Calling all photographers to submit photos for the Virgin River Program Calendar Photo Contest

“2011 was a great year for woundfin reproduction,” according to Fridell. As a result, the population of woundfin was over 400% greater this year than in 2007. An exceptionally difficult year for native fish in the Virgin River, 2007 left this endangered species struggling to survive. In August 2007, an inch of rain fell in a period of three hours, sending flood waters with ash and debris from recent fires down North Creek into the Virgin River. The flooding resulted in a massive fish kill and woundfin numbers in the river dropped to zero.

In the fall of 2007, young hatchery woundfin were stocked in the Virgin River, but that winter turned out to be exceptionally cold in southern Utah. The Virgin River froze over in spots, killing older fish. The young woundfin that did survive the winter were too small to contribute much to reproduction the next spring, so fish populations remained low.

Surmounting the challenges to native fish species has been the focus of the Virgin River Resource Management and Recovery Program (Virgin River Program), a cooperative effort initiated in 2001 by the Washington County Water Conservancy District (Water District), the Utah Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other concerned agencies. This united focus has been successful in accomplishing a task that rarely succeeds; preventing the invasion of a highly aggressive invader species to the woundfin known as the red shiner. The efforts of the Virgin River Program, with extensive logistical support from the Water District, have pushed the red shiner back into Arizona downstream from the woundfin’s last refuge in Utah.

In 2009, the Water District constructed a pumping system for the Virgin River Program which pumps water uphill through its pipeline system to be released for fish protection. This allows the Water District, on an as-needed basis, to provide in-stream water flows to help the woundfin and other native fish through the challenges posed by low river flows and hotter water temperatures. Providing this extra water at strategic intervals throughout the year allows more optimal river flows and temperatures critical to fish survival. These cooperative efforts between the Water District and wildlife biologists are just part of the efforts that have led to an increased population in woundfin.

Today, woundfin numbers are good. With continued support and cooperation between the Water District, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to monitor and supplement water flows, the endangered woundfin minnow may continue to thrive in its last remaining home in the Virgin River.

Note: This press release was submitted to The Spectrum on 12/29/2011. The Spectrum published an article entitled Program helps fish make a comeback on 12/31/2011.

Action taken to fight illegal fish stocking

The Virgin River Program has constructed fish barriers at three locations on the Virgin River. These locations are near the I-15 Bridges in Bloomington, near the Arizona state line, and near the mouth of the gorge in Arizona. The locations are shown on the following map. Each of the fish barriers consist of a four to five foot concrete wall and downstream concrete splash pad. They create a waterfall designed to prevent upstream migration of invasive fish found downstream in Lake Mead and in the lower portion of the Virgin River. The barriers also allow for segmentation of the river aiding in eradication of unwanted fishes found upstream of the diversions. There are also large water diversions in the river which may affect recreation on the river. These diversions are found near the town of Virgin, upstream from the Washington fields, and in Washington City.

Quail Creek Diversion – Downstream from Virgin, Utah. Unrunnable. River exit suggested in Virgin due to cliff and fencing around diversion.

Washington City to Utah State Line Map

Obstructions moving downstream
Washington Fields Diversion - Portage Required 10'+ drop Portage River Right

Johnson Diversion/The Waterfall - Portage required. 10'+ drop. Portage river right.

Webb Hill Fish Barrier - Immediately downstream from southbound I-15 bridges in Bloomington. 4' drop. Portage recommended, river left - possible recirculating current at base of structure.

State Line Fish Barrier - 4 miles downstream from St. George, Utah. Portage Recommended River Right - 4' drop Possible recirculating current at base of structure.

State Line Barrier to Virgin River Gorge Mouth Map

Virgin River Gorge Fish barrier - Portage suggested river right, 5-6' drop.

For more information please contact Steve Meismer, Virgin River Program local coordinator, at 435 673 3617 or view the Virgin River Runners Coalition website (www.virginriver.org).

HURRICANE – Shawnnie Bryan, 18, puckered up to an 8 1/2 inch flannelmouth sucker fish Thursday morning in the Virgin River near Hurricane.
“You have to kiss the biggest fish you see for the day,” said Melinda Bennion, native aquatics biologist for the Division of Wildlife Resources.

Bryan and four other high school students from the Washington County School District have spent six weeks interning with the DWR looking for native fish in the Virgin River to assess the health of the natural resources.

Bennion said every month biologists from DWR do seine hauls 50 times in different areas of the river. A seine haul is a big mesh net that allows them to catch the fish in the river.

“Essentially we’re corralling the fish to count and measure,” she said. “It gives us an idea of if there’s been any reproduction or if the fish are growing.”

The interns work six weeks during the summer helping with the seine hauls and recording data. Part of the seine hauls is also removing any exotic species. Bennion said they do it to protect the native species, because if they didn’t the exotic species would compete with the natives.

She explained the importance of studying the species in the Virgin River. The fish are indicators as to how healthy the native life is and how healthy the water is.

“If they’re (interns) interested it gives them hands-on experiences in natural resources,” Bennion said. “For us it’s been a great way to educate the community in Washington County.”

