Results Part III: Restoration-Related Tributary Assessments 



Seven previous Blackfoot River reports detail Blackfoot River restoration 

 projects, beginning in 1990 (Peters 1990; Pierce 1990; Pierce, Peters and Swanberg 1997; 

 Pierce and Schmetterling 1999; Pierce and Podner 2000; Pierce, Podner and McFee, 

 2001-2002). The following section summaries the 2002 and 2003 tributary findings and 

 synthesizes new monitoring and restoration updates for 20 project streams or streams 

 being considered for restoration. 



Bear Creek 



Restoration Objectives: restore habitat degraded by historical activities in the channel, 

 restore fish passage and thermal refugia, and improve recruitment of trout to the 

 Blackfoot River. 



Project Summary 



Bear Creek, a small 2nd order tributary to the lower Blackfoot River, flows six 

 miles north to its mouth where it enters the Blackfoot River at river mile 12.2 with a base 

 flow of 3-5 cfs. Bear Creek is one of the colder tributaries to the lower Blackfoot River. 

 For August 2002 and 2003. mean daily temperatures (mile 1.0) were in the low 50's with 

 maximum summer temperatures -6° F cooler than the Blackfoot River at the USGS 

 gauging station at river mile 7.9 (Appendix I). 



Bear Creek has a long history of adverse habitat changes. These include 

 placement of undersized culverts, road drainage and siltation, irrigation, channelization of 

 the stream, excessive riparian grazing and streamside timber harvest (Pierce et al. 1997; 

 Pierce and Schmetterling 1999). These activities, implemented without fisheries 

 considerations, contributed to the loss of migration corridors, and the simplification and 

 degradation of salmonid habitat. 



Restoration of Bear Creek began in 1995, continued through 2000 and involved: 

 1) upgrading culverts and addressing road drainage problems; 2) improving water control 

 structures at irrigation diversions; 3) 

 reconstructing 2,000' of charmel; 4) enhancing 

 habitat complexity on an additional 2,000' of 

 stream; 5) shrub plantings and the 

 development of compatible riparian grazing 

 systems for one mile of stream; and 6) off- 

 stream water development. 



Fish Populations 



Bear Creek supports populations of 

 rainbow trout, brown trout and brook trout, 

 along with low densities of WSCT in the 

 upper basin and very low densities of juvenile 

 bull trout. Bear Creek provides recruitment to 

 the lower Blackfoot River sport fishery. 



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