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 offstream livestock watering facility click photo to enlarge |
Hungry Horse Dayton Creek project
The Hungry Horse Mitigation Program, implemented in part by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, began in 1991 to address fisheries losses associated with the construction and operation of Hungry Horse Dam. The dam isolated approximately 38 percent of the Flathead Lake drainage and changed the physical and biological characteristics of the lake and river. The Northwest Power and Conservation Council recommends funding from the Bonneville Power Administration to address this loss of habitat in the interconnected Flathead Lake and Flathead River Basin. The project implements mitigation measures, restores habitat, and monitors the biological responses to those measures, including those implemented by other agencies. The tribes also address the changes in Flathead Lake from Mysis shrimp and lake trout, whose dominance has suppressed the native cutthroat trout targeted by mitigation efforts.
The Dayton Creek project is a good example of the kind of watershed-level projects implemented by the tribes. It was initiated because of its importance as a direct tributary to Flathead Lake. Dayton Creek was severely degraded and provided outstanding potential to replace the spawning habitat lost after the construction of Hungry Horse Dam. Bonneville funds have been used to provide cost sharing for many restoration activities including:
- riparian inventories on 20 miles of stream
- construction of 9 miles of riparian fencing to reduce the effects from livestock grazing;
- replacement or improvement of 11 stream crossings;
- design and installation of multiple off-stream livestock watering facilities;
- improvement of irrigation management; and
- monitoring of stream flows and irrigation withdrawals.
Partners include multiple private landowners, the tribes, the Flathead Lakers, Trout Unlimited, Bureau of Reclamation, Natural Resource Conservation Service, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Plum Creek Timber Company, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Lake County Road Department. Over 50 percent of project costs have come through these partnerships.
To ensure that predation of cutthroat trout by lake trout does not undermine the success of these watershed restoration projects, the tribes are intensively monitoring the lake trout population and conducting activities to enhance angler harvest of these predator fish.
 Dayton Creek in 2001 (click to enlarge) |
 Dayton Creek in 2004 (click to enlarge) |