A History of Fish Abundance & Compostion in Silver Creek, Idaho

Pre-Settlement Period
According to testimonials from travelers passing through the area, Silver Creek was about 25 feet wide, two feet deep, and so full of trout they could hardly swim. At this time, all trout in the Silver Creek watershed were native redband trout, a variety of rainbow. When all the large marshes were functioning and the watershed was covered with native vegetation, its wildlife and fisheries were highly sought after by Native Americans.

1875 to 1947
With the advent of large numbers of livestock moving into the basin and the soon to follow agricultural practices, the impacts to Silver Creek were evident as early as 1903. Hauk (1947) reported a much wider stream than exists today, with heavily silted tributaries, and a dense trout population compared to other trout streams in the country. Nonetheless, Hauk believed the trout fishery to be in decline, and in response, all the Silver Creek tributaries were closed to fishing from 1934 to 1946. As far back as 1917, Silver Creek was considered by sportsmen to be the most highly productive trout fishery in the country. Even in its more degraded state, Silver Creek and its tributaries (as it is today) supports a valuable and productive trout fishery.

By the 1920s, government agencies were stocking brook trout in the Silver Creek watershed, and by 1947 their numbers made up the highest percentage of trout species in the watershed. From the 1920s to 1930s, McCloud River rainbow trout were stocked in Silver Creek. In later years, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game stocked other varieties of rainbow trout. Unfortunately, these stocking practices are the primary reason that native redband trout no longer survive in the watershed in their pure form.

1947 to 1980
During the 1950s, Silver Creek was intermittently closed to fishing because it was believed that over-fishing was causing the declining trout population. Agricultural reclamation, meanwhile, was eliminating the huge marshes in the tributaries of Silver Creek; however, no data are available to determine the impacts to the trout population from these land conversions. Over the next several decades, various sources reported declines in the fishery. More recently, decreased catch rates and sizes have been documented.

1980 to Date
In the late 1970s, brown trout was stocked in waters with direct access to the Silver Creek watershed. By 1986, brown trout made up 19 percent of the trout population in Silver Creek; by 2004, this figure increased to 60 percent and then leveled off at 55 percent in 2007. As the proportion of brown trout has increased, there has been a concurrent decrease in the proportion of rainbow trout. Due to this indiscriminate stocking, brown trout are here to stay in Silver Creek and are now one of the important trout species in sport fishery.

A 2001 fish population analysis found 2,800 trout per mile in Silver Creek, which is much higher than the numbers found in other trout streams in the country. In fact, trout density (1,573 rainbow/hectare) in Silver Creek was the highest measured for a mixed species salmonid fishery in the United States. Wiley (1977) reported 3 to 6 pound trout were regularly taken by fishermen.

In 2007, IDFG sampled Silver Creek at three locations (Stalker Creek, Cabin, Martin) to evaluate trends in population abundance and structure and estimate rainbow trout and brown trout abundance. Brown trout densities ranged from 308 to 640 fish (>100mm/km) at the Cabin and Martin sites, respectively, while rainbow trout densities ranged from 95 to 1,726 fish (>100mm/km) at the Martin and Cabin sites, respectively. IDFG sampled again in 2010; however, the results will not be available until spring of 2011. Nevertheless, some preliminary observations are:

• The fishery appears to be moving toward a brown trout- dominated fishery ; the upper sections of Silver and Stalker creeks are about 60% brown trout and 40% rainbow, while the lower reaches are about 80% brown and 20% rainbow.
• The shift from rainbow to brown trout dominance is a function of habitat degradation (primarily temperature because browns have a higher tolerance) as well as piscivory.
• Total abundance of trout is not much different from 2007
• Age analysis indicates no year classes have been lost; and, remarkably, some brown trout are 12 to 14 years old.
• Growth rates remain strong, about the same as in previous sampling years
• Species composition has changed with the likely extirpation of mountain whitefish

In 2000, Jack Hemmingway stated that Silver Creek was now better fishing than it was in the 1930s. Brook trout, however, have fewer numbers now than when they were originally stocked over a half century ago. Reports from 1952 to 1997 indicate that fishermen were averaging a catch rate of about one trout per hour. From 2001 to 2007, Gillian (2007) reported a decline in the trout population. It is doubtful that fishing success, per unit of time, in Silver Creek has decreased much over the past 75 years. Trout populations naturally have wide variations in year to year population size and could be the cause of the consistent reports of fish population declines.

In June 1992, the first recorded trout kill occurred at “Point of Rocks” on Silver Creek. This could have been caused by low dissolved oxygen (2.5ppm), high stream temperatures, toxic inputs, a combination of these factors or unknown factors. In June 1994 a second trout kill was reported when dissolved oxygen was 3.2 ppm; however none of these isolated kills had a significant effect on the trout population. Reported fish kills in the Silver Creek watershed are quite rare to date.

