Restoration work on the Teton River started on Toni Hill’s Conservation Easement property below the Bates Bridge on the Teton River. Although the stream banks have been fenced and cattle watered from tanks for 15 years, the banks had continued to erode with little reestablishment of native vegetation. FTR is currently stabilizing and revegetating these banks. Arlin Grimes (Photo 1), of Western Watersheds and Intermountain Aquatics, recontoured and terraced the site. After the bank recontouring was completed, rolls of erosion control matting were used to create two terraces (Photo 2).
On Oct. 16 FTR volunteers helped restoration efforts on Toni Hill’s property by planting containerized willows (Photos 3 & 4), harvesting and trimming dormant willow cuttings (Photo 5); and planting willow cuttings using a device called the stinger, on loan from the Natural Resources Conservation Service. The “stinger,” demonstrated by John Siverd (Photo 6) and operated by Liza Berry (Photo 7), is a large water gun that makes a deep hole in which to plant willow cuttings.
The following day Barb Agnew and her Tetonia 4th grade class joined FTR and Intermountain Aquatics at Bob Wilson’s property to help dig holes for willows, operate the “stinger,” and harvest willow cuttings. Ruger Hansen and Joe Madsen (Photo 8) were two of the students helping harvest willow cuttings. Lyn Benjamin ferried students Jose Figueroa and Gary Nick Breckenridge (Photo 9) across the river to cut and trim willows.
A streambank restoration project (Photo 10) has been completed at FTR Board member Dave Work’s property on the Teton River. Note the healthy fringe of sedges next to the river and the bundles of willows.
Restoration work at the three sites was completed on October 21, 2003 with fences installed around all of the willows. In July and August, 2004, wetland sod, planted with native sedges and grasses, was placed over the erosion control matting and all disturbed areas were seeded with native grasses. All of the restored areas will be irrigated throughout the summer.
View a map and photos of successful restoration projects on the Teton River by clicking on this map.
Many thanks to Katie Salsbury, Arlin Grimes and the awesome InterMountain Aquatics field crew who completed this first phase of the restoration work in record time.
Many thanks also to our volunteers—Tom and LeAnne Talbot, Phyllis Anderson, Georgina Worthington, John Greenwood, John Siverd, Liza Berry, and Tom Fenger—who met at the FTR offices on a gloomy Thursday morning and worked hard on the river all day amidst laughter, water fights, sweat and dirt. The day ended with beautiful sunshine and a good time was had by all who participated. FTR’s success is a result of the involvement and commitment of volunteers like you!
A final huge thank you to Barb Agnew and her intrepid 4th Graders and their parents who have studied Spring Creek for much of the fall and who were enthusiastic, hard-workers for a long morning on the river (“I’m really, really hungry!!!)
Funding for this restoration work was provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, The Donald C. Brace Foundation, The Arthur B. Schultz Foundation, The Upper Snake River Fly Fishers Foundation, The Five Star Challenge Grant Program, The One Fly Foundation, and the Peninsula Community Foundation. Our thanks to all of you.
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