23A-6-403. State-owned lands authorized for use as wildlife management areas, fishing waters, and for other recreational activities.

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Effective 5/6/2026

(1)The Wildlife Board may use any and all unsurveyed state-owned lands below the 1855 meander line of the Great Salt Lake within the following townships for the creation, operation, maintenance and management of wildlife management areas, fishing waters, and other recreational activities:

Township 2 South, Range 5 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 2 South, Range 4 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 1 South, Range 5 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 1 South, Range 4 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 1 South, Range 3 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 1 North, Range 3 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 1 North, Range 2 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 2 North, Range 3 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 2 North, Range 2 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 2 North, Range 1 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 3 North, Range 3 West, S.L.B. and M.;

Township 3 North, Range 2 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 3 North, Range 1 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 4 North, Range 3 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 4 North, Range 2 West, S.L.B. and M.; Sections 1, 2, 11, 12, 13, 14, 23, and 24, Township 4 North, Range 4 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 5 North, Range 3 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 5 North, Range 4 West, S.L.B. and M.; Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 11, and 12, Township 5 North, Range 5 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 6 North, Range 5 West, S.L.B. and M.;

Township 6 North, Range 4 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 6 North, Range 3 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 7 North, Range 5 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 7 North, Range 4 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 7 North, Range 3 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 7 North, Range 2 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 8 North, Range 5 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 8 North, Range 4 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 8 North, Range 3 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 8 North, Range 2 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 9 North, Range 5 West, S.L.B. and M.;

Township 9 North, Range 4 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 11 North, Range 11 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 11 North, Range 10 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 11 North, Range 9 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 11 North, Range 8 West, S.L.B. and M.; North 1/2 of Township 10 North, Range 10 West, S.L.B. and M.; North 1/2 of Township 10 North, Range 9 West, S.L.B. and M.; North 1/2 of Township 10 North, Range 8 West, S.L.B. and M.

(a)The Wildlife Board shall establish a wildlife management area known as the "Willard Spur Waterfowl Management Area" on the unsurveyed state-owned lands below the 1855 meander line of the Great Salt Lake in Sections 26, 35, 36 of Township 8 North, Range 4 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 8 North, Range 3 West, S.L.B. and M.; Sections 1, 2, 11, 12 of Township 7 North, Range 4 West, S.L.B. and M.; Township 7 North, Range 3 West, S.L.B. and M.; Sections 20, 21, 29, 30, 31 of Township 8 North, Range 2 West, S.L.B. and M., except for the following:

(i)lands within the May 14, 2019, boundaries of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge;

(ii)lands within the May 14, 2019, boundaries of Harold Crane Waterfowl Management Area;

(iii)lands within the May 14, 2019, boundaries of Willard Bay Reservoir; and

(iv)lands within the May 14, 2019, boundaries of state mineral leases.

(b)The division shall execute a memorandum of understanding with the Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands recognizing the division's use of the state-owned lands described in Subsection (2)(a) as a wildlife management area.

(c)The division shall manage the state-owned lands described in Subsection (2)(a) as a wildlife management area and consistent with:

(i)the beneficial purposes identified in Subsection (2)(d) ; and

(ii)a management plan created consistent with the procedures in this chapter for a management plan.

(d)The division shall manage the Willard Spur Waterfowl Management Area for the following beneficial purposes:

(i)propagating and sustaining waterfowl, upland gamebirds, desirable mammals, shorebirds, and other migratory and nonmigratory birds that use the Great Salt Lake ecosystem and the Great Salt Lake ecosystem's surrounding wetlands;

(ii)preserving and enhancing the natural function, vegetation, and water flows under existing or acquired water rights to provide productive habitat for the species listed in Subsection (2)(d)(i) ;

(iii)providing recreational opportunity for traditional marsh-related activities, including hunting, fishing, trapping, and wildlife viewing; and

(iv)providing public access in the Willard Spur Waterfowl Management Area for purposes of hunting, fishing, trapping, and wildlife viewing, including access with airboats and other small watercraft.

(e)The division shall provide the habitat, recreational opportunities, and public access described in Subsection (2)(d) .

(i)The division may construct a structure within the Willard Spur Waterfowl Management Area only after the division forms and meets with an advisory committee concerning the structure.

(ii)The advisory committee formed by the division under this Subsection (2)(f) shall include representatives of users of airboats, users of other small watercraft, hunters of waterfowl, and other stakeholders in the Willard Spur Waterfowl Management Area.

(a)The Wildlife Board shall establish a wildlife management area known as the "Bear River Bay Waterfowl Management Area" on the unsurveyed state-owned lands below the 1855 meander line of the Great Salt Lake in Bear River Bay or as mutually determined by the division and the Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands.

(c)The division shall manage the state-owned lands described in Subsection (3)(a) as a wildlife management area and consistent with:

(i)the beneficial purposes identified in Subsection (3)(d) ; and

(ii)a management plan created consistent with the procedures in this chapter for a management plan.

(d)The division shall manage the Bear River Bay Waterfowl Management Area for the following beneficial purposes:

(ii)preserving and enhancing the natural function, vegetation, and water flows under existing or acquired water rights to provide productive habitat for the species listed in Subsection (3)(d)(i) ;

(iii)providing recreational opportunity for traditional marsh-related activities, including hunting, fishing, trapping, and wildlife viewing; and

(iv)providing public access in the Bear River Bay Waterfowl Management Area for purposes of hunting, fishing, trapping, and wildlife viewing, including access with airboats and other small watercraft.

(e)The division shall provide the habitat, recreational opportunities, and public access described in Subsection (3)(d) .

(a)The Wildlife Board shall establish a wildlife management area known as the "Goshen Bay Waterfowl Management Area" on the surveyed and unsurveyed state-owned lands below the settled boundary lines or otherwise determined line of Utah Lake in Goshen Bay as mutually determined by the division and the Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands within:

(i)Township 9 South, Range 1 West, Sections 11, 12, 13, 14, 23, 24, S.L.B. and M.; and

(ii)Township 9 South, Range 1 East, Sections 7, 18, S.L.B. and M.

(c)The division shall manage the state-owned lands described in Subsection (4)(a) as a wildlife management area and consistent with:

(i)the beneficial purposes identified in Subsection (4)(d) ;

(ii)multiple-use sustained yield principles as described in Section 65A-2-1 ; and

(iii)a management plan created consistent with the procedures in this chapter for a management plan.

(d)The division shall manage the Goshen Bay Waterfowl Management Area for the following beneficial purposes:

(i)propagating and sustaining waterfowl, upland gamebirds, desirable mammals, shorebirds, and other migratory and nonmigratory birds that use the Utah Lake ecosystem and the Utah Lake ecosystem's surrounding wetlands;

(ii)preserving and enhancing the natural function, vegetation, and water flows to provide productive habitat for the species listed in Subsection (4)(d)(i) ;

(iii)providing recreational opportunity for traditional marsh-related activities, including hunting, fishing, trapping, and wildlife viewing; and

(iv)providing public access in the Goshen Bay Waterfowl Management Area for purposes of hunting, fishing, trapping, and wildlife viewing, including access with airboats and other small watercraft.

(e)The division shall provide the habitat, recreational opportunities, and public access described in Subsection (4)(d) .

Amended by Chapter 25 , 2026 General Session