Fry Creek Stream and Meadow Restoration

Salmonid Restoration Planning and Assessments

Project ID	013 14 CW
Recovery Domains	Snake River
Start Date	11/28/2018
End Date	02/29/2020
Year	2014
Status	Completed
Last Edited	01/25/2024

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Description

Engineering plans and cost estimates were developed for habitat restoration of the Fry Creek Stream and Meadow Restoration project area. The plan includes rehabilitating ~20 acres of floodplain and over a mile of stream channel. These drawings will be used for the construction phase of this project funded in PCSRF Round 22 titled “Fry Creek Floodplain Restoration”. The stream channel alteration permit application process with IDWR and USACE in consultation with USFWS (permit NWW-2020-00132 available upon request) was also completed.

Project Benefit

Fry Creek is a tributary of the East Fork Potlatch River, a major spawning tributary for wild anadromous steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss in the Clearwater River Lower Mainstem Population. Habitat conditions within Fry Creek are poor because of channel incision, which accelerates runoff and prevents flood flows from regularly accessing an extensive flood plain, causing the stream to dry up during late summer. Recent surveys conducted by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game indicate that steelhead are present in Fry Creek during the spring months and could expand if perennial flows were reestablished. Wild steelhead will benefit from this project once it is implemented due to improved water quality and flow conditions, and the expansion of quality juvenile rearing habitat.

Source

Funds

PCSRF

$49,983

State

$18,096

Report Total:

$68,079

Worksites

Fry Creek

Worksite Identifier: Fry Creek
Start Date: 11/28/2018
End Date: 12/31/2019

Area Description
Fry Creek

Location Information

Basin: Clearwater (170603)
Subbasin:
Watershed:
Subwatershed:

State: Idaho
Recovery Domain: Snake River
Latitude: 46.862
Longitude: -116.348

ESU

Snake River Basin Steelhead DPS

Map

Photos

Metrics

B.0 Salmonid Restoration Planning and AssessmentsY (Y/N)

. . B.0.a Planning And Assessment Funding 68,079.00
. . B.0.b.1 Area Encompassed 19.7
. . B.0.b.2 Stream Miles Affected 1.12

. . B.1 Restoration Planning And CoordinationY (Y/N)

. . . . B.1.a Planning and Coordination funding 68,079.00

. . . . B.1.b.11 Engineering/design work for restoration projectsY (Y/N)

. . . . . . B.1.b.11.a

Name of plan implemented
National Marine Fisheries Service. 2017. ESA Recovery Plan for Snake River Spring/Summer Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) & Snake River Basin Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

. . . . . . B.1.b.11.b

Description and scope of the plan implemented

Fry Creek is a tributary of the East Fork Potlatch River, a major spawning tributary for the wild steelhead in the Clearwater River Lower Mainstem Population. Habitat conditions within Fry Creek are poor because an incised stream channel prevents flood flows from regularly accessing an extensive flood plain and drains the meadow causing the stream to dry up in late summer. Recent surveys conducted by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game indicate that steelhead are present in Fry Creek during the stream months. This project secured engineering services for designing and guiding future stream and meadow restoration activities in Fry Creek. The design documents have initiated permitting and consultation with NOAA Fisheries so that meadow and stream reconstruction can occur with the next round of PCSRF funding. When fully implemented, this project will expand riparian areas and restore stream channel form and function in the lower 1.8 miles of Fry Creek. Wild steelhead will benefit due to improved water quality and flow conditions, and the expansion of quality juvenile rearing habitat.