Our creeks flow from high-alpine coniferous forests to the scrub oak and maple forests of the foothills and into the human-impacted ecosystems within our cities. These ecosystems are vital habitat, providing food, water, shelter, and space, for our wildlife in the Salt Lake Valley and neotropical migratory birds traveling to and from South America to Canada every year. Greenways carry wildlife through riparian corridors to provide a refuge for rest and refuel.
Habitat Types along the Seven Greenways [01]
Vision
Encouraging NATURE to Thrive
Restoration of riparian ecosystems with beneficial plants increases habitat value and biodiversity—an important factor in combating changes in climate and vegetation shifts. Greenways provide vital wildlife corridors through our urbanized valley between the Wasatch Range and the Jordan River. They decrease habitat fragmentation and improve fish passage by connecting green spaces, removing aging infrastructure, and daylighting streams.
Goals
Create healthy fish habitats by increasing channel diversity, removing aging infrastructure, and daylighting streams.
Restore natural channel meanders and riparian habitats with desirable vegetation.
Program environmental education to grow a generation of stewards.
Promote biodiversity by increasing urban tree canopy for climate resiliency.
Interconnect greenways for vital wildlife corridors to decrease habitat fragmentation.
Protect sensitive species and ecosystems through open space preservation and acquisition.
Opportunity Areas
Opportunity Areas
Big Idea
State Street to Jordan River Trail
Category: 10-Year
City: Millcreek & Murray
Typology: Industrial & Multi-Family Residential
Creek: Big Cottonwood
Stream Length: 1.6 miles
Buried: 0.2 miles
Impaired: 1.4 miles
As Big Cottonwood Creek flows west, it becomes highly channelized—often looking more like a canal than a natural stream channel. West of State Street, the creek is flanked by mostly industrial land-use and large parking lots. Along the Birkhill Apartments and KPC Promise Hospital of Salt Lake, a wonderful mixed-use paved trail runs parallel to the creek with benches, pavilions, and other amenities. This reflects the potential along this 1.6-mile section of Big Cottonwood Creek to turn underutilized lots into a healthy riparian ecosystem, floodplain, and community amenity.
As redevelopment occurs, a Big Cottonwood Trail would serve new tenants and connect existing open spaces along the creek. Bridging barriers, such as Interstate-15 and the railroad tracks, would link communities to the confluence of Big Cottonwood Creek and the Jordan River Trail. Industrial land-uses and underutilized lots provide ideal space to re-establish stream meanders, restore riparian ecosystems, and recreate a floodplain. Efforts would improve habitat value, linking this critical wildlife corridor to the Jordan River. They would also mitigate flooding downstream by slowing down water velocities through meanders and rough and woody creek beds and banks. With the addition of a floodplain, floodwaters can spread out and infiltrate into the ground.
Seasonal boat ramps on Big Cottonwood Creek would connect into the Jordan River Water Trail. Restoration would improve fishing opportunities for urban anglers. Increased housing stock and commercial businesses would bring new visitors to the creek. Gathering spaces and soft-surface trails would create future stewards with access to enjoy nature and environmental education opportunities. Integrating art into the corridor would further activate the space. To attract a diverse population of new residents, developers should consider a mixture of affordable and market rate housing.
Next Steps
Inventory parcels adjacent to the corridor to prioritize purchase of properties or easements to facilitate goals.
Design and implement goals on public lands.
Add the trail corridor and proposed recommendations to master planning efforts in Millcreek and Murray.
Create a policy that requires (or incentivizes) developers along this stretch contribute to goals.
Strategies
Turn underutilized lots into robust riparian ecosystems with restored meanders, a floodplain, trails, park space, and community amenities.
Connect to existing trails and open space at the Birkhill Apartments and KPC Promise Hospital of Salt Lake.
Create connection over or under the Interstate-15 barrier to link communities and recreational opportunities east-west.
Celebrate the Big Confluence with community and natural space, a connection to the Jordan River Trail, and boat ramp for in-stream recreation on the creek and downstream on the Jordan River.
Sources
United States Geological Survey, National Land Cover Database Land Cover (2011).