Natural resources, including flora and fauna have shaped the culture of the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho (Tribe) for thousands and thousands of years. The aboriginal territories of the Kootenai Tribal peoples (Ktunaxa) were far reaching with traditional hunting, fishing, and gathering activities extending into British Columbia, Western Montana, and all of North Idaho.

Many of the areas and resources traditionally used by the Tribe have been lost, anadromous salmonids no longer journey up the Upper Columbia River and its tributaries and wapato no longer blooms on the drained wetlands. Even today, the Kootenai white sturgeon and burbot struggle to maintain historic spawning grounds.

It is the goal of the Tribe to promote full mitigation of the impacts suffered by the people of the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho and the fish, water, wildlife, and plant resources which they depended, as a direct and indirect result of the development and operation of the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS).

The Kootenai River floodplain reconnection feasibility study is one component of a larger, on-going effort to identify and implement opportunities to restore natural floodplain functions along the Kootenai River. The overall project goal is to enhance biological, terrestrial and aquatic habitats by improving hydrologic connectivity between the Kootenai River and its floodplain ecosystem.  

Relevance of the Albeni Falls Wildlife Mitigation Project to the Northwest Power Conservation Council Fish and Wildlife Program
Coordination and cooperation between all agencies and the Upper Columbia United Tribes (UCUT), including the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, will ensure fish and wildlife mitigation activities are consistent with the Northwest Power Conservation Council (NWPCC) Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Program. This project is tied strongly to the 2000 NWPCC Fish and Wildlife Program scientific principles, where ecosystem function and ecological management are key to the directed project objectives. Moreover, this project framework works to assess, characterize and address the primary and secondary limiting factors listed in the Kootenai Subbasin Plan, and the project addresses Urgent and High Priority objectives found in Kootenai Subbasin Management Plan (Table 10.5).

This project is a beginning to restoring natural ecosystem processes in the Kootenai River Basin by creating physical habitat for native aquatic and terrestrial wildlife as well as the botanical community.  Further, as an ecosystem restoration project, it also addresses nutrient cycles, assimilation, and the trophic cascade which has been interrupted.  

To date this project has studied the feasibility of reconnecting floodplain habitats with the mainstem Kootenai River and determined it to be feasible and beneficial for the health of the ecosystem.  Additionally, as part of this project, we have collected baseline productivity data in existing floodplain water bodies.  Currently we are examining four different restoration alternatives for the Ball Creek Ranch site.  Beginning in the summer of 2006 a preferred alternative was chosen and restoration design began based on the preferred alternative.  Therefore, for the years between 2007 and 2009 we expect a substantial amount of the project scope to be dedicated toward construction related activities.  Prior to internal guidance, local community input and review, alternative selection and final design plans (described within), the objectives here assume a preferred alternative and describe actions in terms of end-point visions.  As a project working toward ecosystem restoration it is important to summarize the current condition, forecasted condition, and rational for restoration.

In 2007 -2008:
1) We will assess the trophic structure relative to current habitat types by collecting parameters at cross-sections located at 20 meter intervals through the existing length of stream between West Side Road and the confluence with the Kootenai River.  
2) Collect and analyze floodplain benchmark system productivitiy and biological response data by measuring lentic water macro-nutrients (forms of Nitrogen and Phosphorous),  low trophic level (chlorophyll and zooplankton), and higher trophic level biological response parameters (fish community).
3) Build from the 50% design to a 75% design, we intend to finalize the volume of groundwater storage and build a Ball Creek stream channel dimension and alignment package for areas of the Ball Creek Ranch.
4) Assemble all of the data collected to date and identify and refine physical and political limitations as appropriate, for preparing stream channel designs, reconnection designs, diversion designs, and lentic habitat design.
5) Refine and develop an appropriate connection design that will allow fish passage.
6) Refine and develop a geomorphically appropriate design for Ball Creek.
7) Identify and refine the design of water control structures that can regulate the flood inundation extent and duration of floodplain habitats.
8) Examine hydrogeologic data and existing models to maximize potential hyporheic interactions.
9) Design instream habitat structures.
10) Model backwater effects of the Kootenai River and model Ball Creek flows.
11) Begin the preparation of construction plan.