Minnesota Trout Unlimited Coldwater Fish Habitat Enhancement and Restoration, Phase 9
Minnesota Trout Unlimited and its partners, chapters, and volunteers enhanced habitat for trout, as well as other fish, game and wildlife, in or along 10 miles of coldwater streams around the state. We adapting to challenging conditions caused by the pandemic by shifting budget from smaller projects using hand labor (which was largely unavailable for the past 3 years) to larger scale projects utilizing heavy machinery.
We enhanced habitat on 13 different stream reaches. The scope of work varied to match the site conditions, watershed characteristics, and address the specific population limiting factors.
Severely degraded or unstable stream sections received comprehensive, large-scale habitat enhancements to restore stream function and in-stream trout habitat. These included intensive projects on the South Branch Whitewater River near St. Charles, West Indian Creek near Plainview, Rush Creek near Lewiston, and Keene Creek in Duluth. These projects required extensive grading and modification of stream channel patterns to create habitat-filled, stable channels and restored floodplains. Additional habitat enhancements were made on Hay Creek and Pine Creek, including restoring floodplain connectivity to increase resiliency to withstand the increasing severity and frequency of large flood events driven by climate change. The increased pool habitat created on Keene Creek is crucial to survival of native brook trout populations in northern Minnesota during critical low-water periods in late summer and winter.
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted labor availability and prevented implementation of smaller scale projects around the state. However, we adapted and pivoted to other good habitat enhancement opportunities that could be completed with less DNR involvement and without crews using hand labor. Most of these opportunities were in southeast Minnesota.
In southeast Minnesota, we also completed projects along approximately 4 miles of Trout Run Creek, Rush Creek, Ferguson Creek, Little Pickwick Creek, and the South Fork Root River. These project sites had very cold water temperatures and decent in-stream habitat but suffered from the negative effects of dense corridors of buckthorn, boxelder and other invasives. Here significant habitat gains were realized by removing these invasive trees and shrubs, which do a poor job holding streambanks. We removed invasive trees and shrubs and seeded corridors with grasses and forbs. This allowed native grasses and forbs, which better secure soils, to become reestablished and let beneficial sunlight reach the stream beds and boost stream productivity.
By working with partners and tailoring the habitat enhancement methods to each project site we have maximized long term benefits to the wild trout populations at the lowest possible cost.
$2,403,000 in the first year is to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with Minnesota Trout Unlimited to restore or enhance habitat for trout and other species in and along cold water rivers, lakes, and streams in Minnesota. A list of proposed restorations and enhancements must be provided as part of the required accomplishment plan.
The projects enhanced degraded habitat for fish and wildlife in and along 10 miles of coldwater streams and rivers which historically supported naturally reproducing trout populations that are highly valued by anglers. While trout are the apex predator and key indicator species in coldwater systems, a host of rare aquatic and riparian species uniquely associated with these systems also benefited from the habitat work. The enhanced habitat will also provide great recreational opportunities for anglers and citizens.
NRCS, NRCS; DNR and TU