8
BY L YN B ENJAMIN Executive Director As Friends of the Teton River moves forward with its work to protect water resources in the Teton Valley, stream restoration plays an increasingly important role in improving condi- tions for fish and other aquatic life. Over the next two years, FTR will sponsor restoration projects in five areas on the Teton River and on two miles of lower Fox Creek. We are often asked “What is stream restoration and why is it so important?” In this article I’ll discuss the reasons for our commit- ment to restoration work,how we plan on implementing restoration goals, and the results that we hope to see. Why restore stream systems and what do we mean by restoration? Well let’s start with the two photos shown above. The top photo shows a heavily degraded streambank below South Bates Bridge on the Teton River. The bottom photo shows a site below Bates Bridge, w h i ch has willows, W A T ER LINES Th e F rie nds of the Teton River is dedicated to und erstanding and impro v ing ground and surfac e wat er resources in the Teton Basin, in c luding th e Teton R i v er, its tributaries and wetlands. We will further this mission by conducting s cie ntific research about the Teton watershed, eff ectivel y c ommunicating this information to the public, and i m p le m enting o n- th e-ground impro v ement projects. In carrying out this mission we will activel y cooperate and collaborate with all other groups, agenc i es and indi v iduals working for the welfare of the Teton Basin. A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER PUBLISHED BY FRIENDS OF THE TETON RIVER CONTENTS VOL. 3 NO. 3 AUTUMN 2003 Juvenile T rout Study investigates decline of Teton River trout population, P AGE 3 The Third Annual River Party & Adventure Auction attracts a crowd of supporters, PAGE 5 Understanding the effects of T eton Valley’ s changing water use, P AGE 6 Help protect T eton Valley water resources by contributing to Old Bill’ s Fun Run, P AGE 8 Healthy streambanks are vital for clean water and abundant fish. FTR re sto ratio n pr o je cts aim to turn degraded Teto n River streamb ank s (top photo) into vibrant riparian habitats (bottom photo). see RESTORATION on Page 7 Str eam rest or ation in the T eton W at ershed

FALL 2003 Newsletter · BY LYNBENJAMIN A Executive Director s Friends of the Teton River moves f o r w ard with its work to protect wa t e r resources in the Teton Valley, stream

  • Upload
    others

  • View
    1

  • Download
    0

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: FALL 2003 Newsletter · BY LYNBENJAMIN A Executive Director s Friends of the Teton River moves f o r w ard with its work to protect wa t e r resources in the Teton Valley, stream

BY L YNBENJAMINExecutive DirectorAs Friends of the Teton River moves

f o r ward with its work to protect wa t e rresources in the Teton Valley, streamrestoration plays an increas inglyimportant role in improving condi-tions for fish and other aquatic life.Over the next two years, FTR willsponsor restoration projects in fiveareas on the Teton River and on twomiles of lower Fox Creek.We are oftenasked “What is stream restoration andwhy is it so important?” In this articl e

I’ll discuss the reasons for our commit-ment to restoration work,how we planon implementing restoration goals,and the results that we hope to see.

Why restore stream systems andwhat do we mean by restoration?

Well let’s start with the two photosshown above. The top photo shows aheavily degraded streambank belowSouth Bates Bridge on the Teton River.The bottom photo shows a site belowBates Bridge, w h i ch has willows,

WATER L I N E S

The Frie nds of the TetonRiver is dedic ated tounderstanding and

impro ving ground andsurface water resourc es

in the Teton Basin,including the TetonRiver, its tributaries

and wetlands . We willfurther this miss ion byconduc ting scie ntific

res earch about the Tetonwaters hed, effectively

communic ating thisinformation to the

public, and imple mentingon- the- ground

impro vement projects. In c arrying out this

mis sion we will ac tivelyc oope rate and

c ollaborate with allother groups, agenc ies

and individuals workingfor the welfare of the

Teton Basin.

