Red Butte Canyon Research Natural Area and urban watershed

The Red Butte Creek watershed is in the west central portion of the Wasatch Mountains and Salt Lake Valley of Utah. The watershed encompasses 2855 ha, of which 1650 ha are in the montane, portion of the watershed. The urban portion of the watershed (above) enters the Salt Lake Valley at the University of Utah and the creek continues through the city connecting to the Jordan River at Liberty Park. This urban watershed reflects over 160 years of extensive development, starting with transitions from native grassland to settlement and agriculture onto today’s urban landscape. This landscape has now evolved into multiple urban forms, including residential (both single- and multi-family residential parcels), commercial (offices, stores, and business parks), public parks, and a university. The current landscape is 25% trees and 21% grasses that are sustained by extensive irrigation, which utilizes 3-6x the annual precipitation inputs. The current 34% impermeable surfaces draw potential infiltration precipitation away from the landscape and into the Jordan River through an extensive stormwater system, whereas some portion of the 18% roof surfaces will retain water on site. Below are links that allow you to explore Red Butte resources that may be useful in education and greater public awareness.

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​Red Butte Canyon is a protected, near pristine canyon entering Salt Lake Valley, Utah. The canyon is a USFS-protected Research Natural Area, set aside as a bench mark pristine watershed. Red Butte Canyon contains a well-developed riparian zone and a perennial stream; hillside vegetation ranges from grasslands on the lower limits to Douglas-fir and aspen stands at the upper elevations. Ehleringer et al. (1992) describe the history of human impact, natural history aspects of climate, geology, and ecology, and faunal and floral information for key species in the canyon. The role and importance of Research Natural Areas are discussed, particularly with respect to the need to protect Red Butte Canyon---one of the few remaining undisturbed riparian ecosystems in the Intermountain West.

​Entering into a new class and immediately being asked to “go to the field” can be a daunting situation the first time. Many students do not extensive natural history experiences in the areas surrounding our campus. This guide is a living document and is intended to assist students the first several times as they utilize our campus as surrounding areas as part of their outdoor learning laboratory. The goal here is to assist you in identifying some of the common plants species found along the lower portions of the Red Butte Creek watershed, including that stretch of Red Butte Creek passing through the University of Utah campus and the Red Butte Canyon Research Natural Area.

In 2016, we produced a GIS map of vegetation in the urban portion of the Red Butte Creek watershed and around the University of Utah, as shown on the right. Click here to download a high-resolution version of this map.

Walking tours of the vegetation and green infrastructure at the University of Utah can be found here.

An online map identifying individual trees on the University of Utah campus can be found here. This map can be viewed on your smart phone or on a computer.