Fish and Watershed Restoration Efforts in the Ninemile Drainage: Potential, Progress, and Opportunity Clark Fork R
Middle Clark Fork Priority Watershed Distribution Lower Clark Fork R St Regis R Flathead R Middle Clark Fork R Ninemile Cedar Cr Trout Cr Middle Clark Fork R Blackfoot R Petty Cr Fish Cr Bitterroot R
Location of 303 listed streams in Ninemile Watershed Main Ninemile Cr Big Blue Cr Josephine Cr Little and main McCormick Crs Kennedy Cr Stony Cr Cedar Cr Clark Fork R
Fish Distribution and Density in the Upper Ninemile Drainage- 2001
Mean Daily Water Temperature for Streams in the Ninemile Drainage, 2001
Watershed Development and disturbances Roads and crossings (sediment source/passage) Mining (channel alteration and sediment contribution) Altered disturbance regimes (suppression, 2003 fires, cumulative) Harvest (upland sediment, past removal of riparian wood) Settlement, water use, floodplain conversion (temperatures, chemicals, riparian and channel)
Large-scale projects Post Burn- Road decommissioning, crossing removal and upgrade, riparian road relocation, and mine-site reclamation (implementation: 2001 to 2007) Prioritization, NEPA/ESA compliance, funding (internal and external) Frenchtown Face Ecosystem project- Roads/pipes, mine-site, fish screen, fencing (implementation 2005/06….) Prioritization, NEPA/ESA compliance, funding (primarily internal) TMDL- watershed-wide evaluation including private land problems and opportunities - Watershed group with opportunity for priority project development and funding (Non-Federal groups spearhead on private lands)
Post Burn
Roads and crossings 2001-02 Post Burn Project area Road density= 3.0 miles/mi2 w/215 miles of road Stream crossing density= 2.4 xings/mi2 w/180 crossings 2005-2007 Frenchtown Face Project area Road density= 3.3 miles/mi2 w/205 miles of road Stream crossing density= 2.3 xings/mi2 w/133 crossings
Roads and burn effects
Large crossing replacements (Post Burn)
7 large crossings already replaced under Post Burn
2005 roads to be decommissioned and pipes removed under Post Burn 40 miles of road (red lines) decommissioned (19%) 55 stream crossings (blue dots) removed (29%) Extensive BMPs on Foothills road
2005 Riparian Road Relocation (2005)
Large active and abandoned mine site disturbed areas
Mainstem and tributary placer mining disturbances
Kennedy Creek load and placer mining disturbances
Eustache Creek mine-site project (2005-2007) Clark Fork River Ninemile watershed Eustache Creek mine-site project (2005-2007) N
Disconnected flow
Tailings: stream confinement
Instream habitat simplification
Upper watershed conditions and local resident
Frenchtown Face
Roads and crossings 2001-02 Post Burn Project area Road density= 3.0 miles/mi2 w/215 miles of road Stream crossing density= 2.4 xings/mi2 w/180 crossings 2005-2007 Frenchtown Face Project area Road density= 3.3 miles/mi2 w/205 miles of road Stream crossing density= 2.3 xings/mi2 w/133 crossings
Roads proposed to be decommissioned and pipes removed/replaced in Frenchtown Face Project up to 88 miles of road (red lines) decommissioned (43%) up to 34 stream crossings (blue dots) removed (26%) up to 8 large pipes replaced (red dots)
Road closure examples
Little McCormick Creek AML restoration
Screen Stony Creek Diversion
Future opportunities Roads- Additional BMPs, road relocation and obliteration Culverts on County roads and remaining big-problem Forest pipes Prioritize and go after mainstem and tributary mine site reclamation Fish Screens Strategic mainstem riparian and channel restoration Water leases, id key losing areas?