Riparian Habitat Transects 



In order to determine the extent of use of riparian habitats by 

 vertebrates, transects were established along the railroad right-of-way 

 which parallels Highway 2 in the study area. All transects began at the 

 retaining wall along Highway 2, but the length of the transects was 

 increased as further information on pool extent was obtained (Figure 1). 

 The first eight transect runs were made between January 20, 1978, and 

 March 2, 1978, and extended to the mouth of China Creek. Seven additional 

 runs of this same route were made between April 24, 1978 and May 9, 1978. 

 The route was later extended upstream to a point 2 km (1.6 mi) upstream 

 from the head of the Falls (Figure 1) and was run nine times between 

 May 11, 1978 and July 8, 1978. In 1979, the route was extended to a 

 point approximately 4 km (3 mi) above the Falls and was run an additional 

 fourteen times between January 20 and June 30, 1979. Methods were 

 modified from those of Emlen (1977). Transects were generally run starting 

 0.25 hr before local sunrise except during winter, when runs began 

 somewhat later. Only birds were recorded during 1978 transect runs, but 

 both birds and mammals were recorded in 1979. During transect runs, the 

 southern- facing slope of mountains across the river were scanned with 

 the aid of binoculars or power spotting scope. Approximately 2.5 hours 

 were required for each transect run. Information obtained during transect 

 runs was used to compare the relative use by vertebrates of upland 

 coniferous forest habitats and the riparian deciduous forest/shrub 

 habitats. 



Hater Bird Survey and Census 



Use of the Kootenai River in the study area by waterfowl and other 

 water birds was investigated during riparian habitat transects and 

 general reconnaissance. Because much of the river from Libby to near 

 the junction of U.S. Highway 2 and State Highway 202 is not navigable, 

 observations along the river, other than in those areas already mentioned, 

 were made incidental to other activities, usually while en route between 

 Libby and Troy on Highway 2. Locations of waterfowl observed on the 

 river were recorded on standard data sheets (Appendix C) using letter 

 codes from the mouth of O'Brien Creek (A) to Pipe Creek (W, Figure 4). 



Waterfowl censuses of the Kootenai River in the study area were 

 made on fourteen different days in 1979 (Appendix A). These censuses 

 attempted to determine the minimum numbers of each species present in 

 the project area each day. Censuses were conducted along the river from 

 the proposed outlet to the upper end of the pool (area codes G-N, P-S, 

 and Z in Figure 4). During winter, parts of the river canyon below the 

 Falls (areas G-K in Figure 4) were inaccessible because of ice and snow 

 and censuses were not taken here (Appendix A). Censuses of the river 

 section above the Falls were made during transect runs; at the conclusion 

 of a transect run, the section below the Falls was censused. 



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