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Results of Stream Realignment and Low Water Crossing Installation <br />A series often photographs follow that show the current condition of the stream <br />rehabilitation project on the south end of Section 25 as well as the large wetland adjacent to <br />Exclosure 2. It is cleaz from the photographs that almost full recovery has been achieved. The <br />channel above the low water crossing is almost fully vegetated and wetland species continue to <br />invade along with local stands of woody plants, mainly willow but also some cottonwood. No major <br />flows occurred in 2007, so the vegetation that did become established was allowed to continue <br />growing and increasing in density to provide surface protection against erosion. At this point, the <br />future of this area looks very promising, but it is still a bit fragile and a scouring flood could still <br />inflict considerable damage. <br />Downstream from the low water crossing, the removal of grazing has allowed small stands of <br />willow to flourish as well as grasses and wetland species, especially baltic rush and Torrey rush. <br />Given the wide flow zone here and the robust vegetation, it is not likely that even scouring floods <br />would do great damage that would not repair itself quickly. This area is now judged to be essentially <br />safe. <br />The crossing itself held up fairly well in 2007, but oil trucks enroute to oil wells west of the <br />stream did cross it at times when the crossing was very wet. This produced deep ruts. But the oil <br />companies repaired the damages and for most of the summer it was fully passable. As expected, <br />during wet periods this crossing can continue to produce problems, but it appears to function well for <br />the limited use. It appears, but is not known, that the oil companies aze using an access from County <br />Line Road to the south to reach the wells west of the stream. That is probably a wise change as <br />ultimately it would be best if this crossing was completely abandoned and allowed to return to stream <br />channel. <br />Results of Exclosure Studies <br />The primary subject of this report is to provide the results of the second year data on the five <br />exclosures. The criteria for selection of each exclosure were discussed previously (2006 report) and <br />aze also contained in the permit amendment. This portion of the report presents what was found in <br />the second year and, in particulaz, the results of the quantitative analysis of each exclosure. Besides <br />the tables describing the current quantitative vegetation chazacteristics in the exclosures, with heavy <br />emphasis on the woody species, each exclosure is shown with photographs. Each photograph is <br />taken from the same location as done in 2006, using the same lens focal length. These show how the <br />vegetation changed. Each photograph pair shows the area in October 2006 and at the end of August <br />2007. Thus, the photo pairs show the site at similar stages in the growth year. In the future, <br />photographs will be taken between mid-August and mid-September. It is quite clear from the <br />2007 Annual Report Coal Creek Wetland Mitigation Permit DA 198811488 Page 4 <br />