As we head into fall, it’s a time of reflection on this past year and all that was accomplished on numerous projects with our strong group of partners. As spring arrived, we had many questions as to how our field season would unfold with COVID restrictions. As it turns out it was one of our most productive years to date thanks in large part to the network of partnerships working together on these important projects.
Project season began in April up in Lincoln with work on a spring creek tributary to the upper Blackfoot. We restored over 2,000 feet of this stream with a goal of improving spawning habitat for westslope cutthroat trout migrating here from the river to build their spawning nests. Trout living most of the year in the river rely on this important tributary for spawning, so we expect to see increased numbers of trout being recruited back into the upper river.
Our second project of the season involved upgrading an old irrigation dam in Boles Creek near Placid Lake that was blocking upstream movements of trout and kokanee to the upper ten-miles of stream. The ditches off this dam were not screened, meaning trout were getting lost from the stream when they swam into the ditches. The old wooden dam was replaced with a boulder cascade structure retrofitted with a fish screen ensuring the irrigator can divert their water right while allowing fish to still move freely through this reach.
Restoring fish passage to Poorman Creek, a tributary to the upper Blackfoot River has also been accomplished as we teamed up with the US Forest Service on upgrading an undersized culvert with a new bridge. This project will reopen migration corridors to over two-miles of important habitat. Studies throughout the watershed have documented how mobile trout are—some have moved over 100 miles to get to their spawning grounds! Making sure these fish aren’t encountering barriers on their journey is an important part of our work.
Two projects happening in Seeley Lake’s backyard involve restoring one-mile of instream habitat in Morrell Creek and relocating a section of road running along the stream. Both projects will benefit the stream as they will decrease fine sediment coming off the road system or stream banks.
Native trout require clean water so bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout will benefit from cleaner water. If you’ve driven up to the Morrell Falls Trailhead, no doubt you’ve seen the equipment working. These projects were developed in collaboration with the Lolo National Forest and involve partnership agreements between the Forest Service and Big Blackfoot Chapter Trout Unlimited. Through this process, we are working with local contractors to get the work accomplished.
Our partnership work has also focused in the Nevada Creek drainage near Helmville. This year we are working with a private landowner on restoring 7,100 feet of instream habitat. This project will benefit westslope cutthroat trout and Western Pearlshell mussels-both Montana Species of Special Concern. The chronic bank erosion impacting the instream habitat, water quality and adjacent hay fields will be addressed—over 545 tons of dirt was estimated to wash down the stream through this reach every year! That’s enough to fill almost 55 dump trucks.
These projects are all part of our mission to restore cold, clean, connected and complex habitat to the Blackfoot River watershed in collaboration with our many committed federal, state and private partners, as well as countless volunteer hours.
If interested in learning more, please visit our website http://bbctu.org or find us on Facebook!
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