Silver Creek- Winter Habitat Conditions

In summer months, biological conditions and forces set the predominate ecological processes in Silver Creek and its tributaries—in winter, however, physical process dominate over biological. Winter is a stressful period for stream-dwelling organisms, especially fish. Low water temperatures slow the rate of digestion and may limit the amount of energy available for metabolism and growth, even if food is available and feeding occurs. Decreased water temperatures reduce the swimming performance of trout, which impairs their ability to escape predators. Angling is closed in Silver Creek during the winter months, but catch-and-release regulations apply in other streams in the basin.

At the onset of winter, juvenile salmonids may form aggregations in open water, especially in thermal refuges like spring inflows, or may conceal themselves in woody debris, in interstices of the substrate, or under undercut banks. Silver Creek and its tributaries offer all these conditions during winter, providing trout with ample winter cover and escapement from predators.

Winter water temperatures in Silver Creek moderate a few degrees in comparison with most trout streams in the region, but are cold enough to induce behavioral changes in trout. Water temperatures are warmer in the upper reaches near spring inflows, and are considerably cooler downstream. Of particular importance in spring-driven systems like Silver Creek is the effect and influences of ice. A floating ice cover can dramatically increase turbulent shear stress on the streambed, thereby causing peak annual sediment-transport events to occur during the breakup of an ice cover or the release of a breakup ice jam. These events often have high discharges, with gouging and abrasion of the bed and banks by moving ice. Ice in a stream channel can reduce the flow areas, increasing under-ice water velocity, scouring bed sediments, and possibly shifting the path of the deepest flow (thalweg). Solid ice is not the only condition that can alter a stream’s structure—frazzle ice can impinge flow against the channel sides, thus contributing to bank erosion.

Ice effects can occur over varying scales or time and channel length. In Silver Creek, icing is more common in the lower reaches below Kilpatrick Pond than in upper reaches, because water temperatures are warmer upstream near the spring sources. At the local scale, an ice cover over a short reach may redistribute flow laterally across the reach, accentuating erosion in one place and deposition in another. Ice may dampen or amplify erosion processes locally. Dampening effects of ice include reduced water runoff from the watershed, cementing of bank materials by frozen water, and ice armoring of bars and shoreline. Amplifying effects include accelerated erosion and sediment transport, notably during the surge of water and ice consequent to the collapse of ice jams.

Surface ice occurrences on Silver Creek are seldom and occur in localized reaches. When Silver Creek experiences ice cover, the stream tends to ice from the bottom-up, by first forming anchor ice (ice sheets attached to the substrate) and then developing frazzle ice in the water column. If low temperatures persist, thin ice sheets eventually form across the channel. While surface ice generally forms for short periods, frazzle ice and anchor ice will persist much longer. Frazzle ice is like pebbles suspended in the water column, and when working against the stream bank, it acts like sandpaper and can cause significant erosion. Stream bank abrasion by icing may explain how undercut banks are formed in Silver Creek since the stream lacks the flow velocities necessary to account for undercutting.

The detrimental effects of ice formation and sediment deposition are evident in some lower reaches of Silver Creek. Sediment deposition reduces channel capacity, and icing increases the stage (height) of the water surface in deposition areas such that stream flow overtops the stream banks in local sites, as displayed in these photos downstream of the Preserve. Sediments in this area cause winter flows to overtop banks, ice then forms on top of the bank undercuts and builds-up until the overhanging bank cannot support the weight of the ice and the stream bank collapses. This results in the loss of the undercut bank and consequently, of valuable fish habitat—it also contributes new sediments to the stream and provides platforms for encroaching reed canary grass, night-shade and other invasive species.

Silver Creek habitat is adversely affected by temperature and sediments in the summer and the winter. Continued sediment inputs and winter icing conditions will have a negative effect on channel morphology, with changes in thalweg depth and location, stream bank erosion and loss of undercut banks. Consequently, although winter is the most favorable period for stream restoration work, sediment disturbance and other potential negative effects must be carefully considered.

Summer Fish Habitat Conditions- Summary of the 2010 Silver Creek Fish Habitat Inventory

A key indicator of a stream’s health is the quality and quantity of habitat. Silver Creek is known for its first class trout fishery. Because a detailed inventory of Silver Creek’s fish habitat has never been performed, one of the tasks Ecosystem Sciences Foundation took on was the identification, qualification and mapping of aquatic habitat in Silver Creek on The Nature Conservancy’s Preserve.

