Upper Mission Meadow Restoration

The Upper Mission Meadow Restoration project is located on Mission Creek, a tributary to Lapwai Creek in the Clearwater River Basin. This project improved habitat for steelhead through improvement of meadow function by elevating stream channels and raising water tables nearer to natural levels, reducing bank erosion and channel head cutting, and reducing elevated water temperatures for salmonids. Project actions included installation of small wood instream structures (found under ‘other engineered structures’ in metrics), riparian plantings, cattle exclusion fencing, a stream temperature gage, and weed treatment.

Mission Creek provides habitat for juvenile steelhead and is a perennial stream flowing through forest and wet meadows. The stream at the project site was incised due to changes in hydrology, degradation of riparian vegetation, and livestock grazing. The area is characterized by flashy annual flooding during spring runoff and snow melt. Low summer flows, high summer water temperatures, and fine sediment reduced the quality and quantity of habitat at the project site. The installation of the small wood structures will slow water velocities during spring runoff, introduce more water to the floodplain, promote sediment deposition in the incised channel, and improve the riparian function of the near channel area.



The expected outcomes include the restoration of channel forming process through reestablishment of floodplain connectivity, reduction of fine sediment, increased water storage in streambanks for slow release in summer months and increased riparian areas to create shade.