Fisheries

Latah SWCD works to preserve and restore habitat for the benefit of resident and anadromous fish populations.

Resident fish live in freshwater their entire life cycle whereas anadromous fish spawn and rear in freshwater, migrate to the ocean, and return to freshwater after reaching maturity. Wild Steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are anadromous, culturally and environmentally significant species and can be found in the Potlatch watershed, here in Latah County.

Populations are affected by degraded water quality and habitat, flashy stream flows, high water temperatures, lack of stream complexity, and barriers to migration.

Learn more about the techniques the Latah SWCD uses on the Stream and Meadow Restoration Page.

Learn more about steelhead and lamprey

Ways We Conserve and Restore Fish Populations

Coordinate Riparian Restoration Efforts

Latah SWCD partners with landowners and agencies to restore riparian zones and wetlands to improve fish habitat and retain water within the system for longer. Some projects include streamside plantings, fencing livestock exclosures, and building and implementing management plans to control invasive vegetation.

Learn more on our Wetland Restoration page.

Remove Passage Barriers

Latah SWCD develops projects to remove barriers that prohibit fish migration like dams and failing culverts.

View the Dutch Flat Dam Removal project.

Monitoring

Latah SWCD supports and conducts monitoring programs related to water temperature and quality.

View the Potlatch and Palouse River gages below.

Coordinate Conservation Planning - Anadromous Fish

Latah SWCD coordinates and implements management plans to address the limiting factors that affect the production and distribution of wild steelhead within the Potlatch River. We have various projects within the watershed including Big Bear Creek, Corral Creek, East Fork Potlatch River and more.

View the Potlatch River Management Plan - 2019 Amendment.

East Fork Large Wood Project

Oncorhynchus mykiss

Idaho Department of Lands has partnered with the Latah Soil and Water Conservation District to implement a stream and riparian restoration project along the East Fork Potlatch River near Jackson Creek.

The Potlatch River watershed is considered a stronghold for wild Snake River steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Stream and riparian conditions in the East Fork Potlatch River have been influenced by historic landscape-level impacts including timber harvest, grazing, and the removal of large wood and beaver. These impacts have led to a reduction in quality steelhead habitat that includes complex instream habitat with pools, woody debris jams and beaver dams, and a well connected floodplain. In many areas, riparian conditions are slowly recovering but lack adequate function to support shading of the stream, new tree and shrub growth, or food and building resources for beaver. Adjacent floodplain and riparian areas are also used for camping and OHV use. Dispersed camping areas encroach on riparian/floodplain habitat and OHV use, especially during wet times of the year can cause damage to these sensitive areas.

Implementing the restoration practices will improve the quality of steelhead spawning and rearing habitat.

Large Wood (LW) Structures to create complex instream habitat and cover
Beaver Dam Analogs (BDAs) to mimic the form and function of natural beaver dams, create pools, and promote beaver colonization
Plantings to improve riparian function and stream shading
Buck and rail fencing to limit motorized impacts on sensitive riparian areas

The two principal stream systems within Latah County are the Palouse and Potlatch River watersheds

Click on the map to enlarge

Latah County Watersheds

Palouse River

The Palouse River is habitat to many resident fish species. The Palouse River flows southwesterly into Washington State, it plunges over Palouse Falls near its confluence with the Snake River. The Falls is a historical and current barrier to anadromous fish migration.

Palouse River Gage

Potlatch River

The Potlatch River and its tributaries support resident and anadromous fish species. The Potlatch River joins the Clearwater River which flows into the Snake River on the Washington-Idaho border.

Potlatch River Gage