4: Recommended Improvement Projects– description of various project types and

scales– references and tools

• Section 5: Riparian Corridor Vision– summary of stakeholder input– vision statement– implementation approaches

• Appendix C: Reach Maps, Summaries, and Recommendations

• Sidebars provide resource/ reference information for:– potential partnering organizations– herbicide BMPs– internet resources and reference

documents (storm water, stream stabilization, bio-engineering, fire-wise plants)

– sources of native plants and seed– material suppliers for erosion

control, bio-engineering etc.– permitting

Tools Included in Draft Plan – Section 4

Tools (cont.) – Section 4• Tables

– invasive plant species

– recommended native plant species• preferred light

conditions• preferred

moisture conditions

• suitable for planting as a live cutting/live stake

Tools (cont.) – Section 4

• Tables– permitting

requirements

– unit cost information

– grant resources for funding improvement projects

Tools (cont.) - Section 4

Tools (cont.) - Section 4

Tools – Section 5

Tools (cont.) – Appendix B

• Detail drawings

Tools – Appendix C• Two-page layout for each stream reach

Tools – Appendix C

Tools – Appendix C

Next StepsNext Steps• More Detailed Information on

Priorities and Project Costs for Specific Reaches

Improvement Measure Approximate Quantity Approximate CostCulvert replacement/outlet protection 280 foot-long culvert $175,000 + installation

Comprehensive bank stabilization

675 linear feet (half of total bank length) $47,250

Comprehensive grade control 6 vortex rock weirs $12,600

Biotechnical slope stabilization

4,000 sq. ft around culvert outlet $17,000

Storm drain improvement 3 outfalls $700

Invasive plant removal 1.15 acres $860

Next StepsNext Steps• More

Detailed Information on Specific Action Items, Lead Entities, Time Frames for Implementation

Next StepsNext Steps• Possible Establishment of a

Riparian Corridor Working Group to Guide Implementation Efforts– Let us know if you would like to be

involved!– Emphasis on collaboration and

pursuit of grant funding

YOUR INPUT IS IMPORTANT!

• If you have a specific interest in a certain stream reach or set of reaches, let us know what riparian functions or improvement project recommendations are most important to you in that reach.

• Please add your comments on the reach-specific forms.

• Let us know who you are.

YOUR INPUT IS IMPORTANT!• Comment on the draft

vision statement for the project.

• Ask project staff questions.

• Provide comments on the draft management plan.

• Draft report comments will be accepted until January 15, 2010.

Where to Get the Draft Report• Download (*.pdf)

files from City website www.slch2o.com

• Take a CD copy.

• Take a hard copy (limited supply).

• Ask to have a CD copy mailed to you.

Ways to Comment and Participate• Appendix C pages posted around the room

• Workshop response form

• SLC DPU website (www.slch20.com)

• Contact SLC DPU: Florence Reynolds 801-483-6864 florence.reynolds @slcgov.com

THANK YOU FOR THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING!PARTICIPATING!BIO-WEST Contacts:BIO-WEST Contacts:

Melissa StampMelissa Stamp435.881.1549435.881.1549mstamp@bio-west.commstamp@bio-west.com

Christopher SandsChristopher Sands435.752.4202435.752.4202csands@bio-west.comcsands@bio-west.com