(upcoming restoration project)
Clarks Barn is the local name for a popular fishing access easement on the Salt River between Grover and Afton. It includes approximately 3.7 miles of Salt River channels along with 0.5 miles of spring creeks. This project will encompass one mile of the Salt River in the Clarks Barn Area.
The project area is characterized by an over widened, shallow channel impacted by high levels of fine sediment. Riparian vegetation is largely absent on vertical, eroding banks. An existing diversion in the project reach creates a fish passage barrier when it is dammed off with boards and tarps. The project will include using toewood and other bioengineering approaches to stabilize outside banks and improve aquatic and riparian habitat conditions. The channel will also be narrowed to natural dimensions that ensure fine sediment is carried through the system, maintaining clean gravels that benefit trout and macroinvertebrates. Willows and riparian vegetation will be restored along the rivers edge to maintain long-term stability and habitat quality. A new, fish-friendly diversion will be constructed of natural materials. It will be designed to allow sediment transport while meeting irrigator’s water needs at all flows. Trout Unlimited, WGFD, and Star Valley Conservation District hired a design firm for the project in May of 2024 and will be working closely with two landowners and numerous irrigators on the project.
