Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Jordan River Commission topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Jordan River Commission briefs Davis County on watershed work, grants and rising trail safety concerns
Summary
The Jordan River Commission updated Davis County officials on watershed management, trail connections and funding, highlighting a $250,000 annual weed‑management fund leveraged with a roughly $1,000,000 grant and rising safety complaints tied to e‑bikes and off‑road vehicles on regional trails.
Soren Simonson, director of the Jordan River Commission, told Davis County commissioners on Tuesday that the commission is expanding restoration, trail connection and weed‑management work across the river’s roughly 51‑mile corridor and newly designated watershed council. Simonson said the commission now counts all 16 local cities and three counties as governing partners and has aligned its bylaws to operate as a Watershed Council under state law.
Simonson outlined several priorities: conserving and restoring wetlands and habitat along the Jordan River, expanding continuous trail connections, improving access and wayfinding, and managing invasive plant species. He highlighted a Jordan River Weed Management Fund that provides $250,000 annually and said those funds have been used to leverage a roughly $1,000,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for recent weed‑management work.
On recreation and safety, Simonson said the commission has seen a rise in complaints over the past three to four years about high‑speed devices — e‑bikes, e‑boards and electric motorcycles — and other unauthorized off‑road vehicles on dirt‑mile trails. He said the commission’s technical advisory committee will explore public‑safety procedures, potential speed limits and device‑use guidance and report back to the governing board with recommendations.
The county’s staff also asked about return on investment: Davis County currently contributes $7,500 (about 2.4 percent of the commission’s proposed budget) and staff and commissioners discussed the value the commission provides in stormwater coordination, volunteer restoration and trail maintenance. Simonson said the commission’s events (including the Get to the River festival) and partnership work with cities, counties and state agencies help leverage funding and coordinate on projects such as the Big Bend Nature Park and other redevelopment efforts along the river.
Commissioners thanked the Jordan River presenter and signaled support for the partnership; they asked only that the commission coordinate billing notices and keep the county informed about fee changes before invoicing. The work session adjourned at 9:58 a.m.
