Millard County, DWR Team Up To Create Debris Basins

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources partnered with Millard County officials to authorize construction of several debris basins in an effort to prevent debris flows and possible flooding damage after the Halfway Hill Fire in Millard County earlier this year.

In July, the human-caused Halfway Hill Fire burned 11,701 acres on the Halfway Hill unit of the Fillmore Wildlife Management Area. The 17,493-acre WMA provides crucial winter range habitat for big game in the area.

The Millard County Road Department also recognized this potential threat and began seeking locations to construct multiple debris basins in hopes of preventing catastrophic flooding and damage to roads in the area. Debris basins are used to capture sediment, gravel, boulders and vegetative debris that are washed down canyons during storms, but they still allow water to flow downstream. After failing to secure permission on other properties, the county contacted the DWR to pursue construction of the basins on the WMA.

Within 24 hours of the request, the DWR was able to provide authorization to construct two debris basins. Work began shortly after, and within one week, both basins were finished and ready for use on July 22.

The Fillmore WMA is one of 193 wildlife management areas and waterfowl management areas in Utah. Visit the DWR website to learn more about WMAs in Utah.