By james art 
Salt Lake City – The Utah Division of Wildlife is awarded to approximately $ 37.2 million federal grants that would help to benefit fish and wildlife in southeastern Utah through several projects to improve habitat.
The awarded grants were announced on Friday as part of the first round of funded projects from the program for mitigating the environmental drought of the Bureau of Reclamation through the Law on Inflation. A total of 10 Utah projects were selected for funding, five of which were awarded to DWR.
“We are so excited that these important projects were selected for funding through this program,” said DWR Habitat Coordinator Daniel Edigton. “Investing in the continuous maintenance and improvement of habitat is crucial for the health of fish and wildlife species in Utah, so we are grateful to our many partners, including Trout Unlimited and Nature Conservancy that have partnered with us on these applications for grant applications funds will help with upcoming projects. ”
The five projects that DWR receives grants include:
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SCOFIELD drought resistance project: This project will help reduce erosion and sludge from entering the SCOFIELD tank, which will improve fish and wildlife habitats, along with the improvement of water down water quality. This project will be awarded to approximately $ 2.8 million in funding.
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Huntington Creek Resistance and Restoration Project: This project aims to improve the quality of water habitats and water in the Huntington Creek drainage zone by installing low -tech recovery structures that will help local species in the area, including The trout of the Colorado River. This project will be awarded to approximately $ 2.6 million in funding.
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The Willow Creek subbazine restoration project in the Green River Pool: This project will improve the flow and its habitats by removing invasive plant species that will benefit local fish and improve water quality. This project will be awarded to approximately $ 2.3 million in funding.
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Volunteer Leasing of the Price River: This project will help to finance volunteer water leasing contracts with water users in the Price River Basin for a three -year period to maintain streams of tools to benefit from the overall health of the overall health of The catchment area, rural economies and local fish in species in this area. This project will be awarded to approximately $ 1.4 million in funding.
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A lower -price ecological land reduction project: This project will involve the construction of a dam for the creation of a new tank and also replace irrigation deviations in order to allow for strategic water discharges in favor of endangered and endangered species Pisces in the area. This project will be awarded to approximately $ 28.1 million in funding.
“Throughout the Colorado River pool, federal investments provide billions of dollars critical funding for communities and countries to help Western countries manage long-term drought and natural disasters (such as wild fires) and build a hotter and hot resistance Drink conditions, “said Sarah Porterfield, Program Director of the Colorado River and Water Water Advisor for Trout Unlimited. “This latest round of funding through the program for mitigating the ecological drought of the Reclamation Bureau reflects the desires and needs of the communities, countries and persons of the political spectrum to upgrade the success of these programs as a non -party issue.”
Although not awarded directly to DWR, several other funding projects have been selected, which DWR will partner with, including:
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Up to approximately $ 21 million for the Matheson Wethange land reduction project, which will help financing a tertiary wastewater treatment facility, restore wetlands in the area, improve water supply and quality and improve wildlife habitat, such as wildlife, such as You take advantage of endangered fish and migrating birds in the area.
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To approximately $ 6.5 million for the revival of Moab wetlands, which will finance the installation of a river sabotage and pumping station to provide water to the reserve of the wetlands of Scott and Norma Matson, which is beneficial for a variety of local fish , amphibians and birds.
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To approximately $ 4.8 million to the Price River Restoration project, which will help to restore wet areas and streams with high elevations in the area, as well as improve the quality of water and flow in favor of local species such as the Colorado River River River And larger sage.
“The Colorado River is crucial to Utah’s well -being,” says Sue Begmab, Regional Director of Canyonlands at The Nature Conservancy. “However, years of land have pushed the river to their edge, and now more than ever, we have to work together on solutions that can really make a change. By partnering with the Wildlife Resources Division in Utah and the Reclamation Bureau, we now have the chance to increase our exponentially for the benefit of the wildlife of Utah and our rural communities. ”