Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan

Adopted by Resolution of the Bonner County Board of Commissioners May 8, 2003

Resolution #03-19 recorded May 8, 2003, at Instrument #624303, records of Bonner County,

BONNER COUNTY PLANNING DEPARTMENT

127 S. First Avenue Sandpoint, Idaho 83864 (208) 265-1458

Prepared with the assistance of

J-U-B ENGINEERS, Inc. 212 N. First Avenue, Ste. 307 Sandpoint, ID 83864 TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1 - WATER BODIES ...... CHAPTER 1 - 2 Section 1.1 - Rivers and Streams ...... CHAPTER 1 - 2 ...... CHAPTER 1 - 2 Clark Fork Basin Tributary Streams ...... CHAPTER 1 - 5 ...... CHAPTER 1 - 6 Pend Oreille Basin Tributary Streams ...... CHAPTER 1 - 8 ...... CHAPTER 1 - 9 Priest River...... CHAPTER 1 - 14 Priest River and Priest Lake Basin Tributary Streams...... CHAPTER 1 - 16 Section 1.2 - Lakes...... CHAPTER 1 - 20 ...... CHAPTER 1 - 20 Priest Lake ...... CHAPTER 1 - 30 Upper Priest Lake ...... CHAPTER 1 - 35 East Side Lower Lake ...... CHAPTER 1 - 35 West Side Lower Lake...... CHAPTER 1 - 35 Cocolalla Lake...... CHAPTER 1 - 39 Kelso Lake...... CHAPTER 1 - 49 Round Lake ...... CHAPTER 1 - 50 Granite Lake...... CHAPTER 1 - 52 Shepherd, Mirror, and Hoodoo Lakes ...... CHAPTER 1 - 54 Section 1.3 - Wetlands ...... CHAPTER 1 - 54 Section 1.4 - Geothermal Waters ...... CHAPTER 1 - 56

CHAPTER 2 - VEGETATION ...... CHAPTER 2 - 1 Section 2.1 - Forests...... CHAPTER 2 - 1 Forest Composition ...... CHAPTER 2 - 1 Ownership ...... CHAPTER 2 - 1 History...... CHAPTER 2 - 2 Productivity ...... CHAPTER 2 - 3 Section 2.2 - Pasture, Range and Crop Land ...... CHAPTER 2 - 4 Section 2.3 - Generalized Vegetation...... CHAPTER 2 - 6 Section 2.4 - Sensitive Species ...... CHAPTER 2 - 6

CHAPTER 3 - SOILS ...... CHAPTER 3 - 1 Section 3.1- Prime farmland...... CHAPTER 3 - 1 Section 3.2 - Non-Prime Farmland...... CHAPTER 3 - 4 Section 3.3 - Soil Properties...... CHAPTER 3 - 7 Engineering Index Properties...... CHAPTER 3 - 7 Physical & Chemical Properties ...... CHAPTER 3 - 8 Soil and Water Features...... CHAPTER 3 - 8 Sewage Disposal Characteristics...... CHAPTER 3 - 9

CHAPTER 4 – FISHERIES ...... CHAPTER 4 - 1 Section 4.1 - Native Species...... CHAPTER 4 - 1

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan Table of Contents - i Westslope ...... CHAPTER 4 - 2 Bull Trout...... CHAPTER 4 - 2 Mountain Whitefish ...... CHAPTER 4 - 3 Pygmy Whitefish...... CHAPTER 4 - 4 Northern pikeminnow ...... CHAPTER 4 - 4 Section 4.2 - Introduced Species...... CHAPTER 4 - 5 ...... CHAPTER 4 - 5 ...... CHAPTER 4 - 5 Arctic grayling...... CHAPTER 4 - 6 Kokanee...... CHAPTER 4 - 6 (Mackinaw)...... CHAPTER 4 - 7 Mysis relicta (shrimp) ...... CHAPTER 4 - 8 Section 4.2 - Stream Segments/Shorelines (Spawning, hatching, rearing)...... CHAPTER 4 - 8 Lake Pend Oreille ...... CHAPTER 4 - 8 Upper and Lower Priest Lake ...... CHAPTER 4 - 9 Section 4.3 - Game Species...... CHAPTER 4 - 9 Section 4.4 - Non-Game Species ...... CHAPTER 4 - 9 Section 4.5 - Sensitive Species ...... CHAPTER 4 - 9 Threats to the Bull Trout Population in Lake Pend Oreille ...... CHAPTER 4 - 10 Bull and Westslope Cutthroat Trout Streams ...... CHAPTER 4 - 11 Subwatersheds Descriptions/Threats/Actions ...... CHAPTER 4 - 12 Section 4.6 - Hatcheries ...... CHAPTER 4 - 17 Sandpoint ...... CHAPTER 4 - 17 Cabinet Gorge ...... CHAPTER 4 - 17

CHAPTER 5 - WILDLIFE ...... CHAPTER 5 - 1 Section 5.1 - General Overview ...... CHAPTER 5 - 1 Section 5.2 - Waterfowl ...... CHAPTER 5 - 1 Section 5.3 - Big Game...... CHAPTER 5 - 3 Deer...... CHAPTER 5 - 3 ...... CHAPTER 5 - 5 Bear ...... CHAPTER 5 - 7 Mountain Lion ...... CHAPTER 5 - 8 ...... CHAPTER 5 - 9 ...... CHAPTER 5 - 10 ...... CHAPTER 5 - 10 Section 5.4 - Upland Game...... CHAPTER 5 - 11 Upland Game Birds...... CHAPTER 5 - 11 Furbearers ...... CHAPTER 5 - 12 Predators ...... CHAPTER 5 - 13 Section 5.5 - Non-game Wildlife ...... CHAPTER 5 - 14 Section 5.6 - Special Status Species...... CHAPTER 5 - 15 Caribou ...... CHAPTER 5 - 16 ...... CHAPTER 5 - 18 ...... CHAPTER 5 - 19 Section 5.7 - General Habitat ...... CHAPTER 5 - 20 Section 5.8 - Critical Habitat...... CHAPTER 5 - 21 White-tailed Deer and Winter Range...... CHAPTER 5 - 22

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan Table of Contents - ii Elk Winter Range and Calving Habitat...... CHAPTER 5 - 23 Moose Habitat ...... CHAPTER 5 - 23 Waterfowl Production, Migration, and Wintering Areas ...... CHAPTER 5 - 24 Bald Eagle Nesting and Foraging Areas ...... CHAPTER 5 - 25 Rookeries ...... CHAPTER 5 - 26 Harlequin Duck Breeding Streams ...... CHAPTER 5 - 26 Grizzly Bear Spring and Fall Range ...... CHAPTER 5 - 27 Western Grebe Nesting Area...... CHAPTER 5 - 27 Black Tern Nesting Areas ...... CHAPTER 5 - 28 Goshawk Nesting Area and Flammulated Owl Nesting Habitat...... CHAPTER 5 - 28 Section 5.9 - Wildlife Disturbance Due To Urban Sprawl...... CHAPTER 5 - 29 Deer...... CHAPTER 5 - 29 Elk ...... CHAPTER 5 - 31 Moose...... CHAPTER 5 - 32 Raptors...... CHAPTER 5 - 32 Great Blue Herons...... CHAPTER 5 - 33 Waterfowl ...... CHAPTER 5 - 34 Bald Eagles ...... CHAPTER 5 - 34 Harlequin Ducks ...... CHAPTER 5 - 35

CHAPTER 6 – MINERALS ...... CHAPTER 6 - 1 Section 6.1 - Metals ...... CHAPTER 6 - 1 Quantity ...... CHAPTER 6 - 1 Mining History...... CHAPTER 6 - 1 Section 6.2 - Non-Metals ...... CHAPTER 6 - 2 Type...... CHAPTER 6 - 2 Location...... CHAPTER 6 - 2 Quantity ...... CHAPTER 6 - 2 Uses...... CHAPTER 6 - 3

CHAPTER 7 – BEACHES ...... CHAPTER 7 - 1 Section 7.1 - Lake Pend Oreille ...... CHAPTER 7 - 1 Section 7.2 - Priest Lake...... CHAPTER 7 - 1

CHAPTER 8 – WATERSHEDS AND AQUIFERS ...... CHAPTER 8 - 1 Section 8.1 - Watersheds...... CHAPTER 8 - 1 Section 8.2 - Municipal Watersheds...... CHAPTER 8 - 5 Sandpoint ...... CHAPTER 8 - 5 East Hope...... CHAPTER 8 - 7 City of Hope ...... CHAPTER 8 - 7 Section 8.3- Aquifers ...... CHAPTER 8 - 7 Pend Oreille River (Southside) Aquifer ...... CHAPTER 8 - 7 Newport Aquifer ...... CHAPTER 8 - 9 Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer...... CHAPTER 8 - 10 Priest River Aquifer...... CHAPTER 8 - 11 Kootenai Valley Aquifer ...... CHAPTER 8 - 11

CHAPTER 9 – CLIMATE ...... CHAPTER 9 - 1

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan Table of Contents - iii Section 9.1 - General Statistics...... CHAPTER 9 - 1 Rainfall...... CHAPTER 9 - 1 Snowfall...... CHAPTER 9 - 1 Growing Season ...... CHAPTER 9 - 2 Frost Days ...... CHAPTER 9 - 2 Cloud Days ...... CHAPTER 9 - 3 Temperature Means and Extremes...... CHAPTER 9 - 4 Section 9.2 - General History...... CHAPTER 9 - 5 Weather Patterns - Winds and Fronts ...... CHAPTER 9 - 5 Glaciation...... CHAPTER 9 - 7

APPENDIX ...... APPENDIX - 1

GLOSSARY...... GLOSSARY - 1

BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... BIBLIOGRAPHY - 1

MAPS......

Hydrographic Features of Bonner County, Idaho Major Wetlands Within Bonner County, Idaho Critical Wildlife Habitat in Bonner County, Idaho Prime Farmland in Bonner County, Idaho Major Aquifers Within Bonner County, Idaho Mines Located in Bonner County, Idaho

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan Table of Contents - iv NATURAL RESOURCES COMPONENT

The Natural Resources Component includes an analysis of water bodies, to include rivers, streams, lakes , and geothermal waters; vegetation, to include wetlands, forests, pasture, range and cropland, generalized vegetation , and sensitive species; soils, to include prime and non-prime farmland , and soil properties; fisheries, to include hatcheries, stream segments and shorelines of concern, sensitive species and populations; wildlife, to include habitat, general species and sensitive species; minerals, to include metals and non-metals; beaches and shorelines, to include locations and facilities; watersheds and aquifers, to include location and size; and climate, to include general statistics and general history.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 1 CHAPTER 1 - WATER BODIES

About 9.5 percent, or 183 square miles, of Bonner County’s total area is surface water–the most of any Idaho county (County Profiles of Idaho, 1999). Bonner County’s Lake Pend Oreille is Idaho’s largest natural lake, covering 90,000 acres and reaching depths of about 1,200 feet. A map of Bonner County’s lakes, rivers and streams titled Hydrographic Features, Bonner County, Idaho is found at the end of the Natural Resources section of the Comprehensive Plan.

Section 1.1 - Rivers and Streams

Clark Fork River

Location Bonner County lies within a portion of the Clark Fork-Pend Oreille Basin. The basin encompasses about 25,000 square miles in western , northern Idaho, and northeastern . The basin and its tributaries provide the source of waters entering and leaving Lake Pend Oreille. The primary tributary draining this basin, as it affects Bonner County, is the Clark Fork River. The Clark Fork watershed is the largest sub-unit of the Clark Fork–Pend Oreille research area, comprising nearly 90 percent of the Clark Fork–Pend Oreille Basin and contributing 92 percent of the annual flow to Lake Pend Oreille (U.S. EPA; Hoelscher). The Clark Fork River, which has its headwaters near Butte, Montana, is fed by the Flathead, Bitterroot, St. Regis, and Blackfoot Rivers before flowing into Lake Pend Oreille. Lake Pend Oreille is the source of the Pend Oreille River in northern Idaho (U.S. EPA).

Order or Ranking The order of the Clark Fork River is undetermined due to the interstate nature of the river. The order is dependent upon the different confluences in the State of Montana (Skille).

Size Clark Fork River is an exceptionally long tributary that extends approximately 350 miles between Butte, Montana, and Lake Pend Oreille near Clark Fork, Idaho (U.S. EPA).

Quality The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Regions 8 and 10), in cooperation with the states of Montana, Idaho, and Washington, completed the January 1993 Clark Fork–Pend Oreille Basin Water Quality Study summarizing three years of water quality research in the Clark Fork–Pend Oreille Basin. The study included a list of Clark Fork River pollutants. (U.S. EPA)

Pollutants For the Clark Fork River, research findings concluded: • Excessive levels of algae have caused water use impairment in nearly 250 miles of the Clark Fork River. • About half of the soluble phosphorous is derived from wastewater discharges (sewage treatment plants, industrial sites), with the other half contributed by non-point sources (stormwater runoff) in

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 2 tributary watersheds. Three-fourths of the soluble nitrogen comes from tributaries, with the remaining one-fourth from wastewater discharges. • The most critical point sources (specific sources) are the municipal wastewater treatment plants and industrial wastewater facilities located in Montana. • The largest non-point sources of nutrient loading to the Clark Fork are the Flathead, Bitteroot and Blackfoot Rivers, all located in Montana. (U.S. EPA)

Clarity The secchi disc readings ranged from less than 6.6 feet deep during snowmelt runoff in March, April, and May and between 5 feet and 32.8 feet during the remaining months. The mean depth was 21.7 feet, and the range was 6.6 to 32.8 feet in 1989. In 1990 the mean depth was 18.7 feet, and the range was 8.2 to 32.8 feet. This reading was recorded near the mouth of the Clark Fork River and had some of the shallowest water transparency readings during the snowmelt runoff. (Hoelscher)

Minerals Information not available.

Temperature During 1990, the temperature ranged from 32.2° F to 72.5°F. The warmest temperatures were measured in early August. The coolest temperatures were measured in late March at Station 3 located closest to the mouth of the Clark Fork River. This is the most recent information and data that are available on the Clark Fork River. (Hoelscher)

Quantity The Cabinet Gorge Dam, constructed in 1951 to 1952, regulates flows in the Clark Fork River. Average annual river flow is approximately 22,400 cubic feet per second (cfs). Table 1-1 shows the 1991 to 1997 daily high and low water means. A voluntary agreement with the State of Idaho provides for a minimum flow of 3,000 cfs except for periods of mandatory maintenance and safety inspections. River flows are augmented by groundwater inflow which contributes at least an additional 800 cfs below the dam. Cabinet Gorge Dam is operated as a peaking facility, and during low flow periods releases from 3,000 cfs to about 20,000 cfs daily. This range varies depending on availability of water and demand for electricity. During high flow events, the Cabinet Gorge Dam may spill up to 100,000 cfs or more in addition to the power plant’s generating capacity of approximately 37,500 cfs. (Panhandle Bull Trout Technical Advisory Team)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 3 Table 1-1: Water Data–Clark Fork at Whitehorse Rapids in cubic feet per second

1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 Highest Daily 80,300 33,900 56,100 33,900 76,000 95,800 131,000 Mean Lowest Daily 4,260 3,880 4,120 3,870 3,660 4,190 4,720 Mean (U.S.G.S., 12392000)

Drought Droughts are less frequent than floods, but can be far more devastating to the economy of the state as a whole. Major droughts during the past several decades generally were the result of an unseasonable northward displacement of the Pacific high pressure system or the positioning of a polar front at much lower latitudes than usual. Principal droughts in northern Idaho, indicated by stream flow records, occurred during 1929 to 1941, 1944 to 1945, 1977, 1987 to 1992, and 1998 to 2000. For most of the Idaho the 1929 to 1941 drought lasted for 11 years despite greater than average stream flows in 1932 and 1938. In northern Idaho, the drought was interrupted by greater than average flows from 1932 until 1937. The drought ended in most of the state in 1942 but continued in northern Idaho until 1946. (Idaho Water Resource Board, 1997)

History/Geology

Watersheds in the Cabinet and Bitterroot Mountains are primarily within the Belt Series bedrock type, and streams draining the are largely within the Kaniksu batholith (granitic bedrock type). The Belt Series consist of metamorphic sedimentary deposits. These rocks were formed during the Precambrian period when shallow seas inundated northern Idaho. The metamorphosed rocks in the basin include argillite, siltite, quartzite, and dolomite.

The Kaniksu batholith formed about 70 to 80 million years ago when large masses of granite magma rose into the upper part of the earth’s crust. As this mass of granite magma rose it caused part of the crust to shear off and move easterly, forming a part of the . The rising magma helped form the Selkirk Mountains.

During the Pleistocene epoch, an ice lobe advanced and deepened the lake basin. With retreat of the ice and consequent flood of glacial melt water, an outwash plain of poorly consolidated sand, silt, and gravel formed the morain dam that constitutes the southwest shore of Lake Pend Oreille. The present Clark Fork River valley was alternately plugged and scoured by dams of ice and deposited debris that likely controlled Glacial . Existing soils in the watershed are derived from the erosion of Precambrian metasediments and granitic batholith, volcanic deposition, glacial outwash, and alluvium.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 4 Watersheds in the Cabinet Mountains tend to be more prone to rapid runoff because of the effects of scouring by glacial advances. Glacial advances resulted in highly divided watersheds, shallow soils, and subsoil compaction of glacial tills. Mass erosion plays a significant role. Since different layers of till have different water infiltration rates, watersheds draining the Cabinet Mountains tend to have a higher incidence of mass wasting than those in the Pend Oreille basin. As a result of these different till layers, ground water seeps and springs are more prevalent in tributaries draining the Cabinet Mountains to the north of Lake Pend Oreille.

Glaciers acted as ice dams and deposited large amounts of till. Ice in the Pack River Valley dammed most of the tributary streams upstream of their confluence with Pack River. Fine sandy sediments deposited in the dammed water are known as glacial fluvial deposits. These sandy areas today appear on mountain side slopes, and are very erosive.

Generally streams on the north and east tend to be more productive and have less fine sediment than streams draining the granitic soils of the Selkirk Mountains. Granitic soils tend to be nutrient poor, and fish growth is typically slower in streams flowing from granitic watersheds. Natural waterfalls are found throughout the basin, and preclude use of several tributaries, or portions of tributaries, by migratory fish. (Panhandle Bull Trout Technical Advisory Team)

Clark Fork Basin Tributary Streams

The next section is dedicated to the Clark Fork River tributary streams that directly affect the basin and associated river. The information listed in Table 1-2 is the only data currently available. Not all streams have been analyzed for water transparency, temperature, pollutant content, etc. The mean annual flow, peak flow frequency, and a seven-day mean low flow were calculated by mathematical equation from the National Forest data. The order determined for each stream was determined from the Department of Environmental Quality map data on rivers and corresponding streams. The order of the various streams in Bonner County is dependent upon the detail and accuracy of the map. Maps of lesser or greater detail will affect the order of the streams. The information and data provide an overall and general understanding of major tributaries and watersheds. This information is not to be used for detailed site specific development, but rather for general planning purposes.

Table 1-2: Clark Fork River

Streams Length Order Average Peak flow Mean Low (mi) Annual (cfs) (cfs) Flow (cfs) Cascade Creek 3.5 2nd (head) 2.6 (head) 33 (head) 0.2 Dry Creek 7.4 2nd 28.4 318 2.6 East Fork Lightning Creek 6.6 2nd 13.6 (head) 158 (head) 1.2 (head) 1.3 14.8 171 Johnson Creek 5.9 3rd 29.5 330 2.7

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 5 Streams Length Order Average Peak flow Mean Low (mi) Annual (cfs) (cfs) Flow (cfs) Lightning Creek 19.2 3rd (mid) 53.8 (mid) 585 (mid) 5.2 Lightning Creek above 3rd (head) 8.3 (head) 99 (head) 0.7 Rattle Creek Porcupine Creek 3.9 2nd 21.4 242 1.9 Quartz Creek 2.4 2nd 12.4 144 1.1 Rattle Creek 5.1 2nd 20.6 234 1.9 Spring Creek 6.7 2nd 23.0 260 2.1 Twin Creek 3.9 3rd 29.7 (head) 332 (head) 2.8 (head) 1.0 11.6 135 Wellington Creek 5.1 2nd 32.2 358 3.0 (Idaho Panhandle National Forests, DEQ 1993)

Pend Oreille River

The Pend Oreille River drains Lake Pend Oreille. Its basin lies mainly in Pend Oreille County, a sparsely settled rural region in northeast Washington.

Much of the river basin’s land falls within the boundaries of the Kaniksu or Colville National Forests. The basin’s topography consists of river bottom flatlands in a long and narrow trough between the Selkirk Mountains and Okanagan Highlands. Agriculture on the lowland plains includes grain crops, hay pasture, and livestock. The area is largely forested with rough mountainous terrain. Private land ownership is concentrated on river and lake shorelines. (U.S. EPA)

Order or Ranking The order or ranking of the Pend Oreille River is undetermined due to the interstate nature of the river.

Size The Pend Oreille River begins at the railroad bridge paralleling the “Long Bridge” near Sandpoint, Idaho, continuing to the City of Priest River, Idaho through the and into the state of Washington.

Quality: Pollutants The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Regions 8 and 10), in cooperation with the states of Montana, Idaho and Washington, completed the January, 1993 Clark Fork – Pend Oreille Basin Water Quality Study summarizing three years of water quality research in the Clark Fork – Pend Oreille Basin. The study included a management plan for protection of the basin’s water quality.

For the Pend Oreille River, research findings concluded:

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 6 • The main stem of the Pend Oreille River has water quality that is generally good and in the “oligo- mesotrophic” range (limited to moderate amounts of dissolved nutrients). • The primary water quality concern on the Pend Oreille River is the proliferation of Eurasian water milfoil, an invasive and adaptable plant. • Several tributaries exceed standards for fecal coliform bacteria content. • Non-point sources of pollutants in the Pend Oreille River Basin that potentially affect the river are animal keeping practices, agriculture, on-site sewage disposal, stormwater and highway runoff, forest practices, land development, landfills, and gravel extraction.

Recommendations for the Pend Oreille River included:

• Controlling Eurasian water milfoil by education, rotovation, and research into alternative methods. Milfoil needs to be aggressively managed. • Protecting Lake Pend Oreille water by maintaining or reducing current rates of nutrient loading from the Clark Fork River. • Reducing nearshore eutrophication in Lake Pend Oreille by reducing nutrient load from local sources. • Improving Pend Oreille River water quality through macrophyte (plant) management and tributary non-point source controls. (U.S. EPA)

Quality: Clarity

The mean depth secchi disc reading was 11.5 feet and the range was 3.6 to 23.3 feet in 1989. In 1990 the mean depth reading was 11.5 and the range was 4.9 to 23.3 feet. This reading was recorded near the mouth of the Pend Oreille River near the City of Sandpoint. (Hoelscher)

Quality: Temperature The Pend Oreille River is several degrees warmer than Pend Oreille Lake. Temperatures ranged from 36.0° F to 71.6° F and up to 79.7° F in the nearshore water. The warmest water temperatures in the river were measured in early to mid-August and the coolest in late January. (Hoelscher)

Quantity: High Water/Low Water The flow of Pend Oreille River is regulated at Albeni Falls Dam and affected by storage in Lake Pend Oreille, Flathead Lake, Hungry Horse Reservoir, and several smaller reservoirs. Table 1-3 shows water data for the Pend Oreille River in cubic feet per second (cfs).

Table 1-3: Water Data—Pend Oreille River in Cubic Feet per Second (cfs)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 7 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 Highest Daily 86400 30000 52800 30200 64000 94700 128000 Mean Lowest Daily Mean 6840 3280 8440 4240 5000 11800 9640 (U.S.G.S. 12395000)

Pend Oreille Basin Tributary Streams

The next section is dedicated to the streams that directly affect Lake Pend Oreille. The information listed is the only data currently available. Not all streams have been analyzed for water transparency, temperature, pollutant content, etc. Unnamed streams and small minor streams that have very little data research on them are not mentioned. Table 1-4 represents the most significant streams. The mean annual flow, peak flow frequency, and a seven-day mean low flow were calculated by mathematical equation from the Idaho Panhandle National Forest data. The order for each stream was determined from the Department of Environmental Quality map data on rivers and corresponding streams. The order of the various streams in Bonner County is dependent upon the detail and accuracy of the map. Maps of lesser or greater detail will affect the order of the streams.

Table 1-4: Pend Oreille Basin

Streams Length Order Average Annual Peak flow (cfs) Mean Low (mi) (cfs) (cfs) Butler Creek 4.5 1st ------Canyon Creek 3.1 2nd 7.5 89 0.6 Caribou Creek 3.1 2nd 35.4 392 3.3 Cedar Creek 4.0 2nd Chloride Gulch 3rd 0.8 to 2.5 10 to 26 0.1 to 0.2 Cocolalla Creek 15.5 3rd Falls Creek 8.0 3rd 5.1 62 0.4 Fish Creek 4.0 3rd Gold Creek 7.9 2nd 18.8 215 1.7 Granite Creek 9.8 1st 0.4 to 5.9 5 to 71 0.0 to 0.5 Grouse Creek 19.4 3rd 27.8 312 2.6 Hell Roaring Creek 6.4 2nd 24.7 278 2.3 Hoodoo Creek 20.3 2nd 135.3 1406 14.0 Jeru Creek 3.1 2nd 13.4 155 1.2 Johnson Creek 2.0 2nd ------McCormick Creek 4.3 2nd 11.5 134 1.0 North Fork Grouse 2.5 2nd 6.5 78 0.5 Creek

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 8 Streams Length Order Average Annual Peak flow (cfs) Mean Low (mi) (cfs) (cfs) Pack River (total) 32.5 4th 463 594 280 Rapid Lightning 11.8 3rd 65.8 708 6.5 Creek (lower 4.1) (lower 4.1) (lower 4.1) Riley Creek 6.7 3rd 11.9 (head) 139 (head) 0.7 (head) Riser Creek 3.1 3rd 6.7 80 0.6 Sagle Creek 4.0 ------Sand Creek 10.2 3rd 35.2 389 3.3 Schweitzer Creek 4.3 2nd 13.2 153 1.2 Strong Creek 3.1 2nd 1.8 23 0.1 Trapper Creek --- 2nd 18.7 213 1.7 Trestle Creek 8.6 2nd 17.6 201 1.6 Trout Creek 4.7 2nd 4.7 57 0.4 West Gold Creek 5.4 3rd .04 to 2.3 6 to 66 0.1 to 0.5 Westmond Creek 4.3 2nd ------— (Idaho Panhandle National Forests; DEQ, Cocolalla Lake Watershed; DEQ database)

Pack River

The Pack River is a tributary to north Lake Pend Oreille, spanning nearly 40 miles and providing a range of uses from domestic and agricultural water supplies to cold water biota, salmonid spawning, and primary and secondary contact recreation.

The Pack River basin supports diverse land uses and contains lands under private, state, and federal ownership. Land ownership for the entire watershed (101,207 acres) can be broken down to the following percentages: US Forest Service - 55.0%; Private lands - 36.0%; State lands - 6.6%; and Bureau of Land Management - 2.4%. Primary ownership of the headwaters is federal (Forest Service), while the lower reaches are under private ownership.

Size

The Pack River is the second largest tributary to Lake Pend Oreille, and is in turn fed by a number of significant tributary watersheds. The watershed encompasses 101,207 acres of Bonner and Boundary counties in , and drains in to the northern tip of Lake Pend Oreille between the communities of Hope and Sandpoint.

Quantity

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 9 Pack River and its tributaries often experience one or more run-off events. Mid-winter rain-on- snow events can result in rapid snow melt, and in some years the peak flow from tributary watersheds occurs during these events. Due to high precipitation results, location in relation to the lake and prevailing winds, tributaries draining the Cabinet Mountains are particularly susceptible to rain-on-snow events.

Quality: Pollutants

Land uses of the Lower Pack River, as identified by the IDHW-DEQ (1993) are reported out of a total of 106,993 acres as follows: Forest - 87524 acres (81.8% of total); Agriculture - 5266 acres (4.9%); Livestock - 6365 acres (6.0%); Timber/Grazing - 1,223; Mining - 15 acres; Transportation - 694 acres; Residential - 3311 acres (3.1%); Commercial - 12 acres; Industrial - 74 acres (0.1%); Public parks and recreation - 361 acres (0.3%); Surface water - 356 acres (0.3%). These uses, coupled with the Sundance fire in 1967, have influenced fish habitat conditions and water quality in the Pack River.

Watersheds in the Cabinet Mountains tend to be more prone to rapid run-off events due to the effects of scour by glacial advances. These glacial events resulted in highly dissected watersheds (i.e. high density of streams), shallow soils, and subsoil compaction of glacial tills.

The Pack River basin has more glacial fluvial deposits than any other basin in the Pend Oreille watershed, and the underlying geology is largely granitic in origin. As a result, sand-sized sediment is the primary material that is eroded and transported in streams. Fish habitat features are less likely to change from channel adjustments, but the river is prone to high levels of fine sediment which occur where hillside or stream bank erosion rates, and in-channel deposition, is high.

Loss of riparian vegetation and associated root masses due to fire, salvage, timber harvesting, livestock grazing or clearing reduces bank stability and results in delivery of fine sediment to the stream channel.

The Pack River was listed for nutrient, sediment, dissolved oxygen, habitat alterations, pathogens, and pesticide pollution. Pack River’s water quality is limited due to excess sediment and nutrients. Monitoring data indicate that dissolved oxygen, pesticides and pathogens concentrations do not violate Idaho Water Quality Standards. Target load for sediment is 15,635 tons/yr (a reduction of 45,465.6 tons/yr). Target loads for nutrients are: 5,307 kg/yr total phosphorus (a reduction of 15,293 kg/yr) and 45,815 kg/yr total nitrogen (a reduction of 51,985 kg/yr).

Point Source Discharges

There are no permitted point source discharges to the Pack River or its tributaries.

Nonpoint Source Discharges

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 10 There were five primary nonpoint sources of pollution identified by the Panhandle Bull Trout Technical Advisory Team as limiting water quality in the Pack River main stem watershed. These sources are identified and described as follows:

Urbanization - Significant floodplain development, increased urban run-off, stream riparian zone clearing, and stream channel alterations are all factors associated with urban development which currently limit water quality and beneficial uses in the watershed.

Roads - Pack River has an extensive road system on private, state and federal lands. Because of the sandy soils, fine sediment is readily transported from roads to stream channels. Three railroads (Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Union Pacific, and Montana Rail Link) and two highways (US 95 and Idaho 200) cross Lower Pack River, creating a risk from toxic spills.

Wildfire - The Sundance Fire, which occurred in 1967, was the last major forest fire in the Pack River watershed. It burned nearly 55,000 acres of mature and second growth timber in the Selkirk Mountains, Pack River and Roman Nose Creek drainages. The fire burned a large portion of the riparian areas in the upper Pack River drainage. Legacy effects of the Sundance Fire are still visible in the Pack River system.

Agriculture/Livestock Grazing - Use of land for agriculture practices has been ongoing for many years in the Pack River drainage. Grazing occurs in the lower two-thirds of the watershed, and much of the Pack River is considered open range. Crop production occurs in the watershed from below the Highway 95 bridge to the inlet at Lake Pend Oreille. Large cedar trees and riparian vegetation was removed years ago. Impacts to the stream channel in lower reaches have occurred over a long period of time and continue to be a factor in the decreasing habitat condition today.

Timber Harvest - Most timber harvest since 1967 has taken place on private and federal lands in the lower two-thirds of the watershed that were not burned by the Sundance Fire. Salvage logging occurred in burned areas, possibly reducing large woody debris recruitment to stream channels. Harvest is currently taking place in areas missed by the fire where merchantable timber was left (Sundance Missed Timber Sale). Timber harvest on private lands is also occurring.

Summary of Past and Present Pollution Control Efforts

As a result of citizen concerns about increased aquatic weed and algae growth in the Clark Fork River, Pend Oreille Lake and Pend Oreille River, the U.S. Congress added language to the 1987 Clean Water Act Amendments (P.L.100-4, Feb.4, 1987) that directed EPA to study the sources of nutrient pollution in the basin. A comprehensive three-year study led to the development of the Clark Fork-Pend Oreille Basin Water Quality Study, A Summary of Findings and a Management Plan (EPA 1993), designed to protect and restore water quality in the watersheds from nutrient pollution. The Tri-State Implementation Council was established in October 1993, to oversee implementation of the Plan. The Council’s primary goals and accomplishments are directed toward protection of Lake Pend Oreille and Clark Fork River. Examples of accomplishments which work to protect water quality in the Pack River include:

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 11 1. Enacted a basin-wide phosphate detergent ban. 2. Offered educators tours of the watershed. 3. Established and currently maintaining a water quality monitoring network throughout the basin. 4. Assisted Bonner County in developing an effective stormwater and erosion control ordinance.

Avista (formerly Washington Water Power), as part of its relicensing process for the Noxon and Cabinet Gorge hydro-power projects, agreed to certain protection, mitigation, and enhancement measures. Many of these projects will benefit the water quality of the Pack River. Stream improvement projects, fish passage projects, habitat restoration, bank stabilization and similar types of activities should benefit both fish habitat and water quality.

In 1993, Bonner County adopted a stormwater ordinance which, if enforced, would provide for adequate protection of the lake and its tributaries from sedimentation as a result of various land disturbing activities.

The Idaho Forest Practices Act has recently added the Cumulative Watershed Effects Process for Idaho (Idaho Cumulative Effects Task Force 1995) to its tools to evaluate problem watersheds. This process enables the forest practices advisor to recommend additional protection measures to address cumulative effects of timber harvest. In areas which have been heavily roaded or are prone to unstable geology, site specific Best Management Practices, developed from this process should significantly reduce sedimentation of streams.

In addition, Lake Pend Oreille has been designated a Special Resource Water (IDAPA 16.01.02.056). As a tributary to a Special Resource Water, the Pack River cannot have a point source discharge which will result in a reduction of ambient water quality of the lake.

In June 1995, the US Fish and Wildlife Service status review found listing bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) as threatened or endangered was warranted under the Endangered Species Act. On July 1, 1996, Governor Phil Batt and the State of Idaho issued a Bull Trout Conservation Plan outlining proactive measures to be taken by the state to restore bull trout populations in Idaho. The Plan utilizes the Basin Advisory Group and Watershed Advisory Group framework, initially developed for dealing with 303(d) water quality listed streams under Idaho Code (39-3601). The plan would provide for local development of watershed specific plans to maintain and/or increase bull trout populations and meet the needs of the surrounding communities in Idaho. While the state will not mandate how local communities protect the species, it will insist on meeting the goal of protecting and maintaining the species.

In 1996 the main stem Pack River (Hwy. 95 to Pend Oreille Lake) was added to the 303(d) list as water quality impaired, due to excess nutrients, sediments, low dissolved oxygen gas, excessive habitat alterations, pathogens, and pesticides. The Pack River has designated uses of domestic and agricultural water supply, cold water biota, salmonid spawning, and primary and secondary contact recreation. Of these beneficial uses, only industrial water supply, wildlife habitat, and aesthetics were identified as having full support status according to 1996 Waterbody Assessment Guidance analysis. This segment was

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 12 also listed in the 1994 305(b) report as a Stream Segment of Concern for the same pollutants mentioned in the 1996 303(d) list.

Fine sediment, lack of large woody debris to create pools and cover, and elevated temperatures resulting from loss of shade (habitat alterations) are believed to be significant limiting factors of bull trout production in the Pack River. Three railroads and two highways cross Lower Pack River in the migration corridor, creating a risk to migrating bull trout from toxic spills.

The Pack River has been found to contribute the highest ratio of nutrients per unit of land of any watershed in the Pend Oreille Basin. This is likely a result of the high ratio of sediment that is produced within the watershed due to the geology of the watershed and the heavy land use in the lower reaches of the Pack River.

There is also some evidence that the Pack River is nitrogen limited at certain times of the year. The ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus found in the Pack River in 1989 was approximately 5:1. A total nitrogen to total phosphorus ratio in lakes greater than 15:1 indicates phosphorus limitation. A lower ratio is typically found in eutrophic lakes with frequent algae blooms. Specific information on nutrient ratios for rivers was not found.

The cause for the listing of pesticides as a pollutant may have been due to the construction of a golf course at the mouth of the Pack River, road side spraying of noxious weeds, fungicide use in a tree nursery, or lawn care products (DEQ).

Uses reported to be currently impaired or not fully supported are: agricultural and domestic water supply due to pathogens and pesticides; primary and secondary contact recreation due to excess nutrients; cold water biota due to excessive sediment, low dissolved oxygen and pesticides; and salmonid spawning due to sediment and low levels of dissolved oxygen.

The Pack River has been found to be the second greatest source of nutrients to Pend Oreille Lake. The state water quality standards under IDAPA 16.01.02.200.06 states, "Surface waters of the state shall be free from excess nutrients that can cause visible slime growths or other nuisance aquatic growths impairing designated beneficial uses.” Identifying and controlling nutrient sources in the Pack River watershed has been proposed as a management alternative for reducing nearshore eutrophication in Pend Oreille Lake.

The main stem Pack River has been listed as not supporting its designated beneficial uses. The information currently available suggests that nutrients and sediment are pollutants causing this impairment. It is apparent from current data that there are widespread and diverse impacts affecting this river segment and additional study is required. Pathogens, pesticides and dissolved oxygen have been discovered to be within full support limits, and therefore will be de-listed for these pollutants (Idaho DEQ, March 2001). In 2003, the Bonner County Board of Commissioners designated the waters of the Pack River upstream of the Highway 200 bridge as a non-motorized vessel zone to protect wildlife habitat and natural vegetation and to reduce hazards to the general public.

Priest River

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 13 Order/Size Priest River drains into the Pend Oreille River near the City of Priest River. The total distance of the Priest River system from the international boundary to the Pend Oreille River is approximately 88 miles. Upper Priest River originates within the Nelson Mountain Range of , and crosses into Idaho approximately six miles from its origin. It flows for a distance of 18.5 miles from the international boundary to Upper Priest Lake north of the Thoroughfare, which is a 2.7 mile long channel with little to no gradient connecting Upper Priest Lake and Priest Lake. From the Priest Lake outlet, the Priest River flows for a distance of 45.5 miles to its confluence with the Pend Oreille River. (Idaho Water Resource Board, 1995)

Quality: Pollutants Based on water samples collected from the Priest River near the City of Priest River, the general quality of the river is good. Concentrations of dissolved solids, indicated by specific conductance and concentrations of the major chemical constituents, are low. Cations, anions, and nutrients are all within established criteria for domestic water supplies, aquatic life, and other defined uses.