The stream was floated from Stalker Creek to Kilpatrick Pond and dam. Deep runs and pools were surveyed by snorkeling. Habitat inventories focus on the primary types of fish habitat necessary for all trout life stages, including spawning and incubation, early rearing (ER), young-of-the-year (YOY), juvenile and adult habitat. Each life stage has specific habitat requirements that are critical, including gravel size, sediment conditions, instream cover, escapement, pools and run depths.

A habitat inventory is essential in order to define the principal limiting factor(s) on a fishery. For example, while spawning habitat may be extensive in a stream, a lack of early rearing habitat might be the cause of a small adult population because young-of-the-year and juvenile trout are susceptible to predation. In addition to habitat limitations, water quality can also affect a fishery and adversely impact fish production and size.

In the case of Silver Creek, summer temperatures and sediment deposition have been cited as having the potential to impact the trout fishery. What has not been identified, to date, is the extent to which habitat quality and habitat availability factor into the health of the stream’s fishery.

The conclusions that can be drawn from the fish habitat inventory are:

• With the exception of Kilpatrick Pond, all stream reaches surveyed contained some critical trout habitat feature. Spawning habitat with clean gravels is distributed throughout the stream. Early rearing and young-of-the-year habitat is juxtaposed with adult holding/rearing habitat, so that Silver Creek exhibits a mosaic of trout habitat in all reaches.

• Fish production is exceptionally high throughout the surveyed stream reaches. This is because benthic invertebrate (insects that live on the bottom of the stream) production occurs in all reaches in substrate and aquatic vegetation, providing an unlimited food base. Incubation and egg-hatch appears to be very high and redds (depressions on the stream bottom in beds of gravel where fish eggs are deposited) are little affected by sediments. In fact, successful incubation requires a certain amount of sediments to ensure an adequate protective cap develops over the redd.

• Sediment deposition is greatest at the confluence of tributaries and agriculture drains into Silver Creek. These are isolated sites of extreme sediment depth and probably contain sediments deposited years ago as a legacy of livestock grazing throughout the watershed.

• Sediment deposits are relatively thin (< 2 or 3 inches) in other stream reaches. The gravel areas covered by thin layers of fine sediments pose no problem to large trout building redds; they can easily swipe away the fines as the egg nest is dug. These sediments are also too thin to limit benthic invertebrate production.

• Pools, especially deep meander pools, are scoured of sediments. As stream flows enter outside bends, the flow velocity increases, which not only forms the pools but prevents sediment accumulation. Without these physical processes, all of the pools in Silver Creek would have vanished long ago under legacy sediments.

• Upper reaches of the stream from Stalker Creek to the Grove Creek confluence are heavily canopied and banks stabilized with riparian vegetation. The middle and lower reaches of Silver Creek within the Preserve, in contrast, lack the riparian habitat of upper reaches and are widened because of past livestock grazing. These conditions, however, do not significantly degrade instream trout habitat.

• Reed canary grass (RCG)(Phalaris arundinacea) is encroaching in many places along the stream. Typically, reed canary grass begins building platforms on what were once undercut banks. In many places, undercut banks have been lost due to winter conditions exacerbated by sediment inputs. Reed canary grass easily becomes established on these disturbed sites. The long term threat from reed canary grass is in those naturally shallow channel reaches where the plant builds platforms and encroaches into the channel year-by-year.

• Fish passage is generally not an issue within the Preserve boundaries, although a beaver dam about one-quarter mile above the Stalker Creek road does inhibit trout movement into the upper watershed streams (Cain, Mud, Stalker, etc.). IDFG and TNC staff have removed some beaver and pulled down some of the dam, but the dam continues to have a backwater effect that accumulates sediments. The depth of fine sediments in this backwater area negates any positive benefits related to pool habitat; deep sediments have buried both spawning and benthic production values. The dam needs to be brought down to the stream water surface elevation to encourage sediment movement and more efficient trout passage. Except for this beaver dam, the only other impairment to trout migration on Silver Creek is the Kilpatrick Dam.

• Sediment movement into Silver Creek is clearly through the agriculture drains and tributaries. Significant deposition areas occur at these confluences and the solution is to attenuate, to the extent possible, sediment inputs from agriculture lands adjacent to the tributaries and from the irrigation ditches. There are also a few minor places within the Preserve that could generate sediment inputs from overland flow in the spring.

• The only place in Silver Creek that does not support high quality trout habitat and benthic invertebrate production is Kilpatrick Pond. Legacy sediments combined with annual inputs of new sediments have rendered this reach of the stream all but unusable (except at night) for all trout life stages except adult holding. Over time sediment accumulation has progressed upstream to the Loving Creek confluence. Thermal loading in the broad, shallow ponds also restricts trout use. Angling and catch effort continues to be high in the pond—mostly below the bridge and the Preserve boundary—because adult brown and rainbow trout move downstream in response to density-dependent competition, i.e., competing for space with one another. Also, trout feed on scuds and aquatic insects like midges, which are adapted to fine sediment environments.


