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. This unique and successful restoration partnership is implemented through agreements between the Nez Perce - Clearwater National Forests (NPCNFs), Nez Perce Tribe (NPT), and Bonneville Power Administration (BPA). 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. In 2016, the Lolo Creek project was combined with the Selway River project, a newly funded BiOp effort initiated in 2011 to perform high priority watershed restoration actions in the Selway River watershed.

The Lolo Creek watershed contains proposed critical habitat for listed 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 effects, fish passage barriers, and noxious weed infestations. Fish passage and habitat connectivity actions are prioritized primarily at road/stream crossings on both private and federal land, and native riparian revegetation and continuous riparian protection are also high priority actions.

The Selway River Watershed contains critical habitat for listed steelhead trout, potential critical habitat for bull trout, and has moderate habitat potential for Spring Chinook salmon. Restoration follows a ridge top to ridge top approach with implementation focused on restoring riparian processes by addressing increased water temperatures, increased sedimentation, cattle grazing effects, aquatic habitat connectivity, and exotic, invasive plant encroachment. The cost share for this project has been contributed by the Nez Perce - Clearwater National Forests who provides approximately 20% match including cash and in-kind contributions. Project planning and implementation responsibilities are also shared with the Nez Perce - Clearwater National Forests.

Completed contract work in the Lolo Watershed includes culvert prioritization and assessment, installation of an off-site water source, 31 culvert replacements, 11 culvert removals, 2600 ft. of stream bank stabilization, 14 large wood structures, 108.5 miles of road decommissioning, 23 miles of fence installation and maintenance, and over 24,000 native riparian trees and shrubs planted.

Completed contract work in the Selway Watershed includes culvert prioritization and assessment, installation of 10 culvert replacements, and 41 miles road decommissioning surveys.  

The following agencies and entities will collaborate with local partners to identify the highest priority locations and a corresponding suite of restorations actions to address critical limiting factors in the Lolo Creek Watershed: BPA, NPT, Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, IDFG, IDL, Potlatch Corp., BLM, NRCS, and the county SWCD. This collaborative, inclusive, evidence-based, and strategic process has been ongoing for several years, leading to the development of an Atlas prioritization framework in 2019. The Lolo Atlas framework contains a prioritized list of areas and specific restoration actions to be implemented over the next 10 years or more. The Atlas framework is a living document and is managed adaptively and modified as projects are implemented and as new data and research evidence becomes available to inform restoration.

Projects that have been considered and prioritized through the Atlas process, and that are planned for implementation this contract period, include: addressing fish passage barriers in several creeks; increasing habitat complexity at lower Lolo Creek; design work at the Selway irrigation diversion; and fencing, riparian planting, and invasive plants treatment.