| Client: | Lower Clark Fork Watershed Group |
| Location: | Heron, Montana |
| Date: | 2006 |
An eroding bank contributed fine sediment to Elk Creek.
|  | The Lower Clark Fork Watershed Group retained River Design Group, Inc. (RDG) to complete a bank stabilization and habitat enhancement project on Elk Creek near Heron, Montana. Elk Creek is a water quality impaired (habitat alterations and thermal modifications) Section 303d listed tributary to the Lower Clark Fork River (LCF). The stream in the project area is defined as a transitional reach from a steeper riffle step pool morphology to a meandering riffle-pool morphology. The project proposes to reduce fine sediment delivery to the channel, increase aquatic habitat diversity, and augment the riparian vegetation community over approximately 1,500 ft of channel. Fine sediment delivery reduction was pursued by constructing a woody debris jam at the toe of the eroding lacustrine terrace. The jam deflects flows away from the toe of the slope and also provides fish habitat. In addition to the large woody debris jam, two additional log jams, a deflector tree, and a three-tiered soil lift were also placed to increase bank stability. Native vegetation was planted throughout the project area.
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