Watershed: Palouse River
Stream Name: Paradise Creek
Date Established: 06/21/2001
Project Status: Complete, maintenance and monitoring ongoing
Overview
Funding Agency: Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
Project Location: Latitude: 46.7489 N, Longitude: 116.9637 W
Target Pollutants:
- Sediment
- Temperature
Waterbody Type(s): River
Hydrologic Unit Code: 17060108
Description
The restoration site is on a tributary to Paradise Creek in a rural area northeast of Moscow, Idaho. All woody vegetation had been removed from the site and the area had been managed as a pasture and hay field. The channel was highly simplified and lacked shading and habitat complexity. PCEI worked with the landowners and community volunteers to plant a riparian buffer along a 400 ft reach of the stream. The landowner mowed the area to prepare for planting. University of Idaho and Washington State University students planted shrubs and trees. The University of Idaho Forest Research Nursery and the Wildlife Habitat Institute donated plants for the project. Protective tubes were installed on all plants. The Remington family provided watering and maintenance for the plantings.
Previous Conditions
Prior to restoration, the stream channel, a tributary to Paradise Creek ran through a former hay field, which had previously been grazed and mowed up to the eroding streambanks. The field was losing several inches of ground during high flood events, and lacked habitat complexity. A riparian buffer was absent in this section of the creek, which exposed the creek to direct solar radiation and runoff containing sediments, nutrients, and pesticides.