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Hi Holly Suchy,
I was doing some reading in the Riverscapes Design manual and came across this paragraph on pg. 245, “Even if a permit is not required, let the regulator make that decision- In most jurisdictions, low-tech restoration will not trigger the need for a permit if it is in ephemeral streams or gullies. It is still good practice to notify, ask or apply with the regulatory agency, and let them make that determination.”
I am betting that you already have your permitting questions answered, but thought I would share this just in case it was helpful.
-Stephanie
Apologies for all the odd coding in my post! I like to type everything out in word first and when I copied and pasted it turned out like that.
<p data-start=”121″ data-end=”136″>Hey everyone,</p>
<p data-start=”138″ data-end=”724″>I just got back from the American Fisheries Society meeting where biologists, fish managers, restoration practitioners, and other fisheries professionals presented their projects and research. BDAs and beaver reintroduction came up repeatedly, and I was surprised by how polarized the views were. On one side were ecological restoration and water-storage advocates who strongly supported beavers and BDAs, and on the other were several fisheries biologists who described beaver dams as major impediments to fish migration, especially for bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout.</p>
<p data-start=”726″ data-end=”1374″>I can see how dams could create passage challenges, particularly during low-flow periods or in already incised or simplified channels. At the same time, beavers historically dominated these landscapes, and native trout species evolved alongside them and were once thriving. That makes me wonder if the issue is less about beaver dams themselves and more about modern stream conditions, altered hydrology, and how or where BDAs are implemented.</p>
<p data-start=”1376″ data-end=”1576″>I’m curious how others think about the trade-off between connectivity and habitat complexity, and whether seasonal or partial passage might still support healthy fish populations in certain systems.</p>
<p data-start=”1578″ data-end=”1714″ data-is-last-node=”” data-is-only-node=””>Also, process-based restoration was featured in two major river restoration presentations, which was really cool to see highlighted at that scale.</p>Hi everyone!
It’s been so interesting reading all your posts and seeing the photos of erosion and the LTPBR techniques you’ve already implemented.
Trudy and Holly, that Zuni bowl is beautiful! Holly Harper, the proposed restoration on Cottonwood Creek looks fascinating. Holly Suchy, I’m sorry to hear that your rockdowns were blown out—I hope you can still incorporate the materials in your rebuild. It’s so hard to predict the force of water.
I just moved to the Polson area from Arlee, MT, and I can definitely relate to digging into rocky soil—even finding places to pound t-posts was frustrating. I can’t imagine trying to install live willow without damaging them.
I don’t currently have a small-scale erosion project to write about, so I’ll have to learn vicariously through you all. On that note, if anyone would like an extra pair of hands to haul rock, install willow, etc., I would love to help and be part of one of your LTPBR projects!
I hope to implement these types of projects as I/we (FWP and CSKT) engage with more landowners on water conservation strategies as the irrigation season gets closer. I’ve also reached out to our restoration program to see if there are smaller-scale projects they’ve identified that I might be able to champion, so maybe by the next post I’ll have a project to share.
One larger-scale project our restoration program is currently working on is the Bison Reach range project, which created a new channel for the Jocko River to greatly reduce erosion caused by the straightening of the channel against an eroding side hill. While this is outside the scope of LTPBR, it’s the most current example I could think of. It mitigates erosion, reconnects the Jocko with its former floodplain, and creates beautiful habitat for a healthier river: https://csktwatercompact.com/bison-range-reach-restoration/
And Judy, I also hope we get snow soon! But that huge dose of sunshine was such a needed break from the grey inversion that has been hovering for months. I’m also curious about the answer regarding the type of tree for restoration in relation to drought. And, unfortunately, I wasn’t able to download your photos for your project.
It’s been so fun to read about all your projects and see the creativity and effort everyone is putting into erosion control.
I think you’re correct Sari! I tried multiple times to post my intro and finally tried removing the link I had in there and my spacing and that seemed to work.
Hi everyone!
I am thrilled to have the opportunity to take this course with all of you. My name is Stephanie Espinoza and I am the Watershed Coordinator for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes on the Flathead Indian Reservation. I started in my role in September, and both the position and program are new. My primary goal is to work with landowners on water conservation strategies at the ranch and farm scale.
The Tribes co-own the Milltown water rights with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and our work focuses on protecting instream flow levels in the Blackfoot and Upper Clark Fork Rivers for fisheries. While meeting instream flow targets at the Turah and Bonner gages is the key objective, our broader goal is to improve watershed health and flows throughout the Upper Clark Fork tributaries. If you would like to know more, here is an excellent story map that covers the Tribes’ aboriginal history in these watersheds and provides more detail on the Milltown water rights.
A little about me: I was born and raised in Great Falls, MT and I am the fifth generation of dryland wheat farmers in the Golden Triangle near Carter/Fort Benton area. My brother is training to take over for my dad, and my sister and I will help with accounting and harvest when we can. I earned my Bachelor’s in Environmental Science from the University of Montana and my Masters in Land Resources and Environmental Science from Montana State University.
For the past 14 years, I worked as a fish culture specialist for MT Fish, Wildlife and Parks raising Arlee Rainbow Trout for stocking and helped managed the Arlee broodstock for egg production for the state. While I miss working outside and working hands-on with fish, I am excited to grow in this new role and focus more broadly on watershed health.
I’m especially excited about this course because I’ve always had a passion for environmental restoration. My hope is to apply what I learn here in partnership with landowners of the Upper Clark Fork and see the positive impacts of landscape improvement, water retention, and improving flows in our streams and river. I am really looking forward to learning from all of you and hearing about your land, its history, and the projects you’re working on.
-StephanieHi Sari and Scott,
It sounds like you have a lot of history on your land! And your goals for your soil and landscape are so admirable. For my professional paper I was focused on mixed-grass prairie restoration on wheat farms and improving soil health and crop yield by introducing arbuscular mycorrhizae. Researching for that paper was a lot of fun as I got to look at fungal/plant relationships and think about the soil as a living thing instead of just a medium to grow plants in.
Your comment about the river being designated as a canoe trail reminded me of a question as I was going through the modules. Some of the techniques could span the entire channel, and I can imagine that installing multiple structures could make navigation more challenging. I’m curious how often that’s actually been an issue, and whether it’s ever created obstacles (literally!ha!) for restoration projects.
Also, where is your land located? Just curious for context!
-Stephanie
