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Creek restoration will help bull trout, cutthroat in Montana
In Northwestern Montana, a small stream on a tributary of Lake Koocanusa is being rebuilt to improve spawning and rearing habitat for cutthroat and rainbow trout and bull trout.
Therriault Creek, a tributary of the Tobacco River, is about six miles south of Eureka, Montana. Over time, the creek had been extensively modified through land cover disturbance, clearing of streamside vegetation and straightening. The result was a deeply incised creek bed that caused significant bank erosion and produced large quantities of silt.
The Kootenai River Network, in conjunction with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, is working to rebuild 9,100 feet of the creek ? an entirely new stream channel ? in order to create a proper width and depth. This doubles the length of the creek in the area where the work is being done by creating more turns ? meanders ? to slow the flow and reduce bank-cutting and erosion and increase the quantity and quality of fish habitat. In addition, 55 acres of wetlands are being restored. Trees and rocks have been strategically placed to help reduce erosion and slow the flow and increase pool habitat for fish.
Most of the project's cost is being paid by the Bonneville Power Administration as partial mitigation for the impacts of Libby Dam. The majority of the work was completed last spring, including rebuilding the stream bed and planting about 10,000 native shrubs.