Catch / 100 feet 



□ Brown Trout j 

 a Brook Trout | 

 ■ Cutthroat Trout : 



order tributary, drains the western slopes of Stonewall Mountain. A perennial stream, 

 Stonewall Creek flows south approximately 7.6 miles through Helena National Forest, 

 private land, including Plum Creek Timber Company and public state land, before 

 entering Keep Cool Creek at stream mile 2.3. Stream gradients range from 600Vmile in 

 the upper reaches to 60'/mile near the mouth (Figure 41). Near the confluence with Park 

 Creek (mile 2.7) downstream to approximately mile 1.1, Stonewall Creek flows into a 

 beaver influenced bog with only short stretches of observable stream channel. 



Riparian plant communities vary between the upper and lower watershed. 

 Riparian vegetation in the lower reach consists of willow, alders, red osier dogwood, and 

 sedge communities beneath a canopy of black cottonwood and ponderosa pine. We 

 observed areas of intense livestock impacts to the stream channel including degraded 

 stream banks, over-widen and braided channel, high sediment levels and heavy grazing 

 impacts to the riparian vegetation. 



On the National 

 Forest, the riparian vegetation 

 was generally in good shape 

 composed predominately of 

 rocky mountain maple, alder, 

 willow, red osier dogwood, 

 snowberry mixed with grasses 

 under a conifer over-story of 

 ponderosa pines and Douglas 

 fir. The majority of the 

 stream banks in the upper " - 

 reaches are stable. 



In 2004, we conducted 

 fish population surveys at four 

 locations (miles 0.1, 0.65, 3.0 and 

 4.3) and measured stream flow 

 measurements at 0.65 cfs near the mouth (mile 0.1) and 4.3 cfs at mile 2.4 (Appendix D). 

 Water temperature sensors were placed at miles 0.1 and 1.0 (Appendix H). 



Fish Populations 



Fish population inventories at the four locations recorded low numbers of three 

 salmonid species (Figure 42). Sampling at the mile 0.1 recorded very low numbers of 

 eastern brook trout mixed with brown trout. Fish population sampling at stream mile 

 0.65 and 3.0 recorded very low numbers of both WSCT and brook trout. Brook trout 

 numbers increased slightly at mile 3.0 but remained low (CPUE = 3.7). WSCT was the 

 only species found at the upper sampling location (CPUE = 2.9) (Appendix A). 



Warren Creek 



Restoration Objectives: Restore riparian vegetation and stream habitat for all life stages 

 of trout; improve spawning and rearing conditions; increase recruitment of trout to the 

 middle Blackfoot River; moderate whirling disease. 



Project Summary ., ,. 



0.65 3 



Location (stream mile) 



Figure 42. CPUE for fish > 4.0" at 4 locations on 

 Stonewall Creek, 2004. 



52 



