Landowner Driven Watershed Plan Improves Huff Creek Water Quality 

The Division of Water Quality (DWQ) has been working collaboratively with a number of partners over the past few decades to improve water quality in the Chalk Creek Watershed. Through this effort the Echo-Rockport Reservoir Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) study was finalized and formally approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The TMDL identifies actions needed to improve water quality in those two reservoirs. The TMDL identified Huff Creek (which flows into Chalk Creek) as a major source of sediment and nutrients in Echo Reservoir.  

Sediment and Nutrients in Huff Creek travels to Echo Reservoir and fills it with sediment and ultimately leads to Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). In addition, over the past 30 years the native Cutthroat Trout have declined due to warming water temperatures primarily caused by the loss of stream-shading shrubs and trees from season-long livestock grazing. The native cutthroat trout generally cannot not survive in streams where the temperature exceeds 65℉, however, there is data available indicating that summer water temperatures have reached over 77℉ in the past.

In 2017, DWQ’s Nonpoint Source Program supported the development of a landowner-driven watershed plan (Huff Creek Coordinated Resource Management Plan) to identify critical steps needed to improve water quality in Huff Creek. Partners including local landowners, DWQ, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and Trout Unlimited collaboratively identified healthy rangelands and native fishes as important values within the Huff Creek watershed. The partners identified a unique approach to improve the rangeland for livestock and wildlife and the stream for native cutthroat trout.

In 2018, the partners developed a series of large riparian pastures within the valley bottoms that would abstain from grazing for several years. The large riparian pastures where grazing ceased for several years resulted in native shrubs growing back and beginning to provide shade. Also during this time, rotational grazing was implemented and livestock water systems on the rangeland were developed, which distribute livestock more effectively. Funding was provided through the Nonpoint Source Program, Utah’s Watershed Restoration Initiative (WRI), and landowner labor. 

2023 was a breakthrough year along the creek. Shrubs have started to grow and shade Huff Creek, and beavers are building dams where the creek eroded deep gullies. This watershed-scale approach has become a model for other ranches throughout Utah looking to improve rangeland health and waterways. Nonpoint source projects typically take years to see substantial beneficial impacts, so it was an exciting year to see the benefits of the hard work from DWQ and its partners come to fruition.

Millville City’s Prospective Move from Septic to Sewer

Over the past 30 years, Millville City’s Glenridge Well suffered contamination from individual septic tank systems. This was evidenced by an increase in nitrate concentrations in the well from 3.3 mg/L to 8.8 mg/L. High levels of nitrates in water can be dangerous to human health, especially infants. 

This nitrate increase required the construction of a new sewerage system and connection to Hyrum City’s water reclamation plant. At the time, Millville was the second largest unsewered community in Utah. Millville’s plan to implement their new sewerage system will protect a valuable regional drinking water resource and contribute to growth in the area. 

New sewer systems are challenging projects to implement due to high costs and affordability concerns from the community. Millville’s project faced these difficulties as well as the recent escalation in construction costs due to trade labor shortages, materials costs, and supply chain issues. The total project cost is $30,060,000. 

To address cost concerns, the Water Quality Board partnered with the US Department of Agriculture-Rural Development (USDA-RD) to bring this project in at an affordable monthly rate for Millville residents. The Water Quality Board has committed $9,250,000 in grant funding and the USDA-RD has committed $9,349,000 in grant funding, as well as low interest loans from both agencies. These funding packages will set a monthly sewer rate of $88.97. 

Mayor David Hair and Cory Twedt, city recorder, represented their community well and the citizens of Millville have shown strong support and commitment to the project. When complete, the Millville sewer project will result in lasting regional sewer service, a healthy, vibrant community, with long term protection of the critical drinking water supply on which the town depends and grows.