Five miles below Priest Lake, the Dickensheet gauge showed an increase in total dissolved solids as the river flowed through the lower part of the basin. This difference was the largest during the low flow period of July through October, and was likely the result of more intensive land use within the lower valley. Seasonally, the lowest levels of dissolved solids were observed during spring runoff, and the highest levels were noted during low flow periods. (Idaho Water Resource Board, 1995)

Six streams or stream reaches within the Priest River Basin are currently listed under Section 303(d) of the of the Clean Water Act as “water quality impaired”: • Kalispell Creek • Reeder Creek • Binarch Creek • East River • Lower West Branch Priest River from Priest River to the Washington state line • Priest River from the upper West Branch of the Priest River to the Pend Oreille River

Support of the beneficial uses of the streams are currently being evaluated by the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality. (DEQ, 1998)

Quality: Minerals, Chemistry, and Turbidity Table 1-5 in the Appendix details the chemical quality of the Priest River.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 14 Quality: Temperature Summertime water temperatures approach the maximum limit for cold water biota. Cold water biota includes the salmonid fishes, aquatic insects, and other life forms that require cool (maximum temperature not to exceed 22°C), well oxygenated water. (Idaho Water Resource Board, 1995)

Quantity: High Water/Low Water

Table 1-6 in the Appendix details high water data for the Priest River in cfs. Additionally:

• Total appropriations of surface water sources within the lower Priest River Basin are 500,000 acre- feet. Nonconsumptive water appropriations for stream flows comprise the largest use. • The Idaho Water Resource Water Board has a permit for minimum stream flows ranging from 18 to 70 cfs on the East River. • Irrigation and domestic supply are the major consumptive uses. Irrigation and domestic use rely primarily on surface water. • Stockwater appropriations in the lower basin total 1,000 acre-feet. Surface water is the source for 93 percent of the stockwater developments. • Six sites on the Priest River below Priest Lake have attracted eight hydroelectric project proposals. (Idaho Water Resource Board, 1995)

History/Geology This area is associated with rock types with the Idaho Batholith, and may also occur locally as plutonic intrusions within the Priest River uplands. Undifferentiated deposits of alluvium, primarily of glacial origin, fill lowlands of the valley and lake basins. Remnants of identifiable glacial activity within the basin include:

• A terminal moraine situated just north of the City of Priest River. • Thinly laminated sediments likely representing the existence of glacial meltwater ponds within the Priest River valley. • Extensive deposits of outwash and moraine materials located just south of Priest Lake.

Soils within the basin are derived principally from glacial drift with parent material consisting of granite and silica rich, locally limey, metamorphic rocks. Soils range from rock outcrops on mountains to level soils with varying permeability on glacial moraines and terraces. (Idaho Water Resource Board, 1995)

Priest River and Priest Lake Basin Tributary Streams

Priest Lake and Priest River are within the Priest River Basin. The Priest River Basin is within the northern Rocky Mountain physiographic province. Lowlands of the Priest River Valley and the Priest Lake Basin are flanked by the Priest Lake and Western Cuban uplands to the west, and the Selkirk Mountain range and Eastern Cuban uplands to the east. Snow Valley separates the Priest Lake and Western Cuban uplands. (Idaho Water Resource Board, 1995)

The Priest Lake Basin contains two high quality lakes: a smaller Upper Priest Lake with a surface area of 1,338 acres, and Priest Lake which is the third largest natural lake in Idaho with an area of 23,000 acres. The basin contains 592 square miles and is located primarily within the northwest

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 15 corner of the Idaho Panhandle. Headwaters of Upper Priest River originate within the Nelson Mountain Range of British Columbia (24 square miles of the basin). Headwaters of major tributaries on the western side of the basin originate in northeast Washington (about 100 square miles of the basin). The basin is flanked on the east by the Selkirk Mountain Range, and bordered on the west by the mountain crest separating the Kaniksu and Colville National Forests. Elevation within the basin ranges from 2,435 feet at lake level (low winter pool) to more than 7,000 feet within the Selkirks. (Rothrock)

The next section is dedicated to the Priest River and Priest Lake streams that directly affect the basin and associated river. The information listed is the only data currently available. Not all streams have been analyzed for turbidity, temperature, pollutant content, etc. Unnamed streams and small minor streams that have very little data research on them are not mentioned. The table below represents the most significant streams. The mean annual flow, peak flow frequency, and a seven-day mean low flow were calculated by mathematical equation from the Idaho Panhandle National Forest data. The data provided by the Idaho Panhandle National Forest Service are to be used for general planning purposes only. The database is constantly being updated. If more specific development occurs in any given watershed, more detailed site specific research needs to be completed.

Order/Size The order for each stream was determined from the Department of Environmental Quality map data on rivers and corresponding streams. The order of the various streams in Bonner County is dependent upon the detail and accuracy of the map. Maps of lesser or greater detail will affect the order of the streams. The information and data provide an overall and general understanding of major tributaries and watersheds.

The information in Table 1-7, which is located in the Appendix, is to be used for general planning purposes only. It is not to be used for detailed, site-specific development.

Tables 1-8 and 1-9 represent other data that provide a summary of flow from gauged tributaries, ungauged streams and precipitation for water years 1994 and 1995. This information is from a study the DEQ completed on Priest Lake.

Table 1-8: Summary of Priest Lake Flows 1994

Tributary 1994 Annual mean Spring mean Annual % of Annual daily (cfs) daily/maximum volume total yield (ac- (cfs) (a) (ac-ft) inflow ft/ acre) volume Gauged - Upper Priest Lake Upper Priest River (b) 184 607/940 132,000 49.0 2.9

Gauged - Lower Priest Lake

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 16 Tributary 1994 Annual mean Spring mean Annual % of Annual daily (cfs) daily/maximum volume total yield (ac- (cfs) (a) (ac-ft) inflow ft/ acre) volume The Thoroughfare (c) 428 1216/2522 309,650 42.2 -- Granite 143 363/952 103,450 14.1 1.6 Lion 74 274/506 53,350 7.3 2.9 Two Mouth 52 191/351 37,660 5.1 2.4 Indian 44 180/344 32,085 4.4 2.1 Soldier 36 105/252 26,110 3.6 1.7 Hunt 35 113/205 25,530 3.5 2.1 Kalispell 28 81/138 20,615 2.8 0.8 Reeder 14 44/70 10,185 1.4 1.2 Beaver 12 43/92 8,310 1.1 1.2

Total volume of gauged 626,950 85.4 streams to Lower Priest (d)

Precipitation on surface 42,630 5.8 Total ungauged water 44,870 6.1 volume Total surface water 714,450 97.3 volume Estimated ground water 20,000 2.7 inflow

Lower Priest River at 900 --/3,830 651,600 Dickensheet campground (e)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 17 Table 1-9: Summary of Priest Lake Flows 1995

Tributary 1995 Annual mean Spring mean Annual % of total Annual daily (cfs) daily/maximum volume inflow yield (ac- (cfs) (a) (ac-ft) volume ft/ acre) Gauged - Upper Priest Lake Upper Priest River (b) 192 458/926 138,595 45.0 3.0

Gauged - Lower Priest Lake The Thoroughfare (c) 510 1201/2443 369,550 38.3 Granite 205 463/969 148,170 15.4 2.3 Lion 91 220/550 65,870 6.8 3.6 Two Mouth 81 191/454 58,385 6.1 3.7 Indian 59 150/361 42,620 4.4 2.8 Soldier 48 111/246 34,400 3.6 2.2 Hunt 45 94/220 32,585 3.4 2.7 Kalispell 38 105/153 27,460 2.8 1.1 Reeder 20 46/64 14,270 1.5 1.7 Beaver 18 49/98 13,270 1.4 2.0

Total volume of gauged 806,415 83.6 streams to Lower Priest (d)

Precipitation on surface 70,780 7.3 Total ungauged water 67,770 7.1 volume Total surface water 944,965 97.9 volume Estimated ground water 20,000 2.1 inflow

Lower Priest River at 1257 --/4650 910,000 Dickensheet campground (e) a) Spring high flow runoff for water year 1994 was designated as March 18th through June 15th for west side streams, and April 17th through June 15th for east side streams (including Upper Priest River and The Thoroughfare). For water year 1995, spring runoff was designated as March 10th through June 30th for all streams. b) Upper Priest River at U.S.F.S. gauge station, above confluence with Hughes Fork and Ruby Creek.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 18 c) The Thoroughfare flow is modeled using gauged data for Upper Priest River, modeled flows for Trapper Creek, Hughes Fork, and Caribou Creek, plus numerous discrete flow measurements on The Thoroughfare. d) The addition of flows from The Thoroughfare down to Beaver Creek e) Lower Priest River, 5.2 miles downstream from lake outlet, at U.S.G.S. gauge station. This flow data includes water from the Lamb Creek and Binarch Creek drainages which are downstream from Lower Priest Lake. (Rothrock and Mosier)

Section 1.2 - Lakes

Lake Pend Oreille

Size/Depth Lake Pend Oreille is the largest and deepest lake in Idaho. The majority of the lake is within Bonner County. Compared with the surface areas and maximum depths of natural fresh water lakes in the , Lake Pend Oreille is the 21st largest and 5th deepest. Its maximum depth is exceeded only by , , , and . Normal full pool elevation is 2,062.5 feet mean sea level. Normal drawdown reduces the lake surface elevation about 11.5 feet to 2,051.0 feet mean sea level. Drawdown commences after Labor Day and reaches a minimum around the first of November. Lake levels are maintained through the winter and early spring. During this time, lake mudflats are exposed in the northern lake bays until the annual spring snowmelt. Winter pool was maintained at 2,055 feet during the winters of 1997, 1998, and 1999 to provide more kokanee spawning habitat.

Recreation, power supplies, flood control, fisheries, aesthetic beauty, water supplies and commercial ventures are all affected by the level of the lake. Prior to the construction of the Albeni Falls Dam, the lake filled to 2052 to 2053 feet in a dry, low-flow spring and reached elevations of 2062.5 and greater in wetter years. Elevations receded to 2051 after spring run-off, in typical years (Schloss).

Nowadays, the lake level is regulated to allow for power generation and storage room to accommodate spring flooding. However, the lower winter lake level of 2051 feet is believed by fisheries experts to adversely affect kokanee and bull trout spawning areas.

But the higher lake level results affect power generation. Every vertical foot of lake level is worth nearly $3 million, in terms of federal power generation values. So a drawdown of 11 feet has a value of $33 million (Schloss). Lake Pend Oreille was held at 2055 to 2055.5 for the winter of 2002-03, representing a $12 million to $12.5 million difference in power generation value from the lower winter level.

Recent discussions about alterations to the lake level during summer months have raised the concern of those who depend on higher water levels for recreation and tourism needs.

A bill creating a commission to review issues relative to the quality and quantity of Lake Pend Oreille, including lake levels, was enacted by the 2003 Idaho Legislature and signed into law by the Governor of Idaho. The Lake Pend Oreille, Pend Oreille River, Priest Lake and Priest River Commission was created at the urging of Bonner County lawmakers and those affected by the lake

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 19 quality and quantity issues. The seven-member board will study, develop and select strategies as they relate to the quality and quantity issues. The goal of the commission is to preservation of native fish, scenic beauty, health, recreation, transportation and commercial purposes “necessary and desirable for all the inhabitants of the state (Legislature of the State of Idaho).

Two distinct basins characterize the lake. The large, deep southern basin has a surface area of 89.7 square miles and mean depth of 720.5 feet and contains about 95 percent of the lake’s volume. Water flowing into the southern basin will reside there in excess of 10 years. The northern basin is characterized by a relatively shallow mean depth of 95.1 feet. Water flowing into the northern basin will reside there much less than one year.

Two zones of water exist in Lake Pend Oreille. Each has different characteristics. A narrow band of water near shore, the littoral zone, surrounds a large, open body of water, the pelagic zone. The littoral zone is that band of water along the shore where light penetrates to the lake bottom. Attached and rooted aquatic plants grow in this zone. In general, the littoral zone encompasses depths less that 52.5 feet. The littoral zone accounted for about 27 percent of Lake Pend Oreille and Pend Oreille River surface area while only nine percent of the volume. (Hoelscher)

Table 1-10 indicates selected morphometric characteristics of Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho, at normal full pool elevation of 2,062.5 feet mean sea level.

Table 1-10: Lake Pend Oreille

Characteristic Measurement Surface Area 128.3 ft2 Maximum depth 1,171.3 ft Mean depth 532.5 ft Volume 1,903,460,536,288.23 ft3 Hydraulic residence time (1989) 2.6 year Hydraulic residence time (1990) 2.1 year Watershed area 22,905.0 ft2 Watershed and surface area ratio 178.6 Hydraulic residence time included both Lake Pend Oreille and Pend Oreille River. (Hoelscher)

Quality The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Regions 8 and 10), in cooperation with the States of Montana, Idaho and Washington, completed the January, 1993, Clark Fork–Pend Oreille Basin Water Quality Study summarizing three years of water quality research in the Clark Fork–Pend Oreille Basin. The Study included a management plan for protection of the basin’s water quality. (U.S. EPA)

For Lake Pend Oreille, research findings concluded:

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 20 • Open lake water quality has not changed statistically since the mid-1950s. • There is a high correlation between total phosphorous loading from nearshore and local tributaries and the degree of urban development. • The greatest share (more than 90 percent) of water entering the lake comes from the Clark Fork River inflow, as does about 85 percent of the total loading of phosphorous, the nutrient that limits algae growth in the lake. • Maintenance of open lake water quality is largely dependent on maintaining nutrient loadings from the Clark Fork River at or below present levels. • Pack River, followed by Sand Creek, are the tributaries discharging the highest phosphorous loads per unit of land area to the lake. Lightning Creek, Pack River, and Sand Creek have the highest nitrogen levels.

Existing Conditions According to the 2000 census, the population of Bonner County is 36,835 people. Approximately one half of Bonner County residents live along the north shore of Lake Pend Oreille within incorporated cities or surrounding rural areas. In addition to the population in the immediate vicinity, the lake area draws from population centers in the states of Idaho, Washington, and Montana and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, inland British Columbia, and Saskatchewan. Seasonal residents from urban centers throughout the West are common. It is estimated the resident population of the northern lake shore increases by about 40 percent during the summer months.

Development of seasonal and year round homes and recreation sites continues to grow at a rapid pace. The increase of the build out of approved subdivisions to residential parcels is one third to one half. Nearly half of these parcels are located within one half mile of the lake shore. Soils in these areas are poorly suited to roads, dwellings and recreational development because of steep slopes, erosion hazards, or seasonally perched water tables.

Lake Pend Oreille is used extensively for recreation and water supplies. Over one million visits to developed public recreational facilities have been recorded annually, with an additional 30,000 angler visits also recorded. It has been estimated that this region has one of the highest per capita boat ownership rates in the country. Lake Pend Oreille is also a potable water supply for numerous shoreline dwellings, as well as a supplemental water supply for the City of Sandpoint, the county’s largest city. Other non-designated uses include underwater acoustic research, and a storage reservoir for hydroelectric power generation. (Hoelscher)

Hydrologic Budget of Lake Pend Oreille Hydrologic budgets were determined for Lake Pend Oreille and the Pend Oreille River upstream from Albeni Falls Dam. Annual inflows to the lake and river were about 738,076,534,479.11 ft3 in water year 1989 and 939,370,134,791.5964 ft3 in water year 1990.

Inflows were dominated by the Clark Fork River. In both years, the river accounted for 85 percent of the total inflow. Considering Lake Pend Oreille only, the Clark Fork River supplies approximately 92 percent of its waters. During water year 1989, the Clark Fork River was 93 percent of its long term average annual flow and 116 percent in water year 1990.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 21 Priest River was the second largest inflow component of the hydrologic budget. Its flow entered the Pend Oreille River and, therefore, did not contribute directly to Lake Pend Oreille. The third largest component was ungauged runoff. About one third of the ungauged runoff entered the Pend Oreille River and again did not affect the lake. Of the minor gauged runoff entering Lake Pend Oreille, the Pack River inflow was the largest. (A state study of the river and its water quality is not available, according to the DEQ.) Lightning Creek yielded the largest amount of water per unit of drainage area; 0.0012 km3/km2 in water year 1989 and 0.0015 km3/km2 in water year 1990. These yields were generally twice those of other gauged runoff.

The only surface outflow is the Pend Oreille River. It accounted for nearly all the water flowing out of the basin. Recharge to the Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer was reported at 0.044 km3. A much smaller groundwater flow near the lake outflow recharged the Southside Aquifer. Table 1- 11 represents a distribution of annual inflows to Lake Pend Oreille and Pend Oreille River upstream from Albeni Falls Dam, Idaho, during water years 1989 and 1990. (Hoelscher)

Table 1-11: Annual Inflows to Lake Pend Oreille

1989 1990 Clark Fork 85.3% 85.0% Lightning Creek 1.7% 1.7% Pack River 2.2% 2.1% Priest River 6.0% 6.3% Sand Creek 0.3% 0.3% Ungauged runoff 3.1% 3.3% Precipitation 1.3% 1.2% Wastewater 0.1% 0.1% (Hoelscher)

Nutrient Budget of Lake Pend Oreille Like a hydrologic budget, a nutrient budget is an accounting of nutrients in water flowing into and out of a basin. Nutrients for Lake Pend Oreille and Pend Oreille River, upstream from Albeni Falls Dam, were determined in order to identify and quantify nutrient inputs. Nutrient budgets are a factor in the determination of the trophic state of a water body. (Hoelscher)

A large, deep lake such as Lake Pend Oreille, has tremendous absorptive capacity that would likely allow early signs of eutrophication (high nutrient content, low oxygen content) to go unnoticed in the pelagic (offshore) waters. Because the littoral (near shore) zone serves as the interface between the surrounding watershed and the main body of the lake, water quality changes in this zone may provide an early indication of pollutant input. Observations were made of increased attached benthic (deep) algae production in developed and relatively confined bays and suggested accelerated eutrophication of Lake Pend Oreille. Lake Pend Oreille may be at a critical nutrient loading level. (Hoelscher)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 22 Phosphorus During the water year 1989, 718,707 pounds of phosphorus entered Lake Pend Oreille and Pend Oreille River upstream from the dam. The Clark Fork River accounted for 69 percent of the total phosphorus load. When only considering loads to the lake, the Clark Fork River’s contribution increased to 80 percent. The total phosphorus load leaving the basin through the Pend Oreille River is 597,452.7 pounds, resulting in a net retention of 121,254.2 pounds of total phosphorus in Lake Pend Oreille.

Total phosphorus added to the lake and river during water year 1990 was 899,486.0 pounds, of which 72 percent entered through the Clark Fork River. The Clark Fork River accounted for 83 percent of the total phosphorus load to the lake only. As in water year 1989, 121,254.2 pounds of total phosphorus remained in Lake Pend Oreille, while 776,660 pounds left the basin through the Pend Oreille River.

The distribution of total phosphorus load to Lake Pend Oreille and the Pend Oreille River is illustrated in Table 1-12. The Clark Fork River was the largest contributor. Reservoirs along the lower river likely settled particulates, to which phosphorus is absorbed, resulting in the lower percent contribution compared to flow. Most local sources increased in contribution. Wastewater effluent had the largest increase. In terms of percentage of contribution, the Pack River contributed three times more phosphorus than it did flow.

Table 1-12: Phosphorus Loading to Lake Pend Oreille

1989 1990 Clark Fork 69.2% 71.8% Lightning Creek 0.9% 0.9% Pack River 6.6% 5.0% Priest River 8.6% 9.4% Sand Creek 0.5% 0.5% Ungauged runoff 4.9% 5.1% Atmospheric 5.8% 4.6% Wastewater 3.4% 2.7% (Hoelscher)

The deep open waters of the lake are strongly influenced by the Clark Fork River. Small to moderate alterations in the river’s nutrient load will not cause changes in the lake trophic status, however, an increase of one-quarter the present nutrient load will move the lake closer to a more productive state (Figure 1-1). A perceptible change in water quality will require an increase in the nutrient load. Similar nutrient concentrations in other lakes have resulted in minor aesthetic problems and infrequent swimming impairment. (Hoelscher)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 23 Nitrogen During water year 1989, 9,722,385.8 pounds of total nitrogen entered Lake Pend Oreille and Pend Oreille River. The Clark Fork River was the largest component contributing 81 percent of the total nitrogen load. Total nitrogen leaving through the Pend Oreille River was 8,245,288.6 pounds, resulting in a net retention of 1,477,097.2 pounds of total nitrogen.

Following the same pattern as observed for total phosphorus, total nitrogen load to the lake and river was about one quarter higher in water year 1990 at 12,345,886.7 pounds of total nitrogen. About 1,851,883.0 pounds of total nitrogen remained in the lake and river.

Unlike total phosphorus, the overall error associated with the total nitrogen budget was about 50 percent. This error was likely the result of large errors in the sample analysis. The large amount of error in the total nitrogen budget creates uncertainty in the nitrogen retention estimates.

Table 1-13 represents distribution of the annual total nitrogen load to Lake Pend Oreille and Pend Oreille River upstream of Albeni Falls Dam in Idaho during water years 1989 and 1990. (Hoelscher)

Table 1-13: Nitrogen Loading to Lake Pend Oreille, Pend Oreille River

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 24 1989 1990 Clark Fork 80.9% 81.8% Lightning Creek 1.3% 1.3% Pack River 2.5% 2.2% Priest River 6.0% 6.5% Sand Creek 0.4% 0.4% Ungauged runoff 3.4% 3.5% Atmospheric 4.3% 3.4% Wastewater 1.2% 0.9% ( Hoelscher)

Point Source Pollution There are many municipal and industrial wastewater dischargers to Lake Pend Oreille and its tributaries. The effluent limitations of the Clark Fork River in Montana is administered by the Montana Department of Health and Environmental Sciences. Municipal stormwater collection systems discharge directly to Lake Pend Oreille and river. National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) regulations do not require stormwater discharge permits for municipalities or unincorporated areas with less than 100,000 people unless they are designated as a significant contributor of pollutants.

One fifth of the total phosphorus and less than 10 percent of the total nitrogen to the Clark Fork River was contributed by effluent. This is about 97,003.4 pounds of total phosphorus and 632,727 pounds of total nitrogen annually. About half of the soluble phosphorus and only one fourth of the soluble nitrogen loading came from municipal and industrial wastewater dischargers. The effect of these discharges on the open lake water quality is minimal and likely confined to localized areas and the lake outlet, the Pend Oreille River. (Hoelscher)

Non-point Source Pollution Much of the Lake Pend Oreille watershed is heavily forested. Forests account for 83 percent of the watershed. Agriculture and grazing are important land uses in the valleys and on lower elevation slopes. Three percent of the timber base was used for grazing. Agriculture accounts for only about four percent of the land use throughout the watershed.

A concern is the conversion of vegetated lands to lands of more intensive use and higher runoff, primarily residential development. Most developable lands are located in the Selle Lowland and other valleys near Sandpoint. These areas are also heavily used for agricultural purposes. The majority (69 percent) of developable parcels are five acres or less and located near the lake (46 percent). The Sandpoint subwatershed accounted for nearly one third of the nearshore developable land and one quarter of the developable lake frontage. The Hope-Ellisport subwatershed contained 13 percent of the nearshore developable land.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 25 Based on the location of developable land and the projected growth for the county, future development will likely be greatest near Sandpoint and south of the Pend Oreille River. Most development will be rural parcels five acres or less and located within one mile of the lake shore.

A frequently used method to quantify the nutrient contribution of non-point sources is to apply annual loading estimates to major land uses. These loadings estimates are called nutrient export coefficients. Nutrient export coefficients have wide ranges reflecting differences in hydrology, geology, topography, soils, vegetative cover, variability in runoff, etc.

Table 1-14 represents annual phosphorus loading estimates (kilograms) using nutrient export coefficients (kilograms per hectare per year) applicable to the Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho watershed for the Pack River, Lightning Creek, and Sand Creek subwatersheds.

Table 1-14: Annual Phosphorus Loading

Land Use Export Pack River Lightning Sand Creek Coefficient Creek Forest 0.09 5,879 3,041 921 Agriculture 0.20 482 84 578 Livestock 0.31 865 94 450 Timber-grazed 0.20 365 150 135 Residential 0.45 821 186 312 Other urban 1.00 363 Public parks 0.27 73 34 139 Surface water 0.34 69 33 9 Estimated load 8917 3622 2544 Observed load 21,023 3342 1806 Difference -12,106 280 738 Percent observed load -58 108 141 (Hoelscher)

Coefficient based loads varied highly from observed or monitored loads. The estimated non-point source total phosphorus load to Lake Pend Oreille, excluding the Clark Fork River, was less than the observed or monitored load. About 88,846.3 pounds of total phosphorus was estimated to originate from non-point sources in Idaho and enter Lake Pend Oreille annually. This was about one third less than the observed load. The estimated loads for the Lightning Creek and Sand Creek subwatersheds were higher as land use estimates included all lands in the subwatershed. The Pack River subwatershed estimated load was much lower than the observed load, indicating more phosphorus exported than predicted.

Most of the Clark Fork River’s nutrient load was attributed to non-point sources. Four fifths of the total phosphorus and nearly the entire total nitrogen load came from tributary sources. This

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 26 represents about 473,993.9 pounds of total phosphorus and 8,412,839.9 pounds of total nitrogen annually.

The next issue to consider is likely future changes in the basin that generate increased levels of phosphorus loading to the lake. This would result in lake total phosphorus concentrations characteristic of mesotrophic conditions. Under the assumption that the available land is developed to its maximum potential, an additional 7,275.3 pounds of total phosphorus could be discharged to Lake Pend Oreille annually as stormwater runoff. This equals eight percent of the total phosphorus load originating in Idaho. Assuming similar development trends in the basin, the total phosphorus load to Lake Pend Oreille will increase about 52,910.9 pounds per year. This is a considerable amount when compared to the loading increase that could produce mesotrophic conditions in 10 years. (Hoelscher)

Water Transparency Water in the northern part of the lake is consistently less transparent than water in the southern part. Secchi disc readings vary widely on a temporal and spatial basis. Secchi disc water transparency depths averaged about 29.5 feet at southern lake sites and ranged from 12.1 to 52.5 feet. This was in contrast with an average secchi depth of 18.0 feet for the north part of Lake Pend Oreille. Reported readings were as low as 0.13 in Kootenai Bay. The deeper secchi disc water transparency depth readings were attributable to the depth of the southern lake basin and the distance from the Clark Fork River. Suspended sediment from the river has a long distance to travel and deep water in which to settle prior to reaching the southern end of the lake. The Clark Fork inflows, as well as wind-induced resuspended sediment from the lake bottom and littoral areas, were the main causes of lower secchi disc water transparency depths in the northern region of the lake. Secchi disc water transparency depths in the Pend Oreille River averaged 11.5 feet. (Hoelscher)

Water Temperature Mean water temperatures were generally two degrees centigrade warmer in the shallower, northern end of Lake Pend Oreille. The Pend Oreille River was several degrees warmer than the lake. Temperatures ranged from 36.0º F to 72.5º F in the lake and 33.6º F to 71.6º F in the river and up to 79.7º F in the nearshore water. The warmest water temperatures were measured in early to mid- August and the coolest in late January in the river and in March at the deeper lake stations. Water temperatures during 1990 were warmer than temperatures during 1989. Idaho water quality standards state water temperature must be less than 71.6º F with a maximum daily average not to exceed 66.2º F to be protective of cold water biota. Lake surface temperatures exceeded these criteria to a depth of less than 33 feet for short periods during the summer. However, this excess would not affect cold water biota because much deeper water existed within the preferred temperature range. At times, the entire water column of the Pend Oreille River exceeded these criteria and may have restricted its use by cold water biota. (Hoelscher)

Dissolved Oxygen The largest concentrations of dissolved oxygen were associated with the cooler water temperatures; the smallest concentrations with warmer water temperatures. Concentrations ranged from 7.8 mg/L to 14.0 mg/L and exceeded the minimum criterion of 6.0 mg/L protective of cold water biota. (Hoelscher)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 27 Nutrients • Mean total phosphorus in the warmer, well illuminated zone (euphotic zone) where algae can grow was 7.6 ìg/L. The range was from 3 to 16 ìg/L. • Mean dissolved orthophosphorus concentration was 2.2 ìg/L. The range was from 1 to 7 ìg/L. • At depths in excess of 328.1 feet, mean total phosphorus concentration was 9.5 ìg/L. • At depths in excess of 328.1 feet, mean dissolved phosphorus concentration was 6.9 ìg/L. • Mean euphotic zone total nitrogen concentration was 137 ìg/L. • Mean dissolved inorganic nitrogen concentration within the euphotic zone was 57 ìg/L. • Nitrogen and phosphorus was lower in concentration in 1990 than 1989. (Hoelscher)

Chlorophyll a • Mean chlorophyll a concentrations varied little within the euphotic zone. Lake wide means were 0.8 ìg/L in both 1989 and 1990. Concentrations ranged from 0.1 ìg/L to 1.9 ìg/L. • Attached benthic algae growth was reported in nearshore areas. • Enhanced growth of attached benthic algae was associated with urban development and was one of the early indicators of accelerated lake eutrophication (Hoelscher)

Classification

Trophic State of Lake Pend Oreille Table 1-15 represents criteria values for fixed trophic state classification system of a water body. The concentrations are in micrograms per liter and the measurements are in meters.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 28 Table 1-15: Fixed Trophic State Classification System

Concentrations (:g/L) Secchi disc Total Phosphorus Chlorophyll a readings (m) Trophic State Mean Mean Maximum Mean Minimum Ultra-oligotrophic <4.0 <1.0 <2.5 >12 >6 Oligotrophic <10.0 <2.5 <8.0 >6 >3 Mesotrophic 10-35 2.5-8 8-25 6-3 3-1.5 Eutrophic 35-100 8-25 25-75 3-1.5 1.5-0.7 Hypereutrophic >100 >25 >75 <1.5 <0.7 (Hoelscher)

Lake Pend Oreille trophic status was determined on the classification table above. On the basis of area weighed lake wide values, Lake Pend Oreille was classified as oligotrophic or ultra-oligotrophic by each variable except minimum secchi disc water transparency depth. This classifies the lake as mesotrophic or eutrophic. Comparison of lake areas indicated the northern part of Lake Pend Oreille and the Pend Oreille River had mean and minimum secchi disc water transparency depths indicative of mesotrophic and eutrophic conditions.

In the case of Lake Pend Oreille, the lower secchi disc water transparency depths in the northern part of the lake and river were caused by the inflow of turbid water from the Clark Fork River, not by increased biological production. Therefore, the mesotrophic and eutrophic classifications for these areas were irrelevant. Lake Pend Oreille was classed as oligotrophic.

Table 1-16 in the Appendix suggests management objectives for Bonner County to reduce nearshore eutrophication in Lake Pend Oreille by reducing nutrient loading from local sources by the DEQ.

Priest Lake

Size/Depth

Upper Priest Lake covers 1,338 acres with two major tributaries, a 2.7 mile outflow channel called The Thoroughfare which flows into Lower Priest Lake, and the lower lake which covers 23,300 acres and has numerous tributaries. Lower Priest Lake is the third largest natural lake entirely within Idaho, and second largest in terms of volume. There is one outlet of the lower lake, at the southwest corner, and this creates the headwaters of Lower Priest River. River flow is controlled by a dam structure. Lower Priest River flows a distance of 45 miles to its confluence with the Pend Oreille River at the city of Priest River.

Priest Lake is known for exceptionally high water quality and its natural aesthetics. Lower Priest Lake is relatively deep with a mean depth of 128 feet and a volume of three million acre feet. Lake volume turnover (hydraulic residence time) calculated to 3.1 years for water year 1995, a water year that was near the 50 year average for lake outflow. Total water input to the lake for water year 1995

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 29 was estimated at 965,000 acre feet. Inflow from eight major tributaries contributed 81 percent of the total, and 38 percent came from a single tributary, The Thoroughfare, a river channel draining the Upper Priest Lake basin. (Rothrock and Mosier)

Priest Lake Management Plan Increasing human activity on the watershed has led to concern about maintaining the high water quality of Priest Lake. Priest Lake was nominated to the Idaho Board of Health and Welfare in August 1990 for an Outstanding Resource Water (ORW) designation. A series of public hearings held around the state demonstrated strong public support for maintaining the current high water quality of Priest Lake. However, opinion was split on an ORW designation as the proper mechanism to achieve that goal, and concerns were expressed over how the designation might affect non-point source dependent industries.

Because the ORW nominator and other strong proponents of lake water quality preservation cited a lake management plan as their primary goal, the Board decided against the ORW designation in favor of legislation requiring the development of a Priest Lake Management Plan.

According to Idaho Code Section 39-105(3)(p): “… the stated goal of the Priest Lake plan shall be to maintain the existing water quality of Priest Lake while continuing existing nonpoint source activities in the watershed.” The Priest Lake Planning Team, composed of 12 members, used this language as a guideline in formulating the plan. The lake plan will be used to implement management strategies in the watershed to minimize human impact on water quality.

Action items from the Priest Lake Management Plan that specifically relate to Bonner County’s authority to regulate land use and construction are as follows:

Public and Private Residential Roads Action Items § The project manager shall identify problems on all existing roads and driveways (USFS, State, County, private). Inventory site specific problems potentially affecting water quality of Priest Lake. § The project manager shall request landowners and managers to correct existing problems which contribute to water quality degradation of Priest Lake. § The project manager shall encourage compliance with best management practices (BMPs), and provide counsel for control and management of stormwater runoff on existing public and private roads and driveways. § The project manager shall provide public information and education programs on road construction and maintenance BMPs. § Establish a road stormwater and erosion control demonstration project provided funding and a suitable site can be secured.

Stormwater and Construction Development Action Items

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 30 § For existing residential and business development, encourage the maintenance, restoration, or enhancement of native vegetative buffers along the lake front and streams. A desired vegetative buffer strip would be a minimum of 40 feet wide. For future residential and business development, the project manager shall assist the county in ensuring that the setback and vegetative buffer strip requirements of Title 12, Bonner County Revised Code (land use code) are adhered to. § Develop and seek incorporation into Bonner County Ordinances (by project manager, lake plan steering committee, and/or lake association) for the Priest Lake watershed, the following: § Create a bond requirement for the stormwater plan “Design Professional.” This would make the individual designing the stormwater management plan accountable for the implementation and completion of the project and financially responsible for damages. This accountability and financial responsibility is only applied when a plan is poorly developed, rather than if it is not carried out as planned. If a plan is not carried out properly, then the owner/contractor shall be responsible for damages. § Provide an easily understood (and consistent) checklist that guides contractors and owners through the building and BMP process. § Require that a designated individual, who is responsible for the construction and/or development (i.e. owner, contractor), be accountable for implementation of the BMPs. Agency inspections and actions required for chronic violators in excess of those listed in the standard procedure (see example) shall be billed to the responsible individual according to actual cost. For repeat violations (three strikes), require a $10,000 bond for each project. § Empowerment of the Bonner County building inspector to field-investigate reports of BMP violations within 48 hours of notification. After a field review, the inspector may issue cease and desist orders at his or her discretion. The order shall not be lifted until remediation is completed to expedite repair. § Provide a BMP handbook to all contractors, permittees, and developers. Recommend that these handbooks be funded through the permitting process. Publicly educate permittees about companies that conduct stormwater audits. § Require, as part of the permit approval process, that permittees complete a relatively simple questionnaire of random topics to ensure that the BMP handbook has been reviewed. § Strengthen the definition of stormwater. The current definition does not specifically include lakes and reads as follows: “That portion of precipitation that does not naturally percolate into the ground or evaporate, but flows via overland flow into channels or pipes into a defined watercourse, stream or constructed conveyance, detention or retention facility.” A more direct definition such as “Stormwater is any water runoff that is associated with storm events” is preferred. § The county will encourage long-term planning of stormwater and sewage facilities. § Eliminate the permit exemption for Class M structures that require excavation, within 100 feet of surface water. This would minimize adverse impacts of small structures that could potentially cause water resource problems. (“Class M” outbuildings are no longer exempt from permit requirements.)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 31 § Amend the stormwater ordinance to specifically apply to construction of private roads and driveways. § Erosion control measures (natural or artificial shall be in place PRIOR to site excavation or construction. § Eliminate the loophole in the current stormwater ordinance that allows self-inspection of stormwater management plans. It is recommended that the inspection of the effectiveness of the stormwater management plan can ONLY be conducted by an employee of the Bonner County Building Department. (At the time of adoption of this component, the Building Department was not in existence. Stormwater inspections are administered by the Planning Department.) § Eliminate the loophole in the stormwater ordinance that exempts utility installation from complying with the ordinance.

Standard Example for Stormwater Ordinance § Permittee goes to Bonner County Building Department (BCBD) for a permit application, handbook of BMPs (and BMP questionnaire), and process checklist. § Permittee returns to BCBD with completed application, BMP questionnaire, and Stormwater Management Plan. § A Bonner County inspector visits the site to check for potential problems. § If problems are discovered, the plans must be adjusted. § If no problems are discovered, move to Step 4. § Permittee may begin construction. § A Bonner County inspector will review BMPs with each site review, or as called upon by reports of BMP violations. County costs of these site reviews are funded through the permitting fee. § The project manager shall work closely with the Bonner County Building Department to ensure the implementation of the Priest Lake Management Plan. § Provide a public information and education program which: a) includes a “Master’s Gardeners” type program including appropriate native vegetation; b) includes a homeowners’ kit with information about landscaping and its importance in maintaining water quality; and c) encourages public agencies and private individuals to incorporate stormwater controls in their projects (i.e., vegetative swales, dissipating water for natural infiltration). § Promote contractor licensing and BMP training in Bonner County. Ensure a certain level of expertise in developing a stormwater management plan and certify/license the installers (two day class). § Identify areas with a high erosion risk on plat maps of new subdivisions to inform buyers/builders of true potential costs of site development. The Priest Lake Project, or county, Geographical Information System (GIS) would serve as the basis for these maps. § Establish a stormwater/erosion control demonstration project provided funding and a suitable site can be secured.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 32 Hazardous Materials (HM), Underground Storage Tanks (USTs), and Above Ground Storage Tanks (ASTs) Action Items § The project manager shall assist Bonner County by identifying Aquifer Sensitive Areas and Lake Sensitive Areas, and in the development of comprehensive plan goals, objectives and ordinances relating to planning and development. § Require secondary containment of all new USTs, ASTs, and piping within 1,000 feet of the lake. Leak detection systems for USTs will be required. § Containment, or treatment of stormwater or other runoff/spills from retail motor vehicle pump stations, and fueling areas shall be required within a two-mile perimeter of Priest Lake. Any existing retail motor vehicle pump islands or fueling areas shall have three years from the date of enactment of this management plan to comply with this action. All new construction shall comply at the time of construction. § Road dust abatement materials shall be applied only according to current DEQ and county guidelines covering approved materials and methods of application.

Table 1-17 shows the physical and hydrological characteristics of Upper and Lower Priest Lakes.

