Contract History:  
The Lolo Creek Watershed Restoration project (1996-077-02) has been an on-going project of the Nez Perce Tribe Fisheries Watershed Program and BPA since 1996.  The ultimate goal of the project is to restore the physical and biological characteristics of the watershed to provide quality habitat for anadromous and resident fish species that support the historical, cultural and economic practices of the Nez Perce Tribe.  The Lolo Creek watershed contains proposed critical habitat for listed species steelhead trout, potential critical habitat for bull trout, and has moderate habitat potential for spring Chinook salmon.  Restoration in this watershed focuses on restoring riparian processes by addressing increased water temperatures, increased sedimentation, cattle grazing affects, fish passage issues, and noxious weed infestations.  The project addresses passage problems, primarily at road/stream crossings, on both private and federal land, and addresses riparian planting and riparian protection program management. Completed contract work includes culvert prioritization and assessment, installation of an off-site watering development, 19 culvert replacements, 8 culvert removals, 1600 ft. of stream bank stabilization, 62 miles of road decommissioning, 16 miles of fence installation, over 13,800 riparian trees planted, and continued monitoring and evaluation.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
    
Summary of FY 08 contract work:
This project is a part of the Clearwater National Forest-Nez Perce Tribe Watershed Restoration Partnership with in kind contributions from the Clearwater National Forest.  Potlatch Corporation is also a partner on portions of this project.  

A) Technical review for 10 miles of road decommissioning-
Road densities in the Lolo Creek watershed are 4.8 miles per square mile, the target for road densities is 1.0 miles per square mile.  Up to 10 miles of road decommissioning will be completed under the proposed White-White Road decommissioning project.  This work will include re-contouring roads back to natural topography and de-compacting landing areas which will reduce surface erosion and sediment delivery to streams.  The Forest Service (Clearwater National Forest) will decommission these roads under a separate BPA-CNF contract of this project, and the Nez Perce Tribe will assist in bid package preparation, contractor selection, technical oversight, final inspection, and the associated implementation/effectiveness monitoring and evaluation.  

B) Riparian planting-
Re-vegetation efforts have been ongoing in the Jim Brown Creek tributary of Lolo Creek since 2002 and have been successful.  However, Jim Brown Creek and its tributaries consist of over four miles of stream length, which was practically devoid of vegetation in the 1990s.  Additional plantings are warranted to provide a healthy, functioning riparian zone that provides shade to the stream, which will reduce lethal stream temperatures.  In FY 08 we will plant an estimated 2,400 native riparian trees within the Jim Brown Creek area.  Species of trees to be planted include Drummond willow, Thinleaf alder, and Red osier dogwood.

C) Fence maintenance-
Sixteen miles of fence have been previously constructed in the Lolo Creek watershed.  The fences consist of wooden posts and a combination of rails and four-strand barbed wire to isolate and protect riparian areas.  Due to heavy snow loads, annual maintenance is required to maintain a properly functioning fence that protects riparian and stream habitat.

D) Noxious weed treatment-
The USFS Environmental Assessment completed in 2004 identifies the Musselshell Meadows as a highly used, culturally sensitive area of particular concern to the Nez Perce Tribe.  Data on noxious weed infestations within the Lolo Creek drainage, and in particular the Musselshell Meadows area, were collected and analyzed in FY 2007.  The meadow area and corridors of invasion (roads, trails, and disturbed areas) were inventoried for the encroachment of non-native, invasive plants.  Treatment of the highly infested areas of the 190 acre meadow will be implemented in FY 08 using chemical and mechanical means.  

E) Continued monitoring and evaluation-
Project effectiveness monitoring:  A monitoring protocol for culvert replacements will track the status of habitat within and around the culvert, as well as the stream channel' s reaction to the newly installed culvert.  Monitoring for culvert replacements includes fish surveys above and below culverts, channel grade, in-culvert substrate, and profile measurements. A report on the success of previously and newly installed culverts will be completed.  Culvert replacement monitoring has been ongoing for several years.  Per the protocol, culvert replacement monitoring in Lolo Creek is scheduled for the Rat Creek, Stray Creek, Snowshoe Creek, Cedar Creek #1, Bat Creek, and the Burnt Creek culverts for FY 08.

Project effectiveness monitoring:  The Clearwater National Forest and the Nez Perce Tribe have developed a monitoring plan for decommissioned roads.  Data is used to monitor success and for suggesting improvements that could be made.  The annual monitoring plan has established numerous monitoring sites for all roads that have been obliterated, and establishes a timetable for subsequent monitoring.  Specifically in Lolo Creek, evaluation of approximately 62 miles of obliterated roads will be accomplished by collecting monitoring data at numerous different sample sites as shown in the WE location.  Data collected for Road Obliteration Monitoring and Evaluation includes the following: locate and evaluate new mass failures, record and evaluate points of surface erosion, evaluate re-vegetation coverage and succession to native plants, measure stream channel restoration and adjustment, and evaluate whether the treatment applied was appropriate for the land type.  Annual monitoring has been done at these sites since FY 1997.

Status and Trend Monitoring: A monitoring protocol for selected stream habitat reaches will track the status and trend of Lolo Creek. Information will be collected on fish abundance and distribution, macro-invertebrates, flow, temperature, sediment composition, and habitat parameters to include channel morphology, valley width index, Wolman Pebble counts, cobble embeddedness, large woody debris, bank stability, and riparian condition and density.  This data will be summarized in a monitoring report, showing trends of conditions as a result of watershed restoration activities.  Six stream reaches on Jim Brown Creek, Musselshell Creek, Lolo Creek, and Yoosa Creek are scheduled for monitoring in FY 08.  Monitoring for some of the parameters at these reaches began in FY 1997 and periodic monitoring has occurred annually since 2000.