Bryan said she wanted to try for the internship because she thought it would be a great experience. For her it’s turned into a once in a lifetime opportunity.
It’s something beyond the normal desk job,” she said.

Since Bryan has worked with DWR she said she has learned a lot about natural resources. “There’s so much more out there,” she said. “If these guys (DWR) weren’t here the non-native fish would take over and the river wouldn’t be healthy.”

Brady Fonnesbeck, biology and physics teacher from Desert Hills High School is also assisting with the interns.

“I like it (internship) for the kids because this is actual field work where they can apply it,” he said.

Both Fonnesbeck and Bennion think being out all week with the interns is a rewarding experience because not only are they learning, they’re enjoying what they’re doing.

“I just love being around the kids,” Fonnesbeck said. “If they pull that big fish their faces just light up.”

Bennion agreed.

“It’s exciting to see them (interns) get excited about the species in the river,” she said.

Akasha Lawrence, 15, said she’s always been interested in biology and she applied for the internship because it sounded like fun and a great opportunity.
“I can (now) identify fish and have learned new vocabulary,” she said.

Wyatt Lees, 17, and Drew Mills, 17, were also working in the river Thursday.
“The internship has taught us how to work, gives us a good work ethic and teaches us about native aquatic,” Mills said. Lees agreed the internship has taught them to work together.

“We’ve learned about the ecosystem and swimming when times call for it,” he said. “It’s not just repetitive, you also have to work with data.”

The internship is put on by Division of Wildlife Resources, Virgin River Program and Washington County School District.

La Verkin – The high school students waded the Virgin River, dragging a seine through the murky water as part of a program that gives them hands-on experience checking populations of the stream’s rare fish.

The five Washington County students, who worked with a biologist from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) for several days on the river last week, were chosen for the program based on essays they wrote and interviews.

“It’s also important that they can swim,” joked Melinda Bennion, the DWR biologist supervising the students.

Bennion said the students help capture and measure the native fish, map habitat and check conditions of the river and temperature at six monitoring stations between Grafton and St. George.

They also worked on the Santa Clara River, shocking and relocating fish before a bank-restoration project begins above Gunlock Reservoir.

Bennion said native fish in the Virgin River the students looked for included the Virgin River chub and woundfin, both endangered species.

Other native fish in the stream — flannelmouth, desert suckers and Virgin spinedace — are listed as special conservation species to help increase their numbers. The speckled dace, another native, is the only fish not under some kind of special protection.

The Virgin River chub and woundfin populations have been boosted in the past several years through a series of reintroduction projects using fish raised in federal hatcheries.

Shawnnie Bryan, 18, who just graduated from Pine View High School, said she learns something new every day.

“I also like the outdoors and don’t mind getting dirty,” she said. “This will give me good experience before college. I want a career in natural resources.”

Bennion said she recruits students for the monitoring program, which began three years ago, by visiting county high schools in the spring. This year, the five interns were chosen from 28 applicants. They work 40 hours a week during the six-week program and are paid $8 an hour.

Drew Mills, 17, will be a senior at Hurricane High School next year and plans on a career in biology. He said the program dovetails with his love of the outdoors.

“Plus it gives me some extra money for the summer,” he said Wyatt Lees, 17, a senior at Pineview High School who also wants to be a biologist, said he has learned about more than ecosystems and aquatics.

“It’s also taught me a good work ethic,” he said. Brady Fonnesbeck, a biology and physics teacher at Desert Hills High School who was the intern supervisor, said the program gives students valuable field experience.

“This gives them the opportunity for real work that uses the data collected, unlike the classroom,
where things are simulated,” he said.

Bennion said the program has been so successful that some interns from previous years return as volunteers.

“I’m coming back next year to volunteer,” said Ashley Hurlburt, a 17-year-old senior at Snow Canyon High School.

St. George — A muddy Virgin River flowed lazily through the Virgin River Gorge, on Thursday, with the heat shimmering off the rock gorge as several workers moved rock and dirt to create a barrier diverting the river.

Once a dry work area is created, a fish barrier will be constructed, in efforts to keep non-native fish out of the Virgin River said Steve Meismer, local coordinator for the Virgin River Program which is conducting
the work.

Looking at the muddy river, Meismer comments that the fish, including the Virgin River Chub and the woundfin, species unique to the Virgin River, like the muddy water.

Now endangered, the chub was an important food source for Native Americans and the early pioneers and while no longer a food source, the native fish still has an important role as the native fish species are indicators of the health of the river.

“The populations are coming up slowly, but they are increasing,” Meismer said of the endangered fish populations.

Since the Virgin River Program was formed in 2002, the organization has worked to protect native species in and along the river while balancing the water needs of the community.

The latest effort with the fish barrier in the Virgin River Gorge will keep the nonnative fish from moving
upstream.

Located near the northbound lane of Interstate 15 at mile post 15, the new barrier, expected to be completed by September, is in Arizona.

In 2008, the red shiner, a non-native invasive species, was eradicated in the Virgin River in Utah, Meismer said.

The red shiner eats native species and competes with the native fish for space and food.

The new barrier will move efforts farther downstream and Meismer said another proposed barrier near the north end of Lake Mead, will eventually push the non-native fish farther south.

