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<br />. <br /> <br />MUDDY CREEK FISHERY ENHANCEMENT <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />The Construction of the Muddy Creek Dam would create a potential cold water trOut fishery in Muddy <br />Creek below the dam. Flows from the dam would be colder and clearer than present summer flows. <br />and winter flows would be warmer than present conditions. It is expected that these conditions will <br />be very conducive to a trout fiShery. An IFIM analysis conducted on Muddy Creek for the OEIS <br />indicated that the stream, as is, would have a fair amount of trout habitat The following discussion <br />points out potential enhancement measures that could be implemented to improve trout habitat in <br />Muddy Creek. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />. <br />The major prOblems with the habitat at Muddy Creek is a tack of cover and a wide, shallow channel <br />with few pools. Both of these characteristics have been caused by a loss of streamside riparian <br />vegetation that has allowed the stream banks to erode. This has tended to widen the channel, and <br />few streamside trees or shrubs are present to provide overhead cover. The bank erosion from the <br />tailwaler area, as well as upstream erosion, has added many fines to the substrate, which reduces the <br />ability of the substrate to supply benthic invertebrates (insects, elc.) for fish food. Therefore, to improve <br />the stream for trout, the streambanks need to be stabilized, riparian vegetation needs to be <br />reestablished and the channel needs to be deepened and narrowed in places. The mitigation plan <br />includes measures to improve the riparian vegetation. Planting of willows and cottonwoods along the <br />streambanks will aid in reducing bank sloughing and erosion, but many of the banks will also require <br />additional bank stabilization. <br /> <br />Therefore, several enhancement features will be needed to bring Muddy Creek up to its potential for <br />trout habitat. The somewhat clearer flows and decreased sediment input from upstream should aid <br />in cleaning the streambed of fine materials. Most areas below dams become armored with cobble or <br />larger rock as finer particles are moved downstream by the clearer water. Bank stabilization should <br />be the first enhancement measure undertaken. Once most of the major actively eroding areas are <br />stabilized, measures to create instream habitat, primarily creation of pools and cover, could begin. <br />Bank stabilization, in concert with clearer, less sediment.laden flows, will tend to create a deeper, more <br />defined channel. <br /> <br />Several methods have been used to stabilize banks. Rip.rap is often used but this method generally <br />does not provide any real gain in fish habitat. Large rocks, used in conjunction with plantings of <br />riparian trees and shrubs, will provide a more natural solution and better fish habitat. The Forest <br />Service has used juniper trees to stabilize banks in some western streams. Trees are cut, and then <br />fastened to the eroding stream bank with their tops pointed down stream. The trees must be able to <br />withstand the force of high flows, but their branches will reduce velocities such that sediment in the <br />water will drop out along the bank. These areas are then planted with riparian grasses and shrubs for <br />more permanent stabilization. Deflector logs have also been used. These are logs plaCed along the <br />unstable bank to deflect the main force of the current The area behind the log can be filled in and <br />planted. A site-specific analysis of the stream will be needed to determine which stabilization methOd <br />to use. Cost and availability of raw materials may also be important in determining which method to <br />use. <br /> <br />Once banks have been stabilized and the riparian vegetation planted, additional enhancement of <br />instream habitat could begin. This would involve creating pools. and providing instream Cover. Again. <br />several methods could be used. including placement of large boulders, creation of small dams with <br />logs of rocks that will create areas of scour, and using short sections of logs to create pools along the <br />shoreline. The planned channel control structure for the wetland habitat mitigation will provide fairty <br />deep pools below it. as well as pooling of flows above it. It is quite possible the pool above the <br />channel COntrol structure will fill in with finer sediments, so angled logs or rocks along the shorelines <br />of the ponded area would help create a deeper, narrow channel down the center of the stream, as well <br /> <br />A.l <br />