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Show wildlife habitat as an important part of the urban environment, loss of habitat need not be a legacy of future development. Wildlife is still common along rivers and steams and in wetlands, woodlots, abandoned fields, parks and throughout residential neighborhoods within many Wasatch Front communities. Through proper planning and establishment of a system of wildlife areas throughout the basin, residents can capitalize on the unique wildlife resources and preserve the diversity of plants and wildlife. The Jordan River Basin has about 28,100 acres of wetlands/ riparian areas and about 15,000 acres of open water ( includes the Great Salt Lake). See Table 3- 2. 14.2.1 Fisheries The character and quality of the riparian zone directly impacts the fishery resources in several ways. Riparian vegetation helps determine water temperature, which in turn determines fish species, composition, and population size and influences the available nutrients. The Jordan River tributaries that flow from the Wasatch Range support populations of rainbow, cutthroat, and brook trout in their upper reaches. Brown trout are found in most streams that pass through the valley. The fisheries in the lower reaches of these streams are affected by exchanges with Utah Lake water and support populations of brown trout, carp, Utah sucker, mountain sucker, longnose dace and Utah chub. The section of the Jordan River between the county line and 90th South supports the greatest variety of game fish. Rainbow trout, brown trout, channel catfish, black bullhead, white bass, green sunfish, walleye, carp, and Utah sucker can all be found in this section. Downstream of 90th South, the fishery is dominated by warm water, sediment tolerant species such as carp and Utah sucker. 14.2.2 Wildlife Habitat The Jordan River and its tributaries support riparian and wetland plant communities that offer critical habitat for wildlife. Although the width of these riparian zones is often greatly restricted through the valley due to development of adjacent upland areas, certain stream reaches can provide abundant food, cover, water and other special habitat requirements for wildlife. Wildlife use riparian zones disproportionately more than any other habitat type. Consequently, these areas are the most important wildlife habitat resource remaining along the Wasatch Front. Habitat can be classified according to value. The four categories of habitat used in Utah are critical, high priority, substantial- value and limited- value. Mitigation goals vary with habitat value, wildlife species and project plans. Several approaches to mitigation are available. In their order of importance they are: • Avoid the impact altogether by not taking a certain action. • Minimize impacts by limiting the magnitude of an action or its implementation. • Rectify the impact by repairing, rehabilitating or restoring the affected environment. • Compensate for the impact by replacing or providing substitute resources or environment within the same area. 14.2.3 Waterfowl Habitat Almost continuous preserved wetlands are along the east side of the Great Salt Lake from Saltair Resort to the Antelope Island causeway, containing a state waterfowl management area, private duck clubs, Audubon and Nature Conservancy preserves, and wetland mitigation sites These wetlands together form an ecological system of which the Jordan River Basin's 32,696 acres of developed managed wetlands are the major part, including 13 private duck clubs involving 16,791 acres. Many of these wetlands have been engineered or continually enhanced over the last 100 years, and these improvements are actively managed for wetland and wildlife values. 14.3 Organizations and Regulations The Division of Wildlife Resources has responsibility for the management, protection, propagation and conservation of the state's wildlife resources. Some federal agencies have limited authority for wildlife management on lands they administer. The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service has authority over management of threatened and endangered species on all lands. 14.3.1 Local Although the county and local cities and towns do not have agencies specifically set up to perform wildlife and environmental roles, most have 14- 2 |