﻿RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE MONITORING 



The monitoring study described in the baseline report (DNRC 1979) should 

 be continued. However, results of this year's monitoring suggest the 

 following changes in study design: 



(1) October Monitoring . Fall conditions do not seem to differ enough 

 from those of August to justify an additional week of study. Therefore, 

 October monitoring should be discontinued. 



(2) Yaak Falls . Yaak Falls does not appear suitable as a control area 

 for the project area wildlife census or as a compensation area. Thus, the 

 Yaak Falls census should be discontinued. However, if the dam is to be 

 constructed, a control area for the project area censuses must be selected 

 and added to the monitoring program no later than two years before the dam is 

 constructed. Since an ideal control area does not seem to exist, the stretch 

 of the Kootenai River immediately above the principal study area may be the 

 best location for control studies. 



(3) Meadow Vegetation Monitoring . The vegetation of the three grassy 

 meadows described in this report (the "Sheppard Meadows") should be 

 quantitatively studied the year before scheduled inundation and during 

 alternate years thereafter, using the methods employed in this study. 



(4) Bighorn Sheep Studies . To more precisely monitor seasonal use of 

 the project area by bighorn sheep, those study methods used during the 

 baseline study and this monitoring study should be combined. Combining these 



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