K^'. 



I .'..)(> 



Sturgeon Creek: 90(58/83) 



Fisheries Impaired: Y 



Project Stream: 



Total Rank: 



Biological Rank: 

 Native Species: 

 Sport Fishery: 

 Water Quality: 



Social Rank: 



FWP Reports: 



N 



Low (11/17) 



Low (10/14) 



None (7/7) 



None 



High (1/4) 



Moderate (2/3) 



2001 



Sturgeon Creek, a small 3"* order tributary to Douglas Creek, flows ~4 miles exclusively 

 through private ranch land. Sturgeon Creek ranks low for total rank. This low rank is due to lack 

 of native species and absence of sport fishery value to the Blackfoot River. Sturgeon Creek ranks 

 high for potential to improve downstream water quality. No salmonids were sampled in Sturgeon 

 creek, but a small spring creek tributary supports a small disjunct population of resident WSCT. 

 Fisheries impairments located throughout the drainage include 2) channel alterations (instream 

 reservoir), 2) degraded riparian vegetation, 3) inadequate instream flow, and 4) excessive 

 livestock access to stream banks. 



Wales Creek: 120(31/83) 



Fisheries Impaired: 



Project Stream: 



Total Rank: 



Biological Rank: 

 Native Species: 

 Sport Fishery: 

 Water Quality: 



Social Rank: 



FWP Reports: 



Y 



N 



High (5/17) 

 High (6/14) 

 High (5/7) 

 High (20) 

 High (1/4) 

 Low (3/3) 

 1990,2001 



Wales Creek, a 2"'' order tributary to the middle Blackfoot River, flows ~9 miles through 

 both public (BLM) in headwater areas and private ranch land downstream of mile ~4. Wales 

 Creek ranks high in total rank, due to 1) high native species value, 2) high (multi-species) sport 

 fishery value to the Blackfoot River, 3) potential to increase flow in the Blackfoot, and 4) 

 potential to improve water quality in the Blackfoot River. Wales Creek ranks low for social and 

 financial considerations. We determined restoration cannot technically address the entire Wales 

 Creek system due to a large instream reservoir. Species composition is comprised of fluvial 

 WSCT (below reservoir) and resident WSCT (above reservoir). The lower reaches also contain 

 low brown trout densities. Above the reservoir, (mile 2.0), Wales Creek supports genetically pure 

 WSCT. In addition to habitat fragmentation, fisheries impairments above and below the reservoir 

 include stream bank damage resulting from excessive livestock access to riparian areas. 

 Dewatering occurs below the reservoir. 



59 