Results from this fish habitat inventory indicate that the Silver Creek fishery not only lacks an identifiable habitat limiting factor, but habitat throughout the stream supports all trout life stages. Silver Creek is a legendary fishery precisely because of the habitat quality found throughout the stream. Although physical habitat and the food base is not limiting, the fishery is adversely affected by elevated summer temperatures and sediment inputs. As temperature and sediment conditions worsen in time, it can be expected that these conditions will impose a limiting factor(s) on the fishery.

The Silver Creek Fish Habitat maps provided in these links detail the results from the habitat inventory from Stalker Creek (just upstream of the confluence with Cain Creek)to Kilpatrick dam. (Some terms used in the maps include: ER- early rearing, YOY-Young-of-year, RCG-Reed canary grass.)

Saving water through irrigation changes

This week we showcased our first irrigation project focused on water conservation! We installed a variable rate irrigation (VRI) system on the Point of Rocks pivot. We are hopeful this will be the first of many of these VRI systems in the valley.

This is the first of its kind in Idaho, even though the technology was developed at the Unviversity of Idaho twenty years ago. One of the 'tipping points' identified by Bill PLatts at the first enhancement plan meeting was the groundwater level. He said he had seen spring creeks dry up in just ten years from too much groundwater pumping. We need to make sure that never happens at Silver Creek and this may be a useful tool in that effort. Every time the pivot makes a circle (every two days, roughly), with this technology we will be saving over 419,000 gallons of water!! That is 419,000 gallons that can stay in the aquifer for Silver Creek.

Field Visits

Ecosystem Sciences Foundation will spend the next two weeks at Silver Creek. Next week, they will be meeting individually with landowners and natural resource professionals. The following week will be spent in the field verifying the mapping while exploring and studying the creek. Several meetings have already been set, but they do have room in their schedules if you would like to arrange a site visit. Please call Dayna at 788-7910 to set something up.

Preliminary Enhancement Plan Presentation

Picture above- Laura Hubbard, The Nature Conservancy's Idaho State Director talking with John and Elizabeth Stevenson about riparian plantings done along Patton creek last fall.

On June 24th, over fifty people gathered to hear Ecosystem Sciences Foundation present the preliminary enhancement plan for Silver Creek. After the meeting I hung around and spoke with a variety of people. Reactions ranged from staunch excitement to extreme disappointment. ESF stayed their course of ‘do no harm’ and advocated taking care of the remaining sediment inputs before doing any more extensive stream work. Because they think sediment inputs are coming largely from overland flow during the snow melt and runoff events, stopping those inputs will mean creating more substantial riparian buffers. Much of this work has already been done, riparian buffers being the focus of stream work from the 1970s to late 1990’s, but there are still some areas that need attention. Beyond the riparian buffers, we talked about a variety of subject ranging from groundwater usage, extending conservation partners, mitigating temperatures with increased riparian plantings, trout populations and existing (and lacking) data, restoration philosophies, and the list goes on.

It has been my goal from the beginning to have the planning process as open and transparent as possible. Nothing is written in stone at this point! This plan is still very much a work in progress—I myself submitted four pages of questions, concerns, ideas, and input to ESF last week and am waiting for their response. Feel free to do the same, here or in an email or phone call—the more they hear from us, the more robust the plan will be.

Presentation of the preliminary Silver Creek Enhancement Plan is this THURSDAY!!!!

You are invited to join us for an evening presentation from Ecosystem Sciences Foundation on the preliminary Silver Creek Enhancement Plan. They have been wading through the data, analyzing photos, and studying all things Silver Creek. It is time to hear what they have to say about what Silver Creek was, where it is today, and where it wants to go. We look forward to seeing you!

5:30 p.m. The Nature Conservancy office in Hailey at 116 First Avenue North. Call 788-7910 for more information.

We need photos!!

Call for photos! If you have any historical photos, we would love to see them! This helps us with the mapping so we can make sure what we think we are seeing the aerial photos is what we are actually seeing. Please email or send any photos you may have. Or you can call me, I will come get the photos, scan them and return them to you with a disk for you. 788-7910

Opening day on May 29th-- time for feedback and a barbeque!!!

The public meetings are coming to a close. We had a full house at the visitor center on May 11, I don’t think we have ever crammed so many people into that space! Mark Hill gave an interesting presentation on Ecosystem Sciences work in California on the Owens River. There were many differences and many parallels to the Silver Creek project and we had the opportunity to discuss a few of them. However, the talk always circles back to sediment when you talk about restoring Silver Creek. I heard from many people who disagreed with Marks statement that most of the sediment in Silver Creek is from historic inputs. I also heard from people who agreed. Many people said that it didn’t really matter—what do we do about it NOW?