A Q U A R T E R L Y N E W S L E T T E R P U B L I S H E D B Y F R I E N D S O F T H E T E T O N R I V E R

C O N T E N T S

VOL. 3 NO. 3 AUTUMN 2003

Juvenile Trout Studyinvestigates decline of TetonRiver trout population, PAGE 3

The Third Annual RiverParty & Adventure Auctionattracts a crowd of supporters,PAGE 5

Understanding the effectsof Teton Valley’s changingwater use, PAGE 6

Help protect Teton Valleywater resources by contributingto Old Bill’s Fun Run, PAGE 8

Healthy streambanks are vital for clean water and abundant fish. FTRrestoration projects aim to turn degraded Teton River streambanks (topphoto) into vibrant riparian habitats (bottom photo).

see RESTORATION on Page 7

Stream restoration inthe Teton Watershed

Page 2: FALL 2003 Newsletter · BY LYNBENJAMIN A Executive Director s Friends of the Teton River moves f o r w ard with its work to protect wa t e r resources in the Teton Valley, stream

As we mentioned in the lastnewsletter, Marge, Stan andForest Edwards will be addinga fourth member to theirfamily in December. All of usat Friends of the Teton Riverwould like to extend a hugethank you to Marge for herhard work as FTR’s Develop-ment Director.

During her 18 month stayMarge secured several grantsfor research and restorationprojects including a U.S. Fishand Wildlife Service grant for$ 1 1 0 , 0 0 0 . Her writing andfinancial skills were greatlyapprec iated and will bemissed. Good luck from all ofus at FTR.

Many thanks toMarge Edwards!

Marge and Forest look forward to more time for powder

mornings this winter.

Martin K oenig joinsFriends of the Teton Riverfrom San Carlos, C a l i f o r n i awhere he became interestedin fishing and fisheries atan early age. An avid flyfisherman, Martin workedin a fly shop for severalyears while studyingtowards his college degree.In 2002, he graduated fromthe University of California,D avis with a Bachelor ofScience in Wi l d l i f e, Fish andConservation Biology withan emphasis in aquaticecology.

While at UC Dav i s,Martin assisted in long-termmonitoring of the native fishcommunities of local PutahCreek. As President of theAmerican Fisheries Society–

Davis Student Subunit, hecoordinated activities to aidin the development of youngfisheries professionals.

Before joining Utah StateUniversity as a graduater e s e a r ch assistant, M a r t i nworked with the Beav e r-head-Deerlodge NationalFo r e s t , collecting datadescribing the distributionand abundance of West slopecutthroat trout in SouthwestMontana. More recently, heparticipated in the FeatherRiver Project under the Cali-fornia Department of WaterR e s o u r c e s.This project gath-ered information on theChinook salmon and steel-head trout fisheries of theFeather River as part of theFederal Energy Regulation

Commission relicensing ofthe Oroville Dam facility.

Martin is excited to be apart of the Teton River Ju v e-nile Trout study (see page 3)and plans to complete hisMasters Degree in order topursue fisheries as a full-time professional.

BOARD OFDIRECTORSTom Fenger, PresidentWilliam G. Kelly,

Vice President

Sam Pole, Treasurer-Secretary

Phyllis AndersonKim KeeleyLyle KunzKatie SalsburyKaren ScheidDavid Work

ADVISORYBOARDCitizens for Teton ValleyGreater Yellowstone

CoalitionHigh Country Resource

& DevelopmentIdaho Association of Soil

Conservation DistrictsIdaho Department of

Environmental QualityIdaho Fish and GameIdaho Natl. Engineering

& EnvironmentalLaboratory

Idaho Rivers UnitedIdaho State UniversityIntermountain AquaticsNatural Resource

Conservation ServiceTeton County Planning &

Zoning CommissionTeton County Planning

DepartmentTeton Soil Conservation

DistrictTrout Unlimited, Teton

Valley ChapterU.S. Bureau of Land

ManagementU.S. Forest Service,

Targhee NationalForest

U.S. Geological Survey

Lyn Benjamin,Executive Director

Bonnie Berger,Administrative &

Development Director

Kimberly Ball, Research Associate

36 East Little AvenuePO Box 768

Driggs, ID 83422(208)354-3871

[email protected]

LAYOUT & DESIGN BY MARY LOUHANSEN

PAGE 2

Welcome Martin Koenig

OPENHOUSE

FRIENDS OF THETETON RIVER HAS MOVED!