Table 1-17: Physical and Hydrological Characteristics of Upper and Lower Priest Lakes

Characteristic Measurement Upper Priest Lake Elevation at shoreline 2438 feet Length 3.29 miles Maximum width 1 mile Shoreline length 8 miles Lake surface area 1338 acres Lake volume 0.024 mile3 Maximum depth 112 feet Mean depth 60 feet Hydraulic residence time, water year 1994 0.30 year Hydraulic residence time, water year 1995 0.26 year Watershed/lake area ratio 80:1 Lower Priest Lake Elevation at shoreline 2438 feet Length 18.7 miles Maximum width 4.5 miles Shoreline length 72 miles Lake surface area 23,309 acres Lake volume 0.88 mile3

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 33 Characteristic Measurement Maximum depth 369 feet Mean depth 128 feet Hydraulic residence time, water year 1994 4.1 year Hydraulic residence time, water year 1995 3.1 year Watershed/lake area ratio 15:1 (Rothrock and Mosier)

The Priest Lake Basin has abundant, high quality tributaries. Surface hydrology of the basin is divided into three geographical areas: the Upper Priest Lake system, east side of Lower Priest Lake, and west side of Lower Priest Lake. The basin is further divided into categories of subwatersheds. Lakeshore residential and business developments reside within these perimeter watersheds. (Rothrock and Mosier)

Upper Priest Lake

This watershed complex drains into the upper lake and into the Thoroughfare, with a total drainage area of 204 square miles. There are two large tributaries to the lake, Upper Priest River and Hughes Fork, which join about one mile from the northwest corner of the lake. Two other major streams are in this subarea: Trapper Creek, draining to the northeast corner of the upper lake, and Caribou Creek, draining to The Thoroughfare about one mile upstream from its mouth. (Rothrock and Mosier)

East Side Lower Lake

This subbasin begins near the mouth of The Thoroughfare and extends to the southern end of the lake at the town of Coolin, and to the mouth of Chase Creek. The Thoroughfare, draining the upper lake, is by far the single highest flow volume tributary to the lower lake. Major streams draining the Selkirk range into the east side of the lake are Lion Creek, Two Mouth Creek, Indian Creek, Hunt Creek, and Soldier Creek. All these streams except Soldier Creek are relatively confined and of high gradient up to the last mile or so from the mouths.

Seven minor flow streams are interspersed between the major tributaries. From Squaw Creek south to Fenton Creek, headwaters are at lower elevations, about half way up the Selkirk range. Chase Creek is outflow from Chase Lake. While this is a moderately sized subwatershed, Chase Creek flow volume into Priest Lake is low. This is a flat watershed, with primarily ground water resources, does appear to be hydraulically linked to the lake. (Rothrock and Mosier)

West Side Lower Lake

This subbasin extends from Beaver Creek, discharging just south of The Thoroughfare, to the southern end of the lake at the mouth of Chase Creek. The subbasin has only one major stream, Granite Creek, and one moderate flow stream, Kalispell Creek. The remaining tributaries are of low volume. The Granite Creek subwatershed is the single largest in the basin. Headwaters of the south

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 34 and north forks are at lower elevations than east side streams, mostly between 4,000 and 5,000 feet. Overall, the average gradient of Granite Creek is low. There are many flat gradient sections with associated wetlands.

The subwatersheds of Reeder Creek, Kalispell Creek, and Reynolds Creek have large areas of flat gradient in the middle and lower elevations. These are areas of meadows, wetlands, and conversion to hay cropping and cattle grazing. The ground water systems are extensive in these watersheds, and many branch streams go subterranean prior to discharging into the primary tributary channels.

The southwestern most tributary watershed, Lamb Creek (15,605 acres), is not included in the basin acreage. This stream discharges into Lower Priest River just upstream from the outlet dam, and is considered the initial tributary to the river. (Rothrock and Mosier)

Basin Totals Total land surface area of the basin equals 353,590 acres (552 square miles). To this total is added the surface area of Upper Priest Lake, The Thoroughfare, Lower Priest Lake (24,720 acres), and Priest Lake Islands (600 acres), for a grand total of 378,910 acres (592 square miles).

The annual combined volume of gauged streams flowing into Lower Priest Lake (including The Thoroughfare) represents around 85 percent of total calculated water input. The Thoroughfare is the single major source of volume at around 40 percent of the total. Annual water volume for the Upper Priest River from the confluence of Hughes Fork and Ruby Creek accounts for 47 percent of the total modeled inflow to the upper lake. (Rothrock and Mosier)

Quality

Nutrient Budget Table 1-18 in the Appendix represents relative ranking of water quality characteristics for Upper and Lower Priest Lake tributaries based on spring runoff, high flow data. Spring high flow is approximately mid-March through June.

In general, concentrations of nutrients, sediment, and mineral content are low to moderate for all streams flowing into Upper and Lower Priest Lakes. Streams have been grouped and ranked (low to highest) on a relative basis for the Priest Lake Basin based on their content of phosphorus, nitrogen, suspended sediment, and minerals.

Upper Priest River at the mouth (combined Upper River and Hughes Fork) stands apart from all streams with the highest relative mineral content as represented by electrical conductivity (EC). Upper Priest River also has the highest concentrations of total inorganic nitrogen (TIN). The characteristics of highest EC and TIN for this major tributary can be traced through Upper Priest Lake, down The Thoroughfare, and then into the northern most portion of Lower Priest Lake. Suspended sediment concentration (TSS) at Upper Priest River mouth also has a relative high rank during peak runoff.

The Thoroughfare stands alone, not only as the highest volume tributary to Lower Priest Lake, but also because it is mostly drainage from a lake environment. Upper Priest Lake is a settling basin for

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 35 incoming suspended sediment, and there is assimilation of dissolved inorganic phosphorus and nitrogen from lake algal communities. The Thoroughfare ranks low in TP and TSS, but maintains a relative rank of high for TIN during spring runoff.

Trapper Creek and Indian Creek are extremely low in conductivity and total phosphorus, nitrogen, and TSS. Caribou and Lion Creek exhibit moderate to high relative TIN.

Horton Creek down to Soldier Creek are separated from the upper east side group by having moderate relative phosphorus levels and slightly higher conductivity.

Phosphorus, nitrogen, mineral content, and suspended sediment are low in tributaries from Beaver Creek draining into Distillery Bay.

From Granite Creek south to Lamb Creek, mineral content is ranked moderate, phosphorus is moderate, TSS moderate during high flow, and low in TIN.

Reeder, Kalispell and Lamb Creek rank high in phosphorus, which is associated with high spring runoff TSS. (Rothrock and Mosier)

Water Transparency Lower Priest Lake is known for its exceptional water clarity. This is borne out by the three-year seasonal average of around 10 meters secchi disk transparency. From late July through October the average is 11.7 meters with a maximum recorded Secchi disk of 14 meters. Clarity in spring can dramatically decline. This decline in clarity is due to a spring diatom peak, fine suspended, and colloidal material brought in by tributaries and snowmelt runoff from perimeter watersheds into the lake. Also during the spring, atmospheric pine pollen is falling and a three to six foot rise in lake level resuspends material along the lake perimeter which had been dry for five months during low winter pool. Secchi disc readings in May and June can reach minimums around 5 meters.

Upper Priest Lake water clarity, on the average, is less than the lower lake. The three-1year season mean was 7.2 meters, and the spring mean was 5.5 meters with a minimum of 3 meters. Secchi disk readings in June and July remained between 4 meters and 7 meters during the diatom peaks. Late summer and fall the secchi disk readings were as high as 13 meters. (Rothrock and Mosier)

Water Temperature Sometimes during the winter months the entirety of Lower Priest Lake forms an ice cover. Upper water temperatures in mid-lake on the Lower Priest Lake are around 41º F in April to 55 to 61º F by mid-June. Temperatures in bays are generally warmer. During the month of August the maximum surface temperature is 72º F. The Upper Priest Lake freezes over each winter. Ice cover remains through March and breaks up in April. Spring upper water temperatures are cooler than in the lower lake, on the average of about 2.7º F less. Water temperatures in June ranged from 50 to 55º F. (Rothrock and Mosier)

Dissolved Oxygen The minimum criterion needed of dissolved oxygen is 6.0 mg/L for the protection of cold water biota. Dissolved oxygen levels in bottom waters during summer stratification was 9 to 10 mg/L. The

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 36 good dissolved oxygen level in bottom waters during the summer is another factor in indicating oligotrophic conditions for the lake. There was also a dominance of very small centric diatoms in the phytoplankton assemblage with only a minor occurrence of late summer blue-green algae (cyanobacteria). Ratios of nitrogen to phosphorus indicate phosphorus as the most likely limiting nutrient to phytoplankton growth. (Rothrock and Mosier)

Nutrients Lower Priest Lake’s total phosphorus concentrations are typically low and fairly uniform from early spring through October and with depth. The three-year seasonal average was 4 ìg/L TP. The seasonal trend of TP had a very slight trend of higher values in spring compared to mid-summer. Upper Priest Lake’s three year seasonal average was 6 ìg/L TP.

Lower Priest Lake nitrogen levels are very low. Concentrations of total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) within the euphotic zone averaged 24 ìg/L from spring to fall. Seasonally, TIN is highest in spring averaging 31 ìg/L and reaching 40 to 60 ìg/L. Spring high TIN comes from tributary flow, winter and spring precipitation, and recharge from bottom waters with higher TIN following fall turnover. Upper Priest Lake TIN is at least twice that of the lower lake. The mean from April through October over three years was 56 ìg/L and spring average was 84 ìg/L. These levels reflect the high relative TIN rank of Upper Priest River among watershed streams. Seasonal and depth patterns of TIN are similar to that described for the lower lake. By October the near bottom samples can exceed 190 ìg/L.

The total organic nitrogen (TON) average concentration in Lower Priest Lake was 54 ìg/L. The maximum recorded value was 360 ìg/L. Upper Priest Lake TON averaged about the same as the lower lake. The study period average for Lower Priest Lake was 78 ìg/L, and for Upper Priest Lake 115 ìg/L. (Rothrock and Mosier)

Chlorophyll a Lower Priest Lake chlorophyll a concentrations are low, with a study period season average of 1.5 ìg/L. Concentrations are fairly uniform throughout the lake. Spring peak chlorophyll a levels in the lower lake begin in either April or May and extend into June. The highest day lake wide average was 2.8 ìg/L and the maximum concentration recorded was 3.8 ìg/L at Kalispell Bay.

Upper Priest Lake chlorophyll a concentrations are somewhat higher than those of the lower lake. The three-year season average was 2.0 ìg/L. The spring peak occurred later than in the lower lake, beginning in May or June and extending to mid-July. Spring peak chlorophyll a averaged 2.7 ì/L and maximum recorded euphotic zone concentration was 4.1 ì/L. (Rothrock and Mosier)

Classification

Table 1-19 in the Appendix represents criteria values for the fixed trophic state classification system of a water body. The concentrations are in micrograms per liter and the measurements are in meters.

Table 1-20 in the Appendix represents the trophic state of Upper and Lower Priest Lakes. The values are based on seasonal means, March through October, 1993 to 1995. Lower Priest Lake means are weighted lake wide averages from five reference stations. (Rothrock and Mosier).

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 37 Other indicators of a high-quality trophic state for both lakes include total nitrogen where seasonal averages of less than 250 ìg/L falls within an ultra-oligotrophic classification. The phytoplankton community structure is also indicative of oligotrophic waters. In Lower Priest Lake summer dissolved oxygen levels in deep waters are high showing minimal organic biomass available for bacterial decomposition. In Upper Priest Lake dissolved oxygen near the bottom was just less than 5 mg/L. This in part may reflect the greater algal biomass sedimenting to the bottom.

Lower Priest Lake waters are soft and low in mineral content, and are calcium bicarbonate in type. Upper Priest Lake has a higher mineral content as influenced by Upper Priest River. October waters were higher in mineral content than spring waters. Silica content in both lakes is important with regard to the dominance of diatoms in the phytoplankton community. (Rothrock and Mosier)

Conclusions Conclusions developed from the three year water quality study on the Priest Lake conclude: • Open waters of Upper and Lower Priest Lakes can be classified as oligotrophic. • Lake waters of shallow nearshore sampling sites showed no indication of nutrient enrichment linked to on-shore human development. • Both lakes do exhibit a marked decline in water clarity during tributary spring runoff. • Phytoplankton growth in Priest Lake may be co-limited by phosphorus and nitrogen at least during summer months. • Attached algae growth of many Priest Lake shoreline areas appears excessive given the low nutrient content of ambient nearshore waters. • The primary nutrient fueling sources relating to attached algae biomass were not determined. • Phosphorus, nitrogen, and sediment loading from various sources into Priest Lake was determined as low to moderate, except that loading per area of runoff from some residential areas can be high. • Some isolated areas of ground water sampling indicate an altering of background water quality by sewage effluent plumes. • Project consultants consider human induced nutrients and sediments as a potential threat for deterioration of Priest Lake water quality. (Rothrock and Mosier)

Cocolalla Lake

Size/Depth Cocolalla Lake is a medium-sized north Idaho lake of 805 surface acres with a mean depth of 28 feet and a volume around 22,000 acre feet. The lake is located in Bonner County about 10 miles south of the city of Sandpoint. There are five inflow tributary streams: Cocolalla, Fish, Butler, Westmond, and Johnson Creeks, draining a watershed area of about 64 square miles. There is a single surface outlet stream, Cocolalla Creek that drains to the Pend Oreille River via Round Lake. The ratio of watershed area to lake surface area is large, 50:1. (Rothrock)

The earliest water surveys of the lake watershed were done in the mid-1970s by Idaho Division of Environmental Quality. The trophic status (biological productivity) was considered to be between meso-eutrophic and eutrophic. Dense blue-green algae blooms in 1978 and 1983 resulted in public

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 38 notices warning against use of the water for drinking and primary contact because of potential toxicity. In comparison to other regional lakes, Cocolalla Lake is ranked as one of the more eutrophic, based on water quality monitoring data. The lake is listed as a Special Resource Water under the Idaho Water Quality Standards and Wastewater Treatment Requirements. Because of the water quality issues, the Bonner Soil Conservation District made the lake a priority area and received funding to develop a resource inventory and watershed management plan in late 1994. (Bonner Soil Conservation District)

The lake is steep sided on its long axis, east and west shores, and shallow in the south and north ends. The lake is relatively shallow with a mean depth of 28 feet and the watershed area is large relative to the lake surface area and volume. Table 1-21 represents physical and hydrological characteristics for Cocolalla Lake. The volume and maximum and mean depth were determined from February 1991 lake conditions as surveyed by DEQ. The flushing rate was calculated from October 1990 through September 1991. (Rothrock)

Table 1-21: Physical Characteristics for Cocolalla Lake

Elevation at shoreline 667 m 2,220 ft Maximum length 3.8 km 2.4 mi Maximum width 1.2 km 0.7 mi Shoreline length 9.4 km 5.9 mi Lake surface area 326 ha 805 ac Lake volume 27.5 x 10 6 m3 22,188 ac-ft Maximum depth 12.6 m 41.4 ft Mean depth 8.4 m 27.7 ft Watershed area 165.8 km3 64 sq. mi Flushing rate 0.5 year -1 Watershed/lake area ratio 50:1 (Rothrock)

On the east side of the lake, two miles of Highway 95 and the Burlington Northern Railroad tracks run parallel to the shore. The shoreline is steep up to the railroad tracks and is mostly rip-rapped with some trails leading to the lake. There is no residential development on the east shoreline.

On the north, northwest, and west sides of the lake the terrain is flat to slightly sloped with public accesses, swimming beaches, camps, and residential homes. A private resort on the west side, Johnson’s Sandy Beach Resort, had been in operation, but it was closed in 1998. There are 135 parcels of land immediately around the lake. Only 71 of these parcels have homes and are considered lakeshore properties. These are concentrated around the north to west side of the lake. Many of the homes are used only on weekends and during the summer.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 39 The terrain on the southwest shore is more steeply sloped and the existing homes are offset from the beaches. The south side of the lake is flat marshy land and pastureland, with only two lakeshore homesites. (Rothrock)

There are three systems available for sewage disposal for lakeshore properties. These include: 1) individual septic systems, with a mean age of 14 years and several within 50 feet of the shoreline; 2) a northwest neighborhood system that terminates in a community drainfield which is greater than 300 feet from the lake; and 3) a private community sewer system with a large community drainfield designed to serve 40 equivalent residence hook-ups .(Bonner County Conditional Use Permit 519- 94; DEQ, Rothrock)

Hydrologic Budget Table 1-22 represents an account of monthly average discharge and flow volume for each of the stream sampling sites.

Table 1-22: Summary of Stream Flow in Cocolalla Lake

Maximum Total Flow Percent of Mean Station Discharge Volume (acre- Total Discharge (cfs) (cfs) feet) Inflow Butler Creek 3.8 73 2,715 8% Cocolalla Creek (lower 24.0 159 17,398 52% creek) Cocolalla Creek (upper 17.2 110 12,418 -- creek) Fish Creek (lower) 9.2 150 6,683 20% Fish Creek (upper) 8.5 131 6,160 -- Johnson Creek 3.1 56 2,232 7% Westmond Creek 6.2 40 4,495 13%

Total inflow volume -- 33,523 -- Lake Outlet 58.2 377 (Rothrock)

Lower Cocolalla Creek at the lower end had the highest percentage of total tributary inflow. The highest flow months of February through April had monthly volumes around 3,400 acre feet. Lower Fish Creek at the lower end ranked second in flow. Fish Creek had a yearly volume about one third that of Lower Cocolalla Creek. The peak flow months were February and April at 1,500 acre feet each month, and March at 1,000 acre feet. Combining yearly inflow volume at the southern end of the lake with Cocolalla Creek, Fish Creek, and Butler Creek, accounted for 80 percent of the estimated total tributary inflow. The highest discharge peak was in early April with discharge approaching 380 cfs. Monthly volume was at its greatest in April, at 11,000 acre feet.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 40 Cocolalla Creek subwatershed is the largest drainage area and the creek contributes the highest proportion of inflow and phosphorus loading to the lake. The creek is perennial with the flow regimen dominated by snowmelt runoff. It is approximately 15.5 stream miles long from the headwaters to the mouth with many small intermittent tributaries throughout its length. The creek flows into the south end of Cocolalla Lake.

The west side of the watershed is drained by Fish Creek, the second largest subwatershed. Except for the lowermost portion of the subwatershed, the terrain is mountainous with some upper slopes as steep as 50 percent. Fish Creek has a north fork and a south fork. There has been considerable silvicultural activity over the years, particularly in the north subwatershed. In most years the forks of Fish Creek are perennial, dominated by snowmelt runoff.

Butler Creek subwatershed drains a small portion of the mountainous east side. The creek is intermittent and dries up by mid-summer. Butler Creek is 4.5 stream miles in length and flows into Cocolalla Creek just downstream where it crosses under Highway 95 near the lake.

Westmond Creek drains the northeast section of the watershed. Westmond Creek is 4.3 stream miles long and enters the northern end of Cocolalla Lake. The lower part of Westmond Creek maintains low flow in summer and fall months. Of the five inflow streams, Westmond Creek had the highest average concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, and bacteria.

Johnson Creek drains the northwest section of the watershed. The three forks of Johnson Creek are each about 2 stream miles to Sandy Beach Resort where they combine and enter at the mid-west part of the lake. Johnson Creek is intermittent and dry by mid-summer. (Rothrock)

The estimated annual water budget for Cocolalla Lake is represented in the Table 1-23.

Table 1-23: Water Budget Annual Summary

Acre - Feet Percent Inflow Tributaries 33,523 77% Precipitation 2,225 5% Groundwater + surface water 7,927 18% around lake perimeter Total 49,675 100% Outflow Tributary 41,127 94% Evaporation 2,175 5% Groundwater seepage 301 1% Total 43,603 100% (Rothrock)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 41 Quality

Nutrient Budget The five tributaries contribute 63 percent of the estimated total annual phosphorus load to the lake. Cocolalla Creek has the greatest inflow volume, and ranked first in phosphorus loading, contributing 25 percent of the total load. The flow weighted mean TP concentration in tributaries was moderate at 0.034 mg/L. Stream TP and suspended concentrations were elevated during rain on snow events. (Rothrock)

Table 1-24: Cocolalla Lake Phosphorus, October 1990 to September 1991

Source Kg/yr Percent Tributaries Cocolalla Creek 552 25% Fish Creek 283 13% Westmond Creek 273 12% Butler Creek 155 7% Johnson Creek 124 5% Subtotal 1,387 63%

Surface overflow into lake 107 5% Groundwater estimate 50 2% Septic systems 54 2% Atmosphere (precipitation and dryfall) 111 5% Internal load (anoxic and oxic sediment release, 500 23% macrophyte decay) Total lake load 2,209 100% (Rothrock)

Nitrogen (Streams) Total nitrogen (TN) loading calculations for water year 1990 to 1991 are only presented for tributaries. Concentration ratios suggest phosphorus as the limiting nutrient for algal growth. Nitrogen did not exhibit peak values in the storm event samples, and TN concentrations were generally at their lowest in February through April. Annual total nitrogen load stations combined was 16.5 tons. Cocolalla Creek had the highest proportion of tributary TN loading at 65 percent. Westmond Creek contributed the next highest of tributary TN loading at 16 percent. (Rothrock)

Total Suspended Sediment (Streams) The combined total load of suspended sediment was 572 tons. Cocolalla Creek site had the highest proportion of the total at 28 percent followed by Fish Creek at 24 percent. The TSS load (68 percent of the total) is upstream of the southern flatland approach to the lake. During normal precipitation

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 42 years there is overflowing of Cocolalla Creek onto a floodplain, and at Fish Creek where the stream has filled in there is mass sheet flooding across pasture. An unknown portion of the suspended sediment will become deposited in the lower pasture. An unknown portion of the suspended sediment is deposited in the lower channels and on the floodplain prior to entering the lake. (Rothrock)

Water Transparency (Lake) In 1992, secchi disk values ranged from 3 to 4 meters from early May to early September. Secchi disk transparency measurements mainly ranged from 1.7 to 2.0 meters from October 1990 to early August 1991. In mid-August water clarity improved to 2.2 meters, and the highest transparency was recorded in mid-September at 3.5 meters. After the fall turnover in mid-October 1991, transparency again dropped below 2 meters. (Rothrock)

Water Temperatures (Streams) Summer temperature measurements on upper Cocolalla Creek are 52 to 54º F, while downstream the water warmed to 55 to 57º C. The highest summer temperature for Fish Creek was 55º F. Below the pasture flooding, Fish Creek temperature reached 66º F. At the outlet creek of Cocolalla, with the lake as its source water, August temperatures average 72º F. (Rothrock)

Dissolved Oxygen (Streams) Dissolved oxygen maintained sufficient levels for salmonid fisheries in summer months with perhaps the exception of the outlet creek. The lowest summer oxygen level recorded at Cocolalla Creek was in early August at 7.6 mg/L DO and 75 percent oxygen saturation. The low reading at the Fish Creek stations was 9.7 mg/L DO. Below the pasture flooding on Fish Creek there was a reading of 6.4 mg/L. At the outlet creek in early August oxygen had dropped to 4.6 mg/L DO and 58 percent saturation. (Rothrock)

Chlorophyll a (Lake) The highest recorded concentrations of chlorophyll a for the study year were after the fall turnover in 1990, with 23.0 :g/L in November. From April through June 1991 chlorophyll a ranged from 5 to 10 :g/L. In early July chlorophyll a in the open waters was 18.0 :g/L, the highest recorded summer value. Chlorophyll values did decrease from late July through September dropping below 10 :g/L. (Rothrock)

Classification

Trophic State of Cocolalla Lake Eutrophication is a process or change in a water body’s biological productivity based on the availability of nutrients (trophic condition), a change in an infertile condition toward a eutrophic or fertile condition. From the day a lake is created, naturally or man-made, it begins to fill in with sediments and nutrients. The whole process happens naturally, but man can significantly accelerate the process by adding nutrients and other substances to the lake water—a process referred to as cultural eutrophication (Bonner Soil Conservation District). The water quality problem of Cocolalla Lake is accelerated eutrophication due to non-point source phosphorus contributions and internal phosphorus loading.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 43 Table 1-25: Trophic State of Cocolalla Lake

Total Phosphorus Chlorophyll a (:g/L) Secchi disk readings (m) (:g/L) Mean TS Mean TS Maximum TS Mean TS Minimum TS 20 M 12.9 E 32.7 E 2.1 E 1.6 M

TS = trophic state; M = mesotrophic; E = eutrophic (Rothrock)

Mean annual total phosphorus fell within the mesotrophic range, but mean and maximum chlorophyll a, and mean secchi transparency of the lake clearly fall within the eutrophic range.

Conclusion

The following results indicate a eutrophic status for Cocolalla Lake: • Lake conditions in 1992 were improved over 1991, and also earlier years where some documentation is available. The primary environmental difference between the two study years was a much lower inflow volume and nutrient loading from tributaries in 1992. • Beneficial uses of Cocolalla Lake which may be threatened or impaired are: –Cold Water Biota–The extensive volume of anoxic waters places a tremendous stress on the salmonid fisheries. –Primary Contact Recreation–The presence of blue-green algae blooms, if extensive enough, can make water contact quite unpleasant. –Domestic Water Supply–The presence of blue-green algae can cause taste and odor problems for potable water supplies. –Aesthetics–Low water clarity and blooms of blue algae are perceived by residents in the watershed to be characteristics that lessen the aesthetic value of Cocolalla Lake. • Most macrophyte growth is in the southern shallow end of the lake, and coverage is not extensive. There is a large shallow area in the northern part of the lake that is mostly devoid of macrophyte growth, apparently limited by a sand rock inorganic substrate type. Future development of aquatic plants would impact swimming and boating activity. • Phosphorus appears to be the limiting nutrient for algal productivity in the lake. • The five tributaries combined accounted for 77 percent of the lake’s annual inflow volume in 1991 (33,520 acre feet), and 63 percent of total TP budget (1.5 tons). • Cocolalla Creek provided 40 percent of the total lake inflow and is the single highest phosphorus importer to the lake (25 percent of the total TP budget). • Fish Creek has become degraded in the lower flatland approach to Cocolalla Lake due to sediment collection. There is an overall phosphorus increase in the lower flatlands. • Westmond Creek had the highest mean concentrations of phosphorus, nitrogen, and bacteria, and contributed 12 percent of the total TP load. Headwaters from Westmond Creek begin at a ponded wetland with a phosphorus concentration higher than any other headwaters. Summer fecal coliform counts in Westmond Creek near the lake pose a health risk to

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 44 children playing in the creek and potentially to lake swimmers along the northern public accesses, although lake bacterial samples did not show harmful counts. • Butler Creek contributed seven percent of the total TP load. • Johnson Creek contributed five percent of the total TP load. • Eighteen percent of the water budget was calculated as a combination of surface overflow directly into the lake and ground water seepage from shallow percolation and the deeper Southside Aquifer, a subset of the Pend Oreille River Aquifer. TP load was nine percent. • Atmospheric sources (precipitation and dryfall) were assigned five percent of the TP load. • Groundwater phosphorus input from lakeshore septic tank leachate was estimated at two to three percent of the total TP budget. • Internal phosphorus loading from mainly anoxic sediments, but also aerobic sediments and macrophyte decay, contributed 23 percent of the total TP load. (Rothrock)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 45 Table 1-26: Management Objectives for Cocolalla Lake

Suggested by Idaho Department of Environmental Quality:

Management Alternatives Lead Agency Implementation Remarks and Costs Funding Source(s) Construction activities best management practices. Bonner County, $20,000. Likely a low estimate. Implement through SAWQP (Objective realized May 28, 1993; Bonner County IDEQ training programs, demonstration projects, an I&E effort, Ordinance 227 and production of best and successful implementation of the Bonner County management practices guide, produced in 1996) stormwater ordinance A land development ordinance and a stormwater Bonner County, $100,000. This estimate was an initial expenditure to Mostly private management ordinance nonstructural alternatives. SCD, CLA, IDEQ, implement ordinances. Estimate is low when considering financed by home (Objective realized May 28, 1993; Bonner County SCS long term cost to Bonner County to regulate ordinance. and business Ordinance 227 and production of best Bonner County enacted a stormwater ordinance in 1993. owners. Explore management practices guide, produced in 1996) But the ordinance needs to be strengthened (through possibility of amendment) to include residential road construction and forming a LID. other earth disturbance activities prior to obtaining building permits (lot and subdivision clearance). There also is a need for public education about the ordinance. Road/sediment control best management practices. Bonner County, $102,500. Program costs include additional training of Bonner County, (Objective realized May 28, 1993; Bonner County DEQ governmental agencies and private firms involved in road CLA 319 grant, Ordinance 227 and production of best construction and maintenance, and for the additional costs IDEQ 314 grant management practices guide, produced in 1996) of labor and materials to implement BMPs that minimize erosion impact on waterways. It is also believed that road construction activities needs to be incorporated into the Bonner County stormwater ordinance. Abbreviations CLA Cocolalla Lake Association County Bonner County DEQ Idaho Department of Environmental Quality IDL Idaho Department of Lands PHD Panhandle Health District SCD Bonner County Soil Conservation District SCS United States Soil Conservation SSOC-LWC Stream Segment of Concern - Local Working Committee USFS U.S. Forest Service

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 46 Funding Sources

Clean Water Act Section 314 Phase 2 (Clean Lakes Program) - Potential Clean Water Act Section 319 (Non-point Source Program) - Current and Potential Idaho State Agricultural Water Quality Program (SAWQP) - Current

(Rothrock)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 47 Kelso Lake

General Kelso Lake is located in Bonner County, Idaho, and has 54 acres of surface and 1.9 miles of shoreline with a maximum water depth of 36 feet (11 meters). The lake has extensive weed growth and limited residential development.

Kelso Lake is early eutrophic with a secchi depth reading of 3.5 meters. The water frontage and watershed of Kelso Lake is heavily forested. The lake is brown stained. On August 14, 1991, no algal bloom was present. The lake soils are highly organic and emit gas from the anaerobic bottom muds. Most of the lake bottom is silt and detritus. (Mossier)

Quality

Beneficial Uses According to the Idaho Water Quality Standards, the designated beneficial uses of Kelso Lake are: domestic water supply, agricultural water supply, cold water biota, salmonid spawning, primary contact recreation, and secondary contact recreation. Threatened beneficial uses of Kelso Lake include domestic water supply and cold water biota. (Mossier)

Sources of Pollution and Nutrients, and Recommended Management Actions Granite Lake is Kelso Lake’s primary water source. Both are a slightly brown-stained color. There is very little limnological data and background information for Kelso Lake. It is posted as a “nonmotorized boat lake.” Residential development is located on the north and southeast side of the shoreline. It is likely, that phosphorus and other nutrients may be originating from septic tanks of residential homes or resorts. Management action recommended for Kelso Lake includes the inspection of sewage drain fields from residential homes and resorts. (Mossier)

Classification

Trophic Status of Kelso Lake The extensive development of water shield and yellow water lily communities and the absence of white water lily in the silt-ridden bay areas, further illustrate the eutrophic nature of Kelso Lake. Eleocharis and Isoetes were not found in shallow, sandy littoral areas, indicating that the lake is eutrophic. Coontail, water milfoil, and largeleaf pondweed are the leading dominant species within most of the submergent plant communities, also indicating that Kelso Lake has been going through a change in water quality and becoming more eutrophic.

The water chemistry indicates that Kelso Lake is mesoeutrophic from moderate to moderately high levels of ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, total kjehldahl nitrogen, total phosphorus and orthophosphate, and chlorophyll a. (Mossier)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 48 Secchi depth:

1991 LWQA range 3.3 to 3.5 meters 1990 LWQA range 3.0 to 5.0 range Average 4.2 meters Average 3.5 meters

Water clarity in Kelso Lake was limited due to brown-stained water and organic matter.

Chlorophyll a: 1991 LWQA range 5.8 to 6.4 :g/L Average 6.1 :g/L

Phytoplankton production in Kelso Lake is moderate due to the brown-stained water and reduced light. The lake is early eutrophic.

Total Phosphorus: 1990 range 0.015 to 0.15 mg/L Average 0.04 mg/L

(Mossier)

Dissolved Oxygen/Temperature Profiles On August 14, 1991, the dissolved oxygen in Kelso Lake plummeted from 8.0 mg/L at the surface to 0.3 mg/L at 11 meters near the lake bottom. Adequate dissolved oxygen in the summer is found only at four meters and above. The entire hypolimnion (layer at the bottom of the lake) is severely depleted of dissolved oxygen, a condition that indicates severe lake eutrophication and heavy nutrient loading in Kelso Lake. Total ammonia levels were consistently higher near the lake bottom than at the surface, indicating anaerobic bacterial decomposition is occurring and depleting the dissolved oxygen in the lake. (Mossier)

Round Lake

General Round Lake is located in Bonner County, Idaho, and has 46 acres of surface water and 1.2 miles of shoreline. The maximum water depth is 34 feet (10.4 meters). The shoreline of Round Lake is undeveloped except for the public swimming beach of Round Lake State Park. (Mossier)

Quality

Round Lake is eutrophic and receives its primary water source from Cocolalla Lake via Cocolalla Creek. The primary contribution of phosphorus and other nutrients to the watershed originate from septic tanks of residential homes, runoff from roads, logging, livestock grazing, and farming in the Cocolalla Lake watershed. All of these activities have significantly contributed to the deterioration of water quality and eutrophication in Round Lake.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 49 The lakeshore and watershed of Round Lake is heavily forested and undeveloped. Most of the lake bottom is silt and detritus. There are shore areas that have a sandy bottom such as the Round Lake State Park swimming beach area. Despite the rich organic bottom muds, there was no odor in the water sample taken near the lake bottom. A fine grain algal bloom was prevalent throughout the lake in August 1991. (Mossier)

Beneficial Uses Idaho Water Quality Standards do not designate beneficial uses for Round Lake. The Idaho DEQ recognizes the following existing beneficial uses to Round Lake: cold water biota, warm water biota, primary contact recreation, and secondary contact recreation. Cold water biota and primary contact recreation are threatened.

Round Lake State Park is located on the north side of the lake. A public boat access, camping, and picnic areas are located at the park. No residential homes and commercial resorts are on the lake. Fishing, swimming, hiking, and sun bathing are all recreational opportunities. Wildlife and fisheries habitat are important. (Mossier)

Sources of Pollution and Nutrients, and Recommended Management Activities Limited limnological data and background information exists for Round Lake. The only lakeshore development is an Idaho State Park Campground, beach and public boat access at the north shore. This facility is well managed and maintained and presents little pollution threat to the lake at this time. Gas powered motors are not allowed on the lake. The primary water source for Round Lake is Cocolalla Lake, another eutrophic lake. Any important management plan for maintaining or reducing phosphorus levels in Round Lake will be closely dependent on a comprehensive, watershed nutrient management plan for Cocolalla Lake. (Mossier)

Classification

Trophic Status of Round Lake Waterweed and Robbin’s pondweed were the two leading dominant submergent macrophyte found in organic bays and silt ridden littoral areas. These species are abundant. The relative abundance of these two species indicated that the lake is eutrophic. Robbin’s pondweed is quite shade tolerant and tends to grow profusely in lakes of high phosphorus and nutrient content and low water clarity. While Robbin’s pondweed and waterweed were dominant, the maximum depth at which they grew was 2 meters.

The extensive development of water shield and yellow water lily communities, and the absence of white water lily further illustrated the eutrophication nature of Round Lake. Needlerush and quillwort were not found in shallow, sandy, littoral areas. These two species are most often associated with oligotrophic lakes.

The water chemistry indicates that Round Lake is eutrophic from high levels of ammonia, nitrate and nitrite, and total kjehldahl nitrogen, total phosphorus and orthophosphate, and chlorophyll a. (Mossier)

Secchi depth:

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 50 1991 LWQA range 3.0 to 3.0 meters 1990 LWQA range 2.1 to 2.8 meters Average 3.0 meters Average 2.4 meters

Water clarity in Round Lake is limited due to brown-stained water and algal blooms.

Chlorophyll a: 1991 LWQA range 13.0 to 13.8 :g/L Average 13.4 :g/L

Phytoplankton production in Round Lake is extremely high. The lake is eutrophic.

Total Phosphorus: 1990 range 0.020 to 0.380 mg/L Average 0.082 mg/L

(Mossier)

Dissolved Oxygen/Temperature Profiles On August 6, 1991, the dissolved oxygen in Round Lake plummeted from 9.1 mg/L at the surface to 0.2 mg/L at 10 meters near the lake bottom. Dissolved oxygen depletion occurred in the lower portion of the lake extending to 10 meters. Sufficient dissolved oxygen for fish in the summer was found only at four meters and above. The dissolved oxygen increased slightly in the thermocline, and reached near anaerobic conditions at 6 meters and throughout the remainder of the hypolimnion, a condition that indicated severe lake eutrophication and heavy nutrient loading in Round Lake. (Mossier)

Granite Lake

General Granite Lake is located in Bonner County, Idaho, and has 20 acres of surface water and 0.9 miles of shoreline with a maximum water depth of 79 feet (24 meters). Granite Lake has variable watershed topography, no residential shoreline development and brown-stained water. (Mossier)

Quality

Granite Lake appears to be an anomaly in the spectrum of lake types found in north Idaho. Most likely, Granite Lake never fully mixes and remains thermally stratified in the summer. Preliminary data indicated that it is a meromictic (segmented) lake of relatively high total dissolved solids. The dissolved oxygen is rapidly depleted from 7.1 mg/L at the surface to 0.6 mg/L at 5 meters. The dissolved oxygen continued to be less that 1 mg/L from the 5 meters depth to the lake bottom. The brown-stained water contributed to the absorption of light and may have accounted for the extremely narrow epilimnion/thermocline and the extremely cold water found at five meters during summer

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 51 thermal stratification. Secchi depth readings of four meters were primarily a result of brown-stained water, since algae blooms were not evident during the sample period.

The thick, grey-black, cold lake-bottom sediment was many feet deep. This was a major factor in the recycling of high phosphorus, iron, and manganese minerals throughout the lake. Undoubtedly, the meromictic nature of Granite Lake has been maintained by these large, thick reserves of bottom muds laden with nutrients and minerals. (Mossier)

Beneficial Uses The Idaho Water Quality Standards do not address beneficial uses for Granite Lake. Existing beneficial uses of Granite Lake are: cold water biota, warm water biota, and secondary contact recreation. The limited data base for Granite Lake prevents designation of additional beneficial uses.

Based on the eutrophic nature of Granite Lake, the cold water biota use is impaired. The majority of the water column in Granite Lake is anaerobic in late August. Also, total hypolimnetic ammonia concentrations (4.8 mg/L) exceeded the DEQ Water Quality Standard of 2.2 mg/L. The narrow littoral zone in Granite Lake, along with low dissolved oxygen at the bottom (0.3 mg/L) threatens the warm water biota. It is unlikely that a cold water fishery would be productive in this lake. and other warm water fisheries may do well in these stained waters. Fishing is limited due to extremely low dissolved oxygen levels in most of the lake. One undeveloped boat access is available at the northwest end of the lake. Poor aesthetic and visual quality is apparent. There are limited camping opportunities with no facilities. (Mossier)

Sources of Pollution and Nutrients, and Recommended Management Actions Granite Lake is an additional eutrophic, meromictic lake with coffee-stained water. Very high iron and manganese levels, along with high tannins and lignins, most likely account for the coffee- colored water. There are no known sources of nutrients from the watershed. Very little additional limnological data or background information exists for Granite Lake. No management action is recommended at this time. (Mossier)

Classification

Trophic Status of Granite Lake Granite Lake is classified as eutrophic. The submergent plant community was dominated by large leaf floating pondweed, coontail, and water milfoil. The floating leaf community was dominated by water shield and yellow water lily. These dominant submergent macrophytes were typically indicative of late mesotrophic/eutrophic lake trophic conditions.

