financial considerations. We then compiled a series of histograms, cumulative percent 

 curves and classified maps to summarize stream priority rankings in Results Part I by 

 project and non-project status. Five surveyed streams designated unimpaired streams 

 (four project and one non-project) were excluded Irom prioritization. 



In Results Part II, we organized streams by project and non-project status and 

 summarized each stream by six separate priority categories. For all six priorities, ranks 

 values relate to histogram and cumulative fi^equency curves values, or classified maps 

 located in Results Part I. For example, Alice Creek with a biological rank of 7/14 falls in 

 the 7 of 14 total classes. Based on the cumulative fi^equency curve of biological ranks, 

 Alice Creek then falls in the lower 30''' percentile for biological priorities for non-project 

 streams. For summary purposes, we described streams within the lower ~ 50"' percentile 

 (of cumulative frequency curve) as high restoration priority; streams in the higher 50"" 

 percentile were considered low priority. Classes within the SO**" percentile were ranked 

 moderate unless heavily weighed to the high or low end of a priority scale, as in class 6 

 (non-project streams) under the native species prioritization. We also ranked all 83 

 streams in Results Part II by total rank and total score to show how individual streams 

 ranked against all streams. 



T — 



Working with Private Landowners: the Key to Successful Restoration 



The emphasis of the Blackfoot River restoration initiative is to restore degraded 

 tributaries by improving upland management, riparian health and fish habitat. Typically, 

 each tributary project involves multiple landowners, multiple professional disciplines, 

 more than one fiinding source plus the involvement of a watershed group. Restoration 

 has focused on addressing obvious impacts to fish populations such as migration barriers, 

 stream de-watering, fish losses to irrigation canals and degraded riparian areas. All 

 projects are cooperative efforts between private landowners and the restoration team, and 

 occur throughout the drainage but emphasize on tributaries from the North Fork down 

 river. All projects are voluntary, incorporate landowner needs (such as irrigation and 

 grazing objectives), and are administered at the local level by a core group of agency 

 resource specialists in cooperation with local watershed groups, including both the Big 

 Blackfoot Chapter of Trout Unlimited and the Blackfoot Challenge, or local government 

 groups such as the North Powell Conservation District. Tax incentives of the watershed 

 groups with non-profit 501(c)3 statuses are key to generating private dollars for 

 restoration. 



Two full-time restoration biologists help coordinate restoration efforts (wildlife 

 biologist fi-om the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service-Partners for Fish and Wildlife 

 Program, and a fisheries biologist from the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks). A lead 

 biologist generally enlists help fi"om interagency personnel including range 

 conservationists, hydrologists, engineers and water rights specialists as necessary. In 

 turn, the watershed groups help prioritize projects, administer budgets, solicit bids and 

 assist with landowner contacts, resolve conflicts and help address other social issues. 



Cost sharing of projects is arranged by project personnel and comes from many 

 sources including landowner contributions, private donations, foundation grants, and state 

 and federal agency programs. Project biologists and/or the watershed group undertake 

 grant writing and fund-raising. The lead biologist usually writes environmental 

 assessments and obtains project permits on behalf of the cooperating landowner. 



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