1. Reconnecting Fluvial Westslope in Skalkaho Creek Is this working and how do we tell?

2. Skalkaho Creek

4. Major Ditches and Dams

7. Skalkaho Creek Republican Ditch Hedge Ditch

10. 2001 Fluvial cutthroat pass over all dams and reach Bitterroot National Forest Ditches entrain large numbers of cutthroat, bull and brown trout

11. 2002 - Skalkaho Creek Fish Passage and Protection Project Identifies locations of fish entrainment Recommends various strategies

12. Decision Attempt to aid juvenile fish and adult spawners downstream to Bitterroot River Do nothing at this time to help fluvial fish move upstream

13. $900,000 2004 2008

14. Pros and Cons for Success Pros Migratory Cutthroat still connected somewhat Many downstream migrating juveniles in upper creek Adult post spawners lost into ditches Small number of cutthroat and bull trout in lower creek. Cons Fish in ditches (bull trout) may be residents (L. Nelson) Worried about all the brown trout in lower creek Dewatered reach may be problematic River Temperatures and species may be problematic

15. Studies pertaining to Skalkaho projects 2005 – Steve Gale (Prior to Siphons) – Skalkaho system selecting for residents – Screens returning thousands of CT to Skalkaho – Post spawning adult cutthroat being entrained – Screening may help maintain fluvial fish – Worried about brown trout 2007 – Ryan Harnisch – Screens are working well – Siphons should stop entrainment of post spawn adults – Monitor it! – Worried about brown trout

17. 5.8 13.1 20.6 16.8 1.2 3.6 8.1 0.3 Monitoring Reach

18. Restoration Monitoring 2 Single Pass sites in Dewatered Reach Population Estimates in Creek Downstream migration -- Screwtrap Bitterroot River

19. 5.8 1.2 3.6 0.3 Monitoring Reach

20. Skalkaho Creek 5.8 Brown trout > 6”Westslope Cutthroat > 6” 1996

21. 5.8 1.2 3.6 8.1 0.3 Monitoring Reach

22. Dewatered Reach Single Pass Skalkaho Creek 1.2 Single Pass

24. April------------------------------------October

27. Westslope Cutthroat > 10” Hamilton Section 200120072010 4 and 5 recapture estimates

28. Restoration Scorecard Single Pass in Dewatered Reach Population Estimates in Creek Downstream migration Bitterroot River

29. Conclusions (stay tuned) Screens and Siphons are working as planned Monitoring data for fish is mixed and, in general, disappointing Documenting change in a relatively small population of migratory cutthroat in a large drainage is not easy using routine methods Still worried about brown trout Is the fish community and habitat in the river also a controlling factor?