The water chemistry indicates that Granite Lake is eutrophic as indicated by the high levels of ammonia, nitrate, kjehldahl nitrogen, total phosphorus and orthophosphate, and chlorophyll a. (Mossier)

Secchi depth:

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 52 1991 LWQA 4.0 to 4.0 meters 1990 LWQA range 3.6 to 5.5 range range Average 4.0 meters Average 4.9 meters

Chlorophyll a: 1991 LWQA range 9.0 to 9.0 :g/L Average 9.0 :g/L

Total Phosphorus: 1990 range 0.01 to 0.97 mg/L Average 0.33 mg/L

(Mossier)

Dissolved Oxygen/Temperature Profiles Both dissolved oxygen and water temperature dropped very rapidly between two and five meters water depth. The extreme changes in dissolved oxygen from the surface to five meters indicated excessive nutrient loading and oxygen consumption. There was virtually no oxygen in the lake from 5 meters to the lake bottom. The high organic mineral rich lake bottom sediment has contributed significantly to oxygen depletion in Granite Lake. (Mossier)

Shepherd, Mirror, and Hoodoo Lakes

In-depth studies regarding the quality of these lakes are not currently available.

Section 1.3 - Wetlands

The Pend Oreille Basin area has a significant number of wetlands because of the lakes and rivers. The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers has detailed wetlands maps that provide more exact and precise location and description of the numerous wetlands that exist in Bonner County. These maps were prepared in 1987 by the National Wetlands Inventory, under the direction of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. The information provided in this report gives data from a variety of studies within the Pend Oreille Basin area.

Location

Submerged plant beds are generally found in quiet, protected backwater areas where the bottom is predominantly silt and organic matter. They occur in water depths ranging from an elevation of 2050 feet down to 2030 feet, about 12 to 32 feet below maximum pool level. Submerged aquatic plant beds cover roughly 8,000 acres in Lake Pend Oreille. Typically, these submerged aquatic communities are dominated by rooted vascular plants such Elodea, milfoils, and pondweeds. A number of aquatic plant communities have been identified around the lake, predominantly west of Sandpoint, Denton Slough, Cocolalla Slough, Pack River delta, and areas within the Clark Fork delta.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 53 The drawdown and fluctuation zone occurs around the edges of lakes and reservoirs: the upper limit of the drawdown zone is the mean annual high water line; and the lower limit is the mean annual low water line. There are approximately 4,000 acres of drawdown zone within the Pend Oreille Basin. (Bonneville Power Administration)

Emergent Wetlands The freshwater deep marsh is a habitat type dominated by emergent, non-woody, vascular plants, the substrate of which is intermittently exposed to the atmosphere. Characteristic plants include bulrush and spatterdock. The deep marsh wetland type is the least common of those encountered in the Pend Oreille Basin. Approximately 15 acres of this cover type are located in the Clark Fork and Pack River deltas, around Morton Slough, and along the Pend Oreille River downstream to Albeni Falls. This wetland type is important for general habitat quality, as it is rich in plant species diversity, has high biomass productivity, and is crucial for wetland dependent wildlife species, including waterfowl, song birds, and small mammals.

A freshwater shallow marsh is a semi-permanently flooded habitat type with vegetation dominated by emergent, non woody, vascular plants. Presently, 1,139 acres of shallow marsh wetland type occur extensively in the Clark Fork and Pack River deltas, around Morton Slough, and along the Pend Oreille River downstream to Albeni Falls. This wetland type is important for general habitat quality, as it is rich in plant species diversity, has high biomass productivity, and is crucial for wetland dependent wildlife species, including waterfowl, song birds, and small mammals.

The fresh wet meadow is a habitat type with vegetation dominated by non woody vascular plants, the substrate of which is saturated or seasonally flooded. Vegetation is dominated by various forbs and grasses. Wet meadows are found as transitional areas in the river deltas, along the shores of Morton and Denton sloughs, the Pend Oreille River downstream to Albeni Falls and other areas with gently sloping shorelines. There are approximately 1,340 acres surrounding the shorelines of the basin.

Peatland encompasses all wetland cover types occurring on peat soils. Peatland occurs in wetland areas when accumulation of organic matter exceeds the decomposition rate. Peatlands in the Panhandle region of Idaho and adjacent Washington are separated by nearly 622 miles from the largely unbroken peatlands of the northern latitudes of North America. Peatlands are subdivided into bogs or fens. Bogs receive water and mineral nutrients only from rain water, and fens receive nutrients from water that has percolated through mineral soil and bedrock, or from a surface source such as a creek. Almost all of the Idaho Panhandle habitats are fens.

There are 3,240 acres of fen peatland within the basin, encompassing emergent, scrub-shrub, and forested wetland cover types. No peatlands are directly associated with Lake Pend Oreille. Marsh- like, sphagnum-rich fens occur on floating mats at Gamlin Lake, Beaver Lake (south), Shepherd Lake, Hoodoo Lake, and Kelso Lake. Floating mats contain the most ecologically stable communities within peatland habitats because they adjust with fluctuating water levels by as much 2.5 feet annually, hence maintaining constant contact with water while never becoming inundated like fixed mats.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 54 Six existing wetland communities, currently occupying approximately 8,000 acres, have been identified and mapped by the Corps of Engineers in and around Lake Pend Oreille. Over 4,000 acres of the existing wetlands occur in the Clark Fork delta and about 1,400 acres in the Pack River delta. (Bonneville Power Administration)

Priest Lake • Hughes Fork has a moderate gradient and includes a large wetland area, Hughes Meadow. • The lower end of Soldier Creek has a flat gradient with a large associated wetland. • Granite Creek has many flat gradient sections with associated wetlands. • Reeder Creek, Kalispell Creek, and Reynolds Creek have large areas of flat gradient in the middle and lower elevations. These are areas of meadows, wetlands, and conversion to hay cropping and cattle grazing. • Upper Priest River from the mouth of Upper Priest Lake has a significantly large wetland encompassing the area. • The southern end of Priest Lake at the mouth of Chase Creek, there are large wetland areas. • Lamb Creek and South Fork Lamb Creek show wetland activity. (Rothrock and Mosier)

Cocolalla Lake The surrounding flatland west of lower Fish Creek is a combination of grazing land and wetland. Headwaters from Westmond Creek begin at a ponded wetland. (Rothrock)

Section 1.4 - Geothermal Waters

According to Bill Young from the USGS office in Boise, Idaho, there are no hot springs or thermal water wells in Bonner County.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 1 - 55 CHAPTER 2 - VEGETATION

Section 2.1 - Forests

Forest Composition

A variety of tree species grow in Bonner County. On the lower flats and benches in the southwestern corner, , and ponderosa pine predominate along with large acreages of lodgepole pine (USDA NRCS). Conifer forests in the Pend Oreille Key Watershed consist of mixed stands, typified by the stands of western red cedar/western hemlock; stands of co-dominant Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa); and stands of Douglas-fir, western larch (Larix occidentalis), lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), and western white pine (Pinus monticola). Dense stands of Douglas fir, larch, and lodgepole are characteristic of slopes with north and east aspects. Relatively open stands of Douglas fir and ponderosa pine are typical on the warmer, drier slopes with south and west aspects. (Panhandle Bull Trout Technical Advisory Team)

In the Priest Lake Basin area, western white pine, grand fir, western hemlock, Douglas fir, and western larch are the main species, with the Douglas fir and ponderosa pine growing on the drier south and west facing slopes. Western red cedar grows on the wetter sites, both on the lower slopes and the bottomland soils. Patches of old-growth cedar have survived forest fires. This mixed species forest generally is located at elevations of as much as 5,000 feet. Above 5,000 feet Englemann spruce and subalpine fir become the predominant tree species (USDA NRCS). Brush fields blanket old burn areas, and rangelands comprise the remainder of the basin’s vegetative cover (Idaho Water Resources Board, 1995).

In the eastern part of the county, where annual precipitation exceeds 35 inches, annual growth rates for western white pine and grand fir are the highest. The benches on both sides of the Clark Fork River are excellent growing sites for mixed species forest. (USDA NRCS)

Ownership

Approximately 70 percent of Bonner County is forestland, a majority of which is composed of the and the Priest Lake State Forest. Private holdings and a small percentage of land owned by the U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management, make up the remainder of Bonner County Forest Land (see Table 2-1).

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 2 - 1 Table 2-1: Land Ownership Bonner County, Idaho

Entity Acres Percent of County Public (Municipal & County) 8,638 1% Federal 493,832 44% State 169,106 15% Private 440,488 40% Total 1,112,064 100% (County Profiles)

History

Lumber and logging industries in Bonner County were first established in 1866 with the construction of the first lumber mill at Cabinet Landing on the Clark Fork River, below Cabinet Gorge. The first large band mill was constructed at Sandpoint by the Humbird Lumber Company in 1900, with John A. Humbird and Frederick Weyerhaeuser, Lake States Lumbermen, as owners (USDA, 1937). During the last quarter of the 19th century, several small mills were operated in the area to provide timber, shingles, and railroad ties for the construction of new towns, mining operation, and two transcontinental railroads. Between 1904 and 1906, at least nine mills were operating in the area (USDA NRCS). The output of timber in 1905 was more than 117 million board feet (see Table 2-2).

Table 2-2: Timber Output 1905 to 1930

Year Number of Combined Annual Capacity - Mills Million Board Feet Lumber Tally 1905 4 117 1910 9 238 1915 7 221 1920 7 241 1925 5 185 1930 4 126 (USDA, 1937)

Logging began along Lake Pend Oreille and the Clark Fork and the Pend Oreille Rivers. Logs were rafted and towed to the mills by steamboat. Thirty-four steamboats were operating on Lake Pend Oreille in 1906. As the timber was cut, logging camps were moved up the major tributary streams. The Clark Fork, Priest and Pack Rivers and Sand Creek were used to convey logs to Lake Pend Oreille and the Pend Oreille River. Logs cut on the flats extending from Athol to Naples were hauled to mills on standard gauge railroads. Steamboats and logging railroads have been replaced by logging trucks.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 2 - 2 The Humbird Lumber Company, from first production in 1901 until its close in the 1930s, played an important part in the lumber industry. Its three mills, located at Sandpoint, Kootenai, and Albeni Falls, produced more than half of the lumber output of the county and supported a correspondingly high percentage of the wage earners in the lumber industry. (USDA, 1937)

Productivity

Idaho’s primary forest products industry is vital to the state’s economy. In 1995, timber processing facilities operated in 29 of Idaho’s 44 counties and timber was harvested in 35 counties. Major industry concentrations are located in Idaho’s 10 northern counties. Twenty-one plants, producing a variety of wood products, were operating in Bonner County in 1995, with subsequent mill closures occurring in the late 1990s. (University of Montana)

Table 2-3: Bonner County Timber Processing Plants

Timber Processing Product Plants Lumber 12 Plywood veneer & OSB 1 Posts and poles 3 House logs 4 Utility poles 1 Total 21 (University of Montana)

According to Kathryn Tacke, Idaho Department of Employment, five wood product plants have closed since 1994. These plants were the Louisiana Pacific I-Beam plant and sawmill at Priest River, Idaho Woodworks at Sandpoint, and the Crown Pacific plants at Oldtown and Colburn. This resulted in approximately 550 jobs lost. Today there are 18 saw and planing mills operating in Bonner County.

Counties north of the Salmon River supplied 80 percent of the 1995 timber harvest. Clearwater County continued to lead the state in timber harvest with about 17 percent of Idaho’s harvest. Shoshone County had 14 percent; Idaho County had 8 percent, and Bonner County had 10 percent of the harvest in 1995. Bonner County’s average share of the harvests from 1979 to 1995 was 13 percent of North Idaho’s harvests and 10 percent of the harvests for the entire state. (University of Montana)

Figure 2-1: Timber Products Harvested from Bonner County

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 2 - 3 Section 2.2 - Pasture, Range and Crop Land

Since 1992, Bonner County has seen a reduction in agricultural production lands while simultaneously enjoying an increase in market value of agricultural products sold. In 1997, the average size of farms was approximately 197 acres, a decrease of 37% from 1992. While farmland decreased 34% from 1997 to 1992, the market value of agricultural products sold increased 21% to $7,269,000 in 1967.

About 80,000 acres (17 percent) of Bonner County is used for hay, pasture, and crop production. Most of this acreage is dry-farmed. A small amount of acreage, mainly droughty soils, is under sprinkler irrigation. Grass-legume hay, wheat, oats, and barley are the major crops. Yields are only low to moderate compared with those in nearby counties because of the cool temperatures and a short growing season. (USDA NRCS; DEQ)

Most cropland in the area is cutover timberland. A small percentage is wet bottomlands and meadows. Most of the farms are part-time enterprises that are supplemented by off-farm employment or by income from the timber industry. Christmas tree production is proving quite profitable where proper management is used. (USDA NRCS) Christmas tree growers saw profitable years in 2001 and 2002, as supplies come into line with demand. Ornamental nursery stock continues to increase in value, with Bonner and Boundary counties being the prime wholesale production areas for Idaho’s thriving ornamental industry. Statewide, nursery stock is the sixth leading crop. Other high value crops in Boner County include specialty vegetables and herbs. A large percentage of herb and edible crop producers emphasize organic production practices. Bonner County also markets a vareity of huckleberry products (Barney).

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 2 - 4 Table 2-4: Bonner County Farm Production

1997 1992 1987 1982 Number of farms 501 476 516 559 Land in farms (acres) 98,662 150,021 136,833 154,398 Average size of farm 197 315 265 276 Pastureland, all types (farms) 353 383 411 483 Pastureland, all types (acres) 61,687 87,268 72,473 89,932 Average size of farms in pastureland 215 228 176 186 (acres) Farms by size: 10 to 49 acres 180 118 121 133 Farms by size: 50 to 179 acres 144 157 190 205 Farms by size: 180 to 499 acres 96 122 125 140 Farms by size: 500 to 999 acres 26 27 33 36 Farms by size: 1000 acres or more 18 18 21 24 Cattle and calves inventory (farms) 235 274 290 391 Beef cows (farms) 203 226 226 295 Milk cows (farms) 23 30 43 105 Hogs and pigs inventory (farms) 20 35 29 50 Sheep and lambs inventory (farms) 37 35 29 51 Chickens >=3 months old inventory (f) 36 53 77 125 Cattle and calves inventory (number) 9,210 13,828 14,129 19,019 Beef cows (number) 4,828 6475 6170 6987 Milk cows (number) 343 566 681 1,440 Hogs and pigs inventory (number) 131 255 194 903 Sheep and lambs inventory (number) 1,117 1,177 1,008 1,380 Cattle and calves inventory sold 5,049 6,597 6,667 10,837 (number) Hogs and pigs inventory sold (number) 131 554 1,747 1,213 Broilers… chickens sold (number) N/A N/A N/A 894 Total cropland (farms) 439 414 446 504 Total cropland (acres) 36,975 42,641 46,034 45,253 Irrigated land (farms) 86 81 85 83 Irrigated land (acres) 1,962 2,617 494 4,996 Harvested cropland (farms) 354 331 383 416 Harvested cropland (acres) 20,232 21,358 25,735 28,206 Wheat for grain (farms) 4 2 11 13

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 2 - 5 1997 1992 1987 1982 Wheat for grain (acres) D D 635 2,415 Wheat for grain (bushels) D D 35,837 139,497 Barley for grain (farms) 4 7 8 13 Barley for grain (acres) D 210 456 931 Barley for grain (bushels) D 10,974 19,060 50,772 Irish potatoes (farms) 3 2 8 11 Irish potatoes (acres) D D 319 284 Irish potatoes (cwt) D D 60,265 43,366 Hay – all (farms) 283 285 356 393 D = Data unavailable at this level. (U.S. Census of Agriculture; County Summary Highlights: 1997)

Section 2.3 - Generalized Vegetation

Representable species of upland shrubs include western serviceberry mountain maple, snowberry, mountain balm, mallow ninebark, huckleberry, etc. (Panhandle Bull Trout Technical Advisory Team). Understory and open field shrubs and forbs include: thimbleberry, huckleberry, Ceanothus, pachistma, devils club, ocean spray, and serviceberry (Rothrock and Mosier).

Along stream riparian areas are birch, aspen, cottonwood, alder, and willow. Numerous wetlands with associated vegetation are present in the county (Rothrock and Mosier).

Section 2.4 - Sensitive Species

No threatened or endangered plants, as listed under the Federal Endangered Species Act (1973), are known to occur in the county (Idaho Conservation Data Center). The USFWS Snake River Basin Field Office, Boise, has further designated a Species of Concern category based on the criteria given below. It should be noted that the following criteria are subject to change.

Species of Concern (SC). Available information supports tracking the status and threats to species because of one or more of the following factors:

• Negative population trends have been documented. • Habitat is declining or threats to the habitat are known. • Subpopulations or closely related taxa have been documented to be declining. • Habitats for life phases outside of Idaho (i.e., migratory habitat) are known to be threatened. • Competition or genetic implications from introduction/stocking of exotic species. • Identified as a species of concern by agencies or professional societies. • In combination with any of the other criteria, information is needed on status or threats to the species.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 2 - 6 The Idaho Native Plant Society (INPS), a statewide non-profit organization, assigns rare plants to one of three groups: • Globally Rare - Taxa rare throughout their range. • State Rare - Taxa rare within the political boundaries of Idaho but more common elsewhere. • Review - Global and State rare taxa which may be of conservation concern in Idaho but for which insufficient data exists upon which to base a recommendation regarding appropriate classification.

Globally Rare Species • GP1 = Global Priority 1. Taxa with a GRANK of G1 or T1. • GP2 = Global Priority 1. Taxa with a GRANK of G2 or T2. • GP3 = Global Priority 3. Taxa with a GRANK of G3 or T3 • GX = Taxa thought to be globally extinct (i.e., GRANK = GX).

State Rare Species • 1 = STATE PRIORITY 1. Taxa in danger of becoming extinct or extirpated from Idaho in the foreseeable future if identifiable factors contributing to their decline continue to operate; these are taxa whose populations are present only at critically low levels or whose habitats have been degraded or depleted to a significant degree. • 2 = STATE PRIORITY 2. Taxa likely to be classified as Priority 1 within the foreseeable future in Idaho, if factors contributing to their population decline or habitat degradation or loss continue. • S = SENSITIVE. Taxa with small populations or localized distributions within Idaho that presently do not meet the criteria for classification as Priority 1 or 2, but whose populations and habitats might be jeopardized without active management or removal of threats. • M = MONITOR. Taxa that are common within a limited range as well as those taxa which are uncommon but have no identifiable threats.

Review Species •R = Review. Global and State rare taxa which may be of conservation concern in Idaho but for which insufficient data exists upon which to base a recommendation regarding appropriate classification.

Table 2-5 in the Appendix lists special status plant species known to occur in Bonner County along with its Federal or State classification.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 2 - 7 CHAPTER 3 - SOILS

This chapter is a brief description of the general characteristics of the soils found in Bonner County, Idaho. The subject matter is a summary of the detailed information that can be found in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), formerly known as the Soil Conservation Service, Soil Survey of the Bonner County Area, Idaho, 1982. Please refer to the NRCS survey for detailed descriptions of the 64 soil map units. The NRCS survey does not include all portions of Bonner County.

Section 3.1- Prime farmland

Prime farmland, as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture, is the land that is best suited to producing food, feed, forage, fiber, and oilseed crops. It must either be used for producing food or fiber or be available for these uses. It has the soils quality, length of growing season, and moisture supply needed to economically produce a sustained high yield of crops when it is managed properly. Prime farmland produces the highest yield with minimal energy and economic resources, and farming it results in the least disturbance of the environment. A map showing the location of the prime farmland in Bonner County titled, Prime Agricultural Land, Bonner County, Idaho, is found at the end of the Natural Resources element.

Prime farmland commonly has an adequate and dependable supply of moisture from precipitation or irrigation. It also has favorable temperature and length of growing season and an acceptable level of acidity or alkalinity. It has few if any rock fragments and is permeable to water and air. Prime farmland is not excessively eroded or saturated with water for long periods and is not flooded during the growing season. The slope is no more than six percent.

About 65,565 acres, or nearly six percent, of the soil survey area meets the soil requirements for prime farmland. This acreage is scattered throughout Bonner County, but most of it is in the southwestern and north-central portions of the county. About one-third of this prime farmland is used for crops and pasture. The balance is woodland. The main crops grown on this land are spring wheat, oats, barley, and grass-legume hay.

A trend in land use in some parts of Bonner County has been the loss of some prime farmland to urban uses. The loss of prime farmland to other uses puts pressure on marginal lands, which generally are more erodible or poorly drained, are difficult to cultivate, and are generally less productive. Residential development can also interfere with agricultural practices because new residents may object to operations such as mowing, cultivation, harvest and application of fertilizers and herbicides. Also, the development of the 5- and 10-acre “ranchettes” have contributed to Bonner County’s problems with noxious weeds because of a lack of vegetation management. Unmanaged roadside corridors serve as distribution corridors for introduced, exotic weeds that threaten economically important native species and increase production costs for farmers (Barney).

Land capability classification shows, in a general way, the suitability of soils or most kinds of field crops. The soils are grouped according to their limitations for field crops, the risk of damage if they are used for crops, and the way they respond to management. The grouping does not take into account major and generally expensive land forming that would change slope, depth, or other

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 3 - 1 characteristics of the soils, nor does it consider possible but unlikely major reclamation projects. Capability classes, the broadest groups are designate by Roman numerals I through VIII. The numerals indicate progressively greater limitation and narrower choices for practical use. The classes are defined as follows: • Class I soils have slight limitations that restrict their use. • Class II soils have moderate limitations that reduce the choice of plants or that require moderate conservation practices. • Class III soils have severe limitations that reduce the choice of plants or that require special conservation practices, or both. • Class IV soils have very severe limitations that reduce the choice of plants or that require very careful management, or both. • Class V soils are not likely to erode but have other limitations, impractical to remove, that limit their use. • Class VI soils have severe limitations that make them generally unsuitable for cultivation. • Class VII soils have very severe limitation that make them unsuitable for cultivation. • Class VIII soils and miscellaneous areas have limitation that nearly preclude their use for commercial crop production.

Capability subclasses are soil groups within one class. They are designated by adding a small letter, e, w, s, or c, to the class numeral, for example, IIe. The letter “e” shows that the main limitation is risk of erosion unless close growing vegetation is maintained; “w” shows that water in or on the soil interferes with plant growth or cultivation (in some soils the wetness can be partly corrected by artificial drainage); “s” shows that the soil is limited mainly because it is shallow, droughty, or stony; and “c,” used in only some parts of the United States, shows that the chief limitation is climate that is very cold or very dry.

The following map units (Table 3-1) meet the requirement for prime farmland when irrigated and where the slope is less than 6 percent. This list does not constitute a recommendation for a particular land use. (USDA NRCS)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 3 - 2 Table 3-1: Prime Farmland Map Units

Soil Description Characteristics Limitations Acres Percent Unit 2 Bonner gravelly Cropland IIIs Irrigated, IVs Cropland—low available 31,563 2.84 silt loam non-irrigated—Well suited to water capacity and cool soil irrigated crops but is temperatures. marginally suited to non- irrigated crops. Woodland—high content of volcanic ash and Woodland 2o—Grand fir, susceptibility of the soil to Douglas fir, ponderosa pine, compaction. western larch and lodgepole pine are the main woodland species on this unit. 9 Colburn very Cropland IIIw—This unit is Woodland—seasonal wetness 9,331 0.84 fine sandy loam suited to cultivated crops. and susceptibility of the soil Deep-rooted crops are suited to compaction. to areas where the natural drainage is adequate or where a drainage system has been installed.

Woodland 1w—Western Red Cedar, western white pine, grand fir, and Douglas fir are the main woodland species on this unit. 20 Kaniksu sandy Cropland IIIs irrigated, Ivs Cropland—Poorly suited to 11,009 0.99 loam non-irrigated—This unit is non-irrigated crops. well suited to irrigated crops. Woodland—This unit has Woodland 2s—Douglas fir, few limitations for harvesting ponderosa pine, western timber. larch, and lodgepole pine.

23 Kootenai Cropland IIIs irrigated, Ivs Cropland—Poorly suited to 7,650 0.69 gravelly silt non-irrigated—Well suited to non-irrigated crops. loam irrigated crops. Woodland—Few limitations. Woodland 3f—Douglas fir, ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, and western larch. 43 Rathdrum silt Cropland IIIc—Suited to Cropland—Cool soil 903 0.08 loam small grain. temperatures.

Woodland 1o—Western red Woodland—Susceptibility of cedar, western white pine, the soil to compaction. Grand fir, and Douglas fir. Also to limited extent are ponderosa pine, western larch and lodgepole pine.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 3 - 3 Soil Description Characteristics Limitations Acres Percent Unit 45 Rathdrum- Cropland IIIs irrigated, IVs Cropland—Cool soil 4,172 0.38 Bonner silt non-irrigated—This unit is temperatures. loams well suited to irrigated and non-irrigated small grain. Woodland—Susceptibility of the soils to compaction. Woodland 1o—Western red cedar, western white pine, grand fir, and Douglas fir on the Rathdrum soil. Grand fir, Douglas fir, ponderosa pine, western larch and lodgepole pine on the Bonner Soil. 48 Selle fine sandy Cropland IIIs—Suited to Cropland—Cool soil 5,043 0.45 loam irrigated and non-irrigated temperatures, somewhat crops. droughty conditions.

Woodland 1o—Western red Woodland—Few limitation cedar, western white pine, for harvesting of timber. grand fir, and Douglas fir. (USDA NRCS)

Section 3.2 - Non-Prime Farmland

Of the 26 Bonner County soil units identified as suitable for agriculture by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, 19 soil units are classified as “non-prime” farmland. These soils, while not “prime,” are still suited for crop production and pasture. These soil map units are identified in Table 3-2.

In addition, of the 64 Bonner County soil units identified by the NRCS soil survey, 56 are suitable for the production of commercial trees. Portions of Soil Units 5 and 14 are used for woodland production; however, the steepness of slope in some areas where these units are found prevents commercial woodland production. Slow permeability and long periods of flooding associated with Soil Units 15, 34, 41, 42, and 64 prevent commercial tree production in these soils. Soil Unit 46 contains very little soil (five percent) to support the growth of commercial trees. (USDA NCRS)

Mission silt loam, while designated a non-prime soil for crop production, can be highly productive with proper management for small fruits, vegetables, and ornamental nursery stock.

Table 3-2: Non-prime Farmland Map Units

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 3 - 4 Soil Description Characteristics Limitations Unit 4 Bonner silt loam, Cropland IVs—Poorly suited to Cropland—Cool soil temperatures and cool, 0 to 4 percent cultivated crops. a short growing season. slopes. Woodland 1o—Western hemlock, Woodland—Susceptibility to soil western red cedar, grand fir, and compaction. western white pine are the main species on this unit. 6 Cabinet silt loam, 2 Cropland IVe—Marginally suited to Cropland—Cool soil temperatures, to 12 percent slopes. small grain. wetness in spring, and hazard of water erosion. Woodland 1w—Western red cedar, grand fir, western hemlock and Woodland—Susceptibility to soil western white pine are the main compaction and seasonal wetness. species on this unit. 8 Capehorn silt loam, 0 Cropland IVw— Poorly suited to Cropland— Cool soil temperatures to 2 percent slopes. cultivated crops. and a short growing season.

Woodland 1w—Western red cedar Woodland—Susceptibility to soil and western hemlock are the main compaction and seasonal wetness. species on this unit. 10 Dufort silt loam, 5 to Cropland Vie—Poorly suited to Cropland—Cool soil temperatures, a 45 percent slopes. cultivated crops. short growing season, slope and the hazard of water erosion. Woodland—Ir—Grand fir, Douglas- fir, ponderosa pine, and lodgepole Woodland—Slope, the hazard of pine are the main woodland species on water erosion, and susceptibility of this unit. soil to compaction. 12 Elmira loamy sand, 0 Cropland IVs—Suited to irrigated Cropland—Droughtiness and the to 8 percent slopes. crops but is poorly suited to hazard of soil blowing. nonirrigated crops. Woodland—If seed trees are present, Woodland 1s—Ponderosa pine and natural tree regeneration of cutover Douglas-fir are the main woodland areas by ponderosa pine and Douglas- species on this unit. fir is adequate to produce a good stand of trees. 15 Hoodoo silt loam, 0 Cropland IVw—Suited to nonirrigated Cropland—Seasonal wetness, the to 1 percent slopes. crops. hazard of flooding in the spring, and cool soil temperatures. 25 Kootenai-Bonner Cropland IVe—Poorly suited to Cropland—If this unit is used for gravelly silt loams, 0 nonirrigated crops and is marginally irrigated crops, the main limitation are to 20 percent slopes. suited to irrigated crops. runoff, the hazard of water erosion, low available water capacity, and Woodland 3f—Douglas-fir, ponderosa slope. pine, lodgepole pine, and western larch are the main woodland species Woodland—Douglas-fir, ponderosa on this unit. pine, lodgepole pine, and western larch are the main woodland species on this unit.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 3 - 5 Soil Description Characteristics Limitations Unit 31 Mission silt loam, 0 Cropland IVs—This unit is suited to Cropland—Depth to the hardpan, to 2 percent slopes. nonirrigated small grain. restricted rooting depth, very slow permeability, and wetness. Woodland 1d—Western red cedar, western white pine, grand fir, and Woodland—Seasonal wetness and Douglas-fir are the main woodland susceptibility to compaction. species on this unit. 32 Mission silt loam, 2 Cropland IVe—This unit is suited to Cropland—Limited mainly by the to 12 percent slopes. nonirrigated crops. depth to the hard pan, restricted rooting depth, very slow permeability, Woodland 1d—Western red cedar, wetness, and the hazard of water western white pine, grand fir, and erosion. Douglas–fir are the main woodland species on this unit. Woodland—Seasonal wetness and susceptibility of the soil to compaction. 33 Mission silt loam, 12 Cropland VIe—This unit is poorly Cropland—Limited mainly by slope to 30 percent slopes. suited to cultivated crops. and the hazard of water erosion.

Woodland 1d—Western red cedar, Woodland—Limited by the hazard of western white pine, grand fir, and water erosion, seasonal wetness, and Douglas –fir are the main woodland susceptibility of the soil to species on this unit. compaction. 34 Odenson silt loam, 0 Cropland IVw—This unit is Cropland—Limited mainly by wetness to 2 percent slopes. marginally suited to cultivated crops. and cool soil temperatures. 35 Pend Oreille silt Cropland VIe—Poorly suited to Cropland—Limited mainly by cool loam, 5 to 45 percent cultivated crops. soil temperatures, a short growing slopes. season, the hazard of water erosion Woodland 1r—Western red cedar, and slope. western white pine, grand fir, and Douglas-fir are the main woodland Woodland—Slope in the steeper areas, species on this unit. the hazard of water erosion, and susceptibility of the soil to compaction. 36 Pend Oreille-Hoodoo Cropland VIe—Poorly suited to Cropland—Limited by cool soil silt loams, 0 to 30 cultivated crops. temperatures, a short growing season, percent slopes. slope, and the hazard of water erosion. Woodland 1o—Western redcedar, western white pin, grand fir, and Woodland—Limited by the hazard of Douglas-fir are the main woodland water erosion and the susceptibility of species on this unit. the soil to compaction. 41 Pywell muck, 0 to 1 Cropland IVw—This unit is suited to Cropland—Limited by seasonal percent slopes. nonirrigated small grain. wetness, the hazard of flooding in spring, cool soil temperatures, and a short growing season. 42 Pywell-Hoodoo Cropland IVw—This unit may be used Cropland—Limited by wetness, the complex, 0 to 1 for small grain crops. hazard of flooding in spring, cool soil percent slopes. temperatures, and a short growing season.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 3 - 6 Soil Description Characteristics Limitations Unit 47 Sagle silt loam, 5 to Cropland VIe—Poorly suited to Cropland—Limited by cool soil 30 percent slopes. cultivated crops. temperatures, a short growing season, slope, and the hazard of water erosion. Woodland 1w—Grand fir, Douglas- fir, ponderosa pine, western larch, and Woodland—Limited by seasonal lodgepole pine are the main woodland wetness, the hazard of water erosion, species on this unit. and susceptibility of the soil to compaction. 49 Selle-Elmira Cropland IVe—This unit is suited to Cropland—Limited by droughtiness, complex, 0 to 20 irrigated crops and is poorly suited to slope, the cool temperatures of the percent slopes. nonirrigated crops. Selle soil, and the hazard of soil blowing on the Elmira soil. Woodland 1s—Western redcedar, western white pine, grand fir, and Woodland—This unit has few Douglas-fir are the main woodland limitations for harvesting timber. species on this unit. 50 Selle-Mission Cropland I’VE—This unit is Cropland—Limited by hazard of water Complex, 0 to 12 moderately suited to nonirrigated erosion, cool soil temperatures, depth percent slopes. small grain. to the hardpan, restricted rooting depth, very slow permeability, and the Woodland 1d—Western redcedar, perched water table in the Mission western white pine, grand fir, and soil. Douglas-fir are the main woodland species on this unit. Woodland—Limited by seasonal wetness and the susceptibility of the soil to compaction. 64 Wrencoe silty clay, 0 Cropland Vw-This unit is poorly Cropland—Limited by seasonal high to 2 percent slopes. suited to cultivated crops. water table, the hazard of flooding and the clayey soil texture. (USDA NRCS)

Section 3.3 - Soil Properties

Engineering Index Properties

Table 15 of the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service Soil Survey of the Bonner County Area, Idaho, gives estimates of the engineering classification and of index properties for the major layers of contrasting properties within the upper 5 or 6 feet. Most soils have layers of contrasting properties within this depth range.

The following is a brief description of the engineering properties indicated in the table. For a detailed description please refer to the Soil Survey of the Bonner County Area, Idaho, 1982. •Depth to the upper and lower boundaries of each layer. •Texture is given in the standard terms used by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. • Classification of the soils is determined according to the unified soil classification system and the system adopted by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 3 - 7 • Rock fragments larger than 3 inches in diameter are indicated as a percentage of the total soil on a dry weight basis. • Percentage passing designated sieves is the percentage of the soil fraction less than 3 inches in diameter based on an oven-dry weight. • Liquid limit and plasticity index indicate the plasticity characteristics of a soil. (USDA NRCS)

Physical & Chemical Properties

Table 16 of the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service Soil Survey of the Bonner County Area, Idaho, shows estimates of some characteristics and features that affect soil behavior. These estimates are given for the major layers of each soil in the survey area. The estimates are based on field observations and on test data for these and similar soils.

Following is a brief description of the physical and chemical properties indicated in the table. For a detailed description, please refer to the Soil Survey of the Bonner County Area, Idaho, 1982. •Clay is the amount and kind of clay greatly affect the fertility and physical condition of the soil. • Moist bulk density data are used to compute shrink-swell potential, available water capacity, total pore space and other soil properties. • Permeability refers to the ability of a soil to transmit water or air. It is considered in the design of soil drainage systems, septic tank absorption fields, and construction where the rate of water movement under saturated conditions affects behavior. • Available water capacity refers to the quantity of water that the soil is capable of storing for use by plants. • Soil reaction is a measure of acidity or alkalinity. It is important in selecting crops and other plants, in evaluating soil amendments for fertility and stabilization, and in determining the risk of corrosion. • Shrink-swell potential is the potential for volume change in a soil with a loss or gain in moisture. • Erosion factor K indicates the susceptibility of a soil to sheet and rill erosion by water. • Erosion factor T is an estimate of the maximum average annual rate of soil erosion by wind or water that can occur without affecting crop productivity over a sustained period. • Wind erodibility groups are made up of soils that have similar properties affecting their resistance of wind erosion in cultivated areas. • Organic matter is the plant and animal residue in the soil at various stages of decomposition. (USDA NRCS)

Soil and Water Features

Table 17 of the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service Soil Survey of the Bonner County Area, Idaho, evaluates various soil and water features. Following is a brief description of the soil and water features indicated in Table 17 of the Survey. For a detailed description please refer to the Soil Survey of the Bonner County Area, Idaho, 1982.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 3 - 8 • Hydrologic soil groups are used to estimate runoff from precipitation. They are categorized in four groups, A to D. • Flooding, the temporary inundation of an area, is caused by overflowing streams, by runoff from adjacent slopes, or by tides. Water standing for short periods after rainfall or snowmelt and water in swamps and marshes are not considered flooding. • High water table (seasonal) is the highest level of a saturated zone in the soil in most years. The depth to a seasonal high water table applies to undrained soils. An apparent water table is a thick zone of free water in the soil. A perched water table is water standing above an unsaturated zone. • Depth to bedrock is given if bedrock is within a depth of 5 feet. The rock is specified as either soft or hard. • Potential frost action is the likelihood of upward or lateral expansion of the soil caused by the formation of segregated ice lenses (frost heave) and the subsequent collapse of the soil and loss of strength on thawing. • Risk of corrosion refers to potential soil-induced electrochemical or chemical action that dissolves or weakens uncoated steel or concrete. (USDA NRCS)

Sewage Disposal Characteristics

Table 12 of the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service Soil Survey of the Bonner County Area, Idaho, shows the degree and the kind of soil limitations that affect septic tank absorption fields, sewage lagoons, and sanitary landfills. The limitations are considered “slight” if soil properties and site features are generally favorable for the indicated use and limitations are minor and easily overcome; “moderate” if soil properties or site features are not favorable for the indicated use and special planning, design, or maintenance is needed to overcome or minimize the limitations; and “severe” if soil properties or site features are so unfavorable or so difficult to overcome that special design, significant increases in construction costs, and possibly increased maintenance are required. Regarding sewage disposal suitability, of the 64 soil units inventoried in the Survey, only three are rated “slight” for septic tank absorption fields. The balance of soil types are classified “severe.” For a detailed description please refer to the Soil Survey of the Bonner County Area, Idaho, 1982. (USDA NRCS)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 3 - 9 CHAPTER 4 – FISHERIES

There are around 20,000 species of fish in the world. About 58 percent of these are marine (saltwater) fish, 41 percent are freshwater fish, and one percent are both. There are approximately 100 species in Idaho, and the list keeps growing as more non-native fish are released into Idaho waters. There are only 39 species of fish native to Idaho. The rest have been introduced-some by accident, but most on purpose. (American Fisheries Society)

The diversity of habitat in North Idaho supports a wide variety of fish. Lake Pend Oreille is famous for its Gerrard rainbow (kamloops); Priest Lake has the record for giant mackinaw and Lake Coeur d’Alene is famous for cutthroat and chinook. The smaller lakes are home to Bass and all the streams and rivers abound with trout. (Idaho 2000, Official Millennium Travel Guide). Bonner County’s fishing resources provide economic, aesthetic, and recreational value to the county. The kokanee/rainbow trout fishery in Lake Pend Oreille was valued at over five million dollars annually in a mid-1980s economic analysis. Further, it provides tens of thousands of angler days annually, and provides a forage base for wintering bald eagles, which are an aesthetic amenity and tourist attraction (Idaho Fish & Game, letter of March 18, 1999).

