The designation of protected areas is a major step by 

 the NWPPC to rebuild fish and wildlife populations that have 

 been damaged by hydroelectric power development. Although 

 the NWPPC does not license hydropower facilities, the Federal 

 Energy Regulatory Commission, which grants licenses to non- 

 federal hydropower projects, must take the NWPPC 's designa- 

 tions into account in their decision-making. 



Effects from Irrigation Projects 



This section discusses the effects of irrigation on the 

 fisheries, recreation, and aesthetics of the Clark Fork. The 

 discussion addresses large irrigation storage projects as 

 well as smaller, individual projects and uses of water for 

 irrigation purposes. 



Large Storage Projects 



Nevada Creek Reservoir . The Nevada Creek Reservoir is 

 located on Nevada Creek ten miles southeast of Helmville in 

 the upper Blackfoot River drainage. The project supplies 

 water to irrigate approximately 13,000 acres of hay land. 

 The full storage capacity is used for irrigation. 



Nevada Lake provides mediocre fishing for rainbow trout 

 that are stocked annually. Because of the extreme annual 

 irrigation drawdown, little if any natural reproduction 

 occurs. Limited amounts of both summer and winter fishing 

 currently occur. Any improvement in fishing quality under 

 the current operation and use of the stored water is 

 unlikely. The lake waters are usually turbid, and the 

 extreme drawdowns by late summer are aesthetically unpleas- 

 ing. The reservoir does have the potential to produce a 

 decent fishery if water level fluctuations could be mini- 

 mized. 



Nevada Creek flows through private ranchland along its 

 entire length below the dam and is used to convey water from 

 the reservoir. A large state ditch, the Douglas Canal, 

 distributes a major share of the water. The North Canal and 

 other private ditches take out additional water. 



Nevada Creek has good physical habitat in some areas, 

 but the trout fishery is limited by low flows during the 

 winter months when the dam gates are shut down. Also, 

 siltation in the stream bottom limits spawning potential. 

 A limited brown and rainbow trout fishery occurs, mostly of c 

 local nature. The DFWP is currently studying the stream in 

 cooperation with the Nevada Creek water users to determine 



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