STUDY NUMBER : 16.1 



ORGANIZATION ; Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) 



TITLE OF STUDY ; Lower Flathead River Fisheries Study 



CONTACT ( S ) ; David Cross - Confederated Salish and Kootenai 



Tribes, Pablo, Montana - 675-4600 



Jim Paro - Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, 

 Pablo, Montana - 675-4600 



OBJECTIVE ; Assess the effects of Kerr Dam operations on the 

 fisheries of the lower Flathead River by evaluating the aquatic 

 habitat of the river and its tributaries, including the size, 

 distribution and abundance of sport fish. 



DURATION ; 1983 - 1987 



CURRENT STATUS ; Fish population estimates and habitat evaluations 

 are being conducted at five study sections on the mainstem; 

 near Buffalo Rapids, near the Sloan Bridge, above Dixon (Agency 

 section), below Dixon (weed section) and near Perma. Spawning, 

 creel census and fish movement surveys are also being conducted 

 at these sites. Water temperatures are being continuously mon- 

 itored at the Sloan, Dixon and Perma bridges. Fish study 

 sections have also been established on five major tributaries: 



.-,^ Jocko River (7 sections) 

 Mission Creek (5 sections) 

 Post Creek (4 sections) 

 Little Bitterroot River (4 sections) 

 Crow Creek (1 section) 



Fish weirs have been established on the Jocko River and 

 Mission Creek to assess spawning runs of trout from the main 

 river. Annual progress reports for 1983, 1984 and 1985 are avail- 

 able from the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes' office 

 in Pablo. 



FUTURE ACTIVITIES ; Preliminary findings indicate a lack of suc- 

 cessful spawning by trout species in the lower Flathead River. 

 Field studies as outlined above will continue. Instream flow 

 determinations were conducted on the mainstem during the autumn 

 of 1985, utilizing the Instream Flow Incremental Methodology. 

 In 1987, an array of fishery management options will be prepared 

 to mitigate the impacts of present hydroelectric operations (dem- 

 onstrating under each option how fish populations and hydroelec- 

 tric generation capabilities would be modified) . 



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