Please join us for an OPEN HOUSEat our new office

36 East Little Ave., Driggs

ThursdayOctober 9, 5-7 pmFood & refreshments will be served

Page 3: FALL 2003 Newsletter · BY LYNBENJAMIN A Executive Director s Friends of the Teton River moves f o r w ard with its work to protect wa t e r resources in the Teton Valley, stream

BY MARTIN KOENIG, Graduate StudentAs many of you know, the Teton River historicallysupported a very popular fishery. Over the years, thenumber of fish living in the system has decl i n e d , a shave the numbers of anglers fishing the river. In 1987,the Idaho Department of Fish and Game estimated thenumber of fish in the Nickerson Reach at 204 fish/hectareand 236 fish/hectare in the Breckenridge reach . A similarstudy in 1999 found only 47 fish/hectare and 74fish/hectare, respectively. Other population estimatesconducted throughout the Teton River Valley hav ereturned similar results. Despite the implementation ofrestrictive harvest regulations for cutthroat trout in1990, local trout populations have continued to decline.Several factors may be involved in contributing to theshrinking numbers of trout, i n cluding the loss of spaw n i n gand early rearing habitat, loss of overwintering habitatand high juvenile mortality attributed to whirling disease.

Over the last few months, the Idaho Department ofFish and Game in collaboration with Friends of theTeton River (FTR) and Utah State University, has initi-ated a new project to investigate the decline in the Te t o nR i v e r ’s trout population.The goal of the Teton River Ju v e-nile Trout Study is to identify factors limiting theabundance of new cutthroat and rainbow trout enteringthe system each year, and to provide a basis for priori-tizing efforts to increase trout populations in the TetonRiver Valley. Electrofishing and fyke nets will be usedto estimate the total number of juvenile trout in the upperTeton River and selected tributaries. The populationestimates will be conducted starting late this summerand fall, and again in spring to give researchers the ideaof how many young fish are out there, and how manywill have survived the winter.

In addition, the study will also look into the preva-lence of whirling disease as a factor in juvenile trout

mortality. With the help of Idaho Fish and Game’s fishpathology lab in Eagle, I d a h o,we will use controlled expo-sure experiments (sentinel tests) to determine the levelof infectivity in the main stem and tributaries of the Te t o nRiver. This information will then be used to tell whatlevel of juvenile trout mortality can be attributed towhirling disease infection.These survival estimates willprovide researchers with information that will helpthem to determine when the periods of highest mortalityare and the most likely causes.

The Teton River Juvenile Trout Study aims to keepthe public informed on its progress and results. Ly nBenjamin, the project coordinator, and Bonnie Berger,FTR Development Director, will be submitting quar-terly reports to the EPA . A d d i t i o n a l l y, results of theproject will be presented at the Henry’s Fork Wa t e r s h e dCouncil regional meetings in November 2004/2005 andat a FTR sponsored public forum. Martin Koenig, thegraduate research assistant for the project, will publishthe final results in the form of a Masters Thesis throughUtah State University.

PAGE 3

Teton River Juvenile Trout StudyInvestigating a decline in population

Fishery b iolog ists Jim Frederic ks, Jeff Kershner, B rett R oper,Martin Ko enig and Keith Johnson (from Utah State Univers ity andIdaho Department of Fish & Game) discuss juvenile trout habitatat the confluence of Fox Creek and the Teton River.

Name ______________________________________________ Phone ________________________ Email _________________________

Addr ess ________________________________________ City ___________________________ State __________ Zip _______________

MEMBERSHIP LEVEL:

Check enclosed Charge my: Visa Mastercard Card No. _____________________________ Exp. Date _______

Signature ____________________________________________________________________________

Members will receive voting privileges, a quarterly newsletter, and regular activity updates. Please send completed application form, with your check or credit card information, to:

FR I E N D S O F T H E TE T O N RI V E R • PO Box 768 • Driggs, Idaho 83422

Individual, $25/year

Family, $50/year

Corporate, $100/year

Benefactor, $1,000/year

Additional Gift $________

Page 4: FALL 2003 Newsletter · BY LYNBENJAMIN A Executive Director s Friends of the Teton River moves f o r w ard with its work to protect wa t e r resources in the Teton Valley, stream

PAGE 4

Barbara AgnewTravis & Megan AllenJay Anderson & Donna

PoggiPhyllis AndersonDick AriessohnJudy Baumgardner & Lou

ParriJennifer BoyceKane BrightmanJim BudgeDan & Patti BurrJaydell & Judy BuxtonLen Carlman & Anne LaddRob CavallaroC ommunity Foundation of