Next meeting will be an open house at the visitor center on May 29th. Join us for a barbeque lunch from 12-3 pm and an open house where you can look at the preliminary maps and give us feedback.

PRELIMINARY PLAN TO BE PRESENTED ON JUNE 24th IN HAILEY, GET US YOUR FEEDBACK BEFORE THEN!!!!

June 24th, 5:30 p.m. at The Nature Conservancy office located at 116 1st Ave. North Hailey, ID. 83333

Objectives

Photo- IDFG's Terry Greggory, TNC's Dayna Gross, and private landowner, John Stevenson.

One of the things I keep getting asked during the public meetings and in discussions with people is—what is your objective?

This is a hard question to answer right now because we, The Nature Conservancy, have objectives for Silver Creek that focus on preservation and enhancement of specific habitat types. However, part of the process in developing a watershed plan, is to incorporate other objectives into our own--- with the goal of engaging multiple stakeholders to help guide the long-term conservation vision of the watershed.

Currently, our goals and objectives are as follows:
Our Goal: To work with landowners and partners to protect and restore the most important habitats in the Silver Creek watershed to ensure that the creek remains a special place for fish, wildlife and people.

Silver Creek Enhancement Plan Objective:
The Silver Creek Enhancement Plan will be the first effort to comprehensively address fish and wildlife habitat in the entire Silver Creek watershed, including tributary streams. The plan will identify where habitat is in the best condition, and where habitat can be restored. It will prioritize projects and focus on those methods and partnerships that can achieve the most effective conservation. The plan will also develop incentives for landowners interested in enhancing habitat on their properties. By undertaking this comprehensive effort, we can ensure the long-term protection and improvement of Silver Creek.

Let us know what you think!

Water Modeling

Amazing how cold it can be at the end of April at Silver Creek! The wind cuts through clothing like nothing. And this is the week that Maria Loinaz scheduled to come to the valley and install monitoring devices for her pHd studies!

Originally from Puerto Rico, she is doing her pHd research in Denmark focusing on groundwater and surface water modeling. She chose the Wood River Valley as a research location because of the unique nature of the area—the groundwater and surface water are closely tied together, it is a world class fly fishing destination, and there are environmental stressors effecting the system (in particular sediments, nutrients, and temperature). There have been models of the Wood River water system done before but the unique thing about Maria’s is that she is coupling the water model with an ecological model. She will be able to see how changes to the system (such as temperature, land use changes, etc) will affect the ecosystem and specific habitats.

Stay posted!

The Meetings continue

I enjoyed two great meetings this week and look forward to the last one of this series tonight. These meetings are open houses and meant to be forums for discussion. So far, we have talked more about silt and added a few topics--- for instance, shoudl the tributaries be managed differently than the main stem of Silver Creek?

Ecosystem Sciences Foundation has been knee deep in data and studies, and also knee deep in Silver Creek. Some of their VERY PRELIMINARY observations and discussion topics are as follows:

• The majority of sediment deposits in Silver and most tributary streams are “legacy” sediments from the early years of livestock grazing. Relatively recent studies seem to confirm this and that a sediment balance has been reached in Silver Creek in that the annual sediment inputs may equal the annual sediment exports.
• Current sediment sources occur during spring runoff from agriculture fields adjacent to streams that are not adequately buffered with riparian vegetation. Other sediment sources such as airborne (losses during tilling), bank erosion, muskrat activity, etc., are far less significant than the overland runoff.
• The average and minimum annual summer temperatures in Silver Creek are well below threshold temperatures for all trout life stages. Maximum summer temperature, generally at dusk, are high yet still below the threshold temperature for trout. Rapid temperature decline beginning at night fall ameliorates adverse affects on trout. In fact studies show substantial trout feeding activity at night.
• Neither temperatures nor sediments are currently having an adverse affect on Silver Creek trout populations; however, there is small margin for additional temperature increases or sediment deposition before a “tipping point” is reached in which trout numbers, recruitment and growth are adversely affected.

These are discussion topics only as ESF may revise them based on further investigation!!! Stay posted!

