The
Canyon Lake riparian installation for the
Salt River Project (SRP) involved the installation of wetland plants on man-made terraces
along the Salt River. Tree species like cottonwoods (Populus fremontii) and black, or Goodding's willow (Salix gooddingi) were planted in
the upper banks and terraces while softstem bulrush (Scirpus validus) were planted on the lowest terraces. The trees (52 in quantity) were
harvested as pole cuttings from locations along the Salt River drainage earlier in the year specifically for planting at this project.
The bulrush propagations (2,000 in quantity) were hand-dug and made within two days of planting. The challenge with a project of this type was coordinating
the planting with the lowering of the Salt River so crews could access the terraces. Also placing the plant material at the correct elevation in
relation to the daily fluctuations (up to 3 feet) of the Salt River water level is critical for plant survival.
Canyon Lake Picture Gallery
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Canyon Lake Riparian Installation
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