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Utah DWR requests $39,000 to fund outfitter for Fall Creek cutthroat restoration
Summary
DWR staff asked the Blue Ribbon Council for up to $39,000 to hire an outfitter to pack equipment and personnel into remote Fall Creek drainages to remove nonnative trout with rotenone and reintroduce native Colorado River cutthroat trout; staff emphasized NEPA constraints and targeted application.
Brian Engelbert and other Division of Wildlife Resources staff described a two-year ecological restoration in the Fall Creek drainage to remove nonnative brook and rainbow trout and restore native Colorado River cutthroat trout. The work requires multiple pack trips into remote areas and the council was asked to fund an outfitter to handle horses/mules, camps, equipment and food.
DWR said the Fall Creek sites are remote — roughly 14 miles from the nearest trailhead — and cannot be accessed by helicopter under current NEPA determinations, so horses and mules are necessary to transport rotenone, float tubes, gear and camp supplies. Agency staff said the outfitter chosen through state bidding, Rusty Farnsworth Outfitting, provided the lowest-cost, experienced bid and has supported prior operations for three years.
Brian explained that the restoration uses a two-year treatment cycle: the first season removes a portion of nonnative fish, and a follow-up treatment reduces remaining recruits. He described rotenone application as a controlled, low-volume treatment intended to kill gilled organisms; as an example, staff said they used roughly a gallon of rotenone to treat seven miles of stream last year and that some lakes require larger volumes (one example cited ~75 gallons for a deep 17-acre, 37-foot-deep lake). In addition to the chemical treatment, crews will re-stock target streams with Colorado River cutthroat trout once sites are secure.
On finances, staff requested a contract not-to-exceed $39,000 to cover Rusty Farnsworth Outfitting’s multiple trips, horse tending, camp setup, meals and logistics. DWR noted that final invoices may be somewhat lower (staff estimated $30,000–$35,000 in some scenarios) but recommended budgeting to the bid amount to avoid shortfalls if extra loads are required.
Staff emphasized permitting and public-communication steps already completed or underway (NEPA, Forest Service coordination) and said they select treatment sites to minimize recreational impacts; they also pointed to wildfire effects that reduced the initial treatment footprint in the drainage and explained why a second treatment year is standard for lakes and some streams. The presenter said the project supports the agency objective of preventing Colorado River cutthroat from being listed under the Endangered Species Act by restoring connected habitat and reducing nonnative competition.
Next steps: staff asked the council to include the outfitter contract in the project funding process as the council finalizes scoring; DWR indicated the project can begin work as early as July 1 if funding is available and properly authorized by program procedures.
