Unfortunately, negative effects of the Sanford Fire may not be as drastic in the area they occurred, but will be magnified downstream. Drought situations, followed by the fire, high winds and then heavier than normal rains moved much of the debris into the Upper Sevier River.

Landowner Paul Martinez has spent the better part of the last 16 years conducting stream restoration work along a 1.5 mile stretch of the Upper Sevier River, Black Canyon section, and he is devastated by the effects of the fire.

The Black Canyon section of the Upper Sevier River is known for its ability to produce trophy brown trout as well as support wild populations of rainbow trout, cutthroat trout and nongame species such as leatherside chub, mottled sculpin, speckled dace and mountain suckers. Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, as well as Bureau of Land Management and several private landowners have spent considerable dollars and thousands of hours re-creating stream meanders and planting streamside vegetation on 6-7 contiguous miles running through Black Canyon. (See Black Canyon Channel Stabilization in the Resource Issues).

In some areas, over a foot of sediment and soot was deposited into the stream and surrounding riparian area.

Now, in a matter of less than a month, even though most of the improvement structures remain intact, the fishery is all but gone. “Since this [burn] all started in late July, I haven’t seen a living thing in this river,” said Martinez. High runoff has deposited close to a foot of silt into the river and surrounding riparian area.

"It’s a shame to see this fishery gone,” said Martinez. “I was just starting to let people fish on it.” Mike Ottenbacher, UDWR aquatics biologist says fish will be re-stocked into the river as soon as water temperatures drop and conditions improve, to help the fishery return to its previous state.

However, for Paul Martinez, recently retired, this change may not occur during his lifetime. “It’s devastating.”