Poorman Creek supports genetically pure WSCT, brown trout and brook trout, 

 and is one of only two known Garnet Mountains stream to support bull trout 

 reproduction. Native fish densities increase in the upstream direction while non-native 

 fish occupy lower Poorman Creek. In 2001, we established fish population monitoring 

 sites in lower Poorman Creek immediately up-and downstream of the irrigation project. 

 In 2004-05, we repeated these surveys. Survey results through 2005 have not recorded a 

 noticeable population response below the diversions (Figure 38), despite increasing flows 

 in lower Poorman 



Creek. Continued 



drought, channel 



instability and past 

 grazing impacts appear 

 to be factors limiting 

 population response at 

 this early recovery 

 phase. 



Monitoring of 

 instream flows below 

 the diversions found 

 less diverted resulting 

 in better connectivity 

 to downstream waters 

 (Mike Roberts, 



personal 



communication; Table 

 4) 



r 

 u 



(0 



o 



16 



14 



12 



10 



8 



6 



4 



2 







1 



B Brown 

 ■ Brook 

 D (iitthroat 



T 





(V 



8 



(M 



eo 



s 



CM 



8 



(M 



U) 



8 



1- N 



CM 



(M 



m 



8 



(V 



N 



8 



01 



Mile 1.3 



Mile 1.5 



Figure 38. CPUE for fish in Poorman Creek at two locations, 

 2001-2005 



Rock Creek 



Restoration Objectives: 

 Restore migration 



corridors for native fish; 



2001 



2005 



restore natural 

 morphology to 

 spawning and 

 conditions for 

 using the system. 



stream 

 improve 



rearing 

 all fish 



Channel seepage 40-50% 



Diversion (flow) 4-8 cfs 



Diversion (frequency) nearly continuous 



Connectivity thru mid-July 



Average August flows at moutti <0.5 cfs 



40-50% 



<3cfs 



periodic 



thm eariy September 



2.1 cfs 



Table 4. Comparison of flows in lower Poorman Creek, 2001 and 2005 

 (data from Mike Roberts, DNRC hydrologist). 



Project Summary 



Rock Creek, a basin-fed stream over most of its length, receives significant 

 groundwater inflows between mile 1 .2 and 1 .6. Rock Creek is the largest tributary to the 

 lower North Fork of the Blackfoot River, but has been degraded over most of its 8.2-mile 

 length due to a wide range of past channel alterations and riparian management activities 

 (Pierce 1990; Pierce et al. 1997). Rock Creek has also been the focus of continued 

 restoration since 1 990. 



In 2004-05, the Blackfoot Cooperators reconstructed -3,000' the South Fork of 

 Rock Creek, a spring creek tributary entering Rock Creek at mile 1.7. This spring 



49 



