WYLDLIFE FOR TOMORROW

South Flat Creek Channel Restoration

Why?

Flat Creek is an important Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout spawning tributary that has been adversely affected by urbanization, rural land development, and water management.
The section of Flat Creek south of the town of Jackson is poor Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout habitat: it is overly straight, wide, and open, and contains movement barriers that limit access to good spawning habitat.
There is ample hydrology and watershed function from upstream sources to improve instream habitat and water quality throughout a degraded, channelized section of creek.
Improved stream function will reduce stream bank erosion, restore reference channel dimension and riparian vegetation, reduce localized winter icing problems, diversify instream habitat, and address stream warming.
These changes will result in improvements to Yellowstone cutthroat Trout habitat.

Partners

Community Foundation Jackson Hole
Jackson Hole One Fly
Lockhart Cattle Co.
Natural Resource Conservation Service
Teton Conservation District
Trout Unlimited
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Water for Wildlife Foundation
Western Native Trout Initiative
Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality
Wyoming Game & Fish Department
Wyoming Governor’s Big Game License Coalition
Wyoming Water Development Office
Wyoming Wildlife Natural Resource Trust Fund

How?

A total of 1.2 miles of Flat Creek will be restored to reference conditions, with Phase II (current phase) focusing on 0.6 miles of the waterway.
The riparian area will be restored using a combination of grazing exclosure fencing and extensive planting of willow and cottonwoods.
The new channel will be narrower and deeper, and have connection to its floodplain through the installation of meander bends, toewood, and vegetated soil lifts.
Seasonal barriers to upstream fish movement will be retrofitted to allow for year-round passage.

Budget

$1,407,535

Project partners conduct stream surveys to develop restoration designs on the New Fork River. At this site, a long and unstable bank will be addressed to improve fish and floodplain habitat while also protecting this hay meadow for the landowner.

Degraded habitat conditions on the New Fork include over-widened and shallow stream reaches, unstable banks and limited or no in-stream cover for fish.

Construction work occurs on phase I of the New Fork Gas Wells. Here, equipment is installing toe wood to stabilize an outside bend and provide holding cover for adult fish.

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THE WYLDLIFE FUND
PO Box 890
Buffalo, WY 82834

The WYldlife Fund is a non-profit 501(c)3.
EIN: 83-2290091

Wildlife Crossings
Education
Habitat
Our Story
Contact

THE WYLDLIFE FUND
PO Box 890, Buffalo, WY 82834

The WYldlife Fund is a non-profit 501(c)3.
EIN: 83-2290091