Washington WRP Success Story

Stevens County Restoration Project

(Story courtesy of Jeff Combs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

Early pioneers altered the high mountain meadow hydrology in northeastern Washington State at the turn of the century. They ditched and routed two streams and several spring fed wetlands to the outer perimeters of the meadow. The converted wet meadow was then used to produce oats and hay. A partnership was formed with NRCS, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kalispel Tribe of Indians, and the landowner to restore the wetland. Wetland restoration efforts involved relocating the two streams and plugging various drainage ditches. Wetland enhancement practices were also implemented. Deleveling activities were accomplished by using explosives and heavy equipment to provide the relatively flat topography of the site with some topographic diversity. The partnership has fully restored the meadow's stream and wetland functions and associated values.

Northeast Washington WRP Project

This picture shows the site before restoration	Several wetland sites were hydrologically restored by plugging a couple of drainage ditches. This site is an example of the deleveling activities to encourage more open water through the early summer months.

Explosives and heavy equipment were used to delevel the flat field and reestablish the former ephemeral stream channel. Woody vegetation was planted along the restored stream channels. Twelve wetland open water areas were created using ammonium nitrate fuel oil (ANFO) and heavy equipment. "Potholes" were blasted in the rank reed canary grass area of the meadow to provide topographic diversity and permanent water.

The "potholes" are approximately 45 feet in diameter with an average depth of four feet. The ANFO charges were set below the ground surface to obtain more depth. Surface charges in the reed canary grass proved ineffective at moving the dense sod layer of this grass.

Monitoring efforts indicated that the permanent stream was experiencing several headcuts causing the stream to incise deeper into the meadow. This incision precluded the stream from accessing the floodplain in high water events. The incision problem was corrected by using in-stream v-log structures. In addition to stopping the head cut, the structures were established in such a manner so that migrating cutthroat trout could pass through the site and access historic spawning beds found higher in the watershed.

The stream is flowing through the new channel and the "headcutting" was checked. Native woody vegetation has since been planted along the stream. This vegetation will provide bank stability, shade, large woody debris recruitment, nesting sites, and other ecological opportunites as the site matures.

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