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September will be busy on the Kootenai |
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September 9, 2016 |
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September will continue to be a busy time on the
Kootenai River as work continues on the Kootenai
Tribe's Bonners Ferry Islands construction
project just east of the Kootenai River Bridge.
 Those
watching will see excavators moving material
from the river bed to create a pool and build
out the bank, and large cranes will be driving
timber piles in the river to create two
pool-forming structures. Grading work will also
take place along the south bank of the river.
Excavation of the pools through the river's
braided reach will provide feeding and resting
areas for Kootenai River white sturgeon and
other native fish species, and the placement of
wood piles will create eddies and other complex
habitat areas used by fish. In addition, the
structures are designed to redirect water flow
to both protect the bank and maintain the pools.
 Work
on the south bank is designed to limit erosion
and to provide flood plain surfaces. After
grading, the bank will be planted with native
plants to create a riparian buffer and enhance
the food web in the area.
The Bonners Ferry Islands project, started last
year with completion expected before this year
ends, will also include construction of two
islands on existing mid-channel bars, and it's
just part of the tribe's 15-year, 55 mile
Kootenai River Restoration Project, designed to
revitalize the river and restore it as a viable
habitat for the endangered sturgeon, ling cod
and other aquatic species.
The projects are funded by the Bonneville Power
Administration through the Northwest Power
Council's Fish and Wildlife Program. To learn
more, visit
www.restoringthekootenai.org. |
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