the influence of Kerr dam which maintains higher than normal water levels in the Flathead 

 River mainstem upstream from Flathead Lake during the summer months. This action 

 accentuates the delta-like depositional and erosional activity within this area. 



The large number of islands and unpredictable river activity in this section has helped 

 maintain the relatively undisturbed nature of this island. As a result, this braided section 

 including Coriell island, supports some of the best and last examples of undisturbed mature 

 and old growth riparian forest and high quality riparian habitats within the entire upper 

 Flathead mainstem corridor. 



The 73 acre Coriell property occupies most of an island situated in the main channels of the 

 Flathead River mainstem. The Flathead Forest owns 40 acres of land to the southeast and 

 approximately 10 acres to the southwest; however, the Flathead Forest is in the process of 

 transferring all their Flathead River tracts to FWP. To the east of Coriell, along Brenneman's 

 Slough, another 12 acres has been donated to FWP. The Department of State Lands leases 

 442 acres northeast of Coriell to Flathead County Parks and Recreation with the lease expense 

 paid by the Flathead Audubon Society. This tract, known as the Owen Sowerwine Natural 

 Area, is the state's first and only designated natural area. Finally, Flathead County Parks and 

 Recreation owns an undeveloped parcel directly to the west of Coriell. 



IV. MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES 



A. Maintain/Enhance Habitat Values 



The major purpose of this land acquisition is to ensure the long-term protection and 

 maintenance of the riparian/wetland values associated with the island. The island presently 

 consists of a variety of riparian and wetland habitats typical of braided river system including 

 gravel and sand bars, backwater channels, dense riparian shrub cover types, and young to 

 mature cottonwood forests. The following description represents the key aquatic, wetland, and 

 riparian habitats and general fish and known wildlife values associated with these habitat 

 types.. 



1. Aquatic Habitat Types 



The island shorelines provide a diversity of habitats from high-gradient gravel- 

 bottomed channels to mud-bottomed backwater sloughs. These habitats support a wide 

 array of aquatic plants and animals which in turn provide habitat for resident and 

 migratory juvenile and adult fish such as bull trout, west-slope cutthroat trout, pygmy 

 and lake whitefish, rainbow trout, lake trout (mackinaw), northern pike, large-scale 

 sucker, squawfish and peamouth. Western toads and painted turtles also use these 

 aquatic habitat types. Shorebirds, waterfowl, raptors and other species which are 

 commonly found foraging along the shoreline include great blue herons, solitary 

 sandpipers, great cormorants, common mergansers, mallards, wood ducks, osprey, 

 bald eagles, and kingfishers. Aquatic furbearing mammals dependent on backwater 

 sloughs, log jams, riparian shrub and cottonwood forests and other wetlands include 

 river otter, beaver, mink, and muskrat. 



2. Riparian Habitat Types 



B2 