Jackson HoleJoe CostelloTony & Siobhan DodgeThe Donald C. Brace

FoundationKen DunnHarvey & Suzanne EdwardsBud & Betty ElliotDawn & Mitch FelchleTom FengerThomas FerrisFive Star Restoration

Challenge GrantAndy & Sharon Griffin

Sharon GusaBen Hammond & Lisa

JohnsonDouglas HanceyMary Lou & Paul HansenRon & Patti HarbowyMark HarringtonRichard HokinGinger HowardBlaine & Nancy HuntsmanIdaho Department of

Environmental QualityIdaho Department of Fish

& GameIntermountain AquaticsIntermountain Gas

Industries FoundationMatch

Jackson Hole One FlyFoundation

Jenny & Chris JensenAdaline JessupSara Jane JohnsonK im KeeleyBill KellyTed KerasoteBobby & Joy KirkpatrickSteve & Mary KittoBlaire and Marty KribsLyle & Gisela Kunz

Phil LansingTim & Barbara LarkinJohn LawlessPatty Lyons & Tim MelcherSandy MasonDave MayberryScott McGee & Diane

WardnerKay & Dick McllroyKen & Barbara McIntoshDave McWethyTeresa Meachum & Ned

RockwellBob Mechikoff & Kathi

MyersChi & Rene MelvilleLinda & Laura MillerBill & Marian MillerMatt MillerBarbara & Michael MoreyRex MoultonK.C. & Diane MurphyNational Fish & Wildlife

FoundationEric & R.J. NelsonBill NicholsonNicklin Earth & WaterStephen & Sue O’ConnorMelissa Pangraze

Susan PatlaThe Peninsula Community

FoundationSam & Joyce PoleLeslie PrendergastTom E. PurcellJanna RankinJim RedmondDouglas & Heidi RiggsTerry & Bob RosaCharlie RossBrooke SaindonKatie & Baker SalsburyMary Marcia & Robert

SalsburyLynn SandmannEd SchausterKaren & Dean ScheidSharon ScottCarolyn SearsCindy SebestaLee SimmonsNancy & John SiverdFaye & Lee SledgeLarry S. SlottaElizabeth Smith & Tim

HorvathGeorgie StanleyAndy & Sabra Steele

Bob & Alice StevensonDon & Jane StreubelDan & Melissa StreubelJohn Sundheim & JoAnn

ScogginTeton Conservation District

(WY)Teton Valley Lodge Property

Owner’s AssociationSarah ThielThrivent Financial for

Lutherans MatchKim TraftonUnited States Fish &

Wildife ServiceUpper Snake River Fly

FishersDaniel VisoskyGene & Patty WallaceTim WattersBetsy & Gene WhiteAnne WilliamsJohn WingerDavid Witton & Irene

NelsonBert & Becky WoodDavid & Susan WorkJohn & Rosemary YoungRichard Young & Bonnie

Krafchuck

JULY 4th FLOAT FTR board member, KatieSalsbury filled her drift boat with junior FTR support-ers Forest Edwards, Christine Quint, Maddie and JadeHuntsman, Emily Cattabriga, Casey Fenger, Benjaminand Owen Klausmann during the Victor July 4thparade.

T h a n ks to our Generous DonorsThank you to the following members, donors and foundations for their contributions during

May, June and July 2003. Their support played a vital role in our ability to protect the water resources and fisheries of the Teton Valley.

F U N O N T H E F O U R T H

Thank you to the following fabulous bakersfor making our July 4th Bake Sale a success:

Auntie M’s • Barbara Agnew • Miso HungryKatie Cavallaro • Mary Lou Hansen

Page 5: FALL 2003 Newsletter · BY LYNBENJAMIN A Executive Director s Friends of the Teton River moves f o r w ard with its work to protect wa t e r resources in the Teton Valley, stream

PAGE 5

AlbertsonsAspen WellnessBarbara & Mike MoreyBarker EwingBarrels & BinsBen WinshipBethany HoopesBig Hole SportsBill KellyBob Beck BroulimsCarole LoweCosmic AppleDark Horse BooksDave & Susie WorkDave WittonDining In CateringDoug KaiserDoug SelfElisa DavisExum Mountain GuidesGene & Patty WallaceGill Sanders

