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Kootenai Tribe announces start of Kootenai River
habitat restoration project; begins this month |
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August 2, 2015 |
In August 2015, the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho will
begin construction of the Bonners Ferry Islands
project, a Kootenai River habitat restoration
project to help endangered Kootenai River white
sturgeon, burbot and other native fish.
The 2015 project will include excavation of two
deep in-river pools, construction of two
vegetated islands on existing gravel bars in the
Kootenai River, and grading and other
restoration treatments on the north riverbank.
The project site is located within the town of
Bonners Ferry, in front of Kootenai River Inn,
and upstream from the Highway 95 Bridge.
In-river construction takes place between August
and early November when river flows are low.
Endangered Species Act regulations also require
that in-river work be limited to this period in
order to minimize disturbance to listed fish.
Because of this short construction season,
project construction will be split over two
years. Work on and near the north bank of the
Kootenai River will occur between August and
November in 2015, and work on the south bank
will take place in 2016.
During the 2015 construction season there will
be increased construction traffic and dust near
the construction staging area next to Riverside
Park and in and around the construction zone.
There will also be noise associated with
construction activities Mondays through
Saturdays between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and
6:00 p.m., from August into November.
Channel excavation and bank grading activities
will also result in increased short-term river
turbidity near the construction site. The
Tribe’s contractors will be implementing best
management practices throughout the project to
minimize turbidity, noise, dust, site
disturbances, and other construction impacts.
For public safety, access to the southern
portion of the Riverside Park near the
construction staging area may be limited at
times during construction.
During construction weekly activity updates will
be posted at the City Hall, County Commissioners
office, library, and Tribe’s project web site:
www.restoringthekootenai.org.
Project purpose
The project will add depth to the shallow
braided reach of the river without increasing
river flows or flood risk in the Bonners Ferry
Islands area. Pool excavation will help to
deepen portions of the main river channel in the
braided reach. The pools will provide places for
Kootenai sturgeon and burbot to stage for
spawning. The pools also will provide places for
fish to rest and feed as they move upstream.
Materials excavated from the pools will be used
to build the islands.
The islands will be built on top of existing
gravel bars at an elevation that can support
vegetation. Native vegetation will be jump
started with seeds and larger plants in
containers. The constructed islands will also
create sheltered areas where native vegetation
can self-seed.
Downstream portions of the islands will be
graded to help create floodplain habitat. Once
established, the new riparian vegetation and
floodplain habitat will contribute to the food
web in the river. The vegetated islands will
also provide habitat for birds.
Bank restoration work will include grading parts
of the riverbank, construction of woody
structures designed to protect the bank and
establish floodplain habitat, and revegetation
with native plants. The bank restoration and
bank structures will help create habitat that
supports self-seeding of native vegetation.
Woody structures along the bank also will create
in-river habitat with places for various native
fish to hide, rest and feed.
The Bonneville Power Administration is funding
the project through the Northwest Power and
Conservation Council’s Fish and Wildlife
Program. The project is part of the multi-year
Kootenai River Habitat Restoration Program.
Additional information about the project and the
multi-year Kootenai River Habitat Restoration
Program that it is part of is available on the
Kootenai Tribe’s website:
www.restoringthekootenai.org. |
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