McAdams supports funding to help recover watershed damaged in 2018 wildfires

Press Release

Congressman Ben McAdams voted for disaster relief legislation--H.R. 268--which includes help for areas damaged by the July 2018 Dollar Ridge Fire centered over the Strawberry River watershed and the Pole Canyon fire in the Diamond Fork drainage. Both areas are part of the Central Utah Project system of dams, reservoirs and river and stream corridors.

McAdams says $350,000 will be provided to the Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission (URMCC). The agency is overseeing environmental repairs related to the 2018 fires, including reseeding and planting of shrubs and trees and setting up monitoring stations to better respond to future events. Not only has the forest been destroyed, subsequent rain and runoff events produced catastrophic amounts of mud and debris. That has caused numerous downstream problems for water quality. River erosion and flooding also contributed to the loss of 10 miles of road and bridges between Soldier Creek Dam and the Red Creek confluence, affecting public and private property access.

"These devastating fires left the Commission with a huge task--how to deal with future erosion and sediment problems as well as critical habitat restoration. Now is the time to assist the land managers as they work to prevent future damage and protect the water quality for wildlife and people," said McAdams.

Working cooperatively, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the Mitigation Commission have acquired and manage thousands of acres for fish and wildlife habitat, angler access and related recreation uses.

Additional information about URMCC is available at www.mitigationcommission.gov

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