Grand Targhee ResortGrand Teton Brewing

CompanyHarvest Natural FoodsHeron GlassHigh Peaks Health &

FitnessHigh Peaks Physical

TherapyHole Hiking ExperienceImages WestJack Dennis SportsJackson Hole Nordic

CenterJohn PerhsonKaren & Dean ScheidKatie & Baker SalsburyKim KeeleyLeapfrog Books and ToysLinda MillerLyle KunzLynn SandmannMarge & Stan Edwards

Mary Marcia & JohnSalsbury

MD NurseryMoose Creek RanchNOL SOrvisP atagoniaPeaked SportsPhyllis AndersonRedingtonReel WomenRendezvous Ski ToursRepresentative Mike

SimpsonRobin HansenRob Van KirkSam & Joyce PoleSands Wild Water River

TripsSiobhan DodgeStephen O’ConnorTarghee InstituteTeton Aviation

Teton Mountain Bike ToursTeton Science SchoolTeton Valley L odgeTeton Valley NewsTom FengerVictor Emporium

WarbirdsWestbank AnglersWoman ToursWorldCast AnglersYöstmark

Third Annual River Party & Adventure AuctionT hanks to all the individuals who attended our Third Annual

River Party & Adventure Auction at the Teton Valley Lodge onJune 28, 2003. Over 100 people enjoyed a beautiful evening bythe Teton River while helping FTR raise over $6,000.

Thank you, also, to the businesses and volunteers whomade our Party and Auction possible. Without the community

wide assistance, the event would not have been as successful.

During the evening, Friends of the Teton River membersconfirmed that Kim Keeley, Karen Scheid and PhyllisAnderson remain on the board. Each was elected to serve athree year term.

The following business and individual donors and volunteers helped make the event a success:

FTR members and supporters enjoy a sociable momentunder the tent.

Party-goers enjoyed the beautiful Teton River setting sogenerously provided by John Pehrson.

Guitarist and FTR member Gene Wallaceprovided riverside music.

Page 6: FALL 2003 Newsletter · BY LYNBENJAMIN A Executive Director s Friends of the Teton River moves f o r w ard with its work to protect wa t e r resources in the Teton Valley, stream

PAGE 6

BY K IMBERLY BALL, Research Associate

Water use in the Teton Valley has changed dramat-ically over the past 60 years.The most important ch a n g e shave been:

In the 1950’s and 1960’s flood irrigation was thedominant type of irrigation and added large amountsof water to the aquifer.To d ay,sprinkler irrigation hasreplaced flood irrigation in most areas of the valley.

In the 1970’s irrigators began pumping ground-water from wells, which put a strain on the amountof groundwater in the aquifer.

New construction is springing up all over the valleycausing farmland to disappear at an increasing rateand reducing groundwater recharge from irrigation.

These changes in water use have affected the aquifer(underground water storage).The changes to the aquiferwill lead to a decline in groundwater levels,a decline inspring discharge,especially in the wetlands on the eastside of the Teton River, and a decline in base-flows(normal low-flow) in the Teton River.

In 2001, a study of the surface-water and groundwa t e rsystem of the Upper Teton Basin was conducted by Dr.Michael Nicklin. The modeling effort focused on devel-oping a better understanding of potential impacts ofwater use transitions that have occurred over the lastseveral decades. The model showed that the area betweenFox Creek and Darby Creek, from the toe of the TetonMountains to the Teton River, is particularly vulnerableto changes in recharge.

Historically, the aquifer was recharged through irri-gation. Now, there is little irrigated land remaining inthe area, so, there is less recharge to the aquifer. If theaquifer is not adequately recharged it will directly affectthe wetlands and springs. Over the next two years,Friends of the Teton River (FTR) is refining and refo-cusing the Teton County ground-water model in thearea of Darby Creek and Fox Creek to look more closelyat how aquifer recharge affects the wetlands and springs.

In order to understand more about the springs, FTRis looking at water levels in wells, geology around thesprings,and subsurface geology. In early July, FTR andNicklin measured twenty-five domestic wells for waterl e v e l , and we will continue monthly measurements untilOctober and resume next spring. The water level datawill help us to better understand the movement of wa t e rin the aquifer especially during snow melt and irriga-tion. Streams and canals will continue to be measuredto find out where they are losing water to the aquiferor gaining water from the aquifer. Soil samples will betaken near the springs to find out more about the geology.Once we know more about the geology we will know whythe springs emerge where they do.

