recovery of dwindling stocks of fluvial bull trout and WSCT in the upper Blackfoot 

 Watershed. 



Study Area 



The Blackfoot River watershed supports distinct regional difference between the 

 upper and lower basin. The general features of the upper Blackfoot River include 1 ) a 

 primarily alluvial valley, 2) large sections of river lacking natural tributaries, 3) areas of 

 low instream productivity (Ingman et al.l990), 4) extensive intermittent channels in 

 headwater areas, and 5) a reach of "impaired" river between the confluences of Nevada 

 Creek and the North Fork. In contrast, the lower Blackfoot River (below the North Fork) 

 receives a large influx of colder water from the North Fork, which reduces environmental 

 stress and approximately doubles the base flow of the Blackfoot River. Beyond 

 increased flows and improved water quality, the lower river supports higher secondar> 

 productivity (Ingman et al. 1990), and higher native salmonid densities than the upper 

 river (Results Part II). 



The upper Blackfoot Watershed (including the North Fork Watershed) covers 

 -1,150 square miles of largely glaciated belt sedimentary rock. Bioclimatic zones range 

 from alpine mountains to semi-arid bunch grass/fescue prairies at low elevations of the 

 watershed. Landownership consists of 65% public land and 35% private ownership. 

 Private lands consist primarily of agricultural bottomlands and private timberland in the 

 foothills. 



We stratified 

 54.9-miles of the upper 

 Blackfoot River into 

 three reaches (upper, 

 middle cind lower) 

 (Figure 46). The upper 

 reach extends 20.1 river 

 miles (rm) from Lincoln 

 (rm 108.9) to Arrastra 

 Creek (rm 88.). The 

 upper boundary of this 

 reach starts where an 

 intermittent section 



begins to gain 



significant groundwater 

 and spring creek 

 inflows (Keep Cool 

 Creek, Spring Creek 

 and Grentier Spring 

 Creek). Several basin-fed tributaries entering this reach (Little Moose, Moose, 

 Sauerkraut, Willow Creek (Lower), Keep Cool, Lincoln Gulch, and Poorman Creek), all 

 support WSCT populations and most have been identified at various levels of fisheries 

 impairment (Pierce et al. 2002b; Confluence 2003). This section of river is more densely 



A North Forte Blackfoot Rwef 

 B Fnmef Creek 

 C Wales Creek 



Yaumame Creek 

 E Nevada Creek 

 F Arrastra Cr«ek 

 G Sauerkraut Creek 

 H Copper Creek 



1 Landers Fork 

 J WiDow Creek 



■ USGS now monitorinli «!• 



Figure 46. Three study reaches, primary tributary as well as mainstem 

 temperature and flow monitoring sites. 



64 



