Gird Creek Restoration

The Teller finished restoring approximately a mile of fisheries habitat on Gird Creek in Spring 2008, resulting in improved trout reproduction, growth and survival. The project was broken into six reaches, consisting of riffle/pool sequences. We are grateful to John Norfleet, Mike Presley, and Mike and Nancy Canning along with Trout Unlimited for providing the funds to complete the project.

For more information see the article below. 

Gird Creek Restoration Complete

By Sam Lawry
Director of Conservation Programs

As Dan Walker and I walked along the banks of the recently completed Gird Creek restoration project, we were amazed at the engineering artistry resulting in new pooling habitat, woody debris jams, spawning gravels, riffles, and glides along a 6,000 foot stretch of the Creek.  It was mid-May, and while we were quite impressed with the results we were nervous about the inevitable impacts of a 250% above normal snow pack waiting to enter the Bitterroot River system.  Would this considerable investment be washed away by flood waters? 

It did not take long to put the restoration to the test, as three days later approximately 20,000 cfs was flowing down the Bitterroot River with nearly three feet of turbid fast-moving water flowing over the restored Gird Creek system.  It took nearly three weeks for the water to drop back down such that we could see the impacts of the flood.  Before I reveal the impacts of the flood waters, I'll step back and describe the Gird Creek project to you so you can better understand the cause of Dan's gray hair and the continued disappearance of mine!

The restoration of Gird Creek had been a dream of many for years, with the primary objective of improving the diversity of habitat for fluvial trout species.  In its existing condition, the system basically consisted of a wide, shallow, slow-moving stream.  This resulted in sediment deposition which attracted aquatic vegetation, nearly choking the entire length of the creek.  There was very little overhanging riparian vegetation and pooling habitat was nearly non-existent.  The system lacked "sinuosity," which means it had little curving and meandering.  With the support of several key donors, sufficient funds were finally acquired to move forward with the project.

In October of 2007, Geum Environmental Consulting, Inc. of Hamilton completed the planning document for the project that included the necessary engineering design to satisfy the complex permitting process.   The plan divided the creek into 6 individual reaches, each containing a series of treatments covering a total of nearly 6,000 feet.  In March of 2008, we were finally notified that all of the permits were approved and work could begin.  West Water Consultants of Corvallis took on the task of delivering the project with a team of subcontractors, each with vast experience in stream restoration. 

The first phase of construction involved a "clear water diversion" of the creek such that work could be performed in the creek without sending sediment-laden waters downstream, impacting a host of aquatic resources. This involved constructing a ditch diverting Gird Creek into an old abandoned channel east of the existing streambed.  Volunteers walked the creek to salvage and relocate any abandoned fish, but few were located as we believe the fish moved downstream as the waters receded in the creek.   Then the stream restoration artists went to work.  Using two excavators and an amphibious dump truck, the stream channel was realigned and narrowed, resulting in increased velocities.  Finger bars were constructed, providing for back bays and islands which will be used as juvenile trout rearing habitats.  All of the finger bars were covered in existing native sod primarily composed of sedges and alders.   Spawning gravels were deposited in key locations where GPS technology guided precise depths of riffles and pools.  Large woody debris jams, primarily cottonwood root wads and logs, were buried into the banks of the pools with heavy rocks to serve as weights securing the structure.  Bioengineering consisting of vegetated soil lifts and coconut fiber Coir logs were placed along selected outer meander bends. Local willow cuttings were placed in each of the Coir logs to promote overhanging riparian vegetation along the channel.  Nearly two months of construction resulted in over 100 enhanced and restored features on over one mile of Gird Creek.

Perhaps now you can understand why Dan and I were somewhat concerned that all of the features described above might be headed towards the Clark Fork.  In reality, I knew it would all be fine, and in fact the flood waters actually were a blessing. This natural process is exactly what the doctor ordered in terms of speeding up the recovery process. The results of the energy and the associated heliacal flows provided for sediment deposition in many of the restored reaches, attracting a host of new riparian plant species.  We estimated that less than 10% of the sod placed on the finger bars was lost and no negative impacts were found along the pools, riffles or woody debris jams.  Surviving this high water event will allow the restored sites to become firmly established with a much greater likelihood of withstanding future events.  Dan surveyed the aquatic life post-flood and documented numerous large salmonid species!

This project could not have happened without the support of our dedicated Teller Board, and individual donors Mike and Nancy Canning, John and Lydia Norfleet, and Mike and Peggy Presley.  We also want to express our sincere gratitude for a job well done to Tom Parker and Amy Sacry of GEUM Consulting, Gary Decker of West Water Consulting, Mark Vander Velden of Stream Basics, Chance Kirby of Rock N River Excavating and the Bitterroot Chapter and Montana State Trout Unlimited.  As a result of the Gird Creek project, The Teller has many new friends who contributed personal time and involvement in the project.  Thank You All!