Bonner County’s waters have produced record-sized fish. The 1947 catch of a 37-pound kamloops (trout) from Lake Pend Oreille has held a Idaho record title for more than half a century. Other record holders are: A 57½-pound mackinaw (lake trout) from Priest Lake in 1971; a 24-pound cutthroat rainbow hybrid in 1991 from Lake Pend Oreille; a 32-pound bull trout in 1949 from Lake Pend Oreille; a 6-pound, 9.5-ounce kokanee in 1975 from Priest Lake; and a 6-pound, 7-ounce large- scale sucker from Lake Pend Oreille.

Today, the health of the fisheries is in question due to many issues including water pollution, habitat, water levels, migration barriers. Many organizations are actively involved in the protecting and enhancing its fisheries including Idaho Department of Fish and Game, United States Forest Services, Avista Utilities, Idaho Wildlife Federation, Trout Unlimited, Bonner County Sportsmen, the Rock Creek Alliance, and Lake Pend Oreille Idaho Club. (Sandpoint.com)

Section 4.1 - Native Species

Westslope cutthroat trout, pygmy whitefish, mountain whitefish, northern pikeminnow, and bull trout are native Idaho species found in Bonner County. Prior to the 1940s, cutthroat trout were the most frequently caught fish in the Pend Oreille system. Accounts of good fishing, long stringers of 12- to 16-inch fish, and tributaries full of spawners were common at the turn of the century and into the early 1900s. Statewide the native wild trout have felt the effect of the human population growth over the past century. Impacts on water quality and habitat and increasing numbers of anglers have taken their toll in many areas, leading to more restrictive fishing regulations. (Idaho Fish & Game Commission)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 4 - 1 Westslope Cutthroat Trout

The Idaho State Fish, the cutthroat trout is a symbol of the pristine lakes, rivers, and streams of the West. As the name suggests, cutthroat are easily recognized by the distinct red slashes beneath their lower jaw. There are five subspecies of cutthroat trout in Idaho: westslope, Yellowstone, Bonneville, Bear Lake, and Snake River finespotted. (American Fisheries Society)

Habitat Cuttthroat require cold water, clean gravel, diverse stream habitat and ample cover making them sensitive to habitat changes. Since the cutthroat have evolved in fairly unproductive environments, they have developed the unique adaptation of being exceptionally aggressive and opportunistic feeders–a characteristic that makes them very popular with anglers. (American Fisheries Society)

State of Population The westslope cutthroat was historically the most abundant native salmonid in Lake Pend Oreille. The trout fishery has declined more dramatically than any other Lake Pend Oreille fishery. It is now very reduced and is listed as an “Idaho Specie of Special Concern.” (Idaho Fish & Game; www2.state.id.us)

Management Cabinet Gorge Fish Hatchery is raising westslope cutthroat. The hatchery was co-funded by Avista Corp., Bonneville Power Administration, and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. (Idaho Fish & Game; ww2.state.id.us)

Bull Trout

Bull trout are Idaho’s only native species of char, a sub-group of the trout and salmon family that is distinguished by light-colored spots and fall spawning. It is the only species native to Lake Pend Oreille and the Clark Fork River drainage. Bull trout are widely distributed in Idaho. They have populations which migrate long distances and others which remain in headwater streams their entire lives. (American Fisheries Society)

Habitat Bull trout are secretive fish that require extensive cover in the form of pools, streamside vegetation and log jams. In addition, they require very cold water. Because of their particular habitat requirements, bull trout are extremely sensitive to habitat degradation. (American Fisheries Society)

State of Population Historically Lake Pend Oreille may have supported up to 10,000 or more adult bull trout, although a lack of data precludes making a reliable estimate of the actual number. Bull trout use of Pend Oreille and Clark Fork tributaries for spawning and rearing has declined. Today, Trestle Creek is the single most important bull trout spawning tributary for bull trout from Lake Pend Oreille (and supports more spawning bull trout than any other stream known in the U.S. or ). (Panhandle Bull Trout Technical Advisory Team)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 4 - 2 Streams in which bull trout were documented to be present historically, but are now absent, include Morris Creek (Lightning Creek tributary), Mosquito Creek (Clark Fork tributary), Cedar Creek, Trout Creek (Pack River tributary), Rapid Lightning Creek (Pack River tributary), and Berry Creek. Overall it is estimated that less than 10 percent of the historic range of bull trout in the Clark Fork/Lake Pend Oreille system is accessible to bull trout as a result of dam construction. (Panhandle Bull Trout Technical Advisory Team)

The Panhandle Bull Trout Problem Assessment and Conservation Plan identifies urban encroachment as the single greatest threat to Trestle Creek, the prime bull trout spawning tributary (Idaho Fish & Game, letter of March 18, 1999). Dam building and water diversions have isolated many populations. Past road building, agriculture, forestry, grazing, mining, stocking of exotic species and over-harvest have all contributed to habitat degradation and population declines (Panhandle Bull Trout Problem Assessment and Conservation Plan). Non-native species, such as lake trout and brook trout threaten bull trout through predation, competition, and hybridization.

Migratory fish in the Pend Oreille basin could access and potentially exchange genetic material with other stocks residing in the Clark Fork River, Pend Oreille River, Priest River and Lake, and probably Flathead River and Lake. (Panhandle Bull Trout Technical Advisory Team)

Management The Idaho Fish & Game has established several protective limitations: bull trout must be released if caught; tributaries to Upper Priest Lake and The Thoroughfare are closed to fishing; fishing in Upper Priest Lake is “catch and release;” and there are restrictions on cutthroat trout fishing in tributaries to Lower Priest Lake. (Rothrock and Mosier)

Because of the depressed and declining status of bull trout, they are listed as an endangered species under the Federal Endangered Species Act (American Fisheries Society). In July 1995, Idaho Governor Phil Batt issued an official plan to restore the bull trout in Idaho water (Panhandle Bull Trout Technical Advisory Team). Primarily, the legislation (IC 39-3601(95) provides the mechanism to make protection and restoration happen. This legislation focuses on watersheds at the level where water quality problems are best identified and corrected through “watershed advisory groups” (WAGs). In addition, the Basin and Watershed Advisory Groups established through this law provide for public involvement, ensuring that bull trout watershed management plans are locally developed. (Panhandle Bull Trout Problem Assessment and Conservation Plan)

Mountain Whitefish

Mountain whitefish are native to lakes and streams of western North America including Idaho. Adults are typically 10-16 inches in length and spawn in the fall or early winter. These fish have been an important food fish for humans and provide a variety of angling opportunities ranging from dry fly to spin fishing. (American Fisheries Society)

Habitat Mountain whitefish spend much of their time near the bottom of streams and feed mainly on aquatic insect larvae. (American Fisheries Society)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 4 - 3 State of Population Information not available.

Management Information not available.

Pygmy Whitefish

Adult pygmy whitefish reach maximum sizes of about 10 inches and spawn in late fall or early winter. Although these small whitefish are not highly sought after for food or as sport fish, they provide an important source of food for other fish such as bull, rainbow, brown, and lake trout in Idaho. (American Fisheries Society)

Habitat The pygmy whitefish has a disjunctive distribution across the U.S. and Canada. They can be found in Lake Superior in the central U.S. and Canada, and in river systems in Alaska, Montana, Idaho, and Washington. Primary foods of pygmy whitefish are crustaceans and aquatic insect larvae. (American Fisheries Society)

State of Population Information not available.

Management Information not available.

Northern pikeminnow

The northern pikeminnow is native to the pacific slope of western North America from Oregon north to British Columbia. (American Fisheries Society)

Habitat In Idaho, the species is found in lakes and streams of the Snake River below Shoshone Falls, and the Spokane, Pend Oreille, and Kootenai River systems. It prefers lakes and slow moving portions of streams. They spawn in late spring/early summer in shallow water over a gravelly bottom in streams, but will spawn along lake shores. Eggs apparently are randomly deposited over gravel beds. Females produce from 12,000 to 100,000 eggs, depending on size. Size of mature fish usually varies from 2 to 5 pounds, but they have been reported to 29 pounds and 25 inches in length. Juveniles feed on a variety of aquatic invertebrates, but fish are the favored prey of larger fish. In addition to young salmon and trout, pikeminnows also feed on sculpins, other minnows, and suckers. (American Fisheries Society)

State of Population Northern pikeminnow are native to the system. Development of the hydrosystems has made young salmon more vulnerable to predators, including the pikeminnow, and increasing

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 4 - 4 populations of the latter species. (2002 Northern Pikeminnow Sports Reward Fishery; www.pikeminnow.org)

Management They are considered serious predators of game fish and much effort has been expended in attempts to eradicate them. Northern pikeminnow eat millions of young salmon and steelhead in the Columbia and Snake rivers each year. Researchers believe reducing the number of these predators can greatly help the salmon and steelhead. (American Fisheries Society)

Section 4.2 - Introduced Species

Introduction of exotics has played both a positive and negative role in shaping the fisheries of the Pend Oreille drainage. Lake Superior whitefish were introduced to Pend Oreille in 1889. Eastern brook trout were widely distributed in the early 1900s and were successful in competing with native cutthroat and eventually replacing them in some watersheds. Lake trout were introduced into Priest and Pend Oreille Lakes in the 1920s, but provided little in the way of a sport fish in either system during the first half of the century. (American Fisheries Society)

Brown trout

Brown trout are aggressive piscivores that can grow to large sizes–the record in Idaho is 26 pounds, 6 ounces. (American Fisheries Society)

Habitat Brown trout are native to Europe and western Asia. They were introduced to North America as a sportfish in the mid 1800s. Brown trout spawn in mid to late fall in rivers and streams, and spend their adult years in habitats ranging from small streams to large lakes. Anadromous populations have developed in many parts of the world. Brown trout are more tolerant of warm water temperatures than Idaho’s native trout species. (American Fisheries Society) Cocolalla Creek provides spawning habitat for brown trout. (Idaho Fish & Game; ww2.state.id.us)

State of Population Brown trout is an “Exotic Specie” as defined by Idaho Fish & Game Department. “Exotic,” “alien,” “introduced,” “nonindigenous,” and “nonnative” are all synonyms for species that humans intentionally or unintentionally introduce into an area outside a species’ natural range. (Idaho Fish & Game; www2.state.id.us)

Management Information not available.

Rainbow trout

Known for an aggressive fight and excellent taste, rainbow trout are one of the most popular sport fishes in North America. Coloration varies with size and habitat, but rainbows usually have a pink or reddish band along their sides and white tipped fins. The anadromous form of the rainbow trout

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 4 - 5 is known as the steelhead. (American Fisheries Society)

Habitat Rainbow trout are native to the Pacific coastal states and provinces of North America, and to much of the west of the continental divide. Rainbow trout are an adaptable species that has been widely transplanted and is now found in lakes, large rivers, and small streams throughout the world.

State of Population Rainbow trout have been very successfully domesticated and are widely utilized by fishery management agencies to supplement sport fisheries. They are also an important commercial aquaculture species in Idaho. (American Fisheries Society)

Management Rainbow trout are predators of kokanee salmon. As of October 2002, Idaho State Fish and Game is encouraging Lake Pend Oreille anglers to donate rainbow and lake trout to the Bonner County Food Bank if they do not wish to keep fish for their own consumption. For the last two years, the State has encouraged increased predator harvest of rainbow and lake trout to improve kokanee survival.

Arctic grayling

Habitat Arctic grayling are found around the earth at arctic latitudes. They are not native to Idaho, but have been introduced to provide fishing opportunities in some alpine lakes. Graylings spawn in the spring with adults typically reaching 10 to 15 inches in length and live as long as 11 to 12 years. They have sail-like, colorful dorsal fins and are well noted for their eagerness to fly out of the water. (American Fisheries Society) The Arctic grayling is considered an “Exotic Specie.” “Exotic,” “alien,” “introduced,” “nonindigenous,” “nonnative” are all synonyms for species that humans intentionally or unintentionally introduced into an area outside a species’ natural range. (Idaho Fish & Game; www2.state.id.us)

State of Population Information not available.

Management Information not available.

Kokanee

Kokanee salmon are abundant in this region, providing game fishing and also nourishment for the larger trophy species, including mackinaw (lake trout) and rainbow. (State of Idaho, Fish and Game Web site)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 4 - 6 Habitat The kokanee’s life cycle mimics the ocean-going sockeye salmon, but on a smaller scale. Kokanee spend their entire life in fresh water, and once they reach their home waters, they spawn and die. As they follow the urge to return to their natal waters, their bodies turn a remarkable crimson red and they develop a hooked jaw. The males will fight each other for the possibility to spawn with a female. The male fish congregate around the female fish as they build redds, or nests, in clean gravels to nurture and protect the fertilized eggs.

State of Population In 2001, for the first time in history, wild kokanee spawning dropped below the hatchery egg take. Poor fry production in 2002 will mean few adult fish for spawning in 2005 and 2006. The survival rate between age one and age two last fall was only 20 percent (predators are eating 80 percent). There is no indication that enough lake trout and rainbow have been harvested to prevent a kokanee collapse. (State of Idaho, Fish and Game Web site)

Management Critical management of the kokanee resource continues. Harvest of lake trout and rainbow by anglers is critical to the survival of the kokanee. Kokanee fishing remains closed due to a severely depressed population in Lake Pend Oreille. Water levels in Lake Pend Oreille have been changed in an effort to produce more spawning areas for kokanee. During the last five winters, water level adjustments suggest that there is a strong trend for kokanee survival to improve during winters when the level was raised. (State of Idaho, Fish and Game Web site)

Lake Trout (Mackinaw)

Lake trout are another introduced member of the char group. They are similar to bull trout in that they are aggressive piscivores that can grow to large sizes. The record in Idaho is 57 ½ pounds. Lake trout are slow growing, long-lived species that may not mature for 10 years, and can live more than 30 years. (American Fisheries Society)

Habitat Unlike most trout and char in Idaho, which require streams and rivers for spawning and early rearing, lake trout generally carry out their entire life cycle in a lake. For this reason, they have successfully been able to out compete native species such as cutthroat and bull trout, which have limited habitat to utilize. (American Fisheries Society) Lake trout prefer the cold, clear, deeper areas of lakes, and use the shallow shorelines only when the water is cold.

State of Population The limit on lake trout in Priest Lake is 6 per day. Upper Priest Lake is also open for lake trout harvest in 2002.

Management Harvest of lake trout is still a priority at Lake Pend Oreille in order to help reduce predation on a dwindling kokanee population (Idaho Fish & Game; www2.state.id.us)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 4 - 7 Mysis relicta (shrimp)

The introduction of Mysis relicta, the aposteme shrimp, to Priest and Pend Oreille lakes in the 1960s changed the fisheries of each lake. Mysis were introduced in an effort to enhance food for kokanee. Mysis also provided an excellent food source for lake trout, causing increased productivity and a population explosion. (Panhandle Bull Trout Technical Advisory Team)

Habitat Information not available.

State of Population The mysis shrimp population in Lake Pend Oreille has been monitored for many years. Shrimp densities have declined 37% between 1995 and 2002. 2002 findings indicate that the decline is continuing at a rather steady pace. (Lake Pend Oreille Quarterly Report, July, August, September 2002)

Management A reduction in the number of shrimp is considered by biologists to be a good thing, since they eat zooplankton, an important food for the lake’s declining kokanee population. (Lake Pend Oreille Quarterly Report, July, August, September 2002)

Section 4.2 - Stream Segments/Shorelines (Spawning, hatching, rearing)

Impacts to fisheries from development are typically associated with modifications to floodplains, riparian areas, and stream banks, which in turn affect stream channel stability, shade, cover and other features which create fish habitat (Thurow 1988, Liknes and Graham 1988, Rieman and Apperson 1989). Improperly placed stream crossings can block the migration of fish to spawning habitat (Rieman and Apperson 1989). Conversion of wooded lake shores to lawns, beaches, and home sites reduces the availability of food and cover, and increases the transport of nutrients and other pollutants to lakes (Soltero and Hall 1985, Montgomery Watson Engineers 1993). Bonner County supports a wide variety of sought after game fish species, with world record bull trout and rainbow trout coming from Bonner County waters. Native westslope cutthroat and bull trout are popular species with anglers, occupy stream and lake habitats, and are sensitive to habitat disturbance. Both species have declined considerably throughout their range, with bull trout currently being considered for listing under the federal Endangered Species Act. Construction of roads and development of stream sides for commercial and residential purposes have been implicated in the decline of some spawning stocks of these species (Rieman and Apperson 1989, Liknes and Graham 1988, Rieman and McIntyre 1993 and 1996).

Lake Pend Oreille

Spawning and rearing occur in the following Lake Pend Oreille tributaries: Upper Pack River; South fork of Grouse Creek; Trestle Creek; confluence of Lightning Creek and Rattle Creek; confluence of Porcupine Creek and Lightning Creek; East Fork Creek; Char Creek; Savage Creek, near confluence of Twin Creek and Clark Fork; Granite Creek; West Gold Creek; and North Gold Creek.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 4 - 8 The importance of Trestle Creek, northwest of Hope, to the bull trout cannot be overstated (Idaho Fish & Game letter). Trestle Creek is the single most important spawning tributary for bull trout in the Lake Pend Oreille ecosystem and supports the highest density of spawning bull trout of any stream currently known in the United States or Canada. In 1998, more than 1,000 adult bull trout were estimated to be spawning in Trestle Creek, making it one of the largest runs of bull trout. Juvenile bull trout rear in Trestle Creek before migrating to Lake Pend Oreille. Trestle Creek also supports native westslope cutthroat trout and spawning kokanee salmon.

Rearing occurs in the following Lake Pend Oreille tributaries: Pack River; North Fork Grouse Creek; South Fork Grouse Creek; and Lightning Creek.

Migratory routes include: Pack River; Clark Fork River; Lower Grouse Creek; and Lower Lightning Creek. (Panhandle Bull Trout Technical Advisory Team)

Upper and Lower Priest Lake

Spawning and rearing occur in Upper Priest River and its tributaries, and tributaries to Priest and Upper Priest Lakes. These tributaries provide valuable fish spawning and rearing habitat. In addition, Granite Creek, South Fork Granite Creek, Lion Creek, Two Mouth Creek, and Indian Creek are all significant tributaries for fish spawning and rearing. Only the Middle and North Forks of the East River, and Moores Creek are designated as protected areas for resident fisheries and wildlife. The Priest River contains only limited populations of wild trout due to low stream discharges and elevated water temperatures. (Idaho Water Resource Board, 1995)

Section 4.3 - Game Species

Game fish species that are present in Lake Pend Oreille and its tributaries include lake (mackinaw), brown, brook, rainbow, and bull trout, large and smallmouth bass, yellow perch, , lake superior whitefish, pumpkinseed sunfish, black crappie, , channel catfish, sunfish, and brown bullhead. (Bonneville Power Administration)

Game fish species in Priest Lake include westslope cutthroat trout, largemouth bass, yellow perch, mountain whitefish, northern pikeminnow, and bull trout.

Section 4.4 - Non-Game Species

Nongame fish species include redside shiner, largescale suckers, longnose dace, northern squawfish, peamouth, tench, and sculpin. (Bonneville Power Administration)

Section 4.5 - Sensitive Species

Candidate: None Rare: None Threatened: Bull trout Endangered: Bull trout Species of Concern: Westslope cutthroat trout, bull trout

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 4 - 9 In 1949 and 1950 bull trout eggs were collected from tributaries to the lower Clark Fork River in Montana. IDFG raised a portion of these eggs in hatcheries at Clark Fork and McCall. In 1952, approximately 9,700 juvenile fish were released into Spring Creek and the lower Clark Fork River in Idaho as a result of the program. Spring Creek does not currently support bull trout, and the introduction does not appear to have been successful.

An introduction of hatchery reared bull trout from Alaska was made in some tributaries to Lake Pend Oreille in 1966, but this introduction was not believed to be successful. In 1991, a limited number of bull trout from the lower Clark Fork River and Gold Creek were artificially spawned. These fish were released in 1993. Currently, hatchery-reared bull trout are not stocked in the Pend Oreille drainage. (Panhandle Bull Trout Technical Advisory Team)

Threats to the Bull Trout Population in Lake Pend Oreille

Limiting factors for bull trout can result from either human activities or natural events, acting separately or cumulatively. This section represents a background discussion of activities and events which can contribute to threats to bull trout.

• Timber harvests and associated activities such as road construction and skidding can affect the amount, form and function of woody debris, the composition of substrate, and the stability and forms of channels. • Roads and railroads in the Pend Oreille basin have been constructed to provide for timber harvests, mining, recreation, and as infrastructure for urban development, travel, and commerce. Roads built within stream riparian areas typically result in reduced stream shading and reduced potential for large woody debris recruitment. Roads and railroad crossings over streams have resulted in formation of fish migration barriers in the basin. Stream crossings result in the constriction of flows in the streams. Roads adjacent to or crossing streams increase the risk of toxic materials entering streams and causing fish kills through accidental or illegal spills. • Livestock grazing affects and reduces the vegetation adjacent to the stream, thereby reducing cover and shade, and weakening stream banks. This results in bank stability being lost, bank retreat, bank erosion, and sediment delivery to the stream. • Mining in the Lake Pend Oreille watershed has produced effluent from closed or abandoned mines. Tailing dams and waste rock dumps from mines in the Gold Creek drainage have created barriers for bull trout. • Two hydroelectric dams are present in the Lake Pend Oreille Key Watershed. Other dams in the Clark Fork watershed influence flows and other aspects of water flowing into Idaho from Montana. Impact to the bull trout include blockage of migration corridors and habitat modification. • Expanding urban development has had an impact on the bull trout. Residential development adjacent to streams alters flow patterns and floodplain functions and increases sedimentation. Urbanization causes septic tanks, drain fields, and stormwater runoff, impermeable surfaces, and stream alterations. These impacts all affect the bull trout habitat. • Wildfire control has caused a shift in forest species composition and stocking levels, predisposing forest to large scale mortality. Drought conditions can further dispose the

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 4 - 10 forests to increased wildfire incidence and intensity, resulting in significant negative impacts on water quality and fish habitat. • Illegal harvesting and fishing mortality affect the survival of the bull trout. Bull trout spawners are particularly vulnerable to poaching because they often enter small tributary streams several months prior to spawning and congregate in pools. The Pack River and Lightning creek watersheds’ provide easy access by roads to prime spawning areas. Poachers harvest an average of 22 bull trout per week, with additional fish believed to be mortally injured by snagging or other gear. Existing information indicates that poaching appears to be a serious threat where spawning populations are limited by available habitat or other factors. • Disease has not been identified as a significant factor in the decline of native bull trout. Research conducted at the University of California at Davis indicates bull trout are resistant to whirling disease. Interactions with introduced non-native fishes through competition, predation, and hybridization have decreased the likelihood that some bull trout populations will persist. Introduced brown trout and rainbow trout have been associated with the decline of bull trout populations in other watersheds. However, bull trout and rainbow trout are found together in many Lake Pend Oreille tributary stream reaches, and have co-existed in the lake since rainbows were introduced in 1919. The expansion of lake trout populations is believed to have severely depressed bull trout in Priest Lake. Replacement of bull trout by lake trout has occurred in other lakes where lake trout have been introduced. • Supplementation of wild bull trout stocks with hatchery bull trout may be harmful by altering or reducing genetic diversity. The release of artificially reared progeny may reduce the effective population size of local populations because of the greater reproductive success of those adults used to provide hatchery progeny. (Panhandle Bull Trout Technical Advisory Team)

Bull and Westslope Cutthroat Trout Streams

The bull trout was designated as “threatened” on June 10, 1998, under the Federal Endangered Species Act. Westslope cutthroat trout are the official Idaho State Fish, are designated a Species of Special Concern by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, and a Sensitive Species by the U.S. Forest Service. Both species require high quality habitat, including clean water, pools, spawning gravels relatively free of fines, stable stream beds, healthy riparian zones and floodplains, and free access to migrate to spawning areas (Rieman and Apperson 1989).

Potential Impacts

• Water quality degradation. • Loss of important habitat features, incubating eggs, and juveniles due to loss of stream channel stability. • Loss of spawning habitat and reproduction to presence of migration barriers.

Suggested Mitigation

• Restrict development in westslope cutthroat and bull trout stream corridors.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 4 - 11 • Maintain large trees along streams and floodways to provide recruitment of large woody debris to provide channel stability and cover for fish, maintain stream bank and floodplain stability, and provide shade to keep stream temperatures cool. • Buffer streams and floodplains from roads, livestock, and residential or commercial development to protect stream habitat and developments from flood damage, and limit entry of nutrients, sediment and other pollutants to waterways. At a bare minimum, adopt BMP’s from the Idaho Forest Practices Act (FPA) for stream protection zones pertaining to ground disturbance, road placement, and retention of trees. Idaho Fish & Game recommends adopting Forest Service guidelines from the Inland Native Fish Strategy (INFISH) as INFISH provides greater protection for these species. • Ensure that all stream crossings on County roads and roads associated with new developments are large enough to pass high flow events (Idaho Fish & Game recommends design for 100-year events and designs which allow movement of water through floodplains) and provide for fish passage in fish bearing streams. Consider requiring consultation with a hydrologist in steep terrain or in important tributary watersheds. • Enforce stormwater regulations.

Subwatersheds Descriptions/Threats/Actions

Table 4-1 represents prioritized threats and their contributions to limiting bull trout populations in the Lake Pend Oreille Key Watershed. The first number indicated the priority of the threat, and the number in parenthesis indicates what percent each threat is contributing to suppress the bull trout population. The high restoration priority of watersheds have been ranked in order of probability of persistence (100 year) based upon redd count data. Lightning Creek and all its tributaries were evaluated as one watershed when assessing probability of persistence. In addition, probability of persistence was also evaluated independently for each tributary within the entire Lightning Creek Watershed.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 4 - 12 Table 4-1: Prioritization Chart of Threats to Bull Trout

Watershed Priority for Habitat/ Potential to Threats name and Restoration/ Watershed increase rank based on Protection Condition bull trout highest numbers probability of Timber Roads Agriculture Mining Dams and Urbanizati Catastrop Fishing Exotic Other bull trout Harvest Diversions on/Recrea hic fire Mortality Species presence tion Lake Pend High - High - - - - 2 (23) 4 (10) - 3 (22) 1 (45) - Oreille 1 Trestle Creek High Good Low 5 (9) 3 (12) - - 3 (12) 1 (55) - 2 (14) - - 2 Gold Creek 3 High Fair Low 4 (5) 2 (12) - 1 (70) 6 (1) 6 (1) 6 (1) 5 (4) - 3 (6) powerline North Gold High Good Low 2 (20) 4 (2) - - 4 (2) 1 (60) 4 (2) 3 (13) - - Creek 4 Granite Creek High Fair Med 2 (20) 2 (20) - - 7 (2) 1 (43) - 4 (8) 5 (4) 6 (3) kok 5 trap EF Lightning High Poor High 2 (38) 1 (40) - - - - - 3 (17) 4 (5) - Creek 6-1 Char Cr. 6-2 High Poor High 2 (28) 1 (55) - - - - - 3 (17) - - Wellington High Fair High 2 (25) 1 (60) - - - - - 3 (10) 4 (5) - Creek 6-3 Rattle Cr. 6-4 High Fair High 2 (20) 1 (70) - - - - - 3 (10) - - Lightning High Poor High 2 (25) 1 (55) - - - 5 (1) - 3 (14) 4 (5) - Creek 6-5 Porcupine High Poor High 3 (15) 1 (40) - - - - - 4 (10) 1(40) - Creek 6-6 Savage Cr. 6- High Poor High 2 (27) 1 (53) - - - - - 4 (5) 4 (5) - 7 Grouse Cr. 7 High Poor High 1 (31) 3 (14) 4 (13) - 7 (2) 2 (24) - 6 (5) 5 (11) - Johnson High Fair Med 2 (30) 1 (45) - - 3 (13) - - 4 (10) 5 (2) - Creek 8 Pack River 9 High Poor High 3 (12) 2 (18) 3 (12) - - 1 (22) 3 (12) 3 (12) 3 (12) -

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 4 - 13 Watershed Priority for Habitat/ Potential to Threats name and Restoration/ Watershed increase rank based on Protection Condition bull trout highest numbers probability of Timber Roads Agriculture Mining Dams and Urbanizati Catastrop Fishing Exotic Other bull trout Harvest Diversions on/Recrea hic fire Mortality Species presence tion Twin Creek High Poor Med 4 (10) 2 (15) 1 (50) - - - - 4 (10) 2 (15) - 10 Clark Fork 11 High Poor High 5 (1) 5 (1) - - 1 (91) 2 (2) - 2 (2) 2 (2) - Strong Creek High Good High 3 (10) 4 (5) - - 1 (65) 2 (20) - - - - 12 WF Blue Cr. Medium Good ? 3 (1) - - - 1 (95) - 3 (1) - 2(3) - Rapid Medium Poor ? 4 (10) 2 (23) 5 (7) - - 1 (43) - - 3 (17) - Lightning Creek Spring Creek Medium Fair ? 6 (5) 1 (35) - - 2 (20) 5 (10) - - 3 (15) 3 (15) Hell Roaring Medium Poor ? 4(8) 3 (15) - - 1 (42) 2 (30) - - 5(5) - Creek McCormick Medium Poor ? 3 (17) 2 (20) - - - - 1 (60) - - 4 (3) Creek

Fishing mortality includes bull trout killed through illegal harvest and through catch and release practices. (Panhandle Bull Trout Technical Advisory)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 4 - 14 Table 4-2 provides some Panhandle Bull Trout Technical Advisory Team recommended actions that provide guidance for goals and implementation policies for Bonner County regarding the protection of the bull trout. The recommended actions are those in which Bonner County has the jurisdiction to be involved, implement, or enforce.

Table 4-2: Bull Trout Recommended Actions

Lake, River, or Action Stream Char Creek Be involved in a watershed recovery plan for the drainage. Incorporate any shade standards in regulations regarding private property. Clark Fork River Work with landowners and others to provide means for maintaining riparian vegetation for bank stability.

East Fork Incorporate any shade standards in regulations regarding private property. Lightning Creek Granite Work with Bonner County to restrict floodplain development to prevent Creek/Sullivan further loss of floodplain function. Springs Grouse Creek Solicit cooperation from private landowners to assess and upgrade vehicle crossings on private land. Pursue land acquisition and/or conservation easements to prevent further flood plain damage. Encourage Bonner County to adopt and enforce zoning regulations which will prevent or discourage floodplain development or damage. Work with county road maintenance people, land managers, and private landowners to avoid road construction or repair work which will result in increased peak flows, stream channel alterations, fish migration barriers, or sediment delivery. Incorporate any shade standards in regulations regarding private property. Johnson Creek Conduct regular county road maintenance along the creek to prevent failures, and seek methods to mitigate loss of large woody debris to the stream channel. Incorporate any shade standards in regulations regarding private property. Lightning Creek Avoid construction of new roads, particularly on unstable soils or within Main stem stream floodplains. County roads in good shape need to be maintained on a regular schedule. Any new obliteration work needs to be stabilized and return roads to natural hillslope contours. Size bridges to allow for adequate movement of water and in channel bedload. Incorporate any shade standards in regulations regarding private property. North Gold Creek Develop shade standards for Gold Creek.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 4 - 15 Lake, River, or Action Stream Pack River Encourage Bonner County to adopt and enforce zoning regulations which Main stem will prevent or discourage floodplain development or damage. Incorporate any shade standards in regulations regarding private property. Porcupine Creek Be involved in a watershed recovery plan for the drainage. Incorporate any shade standards in regulations regarding private property. Rattle Creek Be involved in a watershed recovery plan for the drainage. Incorporate any shade standards in regulations regarding private property. Savage Creek Avoid new road construction due to unstable slopes. Incorporate any shade standards in regulations regarding private property. South Gold Creek Work to educate riparian land owners about the benefits of maintaining or restoring riparian habitat. Raise awareness of detrimental effects from building in the stream flood plain. Pursue land acquisition and/or conservation easement of riparian areas. Incorporate any shade standards in regulations regarding private property. Strong Creek Promote information and education for private land owners on stream enhancement and stewardship activities. Incorporate any shade standards in regulations regarding private property. Trestle Creek Solicit cooperation from private landowners to assess and upgrade vehicle crossings on private land. Work with Bonner County to adopt and enforce zoning regulations, which will prevent or discourage floodplain development or damage. Work with Bonner County and USFS to maintain and improve both county and forest system roads in Trestle Creek. Actively pursue land acquisition and/or conservation easement opportunities with private land owners to secure and/or prevent further damage to the Trestle Creek floodplain. Develop incentives and/or provide opportunities for education to encourage riparian zone land owners to learn more about the importance of maintaining stream banks and riparian areas for bull trout. Incorporate any shade standards in regulations regarding private property. Twin Creek It may be necessary to modify the crossing to allow stream restoration. Incorporate any shade standards in regulations regarding private property. Wellington Creek Incorporate any shade standards in regulations regarding private property. (Panhandle Bull Trout Technical Advisory Team)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 4 - 16 Section 4.6 - Hatcheries

Sandpoint

The Sandpoint Hatchery is located in Bonner County on the south shoreline of the Pend Oreille River about two miles south of the town of Sandpoint. Although the hatchery was closed in 1985, it was reopened in 1990 in response to public demand in the Panhandle Region. Public relations with local sportsmen’s groups (Bonner County Sportsmen’s Association, Trout Unlimited, and Lake Pend Oreille Idaho Club) is a major benefit of the station. Duties include managing a small-scale specialty station rearing rainbow trout, Westslope cutthroat trout, chinook salmon, kokanee salmon, and Kootenai white sturgeon, managing a net pen rearing program, and operating or helping in North Idaho egg-taking programs. (State of Idaho, Fish and Game Web site)

Cabinet Gorge

Cabinet Gorge hatchery is located near the town of Clark Fork. The Cabinet Gorge Hatchery is primarily a kokanee fry production station with capacity to rear 15 million two-inch long fry. These fish are to help mitigate the construction of the Albeni Falls Dam that raises the lake level of Lake Pend Oreille and the Cabinet Gorge dam that backs up Noxon Reservoir into Montana. During 1997, Cabinet Gorge released 3,746,571 kokanee fry. The kokanee fry release is timed to coincide with the altered cycles of zooplankton blooms in the lake caused by Mysis sp. shrimp. (State of Idaho, Fish and Game Web site)

Cabinet Gorge Hatchery is recognized by the surrounding communities as the major contributor of kokanee to the Lake Pend Oreille fishery. The importance of this lake fishery to the local economy is presently estimated at over five million dollars. With the decline of kokanee numbers in recent years, increasing attention is placed on the hatchery.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 4 - 17 CHAPTER 5 - WILDLIFE

Section 5.1 - General Overview

The varied vegetation and topography of Bonner County offer diverse habitat for a wide variety of wildlife. The plentiful waters provided by the County’s rivers, lakes, and streams are wintering and breeding grounds for hundreds of bald eagles and ospreys and thousands of waterfowl. Forested foothills and mountains and the broad grass valleys provide habitat for moose, bear, elk, and deer and countless species of song birds, fur-bearing mammals, predators, and non-game animals. Wildlife is an important resource to Bonner County in terms of aesthetic values, economics, and recreation.

Due to the rich diversity of the wildlife species in Bonner County, it is not practical to enumerate and address most of the species individually. This chapter provides a broad overview of the general nature of the wildlife populations in Bonner County and identifies the key big-game and sensitive species and critical wildlife habitats. The potential impacts of human activities on wildlife food sources, cover, and range are also addressed.

Estimates of wildlife numbers in Bonner County are also very difficult to measure due to terrain, movement of wildlife over state and county lines, changing population influences, etc. Numbers provided here for game animal are gross estimates only.

Section 5.2 - Waterfowl

Bonner County’s wealth of waterways and wetlands provides important breeding, nesting, and migratory waterfowl habitat. The Pend Oreille system may hold up to 25 percent of the total redhead duck population in the Pacific Flyway (Alaska to Mexico) during the winter. Nearly 60,000 waterfowl were counted in early January of 2000 wintering along the river system from the Montana border on the Clark Fork River to the Washington border on the Pend Oreille River. (Breeding and migration waterfowl counts differ markedly from mid-winter numbers. However, those particular estimates of waterfowl population are not available.) American coots numbered 30,100 in the January 2000 count. Coots are important because they are frequent prey for wintering bald eagles. Redhead and lesser scaup represent the greatest number of ducks on the Pend Oreille system in the winter. Lesser scaup are a recent concern due to a long-term, continent-wide population decline. Table 5-1 shows the Idaho Fish & Game mid-winter waterfowl counts for 21 years on the Clark Fork/Pend Oreille River course. (Cole, 2000)

Table 5-1: Mid-winter Waterfowl Counts on Clark Fork/Pend Oreille River System

Year Ducks Canada Geese Tundra Swans American Coots 1978 9,780 300 107 D 1979 Information not available 1980 9,262 1,208 24 D 1981 13,090 585 88 D

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 1 Year Ducks Canada Geese Tundra Swans American Coots 1982 17,602 1,638 183 D 1983 27,015 634 94 D 1984 17,660 1,052 148 D 1985 23,817 552 70 D 1986 Information not available 1987 28,422 2,381 217 D 1988 18,454 1,333 30 D 1989 32,188 1,239 170 D 1990 26,289 1,278 192 D 1991 14,408 248 34 D 1992 6,413 1,397 91 D 1993 5,959 201 91 D 1994 15,657 2,076 207 D 1995 40,047 766 140 12,660 1996 19,505 1,092 137 23,485 1997 20,932 201 130 13,350 1998 9,690 310 73 10,885 1999 30,787 635 98 19,040 2000 25,161 2,700 194 30,100

D = Data not available.

Tundra Swans Lake Pend Oreille and the Pend Oreille River provide stopovers for the graceful, long-necked tundra swan. These birds visit the area in the spring on their migration to nesting areas on the tundra far to the north and make a return stop in the fall. A few may even winter in the area and can be viewed in the Pack River delta area, the Clark Fork delta, near the Sandpoint Long Bridge, and various spots along the Pend Oreille River. (USDA, 1989)

Grebes All five members of the grebe family can be seen on Lake Pend Oreille: the western, red-necked, horned, eared, and pied-billed. Large flocks of the western grebes can be seen on the lake during the spring. Others are typically found in pairs or groups throughout the lake area searching for fish prey. A nesting colony of western grebes are known to live in the Denton Slough area from May through July. (USDA, 1989)

Loons The loon, known for its distinctive night call, is known to populate the Lake Pend Oreille area during the spring, summer, and fall. These birds are becoming more of a concern because their

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 2 nesting habitat in the West is becoming limited. Loons can be easily disturbed during the nesting period. The most abundant loon on the lake is the common loon, while others are known to visit the area occasionally. Loons can be seen in places such as Bottle Bay and the Clark Fork Delta during the spring. (USDA, 1989)

Section 5.3 - Big Game

Deer

White-tailed Deer The white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus, is the most widespread deer in the world. Bonner County’s population of white-tailed deer is estimated to be in the range of 10,000. Scientists recognize 30 white-tailed subspecies in North America. North America’s white-tailed population is estimated at 20 to 25 million animals. The white-tailed is by far the most popular game in the U.S., sought by some 11 million hunters each fall.

