Sand Hollow State Park Resource Management Plan April 2010 Utah State Parks Division of Utah State Parks and Recreation Planning Section 1594 West North Temple, Ste. 116 P.O. Box 146001 Salt Lake City, UT 84116-6001 (877) UT-PARKS stateparks.utah.gov i This page intentionally left blank ii Acknowledgements Sand Hollow State Park Resource Management Planning Team - Roger Barker – Roger’s Performance Marina, Hurricane, Utah - Darren Barney – Hurricane City Parks and Recreation - Troy Belliston – Sand Hollow Resort, Hurricane, Utah - Barry Blake – Washington City, Utah - Mark Boucher – Torque Motorsports Rentals, Hurricane, Utah - Corey Cram – Washington County Water Conservancy District - Chief Lynn Excell – Hurricane City Police Department - Larry Gray – SW Region Manager, Division of Utah State Parks and Recreation - Dave Kiel – St. George Field Office, USDI Bureau of Land Management - Kent Larsen – St. George, Utah - Laura Melling – Park Manager, Sand Hollow State Park - Dell Pulsipher – Washington County Search and Rescue - Ted Spilsbury – St. George, Utah Other Participants - Dan Clark – Planning and Development Manager, Division of Utah State Parks and Recreation - Fred Hayes – OHV Program Coordinator - Deena Loyola – Public Affairs Coordinator, Division of Utah State Parks and Recreation - Daniel Roskelley – Assistant Park Manager, Sand Hollow State Park - Rock Smith – Research Consultant, Division of Utah State Parks and Recreation - Jamie Fields – Planner, Division of Utah State Parks and Recreation - Edie Trimmer – Planner, Division of Utah State Parks and Recreation - Jamie Dalton – Planning Coordinator, Division of Utah State Parks and Recreation Administration - Mary Tullius – Director, Division of Utah State Parks and Recreation - Bruce Hamilton – Deputy Director for Operations, Division of Utah State Parks and Recreation - Mark Forbes – Deputy Director for Administration, Division of Utah State Parks and Recreation - Michael R. Styler – Executive Director, Utah Department of Natural Resources - Robyn Pearson – Deputy Director, Utah Department of Natural Resources - Darin Bird – Deputy Director, Utah Department of Natural Resources iii This page intentionally left blank iv List of Figures, Tables and Maps Figures Figure 1 Total Visitation, 2005-2008 ............................................................ Page 15 Figure 2 Average Monthly Visitation, 2005-2008 ........................................ Page 16 Figure 3 Distance Traveled to Sand Hollow Recreation Area ..................... Page 17 Figure 4 Days Visited Sand Hollow Recreation Area .................................. Page 17 Figure 5 Age Distribution of Visitors............................................................ Page 18 Figure 6 Recreational Activities at Sand Hollow Recreation Area.............. Page 18 Tables Table 1 Average Annual Rate of Change in Population, Washington Co .. Page 21 Table 2 Socio/Economic Characteristics, Washington County ................... Page 21 Table 3 Selected Economic Statistics for Washington County and State of Utah .................................................................................... Page 22 Maps Map 1 Utah State Parks and Sand Hollow................................................... Page i Map 2 Developed Recreation Areas Near Reservoir ................................. Page 10 Map 3 Sand Hollow State Park – Boundaries/Land Ownership .............. Page 11 Map 4 Primary Use Areas .......................................................................... Page 19 v This page intentionally left blank vi Table of Contents Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................iii List of Figures and Maps .......................................................................................... v Executive Summary................................................................................................... 1 Mission and Vision Statements ............................................................................... 5 Mission Statement.................................................................................................... 5 Vision Statement...................................................................................................... 5 Resource Management Plan Purpose and Process ............................................ 7 Purpose of the Plan .................................................................................................. 7 The Planning Process............................................................................................... 7 About Sand Hollow Recreation Area .................................................................... 9 Overview ................................................................................................................... 9 History of the Park................................................................................................. 13 Recreation Area Visitation..................................................................................... 15 Sand Hollow State Park Visitor Survey.............................................................. 17 Summary of Results ............................................................................................... 17 About the Area Surrounding Sand Hollow Recreation Area ......................... 21 Demographic and Socioeconomic Information ...................................................... 21 Economic Impacts of Sand Hollow Recreation Area............................................. 22 Human History Around Sand Hollow Recreation Area........................................ 23 Geology and Geography ......................................................................................... 24 Climate.................................................................................................................... 25 Ecosystem ............................................................................................................... 25 Natural Hazards Analysis ..................................................................................... 26 Issues and Recommendations ............................................................................... 29 Management of Park Resources ............................................................................ 29 Facilities and Recreation Opportunities Development......................................... 32 Marketing of Park and Economic Development for Local Communities............. 36 Education and Interpretation................................................................................ 38 Budgets, Staffing and Funding.............................................................................. 38 Natural Hazards Mitigation .................................................................................. 39 Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 41 References.................................................................................................................. 43 Appendices................................................................................................................. 45 Appendix A - Summary of Public Comments and Responses ............................ 45 vii This page intentionally left blank viii public input and involvement. The Executive Summary recommendations contained in this document represent several months of work by the planning team. Sand Hollow State Park is part of the Sand Hollow Recreation Area, a complex This plan provides recommendations of recreation sites surrounding Sand based on eight primary vision elements Hollow Reservoir. The recreation area that will guide future management of includes the state park on land owned by Sand Hollow Recreation Area. These Washington County Water Conservation elements focus on the following: District (WCWCD) and the US Department of Interior Bureau of Land © Developing, maintaining and Management’s (BLM) Sand Mountain enhancing facilities that offer safe and Special Recreation Management Area. suitable water- and land-based The Division of Utah State Parks and recreational opportunities for visitors Recreation (Division) operates and year-round. manages the park and the BLM sites within the recreation area through a © Providing management that preserves Memorandum of Agreement among all the park’s traditional recreational three parties. Recreational activities at experiences while being open to Sand Hollow State Park are boating, appropriate new experiences. swimming, fishing, beach use and other water-related activities. Sand Mountain © Being a positive factor for local and Recreation Area is used primarily by off- state economic stability and highway vehicles (OHVs) with some use development. by hikers and equestrians. © Planning and cooperating with In June 2008, staff from the Division met residents, civic groups, businesses and with community stakeholders from agencies to improve and promote Washington County to initiate a resource recreational opportunities and to planning process for the Sand Hollow protect park and area resources. Recreation Area. Stakeholders at this meeting nominated several community © Protecting and preserving park members to serve on the planning team resources by exercising good for Sand Hollow. From this list, the park stewardship practices. manager and area manager chose 13 people to serve on the Sand Hollow © Offering interpretive