Kootenai River Restoration

EcoAnalysts has conducted seasonal monitoring of benthic invertebrate and periphyton communities for the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho from Libby Dam, MT downstream to Bonner’s Ferry, ID since 2000. This project is part of an ongoing international effort to restore the Kootenai River ecosystem and protect the endangered Kootenai River White Sturgeon as well as other declining fisheries.  The tribe was funded to experimentally add nutrients to the river in an attempt to stimulate food web productivity. The client has relied on EcoAnalysts’ technical expertise to: 

  • select indicator parameters appropriate for monitoring the treatment;

  • selecting sites according to land use factors, tributary influences, geomorphological features, relation to the treatment zone, and instream habitat characteristics;

  • modified a macroinvertebrate sampling design for large river cobble habitat;

  • selected the time of sampling and number of replicates for each indicator;

  • assisted with measuring precision and power in the sampling design;

  • developed field forms for field crews;

  • trained EcoAnalysts and tribe staff in the project specific field sampling methods;

  • ran the field crew for the first year of the project;

  • coordinated with EcoAnalysts staff to ensure all field gear was purchased, available, and in good working condition; coordinated with the tribe and Army Corps of Engineers to schedule sampling events according to river stage;

  • coordinated sample delivery from the field crews (EcoAnalysts and tribe) to the appropriate laboratories for analyses;

  • tracked the progress of the field sampling operations;

  • and troubleshoot problems.

During our summer sampling event on July 27, 2008, a catastrophic river drawdown occurred. Due to a drowning death at Kootenai Falls, the Bonner County Sheriff’s Department requested the US Army Corps of Engineers lower the river level to help locate the victim. This drawdown event occurred while we were sampling and we were able to collect 2 sites before they were dewatered, which lasted less than 24 hours. We sampled the same 2 sites the following day, after they were dewatered for several hours, and then sampled again weekly for 4 more weeks. Preliminary analysis indicates macroinvertebrate community responses included immediate decreases in total abundance, biomass, taxa richness, and IBI scores. Four weeks after the drawdown event the macroinvertebrate community began to show signs of recovery. 

EcoAnalysts laboratory continues to be responsible for identifying periphyton, benthic macroinvertebrates, and fish stomach contents, making sure all data deliverables meet quality objectives, assist with the interpretation of ecological data in relation to water quality treatment (nutrient addition), and co-author project reports to funding agency (Bonneville Power Administration). 

 

MoscowGuest Userrestoration, water quality, bioassessment