A deer’s behavior is directly related to the environment in which it lives. In increasingly suburban areas where white-taileds and people live side-by-side, humans are the driving force on deer. Houses, roads and everyday comings and goings affect where and when deer feed, travel, and bed.

American Indians believed the moon, wind, and rain affected deer movements. Current studies confirm that deer activity indeed varies depending on temperature, moon phases, and even barometric pressure. White-taileds, especially mature bucks, are active at night, preferring to feed, mingle, and mate under a cloak of darkness. However, no deer is completely nocturnal. Deer remain active at dawn and start to move again at dusk.

Although white-taileds are social animals that are found in herds, the sexes stay largely divided. Outside the breeding season, a mature buck almost never stays with a “doe unit,” or a group of does and fawns. Bucks travel alone or band together for most of the year.

The white-tailed’s amazing adaptability allows it to live in virtually every region and climate of North America. Naturally, deer behavior differs slightly from region to region.

The early and ongoing colonization of America did little to diminish the white-tailed’s presence. To the contrary, it helped increase and broaden deer populations. Before colonization, forests were large, dense, and contiguous. As humans cleared the land, deer moved into diverse new habitats and flourished. Deer fed and mated in open fields and cutovers. Nearby woodlands provided cover and warmth. Today, as the sub-urbanization of America continues, white-tailed herds continue to grow and thrive in small, broken habitats.

Deer eat forbs, like flowering plants and weeds. Deer love sweet fruits like apples, crabapples, and persimmons. Acorns, beechnuts, pecans, and other hard mast are important fall and winter foods. Mast is high-energy food that helps deer pack on fat. Protein-rich plants and crops, such as peas, are essential in a deer’s diet. They provide nutrients for body and antler growth. In winter, deer are often forced to feed on twigs and other woody browse, which are low in nutrients.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 3 The white-tailed’s four-chambered stomach stores food and breaks it down over time. Thus, a deer can eat quickly and then find a safe place to bed down and chew its cud, out of sight and mind of predators.

Deer are crepuscular animals, meaning they move and feed heavily at twilight. However, modern research shows that white-taileds need to feed four to six times a day.

White-taileds rely on their keen senses of smell, sight, and hearing to detect predators. Primary predators include mountain lions, , , wild dogs, and humans. Upon sensing trouble, a deer’s main defense is to run. When cornered, bucks will ward off predators with their antlers. Deer are one of the fastest running species in the forest, but are also good swimmers and do not hesitate to take to water to evade predators. (Hunting Network)

Mule Deer Mule deer originally received their name because of their large ears, which resemble that of a mule. The mule deer population is significantly smaller than the white-tailed deer population in Bonner County, ranging in the neighborhood of 1,200 animals. They have incredible hearing, great noses, and can see very well. Mature does often give birth to twins, while yearling does generally only have one fawn. Fawns, which are typically born in May or June, usually stay with their mother for the first year of their life. Harsh winters take a major toll on young fawns. As the temperature drops and the snow begins to pile high, these small deer have a very difficult time surviving. Predators such as , , and coyotes are always looking for the weak and old. This, combined with winter ranges that may have diminished food sources, places fawns at great risk.

For many mule deer, the first winter is often the most difficult. By spring, these deer are very lively and ready to move to higher ground. Mule deer return to their summer ranges as soon as the snow starts melting and temperatures begin to warm. Mule deer bucks are very crafty and an increasingly rare site. Because of the incredible pressures put upon them, the numbers of trophy bucks are continually declining.

Antler growth typically begins in February or March through mid- to late-August. Genetics, nutrition, and age have much to do with antler growth. Yearling bucks will often sport a spike or two-point frame for the first year of their life.

Throughout the spring and summer months, antlers grow at an incredible rate—with some large bucks, up to a quarter of an inch per day. During these months, antlers are very tender, even having flies or other insects landing on them can be annoying. In addition, the antlers are very soft and easy to damage during this time. As the antlers harden and the velvet dries up, bucks will begin to rub them on small trees or bushes. This continues until mid-winter when the buck sheds the antlers.

Does begin to come into heat in November and bucks are naturally drawn to their aroma. Many mule deer bucks will fight to the death over breeding rights with any doe. Big bucks will loose valuable body fat during the mating season, especially in areas with low buck-to-doe ratios.

As January and February roll around the bucks begin shedding their antlers. The antler breaks at the base near the skull. A buck will usually drop each of the antlers several days apart, it is rare for both

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 4 to fall at the same time. Shortly after shedding, the bucks begin growing new antlers. (Monster Muleys)

Elk

Elk are a member of the deer family. Native American Shawnee first called them “Wapita” meaning white or pale deer, probably referring to their light colored rump. Later, scientists adopted the same name. The name “elk” was given to the large deer by early English colonists, ignoring the fact that the name had long been used for the European moose.

Elk were once found throughout most of the United States and southern Canada. By the mid- twentieth century, hunters had killed so many that they survived only in the region west of the Rocky Mountains. Successful conservation and reintroduction efforts have brought elk back to several regions. Rough estimates place the number of elk in Bonner County at 1,000.

Adults reach a shoulder height of four to five feet, and a length up to nine feet or more. Adult bull elk may weigh more than 1,000 pounds before the rut, but seldom exceed 900 pounds. Smaller cows usually weigh 500 to 600 pounds.

An elk’s body can range from a pale gray to tan and brown; brown or tan above and darker underneath. Elk have slender legs and a thick neck. Their legs, head, and thick neck fur are a darker brown. Their rump patch and very short tail are a light tan color. An elk calf is light tawny-brown with white spots that are lost during their first change of coat in August.

Elk feed on all kinds of plants, but primarily graze on grass. They also eat the sedges, forbs, twigs, needles of fir and juniper, many young hardwood trees (such as chokeberry and aspen), and deciduous shrubs (willow and serviceberry)—especially during the winter.

Adult male , called bulls, have a dark brown mane or ruff on their throats. Older bulls’ huge antlers can weigh 25 pounds. The antlers may reach five feet in length and usually have five tines projecting from the main branch for a total of six points per side. The antlers are shed in late winter (March or April). About one week afterward, males begin to grow new ones. The new antlers are covered with “velvet.” Females, called cows, do not have antlers, have shorter manes and are 25 percent smaller than bull elk.

In the spring, after calves are born, elk move slowly back up to higher mountain pastures. As mating season begins, the elk move from the high mountain valleys called parks to the lower valleys. There they gather into large herds of both sexes and all ages. They spend the winter in the wooded slopes and often dense woods of the lower valleys, where the snow is not too deep.

Elk cows have a strong herding instinct. During spring and summer, herds of cows and their juvenile calves usually graze separately from the bulls. An old cow usually leads this summer herd. As yearling (spike) bulls age, they spend less time with the cow herds. During winter, males and females forage together.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 5 Bull elk can move silently through forests at speeds up to 35 miles per hour. Both bulls and cows are strong swimmers. Their walking stride is 30 to 60 inches, but when running this length can increase to 14 feet. When walking, their hind hoof prints fall slightly ahead of and overlap their fore prints. When bounding their hind prints and fore prints are separate. In mud or snow, the prints of “dew claws” are often visible behind their lobed main prints.

A bull elk announces the rut, or mating season (September through October), by bugling. He begins with a low bellow followed by his far-reaching whistle. During the fall rutting season, bulls rub their antlers on trees, “horn” the ground, and then roll in the created wallows. Rival bull elk battle clash their antler racks in jousting matches for possession of a female harem (cows). A bull may mate with as many as 60 cows, but the average harem contains only a dozen or so cows at a time.

Cows usually breed when they are two and a half years old. After the fall mating season, the gestation period for the cows is 255 to 275 days. Typically, one 25- to 40-pound calf is born in June or July. During the first month, the calf is completely dependent on milk and may suckle for up to nine months.

Elk are mainly found in western North America. In the U.S., the largest numbers are in Colorado, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming with lesser populations in California, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. Recently, elk have been reintroduced into many areas in the east, Midwest, and south including parts of Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Virginia. The largest herds are still found in Yellowstone Park, on Montana’s Sun River, and in Washington’s Olympic Mountains.

Many of the larger elk herds in the U.S. and Canada are overpopulated and do not have an adequate winter range for feeding. Elk die of starvation or from diseases, such as pneumonia and necrotic stomatitis (calf diphtheria). Natural enemies of elk include wolves and cougars. Bears and coyotes kill some calves and sick adults.

Surprisingly, a mature elk, even a large antlered bull, has very little defense against an attack from an animal as small as a hundred pound mountain lion. A bull’s antlers, though impressive and lethal in appearance, serve mostly as a jousting tool during fall rutting battles. Actually, an elk’s mass and elongated frame are detriments when attacked by a predator at close range because an elk cannot move quick enough to avoid a sudden charge, and is not fast enough to outrun the most predators in a short distance.

The most lethal defensive tactic of an elk is to stand its ground and flail at its attacker with its hard, sharp-edged hooves. An elk’s forelegs have the ability to deliver a tremendous blow and have been responsible for many wounded, maimed, and dead predators that were not fast enough to avoid one of those slashing hooves. The single most concentrated predation on elk occurs during the late spring birthing season when the cows have their calves. (Naturescapes)

Bear

Black bears or their relatives live on all continents except Africa, Australia, and Antarctica. Approximately 630,000 to 725,000 American black bears live in 42 states. They also inhabit 11

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 6 Canadian provinces. Grizzly bears (also known as brown bears) and polar bears also inhabit North America. The most common bear in Idaho is the “Ursus americanus” otherwise known as the . Baby bears are called cubs, female bears are called sows, and male bears are called boars.

As many as 20,000 black bears inhabit Idaho. There are about 1,000 black bear in Bonner County, according to estimates. Black bears that live in the western states are often various shades of brown similar to grizzly bears.

In Idaho, black bear habitat spreads over 30,000 square miles of forest, mostly north of the Snake River Plain. Less than one-fourth of bear habitat is on private lands. The rest is managed by a variety of state and federal agencies, including the United States Forest Service, which oversees three- fourths of the bear habitat in Idaho. Idaho’s forests can support 20,000 to 25,000 bears, but the actual population is probably lower than that.

Being able to navigate the forest quietly and unseen helps a bear avoid other bears as it searches for food. If a young bear accidentally encounters a large adult male who could consider the youngster a competitor, the younger animal must retreat before being detected. If necessary, it can run 30 miles per hour or paddle across a lake.

In the forest, bears rely on their acute hearing and super sense of smell. Their noses perceive smells much fainter than humans can detect. With this super sense of smell, they can detect other animals that are nearby, and they can find fruit, insect larvae, and other foods.

Bears can probably see as well as humans. They recognize shapes but not details at a distance, and they observe moving objects better than stationary objects. Although their night vision is also excellent, bears forage for fruit during the day when they can perceive colors.

In Idaho, where food supplies are limited, bear home ranges tend to be large and have loose boundaries. Generally, male ranges are larger than female ranges. Sometimes male bears will cover more than 50 square miles and will include the ranges of several females. This arrangement ensures the male will have a number of females for mating.

Female bears occupy home ranges that average 12 square miles and often overlap with other females. Bears have a definite social system for those times when they congregate around rich food sources. As with other large and powerful animals, social order allows bears of differing age, sex, and strength to feed closely without erupting into violent battles. (Idaho Public Television)

Mountain Lion

The mountain lion, also known as a , panther, or puma, is a tawny feline with black-tipped ears and tail. Although smaller than the jaguar, it is one of North America’s largest cats.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 7 Adult males may be more than eight feet long, from nose to end of tail, and generally weigh 130 to 150 pounds. Adult females can be seven feet long and weigh 65 to 90 pounds.

Mountain lion kittens, or cubs, are covered with blackish-brown spots and have dark rings around their tails—markings that fade as they grow older. At birth, the kittens are blind, weigh a pound or less, and are a foot long. At two weeks, their eyes open. They begin to accompany their mother on forays when they are two months of age.

Mountain lines hunt on the ground and ambush their prey from behind. They are generally nocturnal and solitary hunters. The success of the hunt depends solely on the element of surprise. By playing in the manner of kittens, they perfect their “stalking” technique at an early age. They are classified as a “stalking predator” rather than a “pursuit predator” like the . A fatal bite below the base of the skull, resulting in a broken neck, is their preferred method of killing prey. Kittens, when they are old enough, are led from the den to a kill by the mother in order to begin their weaning process. The adult mountain lion may cover the carcass with dirt, leaves, or snow. A mountain lion may feed on one kill for several days. They are generally secretive and solitary.

The sound the lion makes is a terrifying, elongated, piercing scream; which sounds like “the screech of a terrified woman.” They also emit birdlike whistles, which are probably used to communicate where they are and instructions between a female and her kittens. One of the great mysteries about mountain lions is their fear of barking dogs. It is hypothesized that sometime in the mountain lion’s evolutionary past they were preyed upon by barking animals.

Five hundred years ago, new American settlers feared and misunderstood the mountain lion. After all, there were no lions in many of the countries of origin of the settlers. Consequently, they sought to destroy the cats, and by 1900, the big cats had virtually disappeared from the eastern half of the continent. The killing of livestock spurred the Animal Damage Control Act of 1931, which provided money and authority to hunt lions. Livestock concerns still fuel the debates between ranchers and animal protectionists. In the early 1960s, some states dispensed $50 to each person who killed a mountain lion. From 1928 to 1973, a minimum of 2,780 mountain lions were killed in Idaho.

In 1920, a rough estimate put the mountain lion population at 600. Field studies in the 1970s estimated a population of more than 2,000 mountain lions. Today’s population estimate ranges from 4,000 to 6,000. In Bonner County, experts estimate there are about 140 mountain lions.

A mountain lion’s natural life span is about 12 years in the wild and up to 24 years in captivity. Natural enemies include other large predators such as bears, lions and, wolves. They also fall victim to accidents, disease, road hazards, and humans. (Mortay)

Moose

Moose, called elk in Europe, are the largest member of the deer family. Standing or swimming in lakes and ponds, they feed on many kinds of aquatic plants. Moose are retiring animals and generally avoid human contact. However, they can be unpredictable and dangerous. Cows with their

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 8 calves are irritable and fiercely protective. Rutting bulls have been known to charge people, horses, or even a car.

Males are much larger than females. A full-grown bull moose (male) weighs from 800 to 1,200 pounds. The smaller adult cow (female) is about 2/3 as large (600 to 800 pounds). Moose stand 5 to 6.5 feet tall at the shoulder and are 7.5 to 10 feet in length. They have a short tail of approximately 2.5 to 3.5 inches.

Moose are easy to recognize by their large size, long dark to reddish brown to black color hair, high humped shoulders, long pale legs, and a huge, pendulous muzzle. Moose have a large dewlap under their throat (called by some a pendant “bell”), and large ears.

A moose eats an average of 44 pounds of wet forage a day, but this amount increases to nearly 60 pounds in the spring and 130 pounds daily in the autumn. They feast on plant growth in a lake or swamp. Moose love water lilies and will wade far out into a swampy pond to munch on them. Then they often leave the water, to find secluded wooded areas and escape insects, and to browse on plants and trees. Moose sometimes bend a sapling over to nibble its tender upper leaves. In winter months, they rely more on their browse of woody plants that includes twigs, buds, and bark of willow, balsam, aspen, dogwood, birch, cherry, and virburnum.

The bull carries large palm-like, flattened antlers that grow during the spring and summer, attain full growth by August, and then are shed each winter in December or January. A bull’s antler spread is usually four to five feet wide. The cow moose has no antlers. In breeding season (the fall rut), both sexes give out a cow-like moo. These vocalizations include the bull’s loud but shorter-length, rising- at-the-end bellow and the cow’s call, which ends in a cough-like moo-agh.

Due to their size, healthy, adult moose have few natural predators. Large brown bears, or grizzlies, are a potential threat. However, the habitation range of bears that size is much smaller than that of moose. Black bears and wolves are serious threats to calves and in some areas cause fatal results for a relatively high proportion of offspring, in spite of valiant defensive actions by cows. The most serious life-threatening disease is called brainworm, a parasite carried by white-tailed deer. While the parasite apparently does not affect deer, it is excreted in their droppings. Organisms feeding on droppings find their way to browse and are unknowingly consumed by moose. The parasite inflicts usually fatal damage to the moose nervous system.

Moose face an unnatural threat only from human actions. Hunting, loss of habitat, chemicals, and accidental fires may affect moose populations. (Naturescapes) There are about 1,900 moose in Bonner County.

Mountain Goat

Mountain goats are relatively small bovids with compact, short-legged bodies. They have yellowish- white fur, which is long and shaggy in winter and shorter in summer. They also have a beard and dagger-like horns. The males start to shed their coat in June and continue shedding until mid-July; the females do not complete their molt until mid-August. It is possible to tell the age of the mountain

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 9 goat by counting the rings on the horns. The first ring forms at the age of 22 to 24 months, and an additional ring forms each spring. Generally, mountain goats are 50 to 70 inches long with a shoulder height up to 40 inches and weigh approximately 176 to 308 pounds.

Mountain goats live in rocky, mountainous areas above timberline. There natural range includes Alaska’s Yukon, British Columbia, southwest Alberta, parts of Washington, northern Idaho, and northwest Montana. They have also been introduced successfully in Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, and South Dakota. British Columbia’s population is by far the largest at approximately 100,000. About 30 mountain goats inhabit the steep fringes of Lake Pend Oreille near Bayview, while it is estimated about 35 live in the Selkirks and another 30 in the Cabinets above Clark Fork.

The mountain goat is not a true goat. Its “beard” is not the true chin beard of male goats, but an extension of a throat mane. The mountain goat is active in morning and evening and sometimes during moonlit nights. Its hooves are well adapted for rocky peaks, with a sharp outer rim that grips and a rubbery sole that provides traction on steep or smooth surfaces. Traversing peaks and narrow ledges at a stately walk or trot, a mountain goat may seem to move across the face of an almost sheer cliff. However, individuals have been known to miss their footing and fall to their deaths. On warm days, the animal will bed on a patch of snow, in a shady spot, or on a mountain ledge. It lives in small flocks, but tends to be solitary in summer and autumn. In the mating season, the males rub the glands that are behind their horns against trees; they also use urine to mark their territory.

Mountain goats mate mid-November through mid-December and have a gestation period of six months. The sexes herd apart until rutting season. While rival males frequently threaten each other, breeding battles are uncommon, as skulls and horns are relatively fragile.

The kid, usually born on a mountain ledge, can stand and climb shortly after birth. It starts feeding within a few days of birth, but weaning is not complete until August or September. The kid remains with its mother until the next year’s kid is born.

Avalanches and rock slides are the greatest killers of mountain goats, accounting for many more deaths than predation. Only the can attack this species in high mountains, where it may try to drive a kid over a cliff. Carnivores such as the mountain lion may attack the mountain goat as it descends into a valley, but the goat’s sharp hooves make it dangerous prey. (Mountain Goats)

Bighorn Sheep

Also known as mountain sheep, this heavy-bodied member of the cattle, goat, and sheep family has a remarkable ability to climb and jump. There are three types of wild sheep found in North America: the grayish brown to pale buff Rocky Mountain sheep, the white Dall sheep of Alaska and western Yukon, and the dark brown to black mountain sheep (also called “stone” sheep) in south-central Yukon to central British Columbia.

In the past, disease, unlimited hunting, and overgrazing of livestock have pushed the bighorn sheep into a few mountain preserves. The numbers of bighorn sheep continues to shrink; only an estimated 20,000 survive in the United States today. Notable herds do still roam the mountain slopes of

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 10 Yellowstone and Glacier national parks. Bighorn sheep are found in the mountain ranges of southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico northward through Idaho and Montana and on into British Columbia. None are known to currently exist in Bonner County.

Another contributing factor to the declining numbers in bighorn sheep is inherent in their migration habits. Young bighorns follow in the footsteps of their parents, migrating year after year from the same summer feeding grounds in high mountain tundra to winter grazing grounds in the foothills. Young bighorns learn this migration route as they mature and do not vary from it. They do not disperse and colonize new areas, as do other animals like white-tailed deer, moose, and bears. Therefore, efforts to transplant bighorn sheep from one location to a different unpopulated area are often unsuccessful.

Predators of bighorn sheep include cougars, golden eagles, wolves, coyotes, bears, bobcats, and lynx. On cliffs, adult bighorns can easily escape all but the cougars. When they migrate and descend to the foothills, the bighorn’s sure-footedness is no advantage, and they may then fall prey to predators. Golden eagles attack young lambs whenever they find them unprotected. (Eduscapes)

Section 5.4 - Upland Game

Upland Game Birds

Ruffed Grouse

It is the opinion of many hunters that ruffed grouse provide the finest table fare of any upland game bird. Ruffed grouse do have a small but loyal following, though, and each year yield a respectable harvest.

Ruffed grouse sport different color phases, specifically the color of the band on the tail feathers. The best way to tell juveniles from adults is to look at the outer wing primaries. If the outer primaries are growing, indicated by the bluish “quill,” the bird is an adult. If the seventh or eighth primaries are growing, the bird is a juvenile. In addition, if the outer two primaries are rounded and smooth, the bird is an adult. If those feathers are more pointed and frayed, the bird is a juvenile.

However, ruffed grouse live in a more protected environment than other upland game birds. They don’t fly as much, and when they do fly, they don’t fly as far. Since ruffed grouse don’t use their wings as much as other upland game birds, their wing tips may not show much wear, making it more difficult to differentiate young and adult birds whose primary wing feathers are no longer growing. (Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center)

Wild Turkey

In 1961, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game made good use of Wildlife Restoration funding to embark on a stocking program to establish the wild turkey in suitable habitat in the Gem State. Overall, three turkey subspecies have been introduced.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 11 The Merriam's wild turkey was the first subspecies released in the state, and its introduction has been the most successful. Populations increased rapidly during the 1960s, stabilized at lower levels in the 1970s and have increased dramatically since the early 1980s. This bird is widely distributed in the mountains of the Panhandle, Clearwater and Southwest regions. The Rio Grande and Eastern wild turkey subspecies also have been introduced in several areas, but are present in smaller numbers (Idaho Fish and Game).

Estimates place the number of wild turkeys at about 2,000 in Bonner County.

Gobblers exhibit bright red wattles (engorged skin below the chin) and light blue cheek patches. When a gobbler reacts to an imitation call from a hen turkey, fanning its tail and breaking into a stupefied dance.

The breeding colors and actions of spring are not so obvious as fall arrives. Fall turkeys are often found in flocks. The biggest birds in a flock are generally adult males.

Breast feathers on male turkeys, both juveniles and adults, are all black year round, with one exception. In the fall, if a juvenile male turkey hasn’t gone through postjuvenal molt, its breast feathers may resemble those of a female (black with a buff/tan outer edge).

Breast feathers on female turkeys have a tan or light brown band on the outside edge, and the rest of the feather is not as dark as that of a male. Combined with the rest of the feathers on the breast, a female turkey appears lighter in color than a male.

Adult male turkeys generally exhibit a long “beard” growing out of the center of their chest. The beard on a juvenile male is extremely short. The beard on a juvenile male will stick out slightly by its first spring. Female turkeys generally don’t have beards, but some do. (Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center)

Furbearers

Technically, the term furbearer includes all mammals, all of which, by definition possess some form of hair. Typically, however, wildlife managers use the term to identify mammal species that have traditionally been trapped or hunted for their fur. Furbearers are a diverse group, including both carnivores (meat eating predators) and rodents (gnawing mammals). Most are adaptable species ranging over large geographic areas. A few animals that are normally hunted or trapped primarily for their meat or to reduce agricultural or property damage may also be considered furbearers if their skins are marketed.

Most furbearers possess two layers of fur: a dense, soft underfur that provides insulation and water-repellent qualities; and an outer layer of longer, glossy guard hairs that grow through the underfur, protecting it from matting and abrasion. A fur is said to be prime when the guard hairs are at their maximum length and the underfur is at its maximum thickness. Fur generally

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 12 becomes prime in midwinter when the coat is fresh and fully grown; the timing for primeness may vary somewhat depending on species, location (latitude), and elevation.

Furbearing animals include: • badger • muskrat • beaver • nutria • • opossum • chinchilla • otter • • raccoon • fisher • skunk, striped and spotted • fox, red and gray • weasel, long- and short-tail • lynx • wolf, gray and red •marten • •mink (FurBearers Unlimited; Northeast Furbearer Resources Technical Committee)

Predators

Predators are wild animals that hunt, or prey on, other animals for their own food. Wolves, mountain lions, hawks, and ferrets are all predators. Because these animals are meat eaters, they are also called carnivores. Some predators, such as coyotes and bears, are also scavengers, meaning they will eat the carcasses of animals that they did not hunt themselves.

Some predators are bigger than a human and others are merely the size of a house cat. All of these native wildlife have special needs in order to survive. Most need large areas of land to meet all of their food and habitat requirements.

The fact that predators regularly prey on herbivores or plant-eating animals, such as deer and elk, means that they play a critical role in their ecosystem. If predators were eliminated, those plant eaters could literally alter the vegetation to the point where it is no longer suitable habitat for wildlife species that once lived there.

Predators are not always successful hunters so they target the easiest prey. Most of the time, predators will choose the weak, old, and sick animals in a population, leaving the healthy and robust individuals to reproduce offspring.

Predation accounts for a small fraction of livestock loss, with the majority of livestock deaths being due to disease and harsh weather. In 1995 alone, 100,000 cattle were lost to weather, disease, and calving problems the Northern Rockies. From 1987 to 2000, 149 cows and 356 sheep were confirmed lost to wolves.

Predators are facing more threats today than ever before. Increased resource extraction, rampant development, and unregulated motorized recreation are all modern day threats to these highly sensitive animals. (Predator Conservation Alliance)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 13 Section 5.5 - Non-game Wildlife

More than 80 percent of Idaho’s wild creatures are classified as “non-game” wildlife (419 species in all), including songbirds, waterbirds, raptors, small mammals, reptiles and amphibians, and threatened and endangered wildlife. Non-game wildlife are animals that are not normally hunted, fished or trapped. (Idaho Fish & Game Web site)

Bird species include the following:

• American bittern • pied-billed grebes • American kestral • prairie falcon • bald eagle • red-tailed hawk • black-capped chickadee • sandhill crane • black-crowned night heron • short-eared owl • great blue heron • spotted sandpiper • hawks • Swainson’s hawk • Lewis woodpecker • trumpeter swan • long-billed curlew • warblers • northern harrier • western meadowlark •osprey • woodpeckers •owls • yellow warbler • peregrine falcon

Other species include those associated with riparian and wetland-dependent songbirds. (Bonneville Power Administration; Idaho Fish & Game, Nongame Wildlife Program)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 14 Section 5.6 - Special Status Species

The Idaho Conservation Data Center (CDC) lists 33 “special status”vertebrate species that occur in Bonner County. The species listed represent occurrences reported to the CDC, but do not represent potential distributions. Table 5-2 in the Appendix lists most of the special status species of Bonner County, as of January 2000. Included in the 33 species, but not shown on the table, are the grizzly bear (Ursus arctos), which is federally listed as endangered and is discussed elsewhere in this chapter, and the gray wolf (Canis lupus), which is also federally listed as endangered for northern Idaho (north of Interstate-90). The special status species list is subject to change. (Idaho Conservation Data)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 15 Caribou

Status The Selkirk Mountain Woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) was listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on February 29, 1984. Endangered species are those that are in danger of extinction throughout a significant portion of their range. It is unlawful to kill, harm, or harass endangered species.

Species Information Woodland caribou are medium-sized members of the deer family with males approaching 400 to 500 pounds and females 300 pounds. They stand about four feet high at the shoulder. Caribou are distinguished from other members of the deer family by their large hooves, broad muzzles, and the distinctive antlers both sexes develop annually. Males possess the larger antlers with one or two brow tines called “shovels” that extend over the face. Males drop their antlers during November to April and females May to June. The coats of woodland Present distribution of the Selkirk Mountain Woodland Caribou © caribou are a chocolate brown in 1996 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Boise, Idaho midsummer to a grayish-tan during spring. Adult males are darker colored and develop a thick, white mane on their necks during the rut. These caribou have a low reproductive rate; a cow will give birth to a single, dark brown calf in June. Females generally live 10 to 15 years and males 8 to 12 years in unhunted populations.

Distribution Since the 1960s the last remaining woodland caribou population in the United States has restricted its range to the Selkirk Mountains of northeastern Washington, northern Idaho, and southeastern British Columbia. By the early 1980s, this population had dwindled to 25 to 30 individuals in the Stagleap Provincial Park, British Columbia. Additional caribou were transplanted into Idaho in 1987, 1988, and 1990. In April 1996, 19 caribou were transplanted into northeast Washington. Currently, approximately 60 to 70 caribou occur in the Selkirk ecosystem.

There have been sightings of caribou in Bonner County in the past, but none have been reported in Bonner County in the past five years. Earlier sightings were of radio-marked caribou from an Idaho Fish & Game transplant effort from 1987 to 1990 and may have been “exploratory”

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 16 movements after their release. Caribou are thought to now range as far south as the Upper Pack River area of Gunsight Peak and the McCormick Creek and McCormick Ridge area, which is about 6 miles north of the Bonner County line. If the caribou populations increase, they could expand their range into the northern portion of Bonner County. Signs of expansion of the range have not been detected. (Wakkinen)

Habitat During the winter months, caribou inhabit high elevation spruce and sub-alpine fir forests where they feed primarily on lichens draped from trees. During the short, cool summers, caribou descend to lower timbered slopes, spruce bogs and meadows, still usually above 5,000 feet. Their primary summer foods are grasses, sedges, flowering plants, shrubs, and deciduous leaves. The Selkirk Mountain population is typically found above 4,000 feet elevation in Englemann spruce/subalpine fir and western red cedar/western hemlock forest types.

Reasons for Decline Selkirk Mountain woodland caribou are threatened by habitat loss (due to fires and logging), predation, and excessive mortality from poaching. Populations grow slowly because of females’ relatively late maturity.

Recovery Efforts Between 1987 and 1990, 60 woodland caribou were moved to northern Idaho from British Columbia to help bolster the existing remnant herd. All translocated animals were radio-collared and have been monitored since their release. Annual aerial winter surveys have also been conducted to monitor the Selkirk ecosystem population. Transplanted caribou have experienced relatively high mortality levels. Predation has been an important factor in cases of known mortalities; however, the cause of death in many cases is unknown. (Idaho Fish & Game Web site)

Current Recovery Needs Management of approximately 443,000 acres of habitat is needed to support a self-sustaining caribou population. Access management, public education, hunter education, and law enforcement are important recovery activities. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1994)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 17 Grizzly Bear

Status

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the grizzly bear as a threatened species on July 28, 1975. Threatened species are those likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range.

Species Information

This bear gets its grizzled appearance from long, -tipped guard hairs above a brownish coat that can range in Present Distribution of Grizzly Bears in the Northwest. © 1996 U.S. shade from blond to black. Ursus arctos have long, light-colored foreclaws (four inches long or longer), a hump between their high shoulders, and dish-shaped faces. An adult female weighs in at 250 to 350 pounds, while a male reaches 400 to 600 pounds. In Idaho, grizzlies breed from May through July, with most activity in June. They hibernate from November through April. Young born in January during hibernation nurse for almost one year. Females mature at age 4 to 6 and have one to four cubs (usually two) every third year thereafter. Embryos do not start to grow until hibernation begins. Cubs usually stay with their mother for two years, then strike out to establish their own home range. Grizzly bears require a large area for movement and food searches. The bear is an omnivore that feeds on berries, whitebark pine nuts, dead animals, bulbs, roots, grasses, and insects.

Historical Distribution The grizzly bear used to range over most of North America, from Mexico to the Arctic Ocean. The population now occupies only two percent of their original range in the lower 48 states.

Present Distribution Idaho has two remaining populations of grizzly bears: the Selkirk Mountains of northern Idaho and northwestern Washington, and the Greater Yellowstone population. The Selkirk recovery zone extends into the wilderness areas of Bonner County north of Priest Lake and northeast of Lake Pend Oreille.

Reasons for Decline Seen as a threat to human life and livestock, grizzlies were almost wiped out in the lower 48 states by the 1930s. Habitat loss and human-related mortalities have combined with the bear’s low reproductive rate to keep their numbers small. Since the threatened species listing in 1975, grizzly bear numbers have declined in Idaho. Habitat has declined in quality in eastern Idaho for example, primarily because of increased human access to areas used by grizzly bears. Most

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 18 people access these areas by roads built for natural resource management activities. When people come in contact with grizzly bears in the lower 48 states it usually results in negative consequences for the bears.

Current Recovery Needs Actions are needed to minimize sources of human-bear conflict, limit habitat loss or degradation, and manage the existing population for increased recovery and survival. These efforts are coordinated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Missoula, Montana.

Grizzly bear research began in the Selkirks in 1983 when the Department, in cooperation with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, USFWS, USFS, and British Columbia Ministry of Environment began trapping, radio-collaring, and monitoring grizzly bears. (Idaho Fish & Game)

Thirty-eight grizzly bears have been trapped and monitored since 1983. Human-caused mortality appears to be the limiting factor to population recovery. Access management, restrictions on black bear hunting techniques, and information and education programs have been used in an attempt to reduce mortalities. A recent grizzly bear conservation strategy enacted in the British Columbia portion of the ecosystem may further benefit grizzly bear management in the Selkirks. The population appears to be stable, with recent evidence of some expansion of its range. Department staff continues to monitor the remaining radio-collared bears.

Future goals include refining access management standards, developing ways to estimate population trends, and continuing the information/education program in an effort to reduce and eliminate human-caused mortalities. (Idaho Fish & Game Web site; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1993)

Bald Eagle

Prior to the settling of the first Europeans in North America, wildlife experts estimate about one- quarter to one-half million bald eagles populated the continent. By the early 1960s, the population was so decimated that only about 417 nesting pairs of bald eagles were counted in the lower 48 states. The population was devastated by hunting, habitat changes, loss of prey, and pesticides (particularly DDT). The bald eagle was listed as endangered in 1978. A bald eagle recovery program, which focused on habitat protection, a DDT ban, and other management and protection activities, was launched with the aid of the Endangered Species Act and other federal laws. These efforts have resulted in a doubling of the eagle population every seven or eight years over the past 30 years. The bald eagle population in the lower 48 states is now estimated at more than 5,748 pairs, prompting the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to propose taking the eagle off the endangered species list. The bald eagle status was reclassified as “threatened” in 1995. Recovery goals have been met or exceeded on a range-wide basis, according to U.S. Fish & Wildlife. The eagles will still be protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act. (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Web site)

Both nesting and wintering bald eagles are common around Lake Pend Oreille. Bald eagles are commonly observed perching and feeding along the shorelines of Lake Pend Oreille and the

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 19 Pend Oreille River, the Clark Fork and Pack River deltas, and four islands in Lake Pend Oreille. (Bonneville Power Administration)

Lake Pend Oreille is an important wintering area for bald eagles migrating south from Canada. The birds begin arriving in late October to feed on spawned-out kokanee. Their numbers peak generally in late November to early December and decline through the end of March. Peak numbers can exceed 300 bald eagles. (Cole and Hanna)

Three bald eagle roost sites, located at East Bottle Bay, Warren Island, and Echo Bay, typically contain from 20 to 50 birds per night during the winter. A prominent feeding site for bald eagles is located at the southern end of Lake Pend Oreille at the mouth of Gold Creek during kokanee salmon spawning (Bonneville Power Administration). During winter months, bald eagles gather at the outskirts of Sandpoint to feast on coots from Lake Pend Oreille and the Pend Oreille River.

Bald eagle nesting territories are included on the Critical Wildlife Habitat map included in the Appendix.

Bald eagle nests had disappeared from Bonner County until 1978, when a nest was discovered at Sheepherder Point on Lake Pend Oreille, 5 miles northwest of the City of Clark Fork, that produced three eaglets. The nest is no longer active. (Active nests are those occupied by incubating adults.) A second nest that is still active today was discovered in 1982 at Fisherman’s Island, just west of the Sunnyside Peninsula on Lake Pend Oreille. By 1984, there were four active bald eagle nests in Bonner County – all on Lake Pend Oreille. Two more nests were added in 1988 for a total of six active nests. In 1992, four active bald eagle nesting territories were counted in Bonner County. From those four nests, four eaglets were raised to flight stage (fledged). In 1999, there were 13 active nesting territories in Bonner County, producing 15 eaglets to flight stage. (Cole, 2000)

Section 5.7 - General Habitat

Fish and wildlife habitats in Bonner County are being lost to development at an accelerating pace. Many of the sites that are of most value to fish and wildlife are also highly attractive to rural developers. Some wildlife species (such as crows, ravens, starlings, and cowbirds) may benefit by rural residential development. However, many highly valued fish and wildlife species are sensitive to disturbance and habitat alteration associated with rural developments. (Idaho Fish & Game Web site)

Terrestrial and avian wildlife responses to wildland development are highly variable, making determination of reasonable and effective mitigation difficult. While any one development proposal will have limited impacts on wildlife, those impacts will add cumulatively to impacts associated with past and future developments to ultimately reduce the capacity of the County to support many wildlife species. Some species (such as elk and bald eagles) are highly sensitive to disturbance, while other species (such as white-tailed deer) display considerable adaptability. To further complicate anticipated responses by wildlife, research has shown that deer, elk, many species of waterfowl, nesting and foraging bald eagles, and nesting great blue herons can habituate to certain human activities. Wildlife habituation may occur when human activities are

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 20 predictable and stationary (Cassirer), repeated and non-threatening (Vos), partially or wholly concealed by vegetation (Stalmaster), and may depend on the degree of human-caused persecution in the area (Fraser). For example, wintering waterfowl, nesting Canada geese, and bald eagles appear to tolerate nearby highway traffic between Sagle and Sandpoint. In contrast to habituation, wildlife may become more sensitive with repeated disturbance (Hume; Fraser; Kuck; Cassirer), ultimately resulting in displacement from preferred habitat (Kuck; Korschgen). Generally, wildlife appear to be more sensitive to disturbance by people on foot, or in boats, than in vehicles (U. S. Fish Wildlife Service, 1986; Holmes; Klein).

