2. Hells Canyon Creek . The lease has been in effect since 1996. Monitoring of adult rainbow 

 and brown trout migrating upstream and young fish migrating downstream to the Jefferson River 

 is done by the local fisheries biologist, whose monitoring report is presented in Appendix C. 



3. Chamberiain Creek . This lease was first implemented in 1997. Monitoring is done by the 

 local fishery biologists. The creek has an excellent westslope cutthroat trout population at stream 

 mile 3.9. However, immediately below this point, barriers to fish migration and poor habitat and 

 streamflow problems severely limited fish production and the stream's contribution to the 

 Blackfoot River. Fish populations were inventoried in 1990 prior to completion of a river 

 restoration project to improve physical habitat elements in the lower reach of stream. The stream 

 was surveyed again in 1995 (two years prior to implementing the water lease) and fish 

 populations improved in the altered reach. However, the water rights obtained in the lease had 

 not been used for irrigation during this period, indicating that the poor physical habitat was a 

 major reason for poor fish production. In 1997, a survey at stream mile 0.5, which is below an 

 irrigation diversion in the dewatered section of stream affected by the water lease, found two 

 juvenile bull trout. Bull trout had not been recorded in this reach since 1982. The irrigation 

 diversion, formed by hay bales, was a seasonal barrier to fish movement and is now replaced 

 with a concrete structure and fish ladder that will improve water management and fish passage. 

 Additional monitoring will be necessary to determine if the long-term improvement in flows will 

 fiirther improve the fisheries. 



4. Pearson Creek . This lease was first implemented in 1997. Monitoring is done by the local 

 biologists. Pearson Creek was historically entirely diverted for irrigation. The lower section of 

 stream chaimel was nearly obliterated fi-om non-use. It was reconnected to Chamberlain Creek in 

 1994 through a stream restoration project which reestablished the physical features of the 

 charmel. Fish populations were inventoried in 1991 prior to completion of the restoration 

 project. The water lease affects the lower mile of stream, which is in a newly reconstructed and 

 naturally intermittent channel. The primary value of Pearson Creek is to provide a migratory 

 corridor for fish fi-om the Blackfoot River to migrate into the upper reaches of Pearson Creek to 

 spawn. Out-migrant fish have been observed in the stream section since its reconstruction and 

 good nimibers of multiple age classes of cutthroat trout have been sampled. Also, brook trout 

 have been collected in a section of the reconstructed charmel. Additional monitoring will be 

 needed to determine the long-term effectiveness of the water lease. 



5. Mill Creek . Two of the leases have been in effect since 1993 and one of them since 1995. 

 One of the leases, with the Mill Creek Water and Sewer District, provides a 48-hour flushing 

 flow at the time cutthroat trout fiy are migrating fi-om the creek back to the Yellowstone River. 

 The other two leases with private mdividuals provide a base flow throughout the irrigation 

 season to help ensure some flow at the mouth of the creek, which has historically gone dry in 

 most years due to upstream irrigation. 



Monitoring has been done by the local biologists and a fisheries graduate student at Montana 

 State University, who is assisted by FWP in setting up and conducting the monitoring program. 



A-12 