For the meetings in May, we can look forward to seeing these maps:
• Watershed Map: Basic map of what area will be included as
the “ecosystem”
• River-Tributary Map: Bellevue triangle including Big and Little Wood river connections
• Groundwater: Basic local of the aquifer(s) in triangle and major wells
• Land Use: Color coded for ag, rural, urban, preserve, etc
• Irrigation System: Use hydro graphics to map major canals and diversions
• Landform and Vegetation: riparian, etc
• Fish Habitat: Pools, riffles, runs
• Sediment Inputs: Using info from Goodman and Griffith/Minshall studies
• Sediment Deposition: Major sites of deposition in Loving, Silver
• Thermal Conditions: Using thermal imagery, temp data from data loggers)
• Steam Widening 1946 overlay on 2009 (with quantification)
• Buffer Zones: areas where ag land and tributary interface are or are not adequately buffered
• Stream Restoration: Map restoration projects as length of stream to illustrate connectivity and isolation
• Priority Areas: sediment input, channel overwidening, diversions/backwater, ponds, deposition zones, thermal loading, etc


What do we need now???
Your comments and old photos! Please use get us your comments, thoughts, photos, and information as soon as possible.
Thank you and hope to see you tonight at the Nature Conservancy office in Hailey at 116 1st ave. north, 5:30 pm.
Dayna

Restoration and Values

Brown trout photo by Paddy McIlvoy

To restore, or not to restore.
To enhance, or not to enhance.
These are the questions...

As we gather information from people around the area, I am amazed at how much we all want generally the same thing for Silver Creek--- for it to be a healthy, resilient, functioning, amazing place for future generations to enjoy as we have. It seems we all have a little different way of getting there, and where we focus our energy may be different, but the end goal appears to be very much the same.

We all value things uniquely no doubt. Values are difficult to quantify and interpret, but realizing the diverse environmental philosophies can tell us a lot about the values people hold regarding nature and restoration and how receptive they will be to changes (or to no changes!). Erik Katz (2000), a noted critic of restoration, frames the philosophical questions of restoration:

"Why is the restoration and management of nature a philosophical issue?
Why, indeed, should any environmental policy be a matter of concern for philosophers? The obvious reason is that any human activity is subject
to ethical analysis and justification—we need to see what values are promoted
or retarded by particular policies. But even more basic than the ethical
analysis is the philosophical search for meaning. What is the essential
character of a given human activity? What does it mean to say that we humans
are restoring natural ecosystems? What are we doing when we restore the
natural world? In asking these questions, I am not seeking a detailed description
of the science and technology of the restoration process—I am seeking the
philosophical meaning of the restoration of nature" (37).

These philosophical questions require us to question our relationship to nature when we attempt to restore it.

In posting this blog, I hope to be a little provocative-- we want to hear everything. What do you value about Silver Creek? What would you like to see inhe future? All of your comments are welcome and encouraged!

Public Meetings Begin

The first meetings have been held and we had great turnouts for both. I have tried to summarize some of the main items discussed. If I missed anything, please comment here and I will incorporate that information into our notes.

Derek Risso, with Ecosystem Sciences, began by presenting four maps to illustrate the changes in the area in the past sixty years. These were 1946 aerial photos aligned with 2009 aerials.

His observations included: there are many places where the stream has been straightened and oxbows have disappeared; there is a clear increase in agriculture and increased segmentation (and reduction) of wetlands. There were some areas where riparian cover has been reduced and others where it has increased. There are many more ponds. He was quick to state, however, that these changes are not unique to Silver Creek--we see these changes everywhere in the west. He also wanted to make sure we understood that the aerial photos are just that—photos. They are a snapshot in time and are a way to start the conversation, not a tool to draw final conclusions.

In Picabo, Mark (ESF) posed the questions, ”Where do you think the sediment is coming from?”, and ”How can be best address temperature in your opinion?”. Answers varied. Here were a few thoughts:

● Most of the sediment was remnant from early years of grazing mis-management and it just has not moved,
● The inputs today are minimal with the exception of runoff events (such as the flood in 2006),
● Some sediment comes from the die off of the aquatic vegetation in the winter.

Other issues that came up from the sediment discussion were that the sediment was the main contributing factor to the degradation. Moving sediment through the system is not as easy as it sounds, and neither is pulling it out. The sediment load does move, but not very quickly, and it has completely changed the cross section of the channel.

At both of the meetings, Bill Platts did an amazing job of explaining the Silver Creek system and why this project is different from other projects he has worked on. First, it is a unique system—there is not another one like it and therefore, in order to really enhance it we need to know: 1.) what it was at genesis, 2.) what it is now, and 3.) what it wants to be. This is key, I think—what does it want to be? What can it be? What is its potential? Well, hopefully we will get one step closer to understanding!

ESF was also very clear that this is a different project in that most of the enhancement projects they work on they are starting with very little. They used the example of the Owens River, for instance, where no water was even left in some of the tributaries. When the situation is that bad, you have only got one place to go- better! At Silver Creek, we are starting with a pretty darn good system. It is incredibly productive. So, here, they want to ensure they ”do no harm”’.

