Fish habitat work underway on Coal Creek

A fish habitat enhancement project is underway in the South Fork Coal Creek drainage, a tributary to the North Fork Flathead River that was degraded by historical land management practices.  

More than two dozen large woody structures are being incorporated into the stream channel to create spawning and rearing habitat for bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout. 

Logs were harvested from the nearby Sun Dog Fire (2006) using sawyers, a helicopter, and backhoe to minimize impacts on the landscape. Pre- and post-project monitoring will allow biologists to evaluate project success.

The project is funded through the Bonneville Power Administration fisheries mitigation program.

For questions about this project, contact Durae Belcer at 751-4545.