East Fork Potlatch Large Wood: Jackson to Rogers Creek

Salmonid Habitat Restoration and Acquisition

Instream Habitat Riparian Habitat
Project ID003 19 CW
Recovery DomainsSnake River
Start Date01/22/2020
End Date11/30/2021
Year2019
StatusCompleted
Last Edited05/08/2024
 
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Description    


Clearwater Soil and Water Conservation District (Clearwater SWCD) partnered with Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) and others to restore and enhance 0.60 miles of instream habitat complexity and floodplain connectivity by adding large wood to the East Fork of the Potlatch River. Complex wood structures and individual logs were placed using a small excavator. Local trees were felled by IDL crews and trees with root balls were harvested and placed instream. Logs already in the stream or on the banks were also used.



It was anticipated that there would be more ground disturbance and a revegetation component was part of the original proposal. The contractor that got the bid used a mini-excavator, with a winch, for the work adjacent to the stream. Access trails were not constructed and very little riparian vegetation was removed or damaged. All disturbed sites, including tree acquisition sites, were rehabilitated by using the excavator to transplant shrubs and spread duff. Thus, the revegetation phase was eliminated.



The contract cost came in much lower than anticipated, resulting in cost savings to the PCSRF funds. The contract package left little risk to the contractors, who generally bid up unknown factors. The contractor was paid by the structure, the wood was available locally, and the concept was simple and well defined.

Project Benefit    


The Potlatch River has been identified as a high priority watershed for steelhead restoration and the East Fork Potlatch subwatershed has been identified as a “Tier 1” stream for implementation of Restoration Projects in the Potlatch River Watershed Management Plan 2019 Amendment (Latah SWCD draft, Latah SWCD 2007, NMFS 2017). The 2019 Plan Amendment identifies instream habitat complexity and low winter water temperatures as limiting factors for steelhead production in the mainstem of the East Fork Potlatch. This project increased stream channel complexity, created refugia and hiding cover, improved pool habitat, added sediment heterogeneity and reconnected channel to the floodplain and the many side channels. The structures and single logs have increased the complexity in their immediate vicinity and offer hiding cover for fish. There is already some scour and deposition, creating localized sediment heterogeneity and pools. In November, following construction, some of the side channels were backwatered and point bars were somewhat inundated. IDFG initial monitoring shows that juvenile salmonids and at least one adult steelhead appear to be utilizing the structures.

Accomplishments

Metric Completed Originally
Proposed
Instream Habitat
  Stream Miles Treated .60 .58
Riparian Habitat
  Stream Miles Treated .00 .58
  Acres Treated .0 .3

Funding Details

SourceFunds
PCSRF$46,905
In-Kind Donated Labor$21,033
Report Total:$67,938


Project Map



Worksites

WS 1    


  • Worksite Identifier: WS 1
  • Start Date: 07/15/2021
  • End Date: 12/01/2021
Area Description
Jackson to Rogers Creek

Location Information

  • Basin: Clearwater (170603)
  • Subbasin: Clearwater (17060306)
  • Watershed: Upper Potlatch River (1706030608)
  • Subwatershed: East Fork Potlatch River (170603060801)
  • State: Idaho
  • Recovery Domain: Snake River
  • Latitude: 46.856385
  • Longitude: -116.320227

ESU

  • Snake River Basin Steelhead DPS

Map

Photos

Metrics

Metrics
  • C.0 Salmonid Habitat Restoration and AcquisitionY (Y/N)
    •      . . C.0.a Habitat restoration and acquisition funding 67,938.00
    •      . . C.0.b Length of stream treated/protected .60
    •      . . C.0.c
      Project identified in a Plan or Watershed Assessment
      1) NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service). 2017. ESA Recovery Plan for Snake River Spring/Summer Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) & Snake River Basin Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss). 2) Potlatch River Watershed Management Plan - 2019 Amendment, Potlatch Implementation Team, Latah SWCD, 220East 5th St; Moscow, ID
    •      . . C.0.d.1 Project Monitoring (LOV)
    •      . . C.0.d.2 Monitoring Location (LOV)
    •      . . C.4 Instream Habitat ProjectY (Y/N)
      •      . . . . C.4.a Instream Habitat Funding 67,938.00
      •      . . . . C.4.b Total length of instream habitat treated .60
      •      . . . . C.4.d.1 Channel structure placementY (Y/N)
        •      . . . . . . C.4.d.2 Material used for channel structure (LOV)
        •      . . . . . . C.4.d.3 Miles of stream treated through channel structure placement .60
        •      . . . . . . C.4.d.5 Pools expected to be created through channel structure placement 15
        •      . . . . . . C.4.d.6 Yards of average stream-width at mid-point of channel structure placement project (Yards)
        •      . . . . . . C.4.d.7 Number of structures placed in channel 15
      •      . . C.5 Riparian Habitat ProjectY (Y/N)
        •      . . . . C.5.a Riparian Habitat Funding .00
        •      . . . . C.5.b.1 Total riparian miles streambank treated .00
        •      . . . . C.5.b.2 Total Riparian Acres Treated .0
        •      . . . . C.5.c.1 Riparian plantingY (Y/N)
          •      . . . . . . C.5.c.2
            Species of plants planted in riparian
            NA
          •      . . . . . . C.5.c.3 Acres planted in riparian .0
          •      . . . . . . C.5.c.4 Miles of streambank treated with riparian planting .00