Section 5.8 - Critical Habitat

Areas in Bonner County known to be most important to the long-term health of wildlife populations have been identified and shown on the “Critical Wildlife Habitat, Bonner County, Idaho,” map found in the Appendix. The map was developed by Bonner County using the research and data provided by Idaho Fish & Game Department. There are 20 categories of critical habitat shown: • bald eagle communal roost, foraging, and nesting • black tern nesting • bull trout • cutthroat trout • elk calving and wintering • flammulated owl • goshawk nesting • great blue heron rookery • grizzly fall and spring range • harlequin duck stream • moose range • mule deer wintering • waterfowl management, production, and wintering • white-tailed deer wintering

These sites, if developed, would likely reduce the capacity of the area to support the impacted species. For example, white-tailed deer occupy most areas below 3,000 feet elevation during winter. However, the mapped white-tailed deer winter range includes only those sites that are known to sustain deer during the most severe winter conditions. Virtually all riparian areas are valuable to a very large number of wildlife species, but only those that support rare and sensitive species such as bull trout and harlequin ducks, or are in critical habitat, are delineated. Habitat use by wildlife will change over time, consequently the map will require periodic updating. (Idaho Fish & Game Web site)

The following are potential rural development impacts and recommended mitigation strategies for critical wildlife habitats in Bonner County.

White-tailed Deer and Mule Deer Winter Range

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 21 The impacts of rural development on white-tailed deer are magnified because development usually occurs in the small percentage (as little as five percent) of the land base that constitutes winter range. Response to housing developments can include reduced use of the developed area by deer (Vogel). Development impacts include removal of forest canopy (important in intercepting and holding snow) and hiding cover, and increased human-related disturbances such as free-ranging dogs, snowmobiling, and cross-country skiing. In the Coeur d’Alene River drainage, deer/dog incidents occurred most often in February and March, and 12 of 39 recorded encounters ended in the death of the deer (Lowry). In addition to direct mortality, harassment of white-tailed deer during the winter stress period may predispose animals to other forms of mortality such as starvation (Peek). In Colorado, humans and dogs interfered daily with deer 328 to 2,625 feet from the nearest residential units at an important migration site (Reed). In 1984, Peek noted that white-tailed deer frequently coexist with housing where sufficient cover has been maintained; however, free-ranging dogs can virtually preclude the presence of deer. Habitat losses associated with rural development tend to be permanent. Consequently, impacts compound as development proceeds. While white-tailed deer occur in most areas below 3,000 feet elevation in winter, only those sites that are known to be important winter range were mapped for land use planning.

Potential Impacts

• Human-caused disturbance. • Displacement from otherwise suitable habitat. • Habitat degradation (such as loss of cover or forage, or removal of forest canopy in winter range). • Direct and indirect mortality because of free-ranging dogs.

Suggested Mitigation

• Cluster building sites so as to maximize contiguous open space. • Maintain large lot sizes (five acres suggested minimum lot size). • Maintain buffers of natural vegetation along streams, seeps, wet areas, and other sites likely to be used by wildlife as travel corridors (50 feet suggested). • Maintain a cover-to-opening ratio of 80:20 where possible. • Maintain 70 percent canopy in forested sites. • Retain screening vegetation along access roads. • Require that pets be kenneled, leashed, kept indoors, or otherwise restrained from chasing and/or disturbing wildlife.

Elk Winter Range and Calving Habitat

Elk are much less tolerant of human-caused disturbance than white-tailed deer. For example, logging activities may displace elk within 1,641 to 3,281 feet of the disturbance (Edge). Elk may return after the disturbance has ceased; however, a serious consequence of persistent disturbance can be voluntary withdrawal from available habitat (Kuck; Cassirer). Impacts to elk associated with disturbance may be somewhat reduced if the disturbance is separated from elk habitat by a topographic barrier such as a ridge, and if security cover is maintained.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 22 Potential Impacts

• Human-caused disturbance. • Displacement from otherwise suitable habitat. • Habitat degradation (such as a loss of cover or forage, or removal of forest canopy in winter range).

Suggested Mitigation

• Cluster building sites so as to maximize contiguous open space. • Maintain lot sizes as large as possible (20 or more acres per lot suggested). • Maintain buffers of natural vegetation along streams, seeps, wet areas, and other sites likely to be used by wildlife as travel corridors (50 feet suggested). • Maintain a cover-to-opening ratio of 80:20. • Maintain 70 percent canopy in forested sites. • Retain screening vegetation along access roads. • Require that pets be kenneled, leashed, kept indoors, or otherwise restrained from chasing and/or disturbing wildlife.

Moose Habitat

Moose habitat is widely dispersed in Bonner County. However, aquatic sites are well known as important moose habitat. In 1985, Matchett recommended that coniferous cover be maintained near aquatic sites, and disturbance minimized.

Potential Impacts

• Removal of hiding cover. • Human-caused disturbance. • Direct calf mortality due to free-ranging dogs.

Suggested Mitigation

• Cluster building sites so as to maximize contiguous open space. • Maintain naturally vegetated buffer from aquatic sites (50 feet suggested). • Retain concealing vegetation within the buffer and along access roads. • Maintain lot sizes as large as possible. • Require that pets be kenneled, leashed, kept indoors, or otherwise restrained from chasing and/or disturbing wildlife.

Waterfowl Production, Migration, and Wintering Areas

Human disturbance of waterfowl can result in reduced numbers of breeding pairs, increased nest desertions, reduced hatching success, direct duckling and gosling mortality, increased energy

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 23 expenditure (depleting fat reserves during migration and winter), and changed foraging and migration patterns (Korschgen). In Wisconsin, the activities of shore residents, anglers, and boaters on lakes bordered by homes discouraged breeding ducks from using otherwise suitable habitat. Aerial census revealed many lakes with excellent stands of submerged aquatic plants, but without ducks. For Canada geese, human disturbance is most important during nesting when geese may abandon nests at disturbed sites (Geis; Craighead). People, cats, and dogs may cause direct mortality of ducklings and goslings (Figley). In Wisconsin, rural cat numbers equaled or greatly exceeded the density of native predators (Coleman). Predation by free-ranging cats is particularly severe because cat numbers are kept artificially high by supplemental feeding; protecting them from normal numerical and functional responses to changes in prey densities. During migration and winter, human disturbance can deny waterfowl access to preferred foraging areas. Diving ducks such as lesser scaup, canvasback, and goldeneye appear to be especially sensitive to human disturbance (Cronan; Hume; Korschgen). For example, goldeneye often flew when people on shore approached to within 328 to 656 feet (Hume), while urban mallards flew up to 197 feet from an approaching boat (Figley). In 1992, Korschgen and Dahlgren suggested establishing screened buffers around important waterfowl roosting and feeding areas and restricting access by dogs and other pets during nesting and brood-rearing periods.

Potential Impacts

• Increased energetic costs associated with flight. • Lower productivity. • Direct mortality due to free-ranging pets. • Displacement from otherwise suitable breeding, migration, and/or winter habitat.

Suggested Mitigation

• Maintain a disturbance buffer near production, migration, and wintering areas (300 feet suggested). • Maintain natural vegetation along lake, river, or wetland shorelines. • Require that pets be kenneled, leashed, kept indoors, or otherwise restrained from chasing and/or disturbing wildlife. • Limit boat dock establishment in important production, migration, and winter habitat areas.

Bald Eagle Nesting and Foraging Areas

The sensitivity of nesting and foraging bald eagles to human disturbance is well documented; however, nesting and foraging eagles have also been known to habituate to certain human activities. Bald eagle tolerance of human activity may be increased if the activity is partially or wholly obscured by vegetation (Stalmaster), and may also depend on the degree of human- caused persecution in the area (Fraser). Individual eagles may react differently to disturbance, necessitating the development of individual nest or roost management plans based on location of nest trees, perch trees, flight paths, stand characteristics, and known individual tolerances (Anthony; U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1986). While established nesting pairs may tolerate

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 24 human developments, there is concern that, upon the death of the existing pair, new nesting territories may not be established in developed areas, resulting in long-term loss of bald eagle nesting habitat (Fraser). There are two nests on Pend Oreille Lake where eagles display tolerance of nearby human activities. In each site, most human activities appear to be localized, repetitive, non-threatening, and predictable. Another bald eagle nest may have been displaced by home building nearby. At this site the bald eagles built a new nest at about the same time that a large residence was built very near to the nest. The eagles were noted to begin incubation that year; however, subsequent observation never verified eaglets. The next year, a new nest site was established approximately one-half mile away. As developments occupy more and more areas, there will be fewer and fewer undeveloped sites for bald eagles to nest.

Several authors have proposed establishment of buffers near nesting, foraging, and roosting sites to protect important bald eagle habitat. Based on flushing distances, Stalmaster and Newman suggested 246 to 328 feet wide screened buffers, and 820 feet wide buffers in open habitat to protect winter foraging sites. Fraser recommended 1,640 feet wide inviolate buffers around nest sites, and Paige suggested a one-quarter mile radius nest site area where permanent structures should not be constructed. Foraging sites for bald eagles are often important habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife. Consequently, buffers established for bald eagles will benefit many wildlife species.

Most of the Pend Oreille Lake and River shoreline is important bald eagle perching and foraging habitat. However, only the most critical sites were mapped for planning purposes. The following recommendations are suggested for implementation at mapped locations.

Potential Impacts

• Human-caused disturbance in wintering or nesting habitat. • Degradation of potentially suitable nesting and winter habitat. • Nest abandonment. • Increased energetic costs associated with increased flight. • Displacement from otherwise suitable habitat. • Reduced potential for population recovery.

Suggested Mitigation

• Maintain a disturbance buffer around nest sites (1,380 feet suggested). • Retain screening vegetation around building sites within one-half mile of the nest. • Maintain large trees and snags within the nesting stand, near perch and roost sites, and along shorelines. • Maintain a screened disturbance buffer of at least 300 feet from perch sites, roost sites, and from bald eagle foraging sites. • Develop individual management plans for nests and roosts that identify foraging patterns, and important perch and roost sites. • Educate landowners on the importance of low disturbance and habitat features, such as perch trees.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 25 Great Blue Heron Rookeries

The great blue heron is one of the largest American birds, measuring about four feet in height, with a 6-foot wing span. The birds frequent shallow ponds, marshes, and the shores of lakes and rivers. Anywhere from a few to 50 or more birds may nest together in a colony (Idaho Fish & Game, 1987). Great blue herons are very sensitive to human disturbance, but particularly so at rookery sites. Vos found that great blue heron flushing distance at rookeries decreased as the nesting season progressed, and that herons habituated to fishermen boating past heronries as opposed to unexpected disturbances such as people walking below the nest trees or motorcycles passing the heronry. Trost noted that houses have been built at an increasing pace in north Idaho, and that these new developments might strongly affect heron nesting. Vos suggested a buffer around nest sites of 820 feet on land and 492 feet on water, based on flushing distances. Trost located four heronries around Lake Pend Oreille; however, one was not occupied in 1995. A fourth Bonner County heronry was located on Priest River near White Tail Butte.

Potential Impacts

• Nest failures due to disturbance. • Nest abandonment. • Removal of nest trees.

Suggested Mitigation

• Protect nesting stands and trees. • Maintain a disturbance buffer around rookery sites (490 feet suggested). • Educate landowners on the importance of low disturbance and nest trees.

Harlequin Duck Breeding Streams

Harlequin ducks are listed as a Species of Special Concern by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, as a Sensitive Species by Regions 1 and 4 of the U. S. Forest Service, and recently as a Category 2 species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Harlequin ducks have similar habitat requirements to those described for bull trout, and are very sensitive to human disturbance (Cassirer). Harlequin ducks often use the same streams used by bull trout. Selected Idaho streams were monitored during breeding season to assess the harlequin duck population. The minimum northern Idaho harlequin duck population was estimated at 36 to 52 pairs (1999); not significantly different from the 1995 estimate of 42 pairs (Idaho Fish & Game Web site).

Potential Impacts

• Water quality degradation. • Removal of cedar/hemlock forest along breeding streams. • Human-caused disturbance.

Suggested Mitigation

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 26 • Maintain a naturally-vegetated buffer, including old and mature trees, along breeding streams (300 feet suggested). • Require pets to be leashed, kenneled, kept indoors, or otherwise restrained from chasing and/or disturbing wildlife. • Avoid activities that will disturb harlequin ducks during the nesting and brood-rearing period (mid-April to early September).

Grizzly Bear Spring and Fall Range

Grizzly bears are a federally listed Threatened Species under the Endangered Species Act. The major threat to grizzly bears is human/bear conflict resulting in destruction of the bear. Ideally, no development would occur in grizzly bear habitat.

Potential Impacts

• Human-caused disturbance. • Displacement from important habitat. • Human/bear conflict resulting in direct bear mortality.

Suggested Mitigation

• Maintain screened or sight distance disturbance buffers around critical spring range sites. • Prohibit human-associated bear attractants such as unsecured garbage, compost piles, uncleaned barbeque grills, and fruit tree establishment.

Western Grebe Nesting Area

Western grebes (not included on Bonner County critical habitat map) nest on floating mats of aquatic vegetation, which they construct over water. Consequently, the nests are vulnerable to wave action from storms or boats. Because western grebes nest colonially in Denton Slough, disturbance may impact many nests at once. Trost noted that human activities may displace adults so that eggs or young birds can become chilled and exposed to predators such as gulls or ravens.

Potential Impacts

• Nest destruction by wave action from boats. • Human-caused disturbance. • Human-induced nest failure. • Displacement of the nesting colony.

Suggested Mitigation

• Establish a “no wake” regulation in Denton Slough.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 27 • Prohibit additional boat dock/ramp establishment in Denton Slough. • Educate boaters on the importance of low disturbance in Denton Slough.

Black Tern Nesting Areas

Black terns are robin-sized birds that concentrate in the Northwest and Canada during breeding season. The black tern is “black” only in the summer; its head and underparts are white in other seasons and the wings and back are always slate gray (Idaho Fish & Game, 1987). Black tern nesting colonies are rare in northern Idaho, and the species was listed as a Category 2 species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Consequently, wetlands that are known to support black terns were designated on the Bonner County wildlife map. Black terns nest on a floating mat of vegetation, in cattails, or other emergent vegetation. However, because potential nesting sites did not receive boat traffic, the only major threat would be loss of wetland habitat through drainage or fill.

Potential Impacts

• Destruction or degradation of wetland habitat such as through drainage or wetland filling.

Suggested Mitigation

• Protect wetland habitat from drainage or filling.

Goshawk Nesting Area and Flammulated Owl Nesting Habitat

Goshawks are an Idaho Fish & Game Department Species of Special Concern, a U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management Sensitive Species, and a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service “Watch” species. Due to the protected status of the goshawk and the increasing concern about the population status in parts of its range, researchers are attempting to gain a better understanding of the goshawk habitat characteristics and how land management activities may affect the habitat (Idaho Fish & Game Web site). The goshawk is a crow-sized bird and the largest North American accipiter. Potential impacts include disturbance and loss of mature old growth forest habitat. Goshawk nesting areas are located in the Priest Lake drainage (Hoelscher).

Flammulated owls are an Idaho Department of Fish and Game Species of Special Concern, and a U. S. Forest Service Sensitive Species. The flammulated owl is a small, (robin-sized) dark-eyed owl with short ear tufts, which is found in mountains and canyons. Tim Layser (U. S. Forest Service Wildlife Biologist, Priest Lake District) mapped important sites for these species in the Priest Lake drainage. However, mapping of habitat for these species is incomplete for other areas in Bonner County. Potential impacts include loss of forested habitat for flammulated owls.

Potential Impacts to Goshawks

• Nest abandonment due to disturbance during the nesting period.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 28 • Loss of nesting and foraging habitat due to removal of mature trees.

Suggested Mitigation for Goshawks

• Retain a two-acre buffer around the nest tree. • Retain at least 60 percent canopy cover in a 30-acre parcel around the nest, and up to 180 acres if possible.

Potential Impacts to Flammulated Owls

• Loss of snags and dense stands of mature timber that provide nesting habitat

Suggested Mitigation for Flammulated Owls

• Encourage retention of large snags and mature stands of timber, particularly above 3,000 feet. • Avoid disturbance from March through September.

Section 5.9 - Wildlife Disturbance Due To Urban Sprawl

The following analysis was provided by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.

Deer

Urban sprawl was particularly acute in the mountainous West where suburban subdivisions often are located in foothill areas that formerly provided crucial wintering ranges. Uncontrolled dogs comprise another problem associated with encroachment of suburbia on big-game habitat. Where these animals are allowed to roam freely, they may inflict losses on local deer populations. (Wolfe)

Predation by dogs is considered a serious problem in many areas of the West where deer are forced to concentrate on winter range with deep snow that restricts their mobility (numerous source citations). It seems reasonable to speculate that harassment by dogs can constitute an intolerable added stress to deer in severe winters. Distribution of privately owned rural land in the West is such that mountain home developments frequently pre-empt critical deer migration routes and wintering areas. In Colorado for example, human and dog interference during migration periods and at a heavily used migration site, took place daily at distances between 328 and 2,625 feet from the nearest residential units. (Reed)

Generally, such residential and recreational developments affect only limited areas of mule and black-tailed deer winter range in western states. The amount of deer habitat involved would not be expected to result in widespread decline of deer populations. Locally, however, residential, recreational, and associated developments may eliminate deer from limited areas. The composite effects of these local developments throughout mule deer range may exact a significant toll on the number and distribution of deer. (Reed)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 29 When encroachment of housing occurs, harassment by dogs can become a serious problem. While white-tailed deer frequently co-exist with housing developments where sufficient cover has been retained, dogs that are allowed to run loose can virtually preclude the presence of deer. (Peek)

In addition to direct mortality, harassment of white-taileds during the stresses of winter may predispose animals to other forms of mortality. Winter ranges are critical to the welfare of white- taileds in the Northern Rocky Mountains region. Because they usually are located along river bottoms and lake shores, these ranges are especially vulnerable to encroachment by human activity, and their loss tends to be permanent. (Peek)

For example, in the Coeur d’Alene River drainage of northern Idaho, communities and residences are interspersed throughout the deer winter range, and harassment of deer by dogs has increased as homes are built in forested areas where deer formerly had little disturbance. Most of the observed chases occurred in winter, and most of the kills were in late winter. Dogs have an advantage over deer when running over crusted snow–deer break through the crust while dogs travel on top of it. During severe winters, this can be especially critical if a deer must spend time and energy evading dogs when it needs to be foraging for food and expending as little energy as possible. Of 39 deer/dog encounters observed, 12 ended in the death of the deer, two deer were crippled and escaped, two deer were chased into a river but escaped, and 23 deer escaped. Twenty-four (62 percent) of the 39 deer/dog incidents occurred in February or March, and all 12 deer deaths occurred in those two months. (Lowry)

Loss of habitat is especially critical when one considers that areas suitable for winter range may constitute as little as five percent of the total land base. Subdivisions in rural areas also reduce habitat, since humans, like white-tailed deer, often prefer property overlooking a lake or river with a southern exposure. The effect of this type of habitat loss is often compounded by an increase in human-related activities, such as snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and unrestrained dogs. (Jageman)

The most important response was decreased use of the developed area by deer. Other responses included a shift in species composition toward white-tailed deer and increased nocturnal habits. Home ranges of white-tailed deer decreased in size and became more linear as housing density increased, probably due to concealment cover occurring along streams and draws and increased dependence on this cover with increased housing. Deer use of patches of cover likely would be greater if patches were closer together and connected with travel corridors. (Vogel)

Elk

In a 1992 study of elk responses to disturbance of cross country skiers in Yellowstone National Park, displacement was usually temporary, and elk returned after people left the area. However, this tendency may decline with repeated disturbances. Elk temporarily moved up in elevation, to steeper slopes, and closer to forested areas when disturbed by skiers. These habitats could require elk to spend more energy for thermoregulation or provide poorer quality forage. Depending on the amount of time elk spend in these areas, displacement to poorer habitat might

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 30 be equally or more detrimental than increased energetic costs caused by movement (Hobbs). Elk at Mammoth Hot Springs have habituated to predictable human activity. Predictability seemed to influence elk responses to disturbance in other studies of habituated elk (numerous source citations). Elk also might be more likely to habituate to stationary human activity (such as in a developed area) than to dispersed activity (J.E. Knight). Restricting cross-country skiers to locations greater than 2,000 feet from elk wintering areas would probably minimize displacement of most non-habituated elk by skiers on shrub steppe and upland steppe winter range similar to that in Yellowstone. When skier activity is located on elk winter range, concentrating use into as small an area as possible is recommended. Locating skiers in sites with abundant topographic relief and providing security areas in drainage adjacent to those where skiing occurs also might minimize added energy costs and elk displacement (Cassirer).

A 1985 study reports an elk calf’s response to a simulated mine disturbance. Following initiation of human harassment in 1981, one cow/calf pair abandoned the north end of Dry Ridge and moved to the south end, where it was not disturbed for the remainder of the experiment. In 1982, two cow/calf pairs left the study area in apparent response to simulated mine noise activity. Elk calves moved to higher elevations in response to simulated mine activity. A common response by initially disturbed calves was to move across a ridge or drainage to areas that provided a topographic barrier between the disturbance and the calf. At the initiation of disturbance trials in early June, cow/calf pairs abandoned the traditional calving area, but returned in several days. This tendency weakened with subsequent disturbance trials. The increased energy costs of movement, escape, and stress caused by frequent and unpredictable disturbance may have been detrimental to calf growth. A serious consequence of persistent disturbance can be the voluntary withdrawal from available habitat and use of smaller, less favorable areas. (Bacheler)

A 1985 study reports movements of elk in relation to logging disturbance. Regardless of the extent of habituation, or the amount of use during inactive periods, logging displaces elk within 1500 to 3000 feet of the disturbance, which effectively reduces habitat availability and, conversely, may increase elk use of habitat beyond these limits. (Edge)

Topography and traffic volumes are consistently the most important variables during calving through rutting seasons. Areas with topographic barriers between them and the source of disturbance consistently had higher probabilities of elk use than areas without topographic barriers for the calving and summer seasons. Security cover appears to be a requirement for elk in the presence of human disturbance. For each of the seasons, areas near high-traffic roads consistently had lower probabilities of elk use than areas near low-traffic roads. (Edge)

Moose

Limiting construction and other activities that restrict moose migrations and movements between traditional seasonal home ranges and within critical-use areas of a seasonal home range also may be employed. Increasing demands on the total resource make it imperative that moose management objectives be incorporated into land-use planning. (Franzmann)

About 8 percent of the summer locations (of moose) occur at aquatic sites. Most of these areas are surrounded by conifers, which provide cover. Logging within 300 to 600 feet of these areas

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 31 should be avoided. When timber sales are proposed near aquatic sites, logging in winter will minimize the impacts on moose use of the area. Maintain coniferous cover around aquatic feeding sites and minimize disturbance in these areas. (Matchett)

Raptors

A 1993 study considers the responses of wintering grassland raptors to human disturbance (see table 5-3). In this study, most species were more likely to flush when approached by a human on foot than when approached by an automobile. Spatial buffer zones are commonly used to protect nesting sites from disturbance; however, buffer zones for wintering raptors also could be effective if placed around sensitive foraging areas (Knight and Skagen). Buffer zones that would prevent flushing by approximately 90 percent of the wintering individuals of a species. This study pertains to open habitats such as prairies, rangelands, and agricultural areas (Holmes).

Table 5-3: Mean Flushing Distances of Wintering Grassland Raptors

Species Walking (in feet) Vehicle (in feet) Buffer Zone (in feet) American kestrel 143 103 244 Ferruginous hawk 205 266 455 Golden eagle 731 266 975 Merlin 247 201 406 Prairie falcon 520 Rough-legged 575 230 68 hawk

Great Blue Herons

Out-of vehicle activity is more disruptive than vehicular traffic. Approaching birds on foot was the most disruptive of the usual activities of refuge visitors. Visitors should be told that causing a bird to flee may reduce its feeding opportunity. (Klein)

Miller suggested that distance from human activity was the most important factor in selection of nesting sites by herons. Parker reported that heronries in Montana averaged 0.38 miles from roads and 0.44 miles from urban developments. The number of nests within the colony was correlated with distance from roads, decreasing with proximity.

Overall, the response elicited was dependent upon the type of disturbance. Great blue herons were most disturbed by land-related intrusions and least by boating activity. Great blue herons were most responsive early in the breeding season (late February to early March), flushing from their nests at the slightest disturbance and not returning until the cause was no longer present. The average distances at which herons responded during three different time intervals when a person approached the heronry varied (see Table 5-4).

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 32 Table 5-4: Mean Flushing Distances of Great Blue Herons

Month Mean Flushing Distances (in feet) March 410 - 574 April 131 - 312 May 82 - 197 June 148 - 197 July 164 - 230

Boating activity was relatively common near the heronries and the birds may have become habituated to passing boats. Apparently, herons become habituated to repeated, non-threatening activities such as fishermen boating past a heronry, as opposed to unexpected disturbances such as people walking below nest trees or a motorcycle passing the heronry. Even though the number of young produced at these colonies was sufficient for population stability, human disturbance may be limiting the number of pairs occupying nests within a particular heronry.

Impacts of human disturbance on great blue herons can be reduced by establishing buffer zones around nesting sites that are free from human activity. Based on results from this study, a buffer zone of 820 feet on land and 492 feet in water is recommended. Buffer zones should be established in mid-February, before herons arrive at breeding sites, and maintained until early August when sites have been deserted for the year. (Vos)

Houses have been built at an increasing pace during the last five years in northern Idaho, with many of them near rivers and lakes. It would seem that these new developments might strongly affect heron nesting, because colonies of this species require protection from human disturbance during nesting. A buffer of at least 500 feet on land and water has been called for to prevent nest abandonment (Erwin; Vos).

Waterfowl

Increases in human population, transportation, recreational boating, industrial and residential development, bird watching, camping, and hiking create conflicts with waterfowl, which must use a dwindling and fragmented habitat base. (Dahlgren) Nest desertion by Canada geese was attributed to the disruptive influences of anglers and sightseers who frequently come close to exposed nesting platforms in Flathead Lake or who occasionally inspect nest boxes at close range. (Craighead)

Some waterfowl, especially diving ducks (such as canvasbacks and lesser scaup) and geese (such as brants and snow geese) are especially vulnerable to disturbance. Repeated disturbances also can deny birds access to preferred feeding habitats. Effects on breeding waterfowl can include declining

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 33 numbers of breeding pairs, increased nest desertions, reduced hatching success (due to increased exposure to cold or predators), and decreased duckling survival (due to increased susceptibility to predation, severe weather, and/or starvation when separated from their mothers). Access by dogs and other pets should not be permitted in critical areas during the nesting and brood-rearing periods. Management alternatives designed to reduce human disturbances to waterfowl include establishment of screened buffer zones around important waterfowl roosting and feeding areas, and reducing the number of roads and access points to limit accessibility to habitats. (Korschgen)

Bald Eagles

Bald eagles generally prefer to roost in trees that are taller and more open in structure than trees in the surrounding stand. Generally, it takes many years to grow trees of the preferred height and structure. In the Klamath Basin (Oregon), the age of roost trees ranged from 100 to 535 years with a mean of 236 years. Another important attribute of bald eagle communal roosts is their proximity to food resources. Timber management should enhance the desirable characteristics for communal roosting; clear-cutting and harvesting of large trees should be avoided. (Keister)

Research data suggest that eagles avoid human settlements when building new nests. These results suggest that optimal eagle management will include maintenance of substantial areas of undeveloped shoreline. Because this habitat type is disappearing rapidly in the conterminous states, it is imperative that inventory and protection begin immediately. Rather than habituate to repeated intrusion, eagles flushed at increasing distances with additional disturbances. Thus it cannot be assumed that eagles will readily adapt to new stimuli. Study results suggest that, if buffer zones remain inviolate, restriction of human activities within 1640 feet of nests will prevent disturbance in populations. If occasional violations of the buffer zone are expected, as might be the case in populated regions, a larger zone may be desirable to ensure against disturbing sensitized birds. (Fraser)

Human disturbances play an important role in determining flushing distances and, consequently, the location of bald eagle nests. The observation that some eagle nests are found close to human habitation suggests that certain eagles can tolerate human activities at close range. The degree to which bald eagle populations are able to adjust to the certain continual encroachment on their habitat may well depend upon the level of shooting those populations experience. Continued efforts are recommended in the areas of enforcement and education to minimize future human- induced mortality of this species. (Fraser)

To ensure the continued existence of nesting and roosting habitat for bald eagles, management plans for individual nest sites and communal roosts are recommended to identify and accommodate special management problems. (Anthony)

A one-quarter mile radius is recommended for nest site areas where permanent developments should not be constructed. A one-half mile radius is recommended for primary use areas where the development of permanent structures such as roads, boat ramps, and dwellings should be discouraged. A home range with a 2.5-mile radius is suggested where a 200 foot or sight distance buffer is maintained around perch, roost, and feeding sites. (Paige)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 34 Important forest attributes of three heavily used winter communal roosts near Bottle Bay, on Warren Island, and near Bayview have been identified and located. (Crenshaw)

While individual and small-scale actions may not appear to jeopardize the species as a whole, the cumulative long-term effect throughout the recovery area poses the single most important threat to bald eagle recovery. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1986)

Much of the bald eagle habitat in the Pacific recovery area is threatened by development. The following mitigation measures are recommended by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: • Incorporate eagle habitat guidelines in development covenants and regional and county land use and zoning policies. • Establish buffer zones around nest sites. Buffer zones should be established for individual nest territories based on the location of nest trees, perch trees, and flight paths, as well as stand characteristics, known individual tolerances, and weather patterns. • Prohibit building construction near key bald eagle nesting and wintering habitats. Buildings should be no closer than one-quarter mile to the shorelines of feeding waters.

Harlequin Ducks

Recommendations include protecting all stream reaches used by harlequin ducks to maintain macro-invertebrate populations, woody debris, and riparian vegetation. Human activity should be minimized, particularly in upstream sections suspected to be used for nesting and early brood rearing. (Cassirer)

In 1990, 90 percent of harlequin observations in northern Idaho were in mature or old-growth overstory. (Cassirer)

Buffer zones also provide a source of debris in the stream and reduce human activity in riparian areas. Recommendations include buffer zones 300 feet or greater on each side of the stream, with no logging or road construction adjacent to streams used by harlequin ducks. (Cassirer)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 5 - 35 CHAPTER 6 – MINERALS

Although Bonner County had a small share in the early silver mining glory days when Idaho was still a territory, most of the mining activity today is limited to sand and gravel extractions. Mining provided 12 full and part-time jobs in 1980 and rose to a total of 56 jobs in 1996 (County Profiles). The established gravel pits, mines, quarries, and sand pits in Bonner County are shown on the map titled, Mines Located in Bonner County, Idaho, found in the map appendix in the Natural Resources component.

Section 6.1 - Metals

There are a few metallic ore mines being operated in Bonner County, but work is restricted to exploration and assessment.

Quantity

Though prospectors have explored Bonner County in search of valuable ores, there is little present-day activity. An Idaho Bureau of Mines and Geology geologist stated, “There are literally thousands of recorded mineral claims in Bonner County and 99 percent of them are worthless” (Battien). Within the Priest River Basin, 78 mines and prospects are cataloged. Prospecting and mining was documented at 45 sites for non-radioactive metals, 11 sites for radioactive metals, and six sites for non-metallic minerals. Minerals of interest or importance at the remaining 16 sites are unknown. Although the basin was prospected heavily, no mineral deposits of economic importance were discovered. (Idaho Water Resources Board, 1995)

Mining History

Where mining has occurred, the primary metals of interest include lead, gold, silver, and . The first mining claims to be filed in Bonner County were south of Sandpoint. N. H. Porter and G. W. Ripley staked these claims July 16, 1881. From 1886 to 1887, minerals discovered around the southeast end of Lake Pend Oreille led to a rush, as more than 2,000 prospectors moved into that district. The first actual mining, probably around the Lakeview area, was started in 1888 by William Ballard and associates. (Mitchell)

Mines were found all around the lake, but operations remained small until about 1917 (Idaho State Historical Society). Beginning in 1917, more than two million ounces of silver were extracted from Talache area mines. (Mitchell)

The three best recognized districts in Bonner County are Talache, Lakeview, and Hope. The historic mines around Lake Pend Oreille include the Iron Mask and Silver Butte of the Talache area, and the Elsie Kay, Plume Creek, Auxor Mine, Whitedelph, Lawrence, Shoshone Silver, Weber, and Idaho-Lake View areas. The Iron Mask and Silver Butte mines located 14 miles southeast of Sandpoint were some of Idaho’s leading silver producers, grossing $2 million in silver between 1917 and 1926 (Battien). Lead and silver production began in 1913 at Clark Fork with the installation of a 50-ton concentrator. Some $2.5 million (24,000 pounds of lead and 1

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 6 - 1 million ounces of silver) were extracted in the Clark Fork district from 1913 to 1943. (Idaho State Historical Society)

In 1886, Jonathan Truesdale, et al., filed claims on silver and lead deposits adjacent to Upper Priest Lake. The claims were called the Mountain Chief Mine. The Woodrat Mine, located just off the Navigation-Hughes Meadow trail, a short distance from the northwest shore of Upper Priest Lake, got a lot of publicity as a future “gold mine” for its developers. The Woodrat was a square hole in the ground with a rail fence around it. By 1915, the Nickelplate Mine on the top of Nickelplate Mountain just north-northwest of Nordman was publicized as a “live-wire lead, copper, silver, and gold mine.” Despite reports of platinum, copper, silver, and lead being found, the Nickelplate Mine Company went broke. (Simpson)

Silver prices dropped to 32 cents per ounce in 1926. The stock market crash, and the market slump of the 1930s and early 1940s, combined to make it discouraging and unprofitable to mine metals in Bonner County (Battien). The Idaho Continental mine, just north of Bonner County in Boundary County, was the only productive mine in the Upper Priest Lake country (Simpson). Currently there are no active mines (Rothrock and Mosier).

Section 6.2 - Non-Metals

Type

Sand and gravel mining comprise the majority of mining activities in Bonner County. Clay deposits have the potential for commercial use as ceramic clay or as sealants and stabilizers. (USDA NRCS)

Location

Sand and gravel deposits are plentiful almost everywhere at the lower elevations in the Bonner County area. There are active operations in the Priest Lake basin to mine sand and gravel to support construction activities (Rothrock and Mosier). Clay sources are located in the Clark Fork and Cabinet Mountain vicinity.

Quantity

Bonner County has approved 35 conditional use permits for sand and gravel mines between 1975 and 2003. Reclamation plans have been filed with the State of Idaho for approximately 2,205 acres of land representing about 95 mining sites in Bonner County. The acreage represents only those operations which have filed reclamation plans with the state. About 10 percent to 15 percent of the mining operations in the County do not have approved reclamation plans (Idaho Department of Lands). Sand and gravel are being extracted from the majority of the sites (Mineral System Land Inventory). A few sites are being mined for decorative rock and riverbed stones. Data on the estimated quantity and quality of materials being extracted are not available.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 6 - 2 Uses

Mined materials in Bonner County are largely used for road and building construction. Mining for basalt and quartzite are typically used for rip rap, cover material, etc. (Wilson, IDL)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 6 - 3 CHAPTER 7 – BEACHES

Section 7.1 - Lake Pend Oreille

Lake Pend Oreille is the largest lake in Idaho. It is approximately 43 miles long and up to 6 miles wide, with 114 miles of shoreline. There are many public and private beaches surrounding the lake ranging from sandy to rocky.

City Beach in Sandpoint is the largest public sand beach on Lake Pend Oreille. It is a beautiful city park with beach volleyball, basketball, tennis, concessions, boat ramps, and docks. Near Hope, the Forest Service operates Samowen Park, donated to the public by Sam and Nita Owen, Hope-area pioneers. The park offers clear water for swimming on a pebble beach. There are several barbecue and picnic areas in open timber along the shore, as well as overnight camping, a boat ramp, docks, and hiking.

The Army Corps of Engineers maintains several recreation areas on the lake, plus four areas west of Sandpoint on the Pend Oreille River. Closest to Sandpoint on the south side of the river is Springy Point, with a swimming area, launch ramp, camping, and picnic spots. On the lake at Trestle Creek, the Corps maintains a fine-pebble beach with a designated swimming area, picnic grounds, and a concrete boat launch.

The U.S. Forest Service operates a small campground at Garfield Bay with a small-pebble swimming area across the road. Whiskey Rock Bay, a remote sandy beach on the east shore of the lake, is most accessible by boat. Boaters can dock overnight or pitch a tent and enjoy one of the lake’s few natural sandy beaches.

Undeveloped picnic sites may be found along the Monarch Mountains, with a number of small “vest-pocket” beaches from Johnson Creek at the mouth of the Clark Fork to Kilroy Bay. Most of these beaches are accessible only by boat.

Section 7.2 - Priest Lake

Priest Lake is one of the three largest lakes in the Idaho Panhandle, and a very popular recreation area. Priest Lake is actually two lakes, Upper and Lower Priest Lake, connected by a 2.5-mile thoroughfare. The lake is 25 miles long with 80 miles of shoreline. This 80-mile shoreline offers numerous sandy beaches, mostly undeveloped.

There are four islands on the lake with sandy beaches for camping. Kalispell and Bartoo Islands have large, sandy beaches accessible only by boat. A portion of Bartoo Island is private land. Fourmile and Eightmile islands have smaller beach areas.

There are two state park campgrounds on Priest Lake, Indian Creek and Lionhead,. Each offers large sandy beaches for swimming. Both are open to day use.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 7 - 1 The U.S. Forest Service maintains 10 campground and day use areas with swimming areas on the west side of the lower lake.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 7 - 2 CHAPTER 8 – WATERSHEDS AND AQUIFERS

Section 8.1 - Watersheds

There are three basin areas within Bonner County. They are the Pend Oreille Basin, the Clark Fork Basin, and the Priest Lake and River Basin. The basins have several subwatersheds that drain into either Lake Pend Oreille, Priest Lake, Priest River, or the Clark Fork River. Tables 8- 1, 8-2, and 8-3 show the recognized subwatersheds of each area and the square miles of each watershed. The data for the watersheds were obtained from database of the Idaho Panhandle National Forests and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (1998).

The Clark Fork-Pend Oreille Basin encompasses about 25,000 square miles of the intermountain northwest in the states of Montana, Idaho, and Washington. The Clark Fork River, Lake Pend Oreille, and the Pend Oreille River are among the main bodies of water in the basin. The Clark Fork-Pend Oreille Basin is characterized by highly valued recreational economic resources and is the central focus of nearly every major urban, industrial and agricultural activity in the region. Vast resources of minerals, timber, fish, wildlife, water, rangeland, and croplands support a variety of human uses, ranging from mining and agriculture to recreational fishing and boating. (U.S. EPA)

The Priest River basin is 913 square miles in area, of which 761 square miles are in Idaho. The northeast corner of Washington contains 137 square miles along the west side of the basin, and the northernmost 15 square miles of the drainage are within British Columbia, Canada. Approximately 90 percent of the Basin is publicly owned land. (Idaho Water Resource Board, 1995)

Pend Oreille Basin Table 8-1 identifies the current subwatersheds in Bonner County that drain into Lake Pend Oreille, the Pend Oreille River, and Cocolalla Lake.