”Do no harm” ties directly into the question that was raised, “What is the purpose of this whole project?“ and ‘Will The Nature Conservancy follow through on their own property with enhancements?“ The idea is that enhancement projects are prioritized—the areas in most need of enhancement and the areas where we will get the best return on investment will be identified. We will be looking at the Preserve and are prepared to implement enhancement projects that are priorities on the preserve. But we want to be thoughtful about them--and that is why we are looking at the whole watershed, not just the Preserve. We need to make sure what we do on our property does not have a negative impact downstream and what is happening above us does not negatively impact us.

Some other great questions that came up were:
What if the priorities are not fixable (for instance, a landowner does not want to do anything)? Mark’s answer to this was that we will do what we can and we will be patient. If we can’t fix it today, then we will work on what we can fix and wait for a future opportunity to fix the other priority.

What about the bigger picture issues such as land use in the valley? This plan will not be the plan that the county needs to deal with upcoming issues such as conjunctive water management and changing land uses. However, it will serve as a model for how to do a watershed plan, give the county guidance, and be a tool for them as they look at policy and larger future changes. Bill said several times that - every aquifer has a threshold of how much water can be taken out of it. We have lost aquifers all over the country because of overuse. We need to know our threshold here and not pass it. It is not uncommon for spring creeks to completely dry up within 10-15 years when the threshold of use has been passed. We need to ensure that this never happens at Silver Creek!!

Meet Ecosystem Sciences

Meet Ecosystem Sciences
How ever it is described - restoration, rehabilitation, enhancement or recovery – the transformation of ecosystems from degraded conditions to functionality is a new, exciting and evolving field of knowledge. It is the amalgamation of ecology, biology, sociology, planning, architecture, and natural resource management. Advances in high tech tools like Geographic Information Systems provide platforms for usually desperate professions to form interactive teams. Ecosystem degradation is no longer addressed through isolated parts, but can now be approached wholistically. Nor is ecosystem restoration just a non-urban application. City landscapes are as integral to the whole ecosystem as are undeveloped or rural areas. Our organization, Ecosystem Sciences, is fortunate to have had opportunities that have placed us in the forefront of this evolving science, and allowed us to make significant and seminal contributions.

Ecosystem Sciences was formed over 15 years ago in response to the need to restore the Owens River Valley ecosystem in California. Although little was known at that time about how to reconnect uplands with bottomlands to restore riparian and river ecosystems to functional conditions, we learned early on that many fields of knowledge would be needed to achieve success. Perhaps the number one lesson learned in those early days was to focus on eliminating the causes of degradation not just treat symptoms. We learned that interventions within stream channels are relatively short-lived without interventions in land and water management that permanently remove the perturbations. Restoration of river, riparian, range and upland ecosystems throughout the Eastern Sierras grew into the largest ecosystem restoration effort outside of the Everglades. The project is on-going, we are still learning, and we have applied the scientific and technical advances gained to other ecosystem projects in western USA and internationally.

When Ecosystem Sciences was first formed, we recognized that technology transfer of what we were learning would be especially important in developing countries where the struggle toward sustainability and resource restoration is monumental. Relying on our many years of experience working in developing countries through the World Bank, USAID, and other international organizations, we also formed Ecosystem Sciences Foundation, a non-profit (501c3) arm of the firm, to advance technology transfer and assist other non-profits with comparable missions. Since then we have established a foundation office in Mexico where we have won an environmental award for our projects to improve water resources at the village level. We have established partnerships with the Overbrook and Tinker Foundations to sustain our Mexico programs. In Idaho, the Foundation has worked to provide scientific support for the listing of Big Lost River mountain whitefish as a threatened or endangered species. We developed an urban ecology design manual for the Treasure Valley to include Boise and other municipalities along the Boise River corridor, which won both regional and national awards from the American Society of Landscape Architects. Working with The Nature Conservancy on Silver and Loving creek is a natural fit between our mission and TNC’s mission. Our Foundation is self-endowed with monthly contributions from employees and monthly and annual contributions from Ecosystem Sciences.

Ecosystem Sciences Foundation team for the Silver-Loving creeks project will be led by myself (Mark Hill) and Bill Platts. Bill is undoubtedly Idaho’s most distinguished environmental scientist. He has studied, fished, or hunted more Idaho watersheds and streams than anyone alive. At his retirement from the US Forest Service in 1988, Bill was Chief of Research for the Intermountain West. He has written more research papers on riparian and river ecosystems and fisheries than any other American scientist, and is a recipient of the Earl Childs Award from Oregon’s High Desert Museum as well as numerous other awards and honors over his long career. Bill and I have worked together since his retirement and he has been my mentor, inspiration and teacher for over 20 years. I like to paraphrase Mark Twain when asked the difference between me and Bill; I say Platts knows everything there is to know and I know the rest.

