Kootenai River Habitat Restoration Program June 18, 2018 Kootenai Valley Resource Initiative Update

Kootenai River Habitat Restoration Program June 18, 2018 Kootenai Valley Resource Initiative Update

Kootenai River Habitat Restoration Program Multi-year habitat restoration program Restoration treatments designed to restore habitat and food web needed by Kootenai sturgeon and other native fish Individual projects work together to provide habitat attributes Compliments other efforts to restore fish and wildlife populations and their habitats + +

Master Plan Provides framework for large-scale restoration Emphasis on dynamic river processes and ecosystem functions not just one life stage of one species Synthesis of available data about river conditions Addresses limiting factors related to: Morphology Riparian Vegetation Aquatic Habitat River Management and stewardship Toolbox of restoration treatments to address unique limiting factors in each river reach

KRHRP Braided Reach Projects 2011 to 2017

Braided Reach Acres Restored 2011-2017 Treatment Acres Floodplain grading and revegetation 55.9 Flow redirection structures 4.4 Island creation 20.2 Pool enhancement 5.3 Pool excavation 17.9 Reclamation seeding 52.7 Side channel realignment 2.3 Substrate enhancement 2.7 Photo: IDFG

Braided Reach Pool Ladder In 2017 saw more sturgeon moving upstream from Bonners Ferry Lower Meander Project 2018 pool will be last rung of Braided Reach pool ladder

Lower Meander Project Overview Biological objectives Add large deep pools for holding and staging habitat for sturgeon and burbot (add to pool ladder) Increase riparian vegetation in the floodplain to contribute to the food web Increase habitat complexity and diversity

Lower Meander Project Overview Actions Construct pool forming structures Excavate/enhance two deep pools Using excavated materials add fill and plantings to existing instream islands Construct vegetated brush bank structures Build wood structures in channels between islands

Lower Meander Project 2018 (Phase 2)

Lower Meander Project 2017 (Phase 1)

Lower Meander Pool Excavation 2017 August September (50,000 CY)

Lower Meander Site 1 (2018) Bank grading, wood structure, vegetated brush bank and revegetation Remove car bodies One poolforming structure

Site 1 - Bank Restoration and Island Enhancement Bank grading, 1 large wood structure, vegetated brush bank structures, and revegetation, along 1,900 ft long bank Example of vegetated brush bank construction from Lower Meander project Phase 1 (2017)

Bank Structure

Happy Willow Harvest Day! Oct 11, 2017

Site 1 - Bank Restoration and Island Enhancement Remove car bodies and other trash from bank

Site 1 - Bank Restoration and Island Enhancement Construct one pool-forming structure (adjacent to the North Side Channels project completed in 2012) Example of pool-forming structure construction from Lower Meander Phase 1 (2017)

Examples of Lower Meander project Phase 1 (2017) pool forming structure construction.

Lower Meander Site 3 (2018)

Site 3 Pool creation and island enhancement Excavate one pool (about 4 acres in size and 20-30 ft deep)

Site 3 Pool creation and island enhancement Construct and enhance an island on an existing bar (about 8 acres) in the river using material excavated from the pool Example of building access to island for construction (2017 Lower Meander project) Example of floodplain roughness

Site 3 Floodplain and Island Planting Planting, seeding and installation of browse protectors Floodplain and Island Planting

2018 Construction Schedule Overview July Mobilize for construction Grade and/or construct access roads (Site 1 and 3) Materials staging August Site 1 construction and car body removal North Side Channel adaptive management/maint enance work September Site 1 construction continued Site 3 construction October-November Floodplain roughness, plantings, seedings Re-establish access roads, remove materials and demobilize Site 1 and North Side Channels December Demobilization Site 3

Thank you! Questions?