A d d i t i o n a l l y, in 2004, a recharge demonstrationproject will be conducted to increase ground-water levelsand replenish the springs. The recharge project will beconducted either by flood irrigating a specific area ordigging a shallow pond and filling it with surface water.The data collection and monitoring of the rech a r g eproject will continue until July 2005. FTR will holdinformational meetings about this topic in 2004 and2005.

Kimberly Ball, FTR Research Associate, and JakeJacobson, U.S. Geological Survey, measure groundwa-ter levels in the monitoring well close to Darby Creek.

The Groundwater Study: Understanding theeffects of Teton Valley’s water use changes

Page 7: FALL 2003 Newsletter · BY LYNBENJAMIN A Executive Director s Friends of the Teton River moves f o r w ard with its work to protect wa t e r resources in the Teton Valley, stream

PAGE 7

grasses and sedges on the left bank anda newly formed island close to theright bank. The first difference isclearly aesthetic; it is more attractiveto float by green, vegetated banks thanbare banks that are crumbling intothe river.Although looks are importantthey aren’t everything (rememberwhat your Mom told you so many yearsago?); similarly, beautification is notthe main reason for stream restoration.Let’s look a little more closely at thephotos and think about the living partsof the stream system and what theyneed to function best.

Trout need cl e a n , cool wa t e r ; a riverbottom with gravels that can be usedfor spaw n i n g ; deep pools, pieces ofwood in the ch a n n e l , and overhangingvegetation for protection from preda-tors; bugs to eat; and river marginswith sedges where young fish can hide.

T he photo on the bottom is anexample of how a healthy stream canprovide all these things. In the photo thestream system is functioning at its best.The overhanging willows on the bankare very important because they provideshade to cool the water, cover for troutfrom overhead predators like blueherons and osprey; hold the bank soilstogether and stop silt entering thes t r e a m ; provide organic material fortrout and bugs to eat;and finally,as theyget old, fall into the stream and becomewoody debris cover for trout.The newlyformed island narrows the ch a n n e lhence increasing the current speed andremoving silt from the stream bottom(and making those wonderful gravellytail-outs where fish can spawn).Whenthe sedges growing on the island arepartially inundated by water theyprovide juvenile trout habitat.The eddyline between the backwater, created bythe island,and the flowing current is agreat place for fish to feed. It is beau-tiful to look at but it also provides idealconditions for fish to thrive.

Areas of a river with degradedbanks provide none of the featuresthat I’ve described and also add finesilts to the streambed.The silt covers

the spawning gravels and fills up thespaces between the gravel that insectslike may f l i e s, stoneflies and caddis-flies need to survive.Reduction in troutspawning and loss of bugs to eat canbe a result of bank devegetation anddegradation. Additionally, in hot drysummers, like the one we have juste x p e r i e n c e d , l a ck of overhangingwillows can cause a rise in streamtemperature, reduced oxygen levels,and eventually fish mortality.

So, the reason we restore streamsis to improve how they function andthus hopefully turn around the decl i n ein trout populations that have beendocumented for the past 20 years.

How do we restore a stream?

I’ll describe two projects that FTRhas started this summer that provideexcellent examples of approaches tor e s t o r a t i o n . On the Teton River wehave selected five sites where streambanks have been heavily eroded andwhere landowners are interested inimproving fishery habitat. Thanks tofunding from U. S. Fish & Wi l d l i f eFo u n da t i o n , One Fly Fo u n d a t i o n , t h eDonald C.Brace Fo u n d a t i o n , N a t i o n a lFish & Wildlife Foundation, 5 StarRestoration Challenge Grant, t h ePeninsula Community Fo u n d a t i o nand the Arthur B.S chultz Fo u n d a t i o nwe will keep doing restoration workon the Teton River.

The approach to streambankrestoration consists of bank stabi-lization and revegetation. Banks arecontoured to a 4:1 slope and coveredwith an erosion control fabric andtopsoil into which willows are planted.

