Fry Creek Riparian Restoration and Protection Project

The Latah Soil and Water Conservation District (Latah SWCD) in partnership with the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) will install livestock exclusion fence surrounding the recently implemented Fry Creek Floodplain Restoration Project (004 19 CW) and expand revegetation efforts. This project will protect the newly connected historic channel and its associated floodplain as well as existing and new riparian plantings and structures from livestock access. The fence will enclose approximately 20 acres and protect over a mile of Fry Creek. Riparian plantings will be augmented and continued through this project. The newly constructed persuasion channel is functioning as planned by focusing flow into the historic channel, which allows for greater activation of the floodplain. The expanded revegetation effort will stabilize the new features and promote shade and beaver habitat. However, open range livestock access damage has been documented and the noticeable impact from their presence shows the need for a protective element in strategic locations.

The primary goal of habitat restoration in Fry Creek is to improve steelhead population status in the East Fork Potlatch River subwatershed by improving the quality and extent of cold water habitat (NMFS 2017). Protecting 20 acres and over 1 mile of Fry Creek within IDL’s previously implemented Fry Creek Floodplain Restoration project site with livestock exclusion fencing will directly protect and enhance ongoing revegetation efforts along the newly connected historic channel and throughout the floodplain. Protecting the vegetation planted throughout this area is imperative to generate the overhead and in-stream cover that will enhance the site for fish use. Establishing a woody native vegetative corridor will enhance and promote beaver access and habitation. The original goal of the Fry Creek Floodplain Restoration project was to decrease the no-flow period within this reach of Fry Creek. Recent beaver colonization upstream of the project site has increased flow duration significantly. Enhancing beaver habitat downstream is likely to encourage beaver movement and use in this reach, which would help to achieve the goal of perennial flows, mitigate climate change effects on baseflows, and improve habitat conditions for steelhead.