Utah Administrative Code
Topic - Natural Resources
Title R655 - Natural Resources, Water Rights
Rule R655-13 - Stream Alteration
Section R655-13-7 - Specific Stream Alteration Activities
Universal Citation: UT Admin Code R 655-13-7
Current through Bulletin 2024-18, September 15, 2024
(1) The following subsections address specific types of stream alteration activities and the nature of special information that shall be provided to the state engineer. These subsections are not intended to be comprehensive and other requirements may be imposed at the discretion of the state engineer. All requirements may be waived at the discretion of the state engineer.
(a)
Applications that propose to install a utility (sewer, water, fiber-optic
cable, etc.) beneath a natural stream will be subject to the following
conditions and requirements:
(i) The top of
the utility shall be a minimum of three (3) feet below the existing natural
elevation of the bed. In some instances, a greater depth may be required if
there is significant evidence of ongoing erosion.
(ii) Where utility crossings occur on river
bends or areas of significant on-going bank erosion, the utility shall be kept
at an elevation below that of the bed of the stream, laterally away from the
stream, to a distance where erosion will not expose the utility at a later
date.
(b) Applications
that propose to span natural streams by way of bridges or other structures will
be subject to the following conditions and requirements:
(i) Clearance of the lowest part of the span
shall be a minimum of three (3) feet above bankfull stage unless specifically
exempted by the state engineer.
(c) Applications that propose installation of
a culvert or other similar structure will be subject to the following
conditions and requirements:
(i) The bottom
of the culvert should contain natural bed material. This may require installing
the culvert flowline below the bed of the channel or installation of an open
bottom culvert.
(ii) Bedding and
backfill placed around the culvert shall not be more free-draining than the
adjacent bed and bank materials and shall be compacted to in-place densities at
least as great as those of similar adjacent materials.
(iii) The culvert design should include
energy dissipation structures or devices when necessary.
(d) Woody debris within the jurisdictional
limits established in
R655-13-5 may be
removed without written authorization by the state engineer provided that
removal can be accomplished by way of manual methods or through use of
equipment located outside the channel.
(e) Applications that propose to relocate a
natural stream channel will be considered if:
(i) the existing channel is degraded or
impaired and relocating the channel will enhance the natural stream
environment; or
(ii) the existing
channel location represents a significant hazard to existing permanent
structures, residential areas, transportation routes, or established utilities;
and other bank stabilization methods can be shown to be inappropriate or
infeasible for reducing or eliminating the hazard.
(iii) Detailed drawings of the new channel
(plan, cross-section(s), and profile views) and vegetation plans for the
channel and surrounding area accompany the application.
(iv) Monitoring and reporting plan for
planted vegetation is submitted.
(f) Applications that propose to remove
beaver dams will be considered if:
(i) the
dam(s) interferes with the operation or maintenance or threaten the integrity
of a bridge, culvert, an authorized man-made dam, or authorized water diversion
works; or
(ii) the presence of the
dam(s) causes or may reasonably be expected to cause flooding of pre-existing
developed areas, buildings, transportation routes, or established utilities;
or
(iii) the dam(s) exists in areas
of highly erosive soil or recently authorized stream restoration activities;
or
(iv) the presence of the dam(s)
represents a detriment to fish management.
(v) Removal of established beaver dams for
the sole purpose of obtaining impounded water to supplement other water sources
may not be approved on that basis alone.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Utah may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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