While doing doctoral studies in 1978 one of my professors from Michigan State University called and asked if I would take on a research assignment in Bangladesh. The World Bank was initiating its First Fisheries Development Project and needed a young scientist who wouldn’t mind a lot of privation for little pay. Sounded like just the job for me. This lead to a 10-year career with the World Bank that gave me opportunities to work on some of the world’s largest river systems and most complex environmental issues in Asia and Africa. My most memorable professional experience came many years after leaving the World Bank. The Mekong River Commission asked me to write a detailed report on the ecology of the Mekong River and its fisheries from Burma to the South China Sea. The exploration took 3 months and I was the first scientist to go to places in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam since the war ended and describe the river and its aquatic resources. I was further honored by the Cosmos Club (founded by John Wesley Powell) in Washington, D.C. to present a paper on my findings and discoveries.

In addition to Bill and I, the work on Silver Creek will include our core team members who each have over 15 years of experience with river ecosystems and restoration. Tim Maguire, Zach Hill, and Shannon Campbell are currently working on a large project for the UN and the United Arab Emirates developing an atlas of how environmental changes have occurred and affected water resources in 22 Arab countries. In order to meet the challenges of this project, we have the latest equipment and computer systems for GIS and analysis of remote imagery, which we will apply to Silver and Loving creeks. Derek Risso, along with Bill and I, is involved in a Habitat Conservation Plan for several threatened and endangered species including the Greater Sage Grouse and two native fish species. We augment or team with associates from universities in Idaho and Oregon to meet special expertise needs and assist with other elements of our projects.

For anyone who is interested in learning more about Ecosystem Sciences and Ecosystem Sciences Foundation please visit our web site (www.ecosystemsciences.com) where you can get details on all of our projects and credentials of our team members.

Thursday is the first Silver Creek Public Meeting!

We are looking forward to the first public input session this Thursday! It will be casual—a way to meet the consultants, voice your concerns or comments, and hear about the project approach. They will be talking about changes in the watershed over the past sixty years illustrated with images of 1946 aerials photos overlaid with 2009 aerials. If you have not had a chance to see the 1946 aerials- check them out at http://www.sscmapping.com/, they are pretty amazing!

The meetings this week will be held at the Picabo store at noon and the Hailey office at 3:30 pm (116 1st ave. N.) and will be the same format, so don’t feel like you need to come to both.

See you soon!

Silver Creek Enhancement Plan: The Background

Silver Creek has long been recognized as one of the finest spring creeks in the country. A new enhancement plan seeks to make it even better.

The Nature Conservancy has announced that it will work with Ecosystem Sciences, a non-profit Boise-based consulting firm, to develop a comprehensive plan to restore stretches of Silver Creek and its tributaries that need most help, and to use the restoration methods that will have the most conservation benefit. The effort will result in habitat projects that benefit the fishery as well as many wildlife species.

“The goal of this project is to improve the fish and wildlife habitat on a watershed level at Silver Creek, and to make it the most resilient it can be for the long term,” says Dayna Gross, the Conservancy’s Silver Creek Preserve manager.

Ecosystem Sciences will create a comprehensive, integrated watershed plan for the creek by examining the entire watershed, including tributaries and all land and water uses.

“We are so pleased to be working with a firm that takes a holistic view of the entire watershed,” says Gross. “We believe this offers an incredible future for Silver Creek.”

The enhancement effort at Silver Creek will address increased water temperature, as well as sediment loading. Increased water temperatures have contributed to fish kills in years when less water is in the stream.

For the past 35 years, Silver Creek has been a successful conservation project due to community support. The enhancement plan will likewise be driven by community involvement, with a series of public meetings to gather input from stakeholders. The public is invited and encouraged to attend and participate.

The first meeting will be at noon March 25 at the Picabo General Store. A complete meeting schedule follows.

If you are interested in attending or participating, please contact Dayna Gross at 208-788-7910.

Public Meetings
March 25 – noon, Picabo Store
March 25- 3:30 pm, The Nature Conservancy’s Hailey Office
April 22 – noon, Picabo Store
April 24 – noon, Picabo Store
April 26 – 5: 30 pm, The Nature Conservancy’s Hailey Office
May 29 – Opening Day. Presentations for review and input at the Silver Creek Visitor Center all day.

Welcome to the Silver Creek Enhancement Plan's blog

Silver Creek is one of the most special creeks in the west. We look forward to working with you to ensure it stays that way.

In the coming weeks, you're invited to use this blog to post your own ideas and input.

You can also check here for the latest news and information.

We look forward to hearing from you. Let's work together for Silver Creek!