SOUTH JORDAN — Perhaps more wildlife will now be seen in the city, thanks to the recent completion of revegetation and mitigation projects.
The first project entailed revegetation of a culinary waterline right of way on the south side of Parcel 17, at approximately 10900 South on the east side of the Jordan River. The second project, located on the northeast portion of Parcel 17, includes wetland delineation and the creation of about 3.2 acres of new wetland.
The Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission, which holds partial ownership of the land the work was performed on, was pleased with the result.
"They did a good job. We're glad to see the city's continuing commitment to maintaining a wildlife habitat along the river," said Mike Weland, URMCC executive director.
Vegetation along the south side of of the Jordan River had been disturbed after a culinary waterline was installed last spring. The city of South Jordan took on the revegetation project to plant approximately one acre of land with various native species ranging in size. The project will be monitored for three years.
"The city did (this project) because it's a vegetated area, and the city needed to install a culinary waterline," said Jennifer Smith, public services supervising senior civil engineer. "Some groups had done some planting there. The city wanted to, and was required to, come in and restore the area, so that's what we did."
With the second project, the consultant hired by the city helped create about 3.2 acres of wet meadow/shallow emergent marsh habitat by excavating 8-15 inches of fill materials, so the topography of the land was near its pre-existing surface conditions and excavating the area 2-3 feet in order to create the shallow emergent marsh. The project also involved planting six different wetland plant species and seeding native grasses.
"We were shooting to restore 3.2 acres of wetlands. We kept portions of previous plantings from Tree Utah, which planted trees in certain areas," Smith said. "We were creating a wetland area while trying to preserve those."
Smith said that it was a requirement from the Army Corps of Engineers in the permit for the construction of the 9800 South connector that that city would restore the wetlands. The ACOE required the city to do 1.2 acres, and the city chose to create another two acres on top of that. The wetlands restoration project will be monitored for five years.
Smith says the city hopes both projects will have good effects.
"We anticipate (the projects) will greatly affect the area, because they will draw wildlife into the area, which hasn't been able to come into the area because of weeds that have infested the whole property," she said, also mentioning that the boundary of the wetland area was created with irregular edges to make it more of a draw for wildlife. "The wetlands create natural ponding areas so birds, deer and all kinds of wildlife that want to come into the area can. It will enhance that whole parcel of land down there."
Weland said having a wildlife preserve like this changes the metropolitan feeling of the city.
"A lot of people enjoy seeing the birds, especially flocks of geese," he said. "The city of South Jordan would feel like a different place if they hadn't wanted to have a wildlife preserve in the middle of the city."
E-mail: twalquist@desnews.com