where populations of brown trout are responding rapidly to habitat restoration. Species 

 such as bull trout and WSCT at non-vulnerable life-stages are beginning to pioneer into 

 restored habitats that harbor high infections in some cases. Examples of these types of 

 responses include both the Kleinschmidt Creek and Nevada Spring Creek restoration 

 projects (Results Part III). 



Recent research on the ecology of whirling disease has shown infections in spring 

 creeks occur at much lower temperatures than previously identified in basin-fed streams 

 (Anderson 2004; Vincent 2002). Anderson (2004) further detected a pattern of infection 

 timing highest in winter and early spring and fall. FWP sampling of WD in Blackfoot 

 valley spring creeks confirm this relationship, but also finds comparable high infections 

 during the summer (FWP unpublished data) at certain sites. This contrasts with June and 

 July peaks observed in the Blackfoot River. These combined results suggest that 

 assemblages of vulnerable species maybe at a higher risk in certain spring creeks than 

 basin-fed streams. 



In summary, many factors will influence future distributions of whirling disease 

 and impacts to salmonids in the Blackfoot River. Monitoring through the disease 

 escalation period is necessary to assess restoration objectives and determine the extent to 

 which whirling disease will be contained by the physical features of the Blackfoot 

 Watershed. At this time, the disease continues to expand at the low elevations of the 

 watershed where infections vary considerably depending upon the specific stream 

 environment. The current distribution of whirling disease overlaps directly with the 

 distribution of rainbow trout, brown trout, brook trout and mountain whitefish spawning 

 and rearing areas and occurs at levels harmfiil to certain species. 



Basic strategies to help moderate impacts of the disease include managing for 

 multiple species and life-history strategies. From the perspective of restoration, these 

 strategies involve: 1) improving migration corridors and rearing areas between headwater 

 spawning streams and the Blackfoot River; 2) restoring native populations of WSCT and 

 bull trout, whose life history could help reduce risk of infection by allowing the continual 

 recruitment of these species to downstream river reaches; and 3) lowering sediment and 

 nutrient input to streams by developing compatible streamside grazing practices and 

 reducing other anthropogenic sediment sources. 



'^'- 61 



