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Big Hole Watershed Committee

Big Hole Watershed Committee

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Projects

Lower French Creek Restoration

The Lower French Creek Restoration project was completed fall 2019 and addressed mining-related impacts, which left the old channel pinned against a high, eroding bank by a man-made dike feature. These human-caused alterations caused 800+ tons of sediment per year to break away from the bank and fall into the stream, affecting downstream fish and mussel habitat. To fix the problem, we constructed approximately 4,000 lineal feet of new stream channel east of the current channel through an area of healthy riparian vegetation. This was a much larger project, both in volume and length, than our previous stream restoration projects. Each meander, pool, riffle, bank, and floodplain were highly engineered to ensure a structurally stable stream, while also enhancing wildlife habitat. The project incorporated other water storage techniques as well, including depressional wetlands and floodplain micro-topography.


Visit our YouTube channel for more project videos.


Project Results

Constructed stream channel: 4,000 linear feet

Constructed riffle: 3,045 linear feet

Willow streambanks: 1,023 linear feet (5,115 willows)

Floodplain willow trenches: 905 linear feet (9,050 willows)

Wood habitat structures: 16

Habitat pools: 26

Depressional wetlands: 1.56 acres

Constructed floodplain: 7 acres


People & Organizations Involved

Big Hole Watershed Committee (project manager)

Funders

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (landowner as well as funder)

Bureau of Reclamation

Montana Department of Environmental Quality

George Grant Trout Unlimited

Montana Trout Unlimited

The Nature Conservancy

Wildlife Conservation Society – Climate Adaptation Fund

Contractors

Morrison-Maierle, Inc.

Watershed Consulting

Basic Biological Services


 

Project Photos

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Project MAP

Status

Completed

Type

Streambank/Sedimentation

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Big Hole Watershed Committee

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Big Hole Watershed Committee
P.O. Box 21
Divide, MT 59727-0021
(406) 960-4855

Non-Profit Status
The Big Hole Watershed Committee is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization created to support the communities of the Big Hole River.

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