Duchesne River is commended for habitat restoration

DUCHESNE — A national conversation group is highlighting the Duchesne River in eastern Utah for preserving habitat and restoring native fish.

The National Fish Habitat Action Plan, based in Washington, D.C., says the Duchesne River is one of 10 "Rivers to Watch" in 2011 because of a project helping the endangered Colorado pikeminnow.

Rivers to Watch is used by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to help prioritize federal funding. Since 2007, $12 million in federal grants and $30 million in matching funds have been distributed to listed projects.

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources says the project will help fish bypass a diversion between the upper and lower stretches of the river.

The Duchesne River, about 80 miles long, begins in the Uinta Mountains and empties into the Green River.

— Associated Press