Wetland sod (consisting of nativegrasses and sedges planted into acoconut fiber matrix) is then placedover the newly created terraces.A r e a sof the bank that are further from thestream are then seeded with nativegrasses. The result is stable bankswith willows, grasses and sedgeswhose growth will prevent futureerosion and create optimal conditionsfor aquatic life.

FTR is also starting an ambitiousproject to restore two miles of lowerFox Creek from the springs to justabove its confluence with the TetonRiver.Fox Creek is considered one ofthe most critical spawning tributariesfor the Teton River. Historically bankswere covered in willows, grasses ands e d g e s ; h o w e v e r, m u ch of the areawas devegetated about forty yearsago and has resulted in bank erosion,silt covered stream substrates, andloss of fish and wildlife habitat. Wehave initiated a cooperative projectwith Blaine and Nancy Huntsman,Teton Valley Trout Unlimited, t h eTeton Regional Land Trust, and theU. S. Army Corps of Engineers torevegetate and restore stream banksalong Fox Creek. We also hope torestore instream trout habitat bycreating holding pools for adult trout,placing large woody debris and logcurrent deflectors, and addings p awning grav e l s.This is a three yearproject scheduled for completion byspring 2006.

These projects are the first of manythat FTR hopes to tackle in the future.Stream restoration is one of the keysto a healthy aquatic system.

RESTORATION from page 1

Representatives fromthe Idaho Dept.ofFish & Game, U.S.Forest Service, Idaho State Univer-sity, U.S. Army Corpsof Engineers, TetonRegional Land Trust,Utah State Universityand CommunityFoundation ofJackson Hole assessfish and wildlifehabitat between Foxand Teton Creek.

H A B I TAT A SSESSME NT

Page 8: FALL 2003 Newsletter · BY LYNBENJAMIN A Executive Director s Friends of the Teton River moves f o r w ard with its work to protect wa t e r resources in the Teton Valley, stream

Donate to Friendsof the Teton Riverthrough Old Bill’s Fun RunDear Friends,

In my initial weeks in TetonValley, a few things stand out: therugged mountains, the beautifulriver and the diverse and wonderfulcommunity. Though I relish myweekends in the wilderness, I alsoenjoy my weekdays in downtownDriggs. During my first two monthson Main Street, I have been amazedby all the residents, full and parttime, who share a passion topreserve and protect the beauty ofthis Valley.

This newsletter is full of FTRstories, but it is the enthusiasticphilosophical and financial supportfrom the community that allowsthem to exist. Each of you—ourvolunteers, friends and donors—hascontributed to understanding andimproving ground and waterresources in Teton Basin. You helpus protect one of our Valley’s mostvaluable assets—the Teton River, itstributaries and wetlands.

Though I have been awed atFTR’s successes in its first threeyears, I am still more impressed bythe research, restoration and

education projects that lie ahead.During 2002, we received generousgrants from governmental andprivate foundations to assist ourprogram work. Since these grantsprovide roughly half of the supportneeded to implement our projects,we still need the financial dona-tions of our community to keep thedoors open.

As you may know, a greatfunding opportunity exists untilSept. 19—Old Bill’s Fun Run. Ifyou donate to Friends of the TetonRiver through Old Bill’s, yourcontribution will be matched at anaverage of 48 percent over the pastsix years. Sponsored by the Commu -nity Foundation of Jackson Hole,this event is a great chance tomaximize your return on invest-ment. Since Old Bill’s provides amajority of FTR’s operational

income, you will make an importantdifference in the ability to completeseveral watershed projects.

You can find official Old Bill’sdonor forms at your local bank. Or,better yet, visit us in our new officeat 36 Little Avenue in Driggs to pickone up—we would enjoy talkingwith you. In order to receive amatching contribution, make yourdonation payable to the CommunityFoundation of Jackson Hole anddesignate the amount you wouldlike to go to Friends of the TetonRiver today.

Thank you for the warmwelcome and continued support.With you, Friends of the Teton Rivercan continue to protect TetonValley’s precious water resources.

Sincerely, Bonnie BergerDEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

PAGE 8

Help protect Teton Valley’s precious water resources

Dedicated to understanding and improving the water re s o u rces of Teton B asin.

P. O. Box 768D r i g g s, I D 8 3 4 2 2

Non-Profit OrganizationUS Postage PAID

Driggs, ID Permit #8