While the red shiner has, through mechanical and chemical treatments over the years, been eradicated in Utah, Meismer said other non-native species including the bullhead catfish and blue tilapia have been found in the river.

Those fish, Meismer said, are not as problematic as the red shiner, at this point, and the blue tilapia, moves back downstream when the river is muddy.

Rick Fridell, Utah Wildlife Resources aquatic project manager said the newest effort to keep out nonnative species of the Virgin River required the work of a lot of additional players and while there are distinctions between the upper and lower basin of the river, the recovery goals are the same.

Fridell said over the last 10 years, there has been tremendous success in Utah to rid the river of the red shiner.

With the new fish barrier, it is expected to function at both high and low water flows to keep out non-native fish species.

“It’s been a challenge,” Fridell said of the recovery process. “But we have a commitment and cooperation with other states.”

Fridell said the nonnative species now in the Virgin River, which is primarily the bullhead catfish, is distributed throughout the 150 mile stretch of the Virgin River but doesn’t displace native species like the red shiner.

The recovery of the river has been a slow process but Fridell said the native species are starting to recover.

“Our number one priority is to recover those species and that couldn’t’ have happened with the red shiner in place,” he said.

Other efforts with the Virgin River Program include the replanting of native willows, a habitat for the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher, a federally listed endangered species and tamarisk removal.

Each individual tamarisk or Salt Cedar, a nonnative invasive species, can consume 200 to 200 gallons of water per day per plant.

While the willows also consume large quantities of water, Meismer said the willow do not grow back as far from the stream banks as the tamarisk and unlike the unyielding tamarisk, bend during flooding events to prevent the backup of debris.

In the Virgin River Gorge, many of the tamarisks are defoliated by the Tamarisk beetle, a beetle which eats only tamarisk that was brought in several years ago to help combat the problem.

Meismer said the beetles in the gorge have moved down the river from the St. George area and by the dead fronds apparent on the trees, have been successful.

ST. GEORGE – Leaving acres of brown branches in its wake, the tamarisk beetle is alive and well in St. George this year — just ask residents who live near the Virgin River.

“They’re everywhere,” said Andrew Sullivan, St. George, whose backyard neighbors a large area of tamarisk trees, an invasive Eurasian tree that clogs waterways, creates a fire hazard and chokes out native vegetation.

The beetles, imported to the area and deployed as a secret weapon in the battle against tamarisk, took a few years to get going in St George, but as Sullivan has experienced firsthand, they’re alive and well this year.

“They’re not really a nuisance, but sometimes you look down and two or three are on your shirt,” he said.

The beetles are also doing their job, armed with a voracious hunger and a unique ability to eat and digest tamarisk — while leaving the rest of the vegetation around it alone. Large patches of the plant have been defoliated along the waterways in St. George,
and the beetles appear to be operating in larger numbers than local officials have seen since they were released in 2004.

“We had one good defoliation last year, and this year they started out really early,” said Steve Meismer, the local coordinator for the Virgin River Program.

The beetles, which hibernate through the winter, are operating on a long-term plan aimed at repeatedly defoliating the plants, perhaps for another few years, until the tamarisk eventually dies.

“I don’t think we’ll ever get rid of them, but we can keep it at a manageable level,” Meismer said.

If everything goes according to plan, the bugs will eat the leaves of the tamarisk each summer, until the plants die, at which point the beetles will either move on to another supply of tamarisk
or, more likely, die off themselves.

Then officials can begin the process of removing the dead tamarisk and planting native species in its place, with some help from a federal grant dedicated to the process.

Tamarisk came to the American Southwest in the late 1800s, but has since some places, where it shoves out many native species and wreaks havoc on the area’s tenuous water supplies, according to the U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

The plant proved difficult to contain with poisons or manual removal, and in 2001 scientists began experimenting with releases of the beetle.

Steve Campbell, St. George, who said he has seen the tamarisk dying off quickly as he rides the
city’s bike paths, said the beetle method beats the old method of trying to remove the plants with heavy equipment.

“If they ran (the equipment) 24 hours a day, every day, they’d still ‘be behind,” he said. “It seems
like the beetles are doing a better job.”

Some critics of the beetles’ release have wondered about the lack of controls and large-scale monitoring of their effects, but local officials say the bugs have so far behaved as expected.

The beetle is not dangerous, and has not been observed eating anything other than tamarisk,
although the bugs can swarm and be a nuisance to people along the river, said Marc Mortensen, assistant to the city manager in St. George.

LA VERKIN, Washington County — Biologists released 3,000 endangered woundfin into the Virgin River as part of an effort to reintroduce the rare fish.

The Thursday release was the second one this month. Previously, 1,500 Virgin River chub were released into the river, which winds through Washington County in southern Utah.

Amos Rehm, a fish biologist with the Utah Department of Natural Resources, says woundfin and other fish have suffered because of invasive species as well as human pressures such as development and water use.

Rehm says a plan to pump irrigation water from reservoirs back upstream should keep water levels higher for the fish.

Steve Meismer, area coordinator for the Virgin River Program, says a count of fish populations in a 16-mile section of the river is planned in April.