Transcript Restoration of Chamberlain Creek

Restoration
of
Chamberlain
Restoration of Chamberlain
Creek
Creek
Amy Clinefelter
Amy
Clinefelter
Riparian Wetland Research Program
Riparian Wetland Research Program
Presentation Outline
 Describe the restoration efforts in the
Chamberlain Creek basin to date
 Discuss restoration recommendations and
monitoring objectives
 Describe one proposed restoration project
 Discuss the impacts of whirling disease and
the need for future monitoring
Location of the Blackfoot
Watershed in Montana
Chamberlain Creek
•Chamberlain Creek originates in a wet meadow
complex at 6,000 feet
•Chamberlain Creek flows through a confined
valley with large boulders and dense instream
woody debris in the upper reaches
•The lower 4 miles have been impacted by
road building, water diversions, and improper
cattle management
•Chamberlain Creek joins the Blackfoot River
in what was once a large beaver complex
Chamberlain Creek Fishery
 A stronghold for native westslope cutthroat
trout
 A 1990 survey conducted by Fish, Wildlife
and Parks showed the highest density of
cutthroat in this tributary out of 20 sampled
 Restoration objectives were developed to
protect the westslope cutthroat, a species of
concern
Restoration Objectives for
Chamberlain Creek
 Restore stream channel to allow fish access
from the Blackfoot River
 Improve recruitment of juvenile westslope
cutthroat to the Blackfoot River
 Maintain fish passage and connectivity of
Chamberlain Creek to the Blackfoot River
Restoration Projects
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Deferred grazing from riparian corridors
Leasing of water rights
Removal of irrigation ditch and diversions
Restoration of channel diversion for pond
development
 1.5 miles of instream channel enhancement
 Conservation easements on private land
through the Nature Conservancy
Location of former diversions and the
restored Pearson Creek tributary
Pearson Creek
Irrigation
Canal
•Fish Ladder installed to allow passage
upstream and downstream of a water
diversion
•This diversion feeds a pond on private land.
The fish ladder is immediately to the right
and the pond has overflow structures to
allow fish to return to the creek downstream.
•300 feet of the channel were severely
altered by heavy machinery to develop
a pond, and had to be regraded for
restoration.
•Newly constructed channel to restore
connectivity with the Blackfoot River.
Cottonwoods were placed at downstream
angles to produce fish habitat complexity.
•Other instream enhancements were done
to create habitat and prevent bank erosion.
Chamberlain Creek Westslope Cutthroat
Trout Catch per 1,000 feet
400
300
200
100
0
0.1
0.5
2.8
Stream Mile
3.8
Restored Connectivty
 In 1998 the number of fish caught became
more balanced between reaches suggesting
that restoration efforts that removed fish
barriers and improved management helped
restore the connectivity of the creek.
Further Restoration
Recommendations
 Evaluate culvert sizing and leaking
 Erosion control program
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Cross section monitoring
 Continued monitoring of fish populations,
species genetics, and whirling disease
spread and infection intensity
 Improvements to instream habitat diversity
in heavily channelized areas (addition of
instream wood)
•Old road crossings are areas that may benefit
from an erosion control plan or riparian
plantings.
•Road encroachment may allow the
establishment of invasive weeds and
excess sediment input to the stream.
Future Restoration Plans
 In 2001, the USDI Bureau of Land
Management in cooperation with Fish,
Wildlife and Parks will begin restoration of
instream wood to Chamberlain Creek.
Many lower reaches of the creek were
cleared of instream wood when road
building occurred.
The Function of Coarse Woody
Debris in Fish Habitat
 Provides cover
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critical in high flow and winter
rearing habitat
 Creates important hydrologic features such
as pools and backwaters
 Stores organic sediment
 Channel stability
Objectives for Restoring Woody
Debris to Chamberlain Creek
 Increase the abundance and quality of
rearing habitat for fishes
 Increase deposition of spawning gravels
 Increase overall habitat complexity
Project Methods
 Project will use 35 whole conifer trees
 Wood will be added to nine cross sections
 Placement will follow a random design to
mimic and enhance natural recruitment
 Use of draft horse teams instead of heavy
machinery to minimize impacts
Project Monitoring
 Evaluate and document changes in fish
populations in response to project
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Fish population counts
Fish use of newly created habitat
Number of redds
• pebble counts
 Cross section monitoring
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aggradation and log movement
stream invertebrate assemblages
Other considerations
 Whirling disease is a parasitic infection of
salmonid species effecting the spinal and
nervous systems and can be fatal in young
fish
 Fish sampled from the Blackfoot River
tested positive for the first time in 1998
 The following grading system was
developed to evaluate disease severity
Whirling Disease Grading
System
Average Infection Grade
Salmonid Population Impacts
Grade 0.00 - 1.00
No significant impacts
Grade 1.00 - 2.00
Minor population impacts
Grade 2.00 - 2.50
Possible problems in streams
of low recruitment
Fish population declines may
occur
Fish population declines will
occur
Grade 2.50 - 3.00
Grade 3.00 - 4.00
Chamberlain Creek Whirling Disease
Infection Rates
1997
1998
1999
Average Infection
Grade
0.00
0.16
2.71
Percent of fish
infected
0%
16%
93%
Whirling Disease Management
 The average infection grade increased
greatly from 1998 to 1999.
 Continued monitoring of the spread and
grade of the disease in the Blackfoot and its
tributaries is necessary.