Since the state built a dam 20 years ago to flood the area, water levels at the Jordanelle Reservoir have changed with precipitation and irrigation needs. By the end of the summer, those levels were low, exposing the hills and cliffs along the shoreline. Over time, changing water levels have h ad impacts below the reservoir’s surface. As levels decrease, plants can dry out. When the reservoir is flooded, plants along the shoreline are often washed away. The reservoir is home to many different species — yellow perch, bass, tiger muskie, wipers, trout — and the decrease in vegetation has affected them. State biologists say the loss of habitat has caused entire species to decrease. They’ve also found stunted growth in smallmouth bass at the Jordanelle Reservoir and determined that the problems are from the fish not having enough safe feeding locations. Utah Division of Wildlife Resources biologists place 150 artificial habitats in the Rock Cliffs area of the Jordanelle Reservoir on Oct. 15 to help support fish populations. Credit: David Jackson/Park Record This problem isn’t unique to the Jordanelle Reservoir. It is also happening in the Pineview, Rockport and Echo reservoirs, and across the country. Tyler Robinson, a sport fish biologist for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources’ central region, said numerous studies show that a reliable solution to problems for anglers and biologists alike is to introduce various artificial habitats into the water.  Robinson organized a project to place artificial habitats in the Jordanelle Reservoir to “supplement” the decay in natural vegetation and improve aquatic ecosystems by providing fish a safe place to eat, eventually balancing out the population. The habitats were placed in the reservoir on Oct. 15, at the end of the irrigation season.  Biologists with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources organize a project to place artificial habitats in the Jordanelle Reservoir to “supplement” the decay in natural vegetation and improve aquatic ecosystems by providing fish a safe place to eat, eventually balancing out the population. Credit: David Jackson/Park Record Early Thursday morning, crews from Jordanelle and the Division of Wildlife Resources gathered to assemble the structures by hand. Long tubes were inserted into triangle- and dome-shaped bases, leaving the marina covered in what looked like life-size LEGO sets. Robinson led a preliminary team to the first set of coordinates, with about 10 crew members and a dozen structures split between four boats. Before the crew’s departure, Robinson gave a pep talk with plans for getting the structures into the water. Four different types of habitats were placed on Thursday, totaling over 150 structures. Each has a unique purpose for the ecosystem. Some will serve as hiding spots for “lie-and-wait” predator fish and others will offer protection while smaller fish and larval fish feed.  The smaller habitats were to be tossed into the water. For bigger structures, about 5 feet tall and weighted by cinder blocks, Robinson instructed people to sit on the boat and push them off with their feet.  Utah Division of Wildlife Resources fisheries technician Braedy Wilson kicks one of the plastic habitat devices into the Rock Cliffs section of Jordanelle Reservoir. Credit: David Jackson/Park Record The habitats were placed in small clusters around the reservoir, about 30 feet wide and 90 feet long.  Robinson expects that within a year the artificial habitats will become covered with algae and natural plants as sediment moves around underwater.  “If anglers can find these, it’ll be a good area to fish,” Robinson said. Once on the water, everything went as expected. All structures were placed in the right locations, and Robinson said they took fewer trips than planned, too. Robinson said the push for an artificial habitat project at the Jordanelle Reservoir started several years ago, but because of the organizations involved with maintenance, it took a while to get approval. Utah Division of Wildlife Resources biologists place an artificial habitat in the Jordanelle Reservoir to help restore fish populations that have decreased from changes in water levels. Credit: David Jackson/Park Record Jordanelle is unique in terms of land and water management, said Park Manager Amanda White.“The Bureau of Reclamation owns the land and the water and it’s managed by Central Utah Water District, and State Parks manages the recreation aspects,” said White. Robinson said for the Division of Wildlife Resources to take on this project, the state had to start by earning approval from the Bureau of Reclamation, a federal agency within the Department of the Interior that manages water, dams and hydroelectric power across the Western United States. Part of the approval process included what materials the habitats would be made of and when they would be placed. This project, and others around the state, use a nontoxic, durable PVC plastic.  “There were dam maintenance concerns … if one of these structures were (to) break apart or do something like that, how could it affect the hydropower and functionality of the dam?” said Robinson.  Four different types of habitats are used, totaling over 150 structures. Each has a unique purpose for the ecosystem. Some will serve as hiding spots for “lie-and-wait” predator fish and others will protect smaller fish and larval fish. Credit: David Jackson/Park Record Sometimes projects like these will use trees for the habitats, but Robinson said there are actually more downsides to those methods. Trees will break down in the water within a few years, requiring crews to replace the habitats more frequently and causing debris to enter the water. The plastic “trees” Robinson used typically last 30 to 40 years before showing signs of wear. The plastic option is also more “angler-friendly,” according to Robinson, because fishing lures don’t get caught in the material as easily. Robinson, White and the rest of the collaboration worked together to decide the best places around the reservoir to place the habitats. Robinson recorded the exact coordinates for each habitat cluster, but it’ll be a better game for anglers to find the locations on their own.  Robinson said he had to wait until the water levels were lower than average to be sure the structures aren’t higher than the water levels, which would create a risk to boaters. If the water levels were to get low enough that the bottom of a boat could reach the habitats, Robinson said they would be marked with buoys to keep everyone safe.  Because Jordanelle is so large, Robinson said it would take millions of dollars in funding to place as many habitats as needed across the entire reservoir.  “A lot of this effort we’re doing is very localized clusters of these structures. We’ll see long-term benefits … but it’s not going to be an overnight success,” he said. Although it might take a while before anglers notice a significant difference across the entire reservoir, the habitats are already serving their purpose to improve the underwater ecosystem. Utah Division of Wildlife Resources biologists say they’ll monitor the areas where the habitats were placed to look for any increased feeding or spawning activity as a sign of success, until widespread population changes are noticed across the Jordanelle Reservoir. Credit: David Jackson/Park Record “Whether fishing was allowed or not, or no one ever came to fish, the habitat structures that are put in place help promote and give the fish a good place to live,” White said. “While it does benefit the recreation indirectly … the fish structures help support the ecosystem and the fishery itself, so it’s a double whammy.” As the fish population increases and stabilizes, White said she hopes to see more shore fishing around the reservoir with an increased population of smaller fish like yellow perch. “We’re hoping that it means a family that’s just shore fishing is going to have a little bit better luck,” White said. “Not everyone is after a trophy fish, but more making experiences and memories.” Robinson said they’ll monitor the areas where the habitats were placed to look for any increased feeding or spawning activity as a sign of success, until widespread population changes are noticed across the whole reservoir.  The post Artificial fish habitats at Jordanelle Reservoir help supplement the ecosystem’s vegetation loss appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less