2017 Canyon Creek Conservation Project

For the 29th consecutive year the Snake River Cutthroats conducted a springtime conservation project in the Salmon/Lemhi River drainage. This year’s project was on Canyon Creek, a Lemhi River tributary east of Leadore. This is the fourth project that the Cutthroats have done on Canyon Creek and the 11th year that we have worked on the Leadore Ranger District. This project is part of a Forest Service five-year plan to restore four miles of Canyon Creek. Canyon Creek was
reconnected to the Lemhi a few years ago, which will ultimately restore previously lost spawning habitat for anadromous fish as well as provide improved habitat for resident trout. Spring time weather at 6,000+ feet can be a challenge, but this year’s weather was pretty nice.

Forest Service fish technician Nate Quisser had designed 20 in-stream structures for the project. We also planted a few Willows at some disturbed sites to stabilize the bank and ultimately provide shade and cover. We finished all the sites by mid-afternoon and returned to the Smokey Cub campground to prepare and enjoy the traditional steak bbq and “Ma’s” dutch oven spuds.

Thanks to Arn Berglund, Richard Cain, Curtis St. Michael, Candy and Doug Elliott and Duane O’Reilly for helping with the cooking and the cleanup. Thanks to everyone who gave up a weekend to give back to the fisheries resource. And special recognition to the Johnson Family, represted by three generations.

This year’s group of volunteers was the third largest we’ve had and included quite a few folks helping on their first conservation project. Snake River
Cutthroat participants on this year’s project included: Wade Allen, Jeff Armstrong, Arn Berglund, Andy Bosworth, Richard Cain, Tim Crain, Rory Cullen, Candy and Dave Elliott, Buck Goodrich, Ron Hover, Cal, Casey, Sherry, Carson and Alexis Johnson, Tim Kaiser, Bill Kelly, Rob Knox, Scott Long, Danny Morse, Lee Morse, Stephen Moss, Duane O’Reilly, Paul Patterson, Lori and Tom Salas, Curtis St. Michael, Chuck Sorrentino, Bob Stark, John and Ryan Svoboda, Mary Tompkins, and Allan Woolley.

From Salmon River of No Return chapter we had Nancy Garcia and Jerry Myers. From the Forest Service we had fisheries biologist Dan Garcia, District Ranger Jay Winfield, fish technician Nate Quisser, and wildlife technicians Rebekah Brassfield and Adrienne Stanley.  And from the Post Register, reporter Tom Holm. I apologize if Imissed someone or misspelled someone’s name.

by Paul Patterson