• REACH2 



Upstream through private land, Beaver 



• Creek flows through a broad, low gradient 

 alluvial valley with a well-developed 



• floodplain (Rosgen E5 channel type). The 

 channel is characterized as a moderately 

 sinuous, low gradient system with inher- 

 ently stable beds and banks. However, 



• riparian vegetation has been substantially 

 altered due to past harvesting and road 

 building, resulting in isolated areas of 

 instability. {Refer to Table 111-12 - Beaver 

 Creek Channel Characteristics.) 



• REACH 3 



Reach 3 is a steep, entrenched, structurally 



controlled channel that includes the imme- 

 diate outlet of Beaver Lake. The streambed 

 through this portion of Beaver Creek is a 

 cascading, step/pool system with irregu- 

 larly spaced drops and scour pools. Adja- 

 cent sideslopes are steep (-45%) and 

 relatively stable, with recruiting woody 

 debris (standing and down). Although 

 woody debris appears abundant, the 

 dominant pool-forming mechanisms are 

 structural changes in bedrock that form 

 grade breaks and step /pool features. 

 Dominant riparian-indicator species 

 include spruce, birch, and dogwood. {Refer 

 to Table 111-12 - Beaver Creek Channel Charac- 

 teristics.) 



TABLE III-12 - BEAVER CREEK CHANNEL CHARACTERISTICS 



STREAM FISHERY 



According to the Montana Rivers Information 

 System, a reporting program developed 

 between DFWP, the Natural Resource Infor- 

 mation System, and Bonneville Power Admin- 

 istration, no known fish species are docu- 

 mented in the Beaver Creek drainage. Based 

 on channel surveys, a natural migration 

 barrier exists at the outlet of Beaver Lake 

 (Reach 3 described above). In addition, it is 

 likely that the culvert under the Burlington 

 Northern Railroad effectively limits migration 

 between Whitefish Lake and Beaver Creek. As 

 a result, it is unlikely that Beaver Creek sup- 

 ports a viable fishery. 



WATER YIELD 



State-conducted timber sale harvesting within 

 the Beaver Lake Project area began, approxi- 

 mately, in 1919; the most recent sales were 

 completed between 1974 and 1976. Due to 

 mixed ownership around the project area. 



commercial and noncommercial timber sales 

 have occurred on private land as well during 

 this time. 



Analysis of existing forest crown conditions 

 was calculated to determine the approximate 

 area within each subwatershed that exists in 

 an open, early-seral condition (including 

 roads). Table 111-13 states the results of water 

 yield analyses conducted for the Beaver Lake 

 Project area. 



As indicated in Table 111-13, above, all 

 subwatersheds associated with the proposal 

 are well below the recommended values of 

 maximum water yield increases and equiva- 

 lent clearcut acres. The most recent harvesting 

 activity was completed on private land in the 

 Beaver Creek subwatershed. These units were 

 selectively harvested and comprise, approxi- 

 mately, 94% of the total equivalent clearcut 

 acres. 



■nr-32- 



Stillwater State Forest • Beaver Lake Timber Sale Project 