Table 8-1: Pend Oreille Basin

Watershed Location Size sq. mi. Kirby Creek NE of Lake Pend Oreille 2.1 Little Sand Creek Part of the Sand Creek watershed 12.3 Manley Creek N of Lake Pend Oreille; north of Pend Oreille River 3.8 Riley Creek (head) N of Lake Pend Oreille near Laclede; north of Pend Oreille 5.7 River Sand Creek Part of the Sand Creek watershed 17.4 Sand Creek (total) N of Lake Pend Oreille near Sandpoint 37.4 Schweitzer Creek Part of the Sand Creek watershed 4.9 Swede Creek Part of the Sand Creek watershed 1.2 Syringa Creek N of Lake Pend Oreille east of Sandpoint: 3.1 Trestle Creek NE of Lake Pend Oreille near Hope; 19.7 Pack River (total) North and Northeast portion of basin 284.6 Brush Creek Far south end arm of Lake Pend Oreille; east side 1.2

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 8 - 1 Watershed Location Size sq. mi. Butler Creek Portion of the Cocolalla watershed; Cocolalla 3.8 Canyon Creek Far south end arm of Lake Pend Oreille; east side 3.7 Caribou Creek Far north end of basin; part of upper Pack River watershed 14.0 Chimney Creek Far north end of basin; part of upper Pack River watershed 5.2 Chloride Gulch Far south end arm of Lake Pend Oreille; east side 4.2 Cocolalla Creek Portion of the Cocolalla watershed; Cocolalla 26.5 Falls Creek Far south end arm of Lake Pend Oreille; east side 4.6 Fish Creek Portion of the Cocolalla watershed; Cocolalla 11.8 Gold Creek Far NE end of basin; part of lower Pack River watershed 10.3 Gold Creek above West Gold Far south end arm of Lake Pend Oreille; east side 5.9 Creek Granite Creek Lower arm of Lake Pend Oreille; east side 26.6 Grouse Creek NE end of basin; part of lower Pack River watershed 57.7 Grouse above south fork Far NE end of basin; part of lower Pack River watershed 14.9 Grouse Creek Hell Roaring Creek Far north end of basin; part of upper Pack River watershed 10.9 Hoodoo Creek South of Pend Oreille River; east of Albeni Falls Dam 75.7 Jeru Creek Far north end of basin; part of upper Pack River watershed 5.2 Johnson Creek Portion of the Cocolalla watershed; Cocolalla 3.6 Kick Bush Creek Far south end arm of Lake Pend Oreille; east side 3.4 Lower Cocolalla Creek Portion of the Cocolalla watershed; Cocolalla; outlet 1.6 watershed to Round Lake Maiden Creek South end arm of Lake Pend Oreille; west side 0.4 Martin Creek Far north end of basin; part of lower Pack River watershed 3.4 McCormick Creek Far north end of basin; part of upper Pack River watershed 6.8 North Fork Grouse Creek Far NE end of basin; part of lower Pack River watershed 15.3 North Gold Creek Far south end arm of Lake Pend Oreille; east side 16.4 North Twin Creek Far south end arm of Lake Pend Oreille; east side 1.7 Pack River (lower) Far NE end of basin; part of lower Pack River watershed 22.7 Pack River north of Slide Creek Far north end of basin; part of upper Pack River watershed 7.5 Pearl Creek East side of Lake Pend Oreille; south of Trestle Creek 10.4 Rapid Lightning Creek Far NE end of basin; part of lower Pack River watershed 47.4 Riser Creek East side of Lake Pend Oreille; part of lower Pack River 2.3 watershed State Creek Far NE end of basin; part of lower Pack River watershed 1.3 Strong Creek East side of Lake Pend Oreille; part of lower Pack River 4.3 watershed Trapper Creek Far NE end of basin; part of lower Pack River watershed 6.1 Trout Creek Far NE end of basin; part of lower Pack River watershed 9.6 Tumbledown Creek Far south end arm of Lake Pend Oreille; east side 1.9 West Gold Creek Far south end arm of Lake Pend Oreille; east side 7.1 Westmond Creek Portion of the Cocolalla watershed; Cocolalla 10.86

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 8 - 2 (Patten; Rothrock)

Clark Fork Basin Table 8-2 identifies the most current watersheds identified in Bonner County that drain into the Clark Fork River.

Table 8-2: Clark Fork Basin

Watershed Location Size sq. mi.

Carter Creek South of the Clark Fork River; East of Clark Fork 0.6 Cascade Creek Portion of Lightning Creek watershed 5.3 Derr Creek South of the Clark Fork River; East of Clark Fork 4.8 Dry Creek South of the Clark Fork River; East of Clark Fork 12.5 East Fork Lightning Creek Portion of Lightning Creek watershed 20.5 Johnson Creek South of the Clark Fork River; East of Clark Fork 13.7 Lightning Creek NW portion of CF Basin 118.3 Lightning Creek above Portion of Lightning Creek watershed 15.9 Rattle Creek Porcupine Creek Portion of Lightning Creek subwatershed 7.4 Quartz Creek Portion of Lightning Creek watershed 3.8 Rattle Creek Portion of Lightning Creek subwatershed 10.6 Spring Creek Portion of Lightning Creek watershed 9.9 Twin Creek South of the Clark Fork River, East of Clark Fork 12.3 Wellington Creek Portion of Lightning Creek subwatershed 9.8 (Patten)

Priest Lake and Priest River Table 8-3 identifies the most current watersheds in Bonner County that drain into the Priest Lake or Priest River.

Table 8-3: Priest River Basin

Watershed Location Size sq. mi. PRIEST LAKE WATERSHEDS Bartoo Island Lower Priest Lake Island 0.4 Bear Creek Lower Priest Lake system tributary; east side 7.3 Bear Northwest Perimeter watershed south of Goose Creek, around Cape Horn, 1.5 and to Indian Creek Beaver Creek Lower Priest Lake system tributary; west side 10.5 Cape Horn Perimeter watershed south of Bear Creek, around Cape Horn, and 1.7 to Indian Creek Caribou Creek Upper Priest Lake system tributary 32.5 Chase Creek Lower Priest Lake system tributary; east side 6.4 Coolin Perimeter watershed Sherwood Bay south to mouth of Chase 0.6 Creek

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 8 - 3 Watershed Location Size sq. mi. Coolin Mountain Perimeter watershed south Outlet Bay and west Coolin Bay to 2.6 mouth of Chase Creek Cougar Creek Lower Priest Lake system tributary; east side 2.4 Distillery Bay Perimeter watershed Distillery Bay south to Granite mouth 4.3 East Shore Perimeter watershed south of Hunt Creek to Cougar Creek 2.2 Eightmile Island Lower Priest Lake Island 0.2 Fenton Creek Lower Priest Lake system tributary; east side 2.0 Granite Creek Lower Priest Lake system tributary; west side 100.0 Granite South Perimeter watershed Granite Creek south to Reeder Creek 0.7 Goose Creek Lower Priest Lake system tributary; east side 1.5 Horton Creek Lower Priest Lake system tributary; east side 3.2 Huckleberry North Perimeter watershed northern Huckleberry Bay 0.8 Hughes Fork Upper Priest Lake system tributary 60.4 Hunt Creek Lower Priest Lake system tributary; east side 18.6 Indian Creek Lower Priest Lake system tributary; east side 23.4 Kalispell Bay Perimeter watershed Kalispell Bay between Kalispell Creek and 0.1 Reynolds Creek Kalispell Creek Lower Priest Lake system tributary; west side 39.3 Kalispell Island Lower Priest Lake Island 0.4 Lakeview Perimeter watershed Reeder Creek south to Kalispell Creek 2.9 Lion Creek Lower Priest Lake system tributary; east side 28.8 Luby Perimeter watershed Reynolds Creek south to Outlet Bay Resort 2.6 Mosquito Bay Perimeter watershed mouth of the Thoroughfare and Mosquito 1.1 Bay North Horton Perimeter watershed south of Indian Creek to Horton Creek 3.0 North Hunt Perimeter watershed south of Horton Creek to Hunt Creek 0.4 Plowboy Southwest perimeter of Upper Priest Lake and the Thoroughfare 8.2 Reeder Creek Lower Priest Lake system tributary; west side 13.1 Reynolds Creek/Hanna Lower Priest Lake system tributary; west side 7.2 Flats Rocky Point Perimeter watershed west Cavanaugh Bay around Rocky Point 1.6 and into Steamboat Bay Soldier Creek Lower Priest Lake system tributary; east side 24.7 Squaw Creek Lower Priest Lake system tributary; east side 2.3 Squaw North Perimeter watershed northern Squaw Bay 0.2 Squaw South Perimeter watershed southern Squaw Bay and south to Two 1.2 Mouth Creek Tango Creek Lower Priest Lake system tributary; west side 3.1 Teepee Creek plus Bottle Lower Priest Lake system tributary; west side 2.5 Creek Thoroughfare Northeast perimeter of Upper Priest Lake and the Thoroughfare 3.8 Trapper Creek Upper Priest Lake system tributary 18.7 Two Mouth Creek Lower Priest Lake system tributary; east side 24.3

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 8 - 4 Watershed Location Size sq. mi. Upper Priest River Upper Priest Lake system tributary 79.6 PRIEST RIVER WATERSHEDS Big Creek West branch Priest River watershed 15.3 Binarch Creek West Branch Priest River watershed 10.7 Blickensderfer Creek Lower west branch Priest River watershed 11.4 Blonc Creek Upper west branch Priest River watershed; Goose Creek 1.1 Canyon Creek East off of Priest River watershed 4.5 Consalus Creek Upper west branch Priest River watershed; Goose Creek 6.3 East River East off of Priest River watershed 2.9 Flat Creek Lower west branch Priest River watershed 6.3 Galena Creek Upper west branch Priest River watershed; north of Solo Creek 3.2 Goose Creek Upper west branch Priest River watershed; south of Solo Creek 12.9 Hathaway Creek Upper west branch Priest River watershed; Goose Creek 1.7 Lamb Creek West Branch Priest River watershed 21.9 Lower West Branch Lower west branch Priest River watershed 6.6 Middle Fork East River East off of Priest River watershed 30.0 Moores Creek Lower west branch Priest River watershed 12.3 North Fork River East East off of Priest River watershed 30.9 River Pine Creek Lower west branch Priest River watershed 5.1 Quartz Creek West branch Priest River watershed 11.4 Saddler Creek West branch Priest River watershed 4.1 Snow Creek Lower west branch Priest River watershed 6.0 Solo Creek Upper west branch Priest River watershed 5.1 Upper West Branch Upper west branch Priest River watershed and unnamed 18.1 (Rothrock and Mosier)

Section 8.2 - Municipal Watersheds

Sandpoint

The Sandpoint watershed in unincorporated Bonner County consists of approximately 8,000 acres lying northwest of Sandpoint in Townships 57 and 58 North, Ranges 2 and 3 West, of the Boise Meridian, Bonner County, Idaho. The watershed area is generally defined by the hydrographic ridge line of the Little Sand Creek drainage and encompasses lands located south of the Resort recreation area. The city’s purest, least costly water is obtained from the 5.3-mile Little Sand Creek that courses through the watershed. Little Sand Creek‘s combined tributaries within the watershed equal 9.1 miles. (City of Sandpoint)

The city’s intake and treatment facility for the Sand Creek water supply is located on Little Sand Creek on city-owned land. The site is about two miles north of Sandpoint, adjacent to Schweitzer Road and about 1/3 mile upstream from the valley floor. This has been the main source of municipal water since 1903. The city purchased the water rights and system in 1918 from

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 8 - 5 Sandpoint Water & Light Company. A 1.3 million-gallon storage dam/intake structure is located about one-half mile upstream from the treatment facility. The city also maintains an intake and treatment facility on leased land on Lake Pend Oreille as an alternative water supply, should Little Sand Creek not be able to meet demand during dry periods.

The Little Sand Creek watershed area is not only the source of Sandpoint’s principal water supply, but contains valuable timber, wildlife resources, open space, and recreational opportunities. Ownership is divided among city, state, federal, and private landowners. Sandpoint owns approximately 50 percent of the watershed, the Bureau of Land Management owns about 22 percent, and the State of Idaho owns about eight percent, while the remaining lands are privately held. Sandpoint has developed a watershed management agreement to provide guidelines for landowners in the watershed. The voluntary watershed management agreement has been signed by the city, Bureau of Land Management, Idaho Department of Lands, U.S. Forest Service, and Idaho Department of Environment Quality. Schweitzer Inc. and Pack River Management, representing the largest single private ownership of 14 percent, had not signed the agreement as of spring of 1999.

Inland Forest Management Inc. has developed a Watershed Management Plan for Sandpoint (City of Sandpoint). The management agreement is designed to ensure an adequate and continuous supply of high quality water. Management practices address road construction and maintenance, timber harvest, stream protection zones, use of chemicals, fertilizers and herbicides, erosion control, and development. A timber harvest/management plan has been prepared for the city land.

A number of natural catastrophes have impacted the watershed over the years. The most significant recent events include a large wildfire in the late 1950s and a “rain on snow event” in April of 1990 that washed out a significant portion of the Schweitzer Mountain Road and carried debris into the city water system. Identified potential threats to the municipal watershed are fire hazards, erosion from road or other development, disease, and insects. Road maintenance sharing, healing old erosion sources, and using best management practices when operating in the watershed are a few methods being used to promote water quality protection. The Idaho Department of Lands has been instrumental in implementing this coordination effort among watershed landowners. (City of Sandpoint)

From 1981 to 1982 the City of Sandpoint, State Department of Lands, and Pack River Management cooperated in controlling access to the watershed by a locked gate, limited access to gate keys, and monitoring of logging operations and wood permits. The intention was to reduce unauthorized timber cutting and to prevent road surface rutting and erosion during wet periods. (The Rathdrum, Idaho city management plan stated that 80 percent of sediment reaching stream channels is caused by roads and only 20 percent by other activities such as skid trails.)

East Hope

Strong Creek’s watershed is the primary water supply for the City of East Hope, which has a population of approximately 250 people. The entire basin upstream from the city’s water diversion structure is within the U.S. Forest Service boundary, while ownership downstream is

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 8 - 6 private (Bull Trout Technical Advisory Team). A 150,000-gallon storage tank is located north of the city on private property. The water system serves approximately 160 hook-ups (Harris). Minimal disturbance upstream from the diversion has occurred. Access to the area is via a jeep trail. Recent logging has occurred downstream from the diversion structure and portions of the riparian vegetation has been removed. Watershed conditions on National Forest Lands above the East Hope water diversion are in good shape and have not been significantly affected by timber harvest or other human disturbance (Bull Trout Technical Advisory Team). Potential threats from landslides due to steep slopes and fire are issues of concern for the city water system (Harris).

City of Hope

Drinking water to the City of Hope is provided by natural springs. These springs are currently being tested by the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality to determine whether the springs are a result of surface water or a ground water source. The water is currently not treated before distribution to households. Chlorinating will most likely be required if the source of the springs is determined to be surface water. (Klauss)

Section 8.3- Aquifers

Pend Oreille River (Southside) Aquifer

There have been limited studies completed on the Pend Oreille River Aquifer. The Southside Aquifer is one of the larger aquifers serving Bonner County and is located within the larger Pend Orielle River Aquifer, which is depicted on the map located at the end of the Natural Resources element Major Aquifers Within Bonner County, Idaho. The study, Hydrogeology of the Southside Aquifer, was completed by the Department of Environmental Quality in 1987. Since then, the Cocolalla Lake Phase I Study was completed. The following information provides some details on the Southside Aquifer.

The Southside Aquifer is a little known glacial aquifer located in Sagle, Idaho. The general flow of water is to the north along Highway 95 and discharges into the Pend Oreille River in the Sagle Slough, Murphy Slough, and an unnamed slough on the Pend Oreille River west of Round Lake (DeSmet). The Southside Aquifer covers approximately 46 square miles and extends as far north as the south boundary of the Lake Pend Oreille following Highway 95 to four-miles south of Careywood, Idaho.

The Southside Aquifer also extends east to the Montana-Idaho border following Cocolalla Creek and west following Westmond Creek, Mirror Lake, and Shepherd Lake. The aquifer varies from one to eight miles wide and is 17 miles long. There is concern about utilization of septic tanks and drain fields or absorption beds over the Southside Aquifer. (DeSmet)

Approximately 1,000 to 2,000 homes (approximately 2,000 people) are located on this aquifer (General Telephone records, 1987). All of these homes rely upon ground water as their sole source of potable water and nearly all of them rely on septic tanks and leachfields for sewage

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 8 - 7 disposal. While unsewered housing density is lower on the Southside Aquifer than on the Rathdrum Aquifer, average depth to ground water is much less (50 feet versus 100 to 200 feet). There is a concern about potential ground water contamination. (DeSmet)

The Southside Aquifer was developed as a result of erosion since the end of the Cambrian Period. Drainages were deeply incised into the Belt Rocks. Stream flow from the Pend Oreille, Cocolalla, and Hoodoo Valleys was to the southwest through a drainage system known as the Rathdrum River. During earlier ice ages, ice remnants occupied portions of the Cocolalla Valley. Protection by ice kept portions of the glacial deposits from being reworked, developing a hydrogeologic setting unique to the area. (DeSmet)

The Southside Aquifer lies almost entirely within the southern portion of the . It is bordered on the east by the Precambrian Belt Rocks, on the south and west by granitic rocks of the Kaniksu Batholith and on the north by Lake Pend Oreille and the Pend Oreille River. (DeSmet)

Southside Aquifer water flows through a complex system of glacial drift and lake sediments, which fill the Cocolalla Valley. The term glacial drift is used to indicate materials deposited directly by ice or by melt water in close proximity to ice. Drift extends to depths of 250 feet or more. The total depth is not known since wells are usually developed only in the upper surface of the aquifer. The Southside Aquifer has a greater abundance of glacial drift with the exception of the northern portion because flood events did not rework this area. (DeSmet)

Lake surface elevations of the aquifer vary from 2,062 feet above sea level at Lake Pend Oreille, to an elevation of 2,350 feet about sea level at Mirror Lake. Peak elevations of the mountains adjacent to the aquifer are near 5,000 feet. Runoff from snow melt and rain provide a significant amount of recharge to the aquifer. (DeSmet)

The very northern portion of the Southside Aquifer consists of glacio-fluvial sediments, which are unconsolidated, relatively well-sorted gravels and sands with some clay lenses. Drainage is excellent in the glacio-fluvial materials. Predominant soil types are deep, silty, and sandy loams with high- to very-high permeability. The larger percentage and remainder of the Southside Aquifer consists of glacial drift. Glacial drift contains very poorly sorted boulders, gravels, sand, and clay. These sediments were deposited by ice or by melt water in close proximity to glacial ice and include outwash, till, and moraine deposits. Well production in this unit is generally good. Depth to water is highly variable and unpredictable because of perched water tables. (DeSmet)

The Southside Aquifer also has some consolidated silts and clay known as slate. These slates are likely Latah Member of the Columbia River Basalt or older metasediments. They are very low in porosity and hydraulic conductivity. Water production is low, although it can be satisfactory for most domestic purposes. Water is obtained through fracture flow in these slates. Wells are drilled and developed in these sediments when water is not available in the glacial deposits above. (DeSmet)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 8 - 8 According to DEQ, ground water is close to the land surface in many areas of the Southside Aquifer, and potential for degradation is very high. With an average depth to water at 51 feet, development of industry over the aquifer needs to be scrutinized closely. Continued residential development using drainfields for sewage disposal and location of industries using chemicals and hazardous materials need to be of concern in the future. (DeSmet)

Transportation, handling, and storage of hazardous materials over the Southside Aquifer also need to be major concerns in the future. Highway 95 runs the entire north-south length of the aquifer. This is a major route for railroad and truck shipments. In many areas along the transportation route, ground water is less than 20 feet from land surface. (DeSmet)

The land wastewater disposal system of the Southside Sewer District is operating very well at this time but it cannot be determined if ground water degradation is occurring. Better monitoring needs to be established to more accurately determine any effect on the aquifer from the effluent. Past and future data need to be evaluated closely from inorganic chemical analysis for public water systems to aid in determining signs of deterioration. The development of more detailed mapping, including depth to ground water, net recharge, aquifer media, soil media, topography, impact to vadose (shallow groundwater) zone, and hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer is useful for future planning and zoning decisions. (DeSmet)

Newport Aquifer

The Newport Aquifer has limited information available due to lack of funding. This aquifer serves Oldtown, Idaho, and Newport, Washington, encompassing 22 square miles within the boundaries of the Pend Orielle River Aquifer as depicted on the map title Major Aquifers in Bonner County, Idaho. The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality provided partial funding for a Wellhead Protection Plan Phase I in May 1994 for this aquifer.

The City of Newport and the West Bonner Water District No. 1 in Oldtown are served drinking water from an interconnected, interstate water supply. Most of the drinking water comes from the Idaho Springs located southeast of Oldtown (City of Newport). Bonner County adopted Ordinance 305, effective April 6, 1996, establishing a Wellhead Protection Overlay Zone District in response to the data provided in the Wellhead Protection Plan (Bonner County Revised Code, Title 12, Chapter 27). The West Bonner Water District No. 1 subsequently applied for a wellhead protection overlay zone. The petition initially was denied by the Bonner County Commissioners February 27, 1997 (Bonner County Planning Department File ZC236- 96), and later approved August 23, 2001, (ZC279-00).

The Idaho Springs source consists of three springs located one mile southeast of Oldtown, and is sited on a plateau 150 feet above Oldtown and Newport. The springs are located on a 40-acre site owned by the West Bonner Water District No. 1. The estimated combined production of all three springs is 450 gallons per minute. This intercity and interstate water supply serves approximately 1,753 people in Washington and 445 people in Idaho. (City of Newport)

The West Bonner Aquifer in Idaho consists of heterogeneous mixture of sands, clays, and gravels. According to the DEQ Newport/West Bonner study:

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 8 - 9 • The eastern and southern boundaries follow the topographic divide in the . • The Pend Oreille River constitutes the northern aquifer boundary. • No clays were continuous enough to protect the aquifer from contamination. • The aquifer consists of these materials in a bathtub- or bowl-shaped configuration resting on the intrusive bedrock. • The Hoodoo Mountains form the eastern edge of the West Bonner Aquifer. • Ground water is recharged by snow melt and rain runoff from Hoodoo Mountains, and infiltration from undulating topography above the aquifer. • Ground water discharges from a series of springs at the north end of the aquifer above the Pend Oreille River. • The topographic divide in the Hoodoo Mountains forms the eastern boundary of the aquifer recharge area. • A discontinuous clay layer exists in the general vicinity of Highway 41 in Section 31, Township 56 North, Range 5 West and Section 6, Township 55 North, Range 5 West. • Production of wells varies with the depth of well and location in the aquifer. Two existing wells have the capability of producing up to 1500 gallons per minute. These wells are the deepest wells that have been drilled in the area and penetrate over 200 feet of alluvial sediments without encountering bedrock. • A lobe of the intrusive bedrock exists in the vicinity of the Idaho Hill Landfill in both Idaho and Washington. (City of Newport)

Both nitrate concentrations and electrical conductance (EC) are low in the study area. Nitrate concentrations range from below detection limit to 5.9 milligrams per liter (mg/L). The health based maximum contaminant level for nitrate in drinking water is 10 mg/L. The wells that exhibit the elevated nitrate concentrations generally are on the east side of the aquifer at the boundary of the Hoodoo Mountains. No investigation was done in the field to evaluate the relative placement of the leach fields and water wells at houses located within this area. The elevated nitrate concentrations could be coming from the leach fields. Some component of the runoff from the forested intrusive east of this area may be contributing nitrates to the shallow aquifer in that area. The remainder of the wells down gradient toward the Idaho Springs exhibits much lower nitrate concentrations. This indicates that the elevated nitrate concentrations in the vicinity of these wells is a localized condition and currently does not pose any threat to the quality of water at the springs. (City of Newport)

Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer

The Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer is composed of very coarse sand and gravel and is extremely sensitive to contamination. Most substances simply wash through the sand and gravel into the aquifer. Industrial waste, petroleum products, and timber production by-products have been accidentally and intentionally dumped over the aquifer. Agricultural and forestry practices have cumulatively affected water quality. Presently, the aquifer provides adequate amounts of high-

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 8 - 10 quality water, but with the addition of more contaminants, the probability for degradation increases. This delicate balance between quality and contamination affects all present and future residents of Bonner and Kootenai Counties, Idaho, and Spokane County, Washington, who rely on this valuable resource.

The Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer spans approximately 20 square miles in Bonner County (see map titled Major Aquifers in Bonner County, Idaho), 180 square miles in Spokane County, and 138 square miles in Spokane County. The aquifer was created by periodic glacial outburst floods, which left well-washed sands and gravels. The composition of the aquifer is mainly very coarse, and all materials are very porous and permeable.

Water in the aquifer travels south and southeasterly as it passes from Idaho into Washington. The depth of the water table decreases by 200 feet from the southern border of Bonner County to the state line. The water level fluctuates less than 30 inches per year in most areas. There has been no long-term decline in water levels anywhere in the Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer based on the limited, available data. Depths to water from land surface range from 400 feet in the northern portion of the aquifer, to about 150 feet near the State line.

Priest River Aquifer

No detailed information is available concerning the Priest River Aquifer (Painter). Based on the GIS coverages mapped for the Natural Resources component, the Priest River Aquifer is almost completely within the boundaries of Bonner County (see Major Aquifers Within Bonner County, Idaho). The Priest River Aquifer is about 15,253 square acres (23.83 square miles), stretching from the Upper Priest Lake area to the Pend Oreille River. The aquifer is composed mainly of sands and gravels.

Kootenai Valley Aquifer

Detailed information is not yet available on the Kootenai Valley Aquifer, which is located in Boundary and Bonner counties (Painter). The portion found in north-central Bonner County in the Elmira area represents about 208 acres.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 8 - 11 CHAPTER 9 – CLIMATE

Section 9.1 - General Statistics

Rainfall

The precipitation table shows the mean and median of the total of water inches (not snowfall inches) for each month. Table 9-1 represents statistical data that were recorded and averaged from 1961 to 1990 from different weather stations in the Bonner County region. The data are considered normals of monthly precipitation and were obtained from the Idaho State Climate Services.

Table 9-1: Normals of Monthly Precipitation, 1961-1990 (in Inches)

Element Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Annual Bayview Mean 3.03 2.39 2.04 1.75 2.08 1.91 0.98 1.22 1.39 1.80 3.12 3.40 25.11 Model Basin Median 2.79 2.48 2.01 1.72 2.16 1.62 0.86 1.09 1.49 1.70 2.94 3.65 24.10 Cabinet Mean 4.29 3.19 2.61 2.08 2.22 2.34 1.01 1.60 1.65 2.18 4.34 4.45 31.96 Gorge Median 3.83 2.78 2.70 2.13 1.80 2.16 0.85 1.29 1.55 1.85 4.08 4.44 32.11 Priest Mean 3.96 3.12 2.77 2.08 2.44 2.06 1.21 1.45 1.53 2.02 4.33 4.46 31.43 River Exp. Stn. Median 3.91 3.43 2.73 2.08 2.05 2.10 0.94 1.20 1.66 1.85 3.98 4.23 31.89 Sandpoint Mean 4.06 3.31 2.85 2.12 2.52 2.26 1.26 1.63 1.71 2.35 4.74 4.69 33.50 KSPT Median 3.64 2.93 2.80 2.06 2.28 2.03 1.15 1.11 1.75 2.09 4.38 4.50 33.72

(Idaho State Climate Services)

Snowfall

Table 9-2 shows the average total snowfall inches for each month. The data were recorded and averaged from October 1910 to April 1998. The information was collected by the University of Idaho Research & Extension Center (108137).

Table 9-2: Average Total Snowfall, 1910-1998 in Inches

Station Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Annual UI 22.9 13.6 6.5 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.6 6.8 20.5 71.7 Research & Extension (Idaho State Climate Services)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 9 - 1 Another method by which rainfall and snowfall are measured is snow water equivalent. The snow water equivalent (SWE) indicates the density of water content of precipitation. The SWE is the measurement that is the important criteria of snow (Moore). The statistical data recorded in Table 9-3 was obtained from the Idaho State Climate Services from the SNOTEL 1961 to 1990 SWE average in the Schweitzer Basin in Bonner County. According to the data, March, April, and May indicate the greatest amount of SWE for Bonner County.

Table 9-3: Average Snow Water Equivalent Averages, in Inches 1961-1990

Station Day Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Schweitzer 1st 22.1 35.0 43.9 53.4 53.7 34.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.6 10.5 Basin 15th 28.3 39.8 48.7 53.4 45.6 15.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 5.8 16.2 (Idaho State Climate Services)

Growing Season

Table 9-4 was generated from statistics over a 30-year period that indicate the probability of the growing season in Bonner County. The data were obtained from the Idaho State Climate Services from the University of Idaho facilities. The statistics were recorded from 1961 to 1990.

Table 9-4: Growing Season Length, 1961-1990

Daily Minimum Temperature Probability No. days > 24°F No. days > 28°F No. days > 32°F 9 years in 10 156 133 99 8 years in 10 168 142 106 5 years in 10 193 159 119 2 years in 10 218 175 131 1 year in 10 231 184 138 (Idaho State Climate Services)

Frost Days

Table 9-5 was generated from statistics recorded over a 30-year period that indicate the freezing level for Bonner County. The data were obtained from the Idaho State Climate Services from the University of Idaho facilities. The statistics were recorded from 1961 to 1990.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 9 - 2 Table 9-5: Fall and Spring Freezing Temperatures, 1961-1990

Temperature Probability 24°F or lower 28°F or lower 32°F or lower Last freezing temperature in spring: 1 year in 10 later than April 26 May 18 June 2 2 year in 10 later than April 19 May 12 May 29 5 year in 10 later than April 7 May 1 May 19

Last freezing temperature in fall: 1 year in 10 earlier than September 21 September 20 September 3 2 year in 10 earlier than October 1 September 26 September 3 5 year in 10 earlier than October 18 October 7 September 17 (Idaho State Climate Services)

Cloud Days

Table 9-6 was generated from statistics over a 30-year period that indicate the number of cloud days in the Spokane region. There were no specific data recorded for Bonner County on solar radiation penetration. The data was obtained from the Western Regional Climate Center of the Desert Research Institute Atmospheric Sciences Center, University and Community College System of Nevada, Reno, Nevada. The statistics were recorded from 1961 to 1990.

Table 9-6: Cloud Pattern, 1961-1990

MEAN (a) JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC Year

Sunrise to Sunset -Clear 48 3.1 3.4 4.5 4.5 5.9 7.3 16.1 15.2 12.3 8.0 3.3 2.8 86.4 -Partly 48 4.1 4.9 7.8 8.2 10.1 10.3 8.5 8.6 8.3 7.8 5.0 3.9 87.5 Cloudy -Cloudy 48 23.8 19.9 18.7 17.3 15.0 12.5 6.4 7.3 9.3 15.2 21.7 24.2 191.4

(a) Length of Record in years, although individual months may be missing Normals - Based on the 1961 - 1990 record period (Western Regional Climate Center)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 9 - 3 Temperature Means and Extremes

Table 9-7 summarizes the temperature maximum, minimum, and mean from 1910 to 1998. The data source was the Western Regional Climate Center of the Desert Research Institute Atmospheric Sciences Center, University and Community College System of Nevada, Reno, Nevada. The temperature recordation is from the University of Idaho Research & Extension Center.

Table 9-7: General Climate Summary - Temperature

University of Idaho Research & Extension Center 108137

From Year=1910 To Year=1998 Monthly Averages Daily Extremes Monthly Extremes Max. Temp. Min. Temp.

Max. Min. Mean High Date Low Date Highest Year Lowest Year = <= <= <= Mean Mean 90 F 32 F 32 F 0 F F F F F dd/yyyyF dd/yyyyF -F -# # Days # Days # Days Days January 32.0 19.9 26.0 54 23/1919 -31 30/1950 36.6 53 7.6 37 0.0 13.5 28.0 2.6 February 37.8 22.7 30.3 61 25/1995 -35 09/1933 37.3 91 13.2 36 0.0 5.3 24.3 1.4 March 46.2 27.6 36.9 71 22/1915 -10 04/1955 43.5 41 28.2 17 0.0 1.1 23.3 0.2 April 57.3 33.9 45.6 87 24/1977 9 01/1936 53.2 34 39.7 55 0.0 0.0 13.3 0.0 May 66.4 40.2 53.3 97 30/1936 22 01/1972 59.2 58 48.4 16 0.1 0.0 3.8 0.0 June 73.3 45.7 59.5 96 24/1992 28 03/1918 63.9 92 54.7 20 0.6 0.0 0.4 0.0 July 81.9 48.3 65.1 104 20/1923 33 18/1919 70.0 85 59.0 93 4.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 August 80.8 46.8 63.8 100 08/1930 28 30/1924 69.8 15 58.6 12 4.3 0.0 0.1 0.0 September 70.3 41.0 55.6 96 02/1938 16 24/1926 62.2 40 50.2 12 0.2 0.0 3.7 0.0 October 56.9 34.1 45.5 82 24/1923 4 31/1935 50.4 44 40.1 19 0.0 0.1 13.2 0.0 November 41.5 28.3 34.9 66 03/1975 -10 19/1921 40.4 54 23.2 85 0.0 2.8 21.0 0.2 December 34.0 23.0 28.5 58 18/1917 -37 30/1968 36.2 25 19.2 83 0.0 11.2 26.8 1.1 Annual 56.5 34.3 45.4 104 7/20/23 -37 12/30/68 48.1 41 41.8 16 10.1 34.0 158.0 5.6 Winter 34.6 21.9 28.3 61 2/25/95 -37 12/30/68 34.5 34 19.8 49 0.0 30.0 79.0 5.2 Spring 56.6 33.9 45.2 97 5/30/36 -10 3/04/55 50.7 34 39.1 55 0.1 1.1 40.4 0.2 Summer 78.7 46.9 62.8 104 7/20/23 28 6/03/18 66.6 61 59.5 54 9.8 0.0 0.5 0.0 Fall 56.2 34.4 45.3 96 9/02/38 -10 11/19/21 48.7 63 39.3 85 0.2 2.9 38.0 0.2

For monthly and annual means, thresholds, and sums: Months with 10 or more missing days are not considered Years with 1 or more missing months are not considered (Western Regional Climate Center)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 9 - 4 Table 9-8 represents temperature and precipitation for the Priest River area. The figures are from the Priest River Experimental Forest Control Station. The data are monthly averages from 1931 to 1980.

Table 9-8: Priest River Experimental Station, 1931-1980

Average Maximum Average Minimum Precipitation Water Snowfall Inches Temperature F° Temperature F° Equivalent Inches January 30.1 17.5 4.28 21.1 February 37.1 20.2 3.10 15.8 March 45.0 24.1 2.75 6.9 April 56.9 30.1 2.01 0.6 May 67.1 37.6 2.28 0.1 June 73.4 43.9 2.31 0.0 July 82.8 46.5 .99 0.0 August 81.6 44.7 1.15 0.0 September 71.6 39.1 1.59 Trace October 56.6 32.9 2.82 0.8 November 39.1 26.7 4.03 10.2 December 32.5 22.6 4.86 24.9 Annual 56.2 32.2 32.17 88.4 Average (Idaho Water Resource Board, 1995)

Section 9.2 - General History

Weather Patterns - Winds and Fronts

Tables 9-9, 9-10, 9-11, and 9-12 represent the various wind speeds and the direction percent. All four seasons have a greater percentage of winds to the northeast and south. The winter season has the greatest percentage of winds to the northeast and south. Following are the various data relating to direction of the wind by percentage and the speed of the wind in miles per hour. The data were collected from January 1, 1991, to December 31, 1994. The data were obtained from the Idaho State Climate Services.

Table 9-9: Wind Speeds and Fronts, Winter Season

Direction Speed (mph) 246810141822>22Total E 1.12 2.15 13.4 0.09 0.04 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 4.74 N 0.77 1.89 3.31 1.54 1.80 2.15 1.36 0.15 0.00 12.97 NE 1.58 5.99 15.31 6.25 5.59 1.49 0.15 0.00 0.00 36.38 NW 0.24 0.39 0.18 0.04 0.04 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.90 S 1.62 4.83 9.61 2.61 1.97 0.29 0.00 0.00 0.00 20.93 SE 0.55 0.86 0.81 0.09 0.11 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.41 SW 1.71 3.66 3.12 1.18 1.29 1.21 0.48 0.07 0.02 12.75 W 1.40 2.33 3.12 0.90 0.75 0.39 0.02 0.02 0.00 8.93 (Idaho State Climate Services; Traeumer)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 9 - 5 Table 9-10: Wind Speeds and Fronts, Summer Season

Direction Speed (mph) 2468101418Total E 2.54 4.87 2.82 0.05 0.05 0.02 0.00 10.35 N 0.94 2.30 3.73 2.25 2.32 0.67 0.05 12.25 NE 2.32 6.64 7.53 1.80 1.23 0.15 0.02 19.71 NW 0.54 0.91 0.67 0.07 0.07 0.00 0.00 2.27 S 1.56 5.43 13.19 2.72 0.86 0.00 0.00 23.76 SE 1.43 3.98 3.43 0.25 0.07 0.00 0.00 9.16 SW 1.14 3.14 4.77 13.6 1.48 0.59 0.02 12.50 W 1.04 2.45 4.00 1.16 1.16 0.20 0.00 10.00 (Idaho State Climate Services; Traeumer)

Table 9-11: Wind Speeds and Fronts, Spring Season

Direction Speed (mph) 2468101418Total E 2.10 5.00 3.77 0.17 0.05 0.00 0.00 11.09 N 0.68 1.84 4.25 2.15 1.79 0.51 0.00 11.21 NE 1.69 4.18 9.54 2.34 1.74 0.17 0.00 19.66 NW 0.41 0.56 0.34 0.10 0.07 0.00 0.00 1.47 S 1.45 5.41 12.92 3.16 1.64 0.14 0.02 24.76 SE 1.30 2.95 3.65 0.36 0.02 0.00 0.00 8.29 SW 1.09 3.31 5.19 1.47 2.08 0.92 0.39 14.44 W 0.92 1.88 3.48 1.40 1.04 0.29 0.07 9.08 (Idaho State Climate Services; Traeumer)

Table 9-12: Wind Speeds and Fronts, Fall Season

Direction Speed (mph) 246810141822Total E 2.34 4.45 3.33 0.12 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 10.24 N 0.82 2.00 3.17 1.20 1.16 0.42 0.26 0.00 9.02 NE 2.65 7.72 12.89 2.89 1.60 0.30 0.00 0.00 28.06 NW 0.46 0.44 0.28 0.02 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.22 S 2.24 6.35 11.68 2.10 1.54 0.32 0.12 0.00 24.33 SE 0.90 2.18 1.52 0.12 0.06 0.00 0.00 0.00 4.78 SW 1.30 3.31 4.43 1.30 2.14 1.12 0.40 0.12 14.11 W 1.14 1.74 3.03 0.84 1.16 0.28 0.06 0.00 8.24 (Idaho State Climate Services; Traeumer)

Glaciation

Glaciation is the process by which a large body of ice moves slowly down a slope or valley spreading outward on a land surface. Northern Idaho’s unique water bodies and topography were influenced greatly by what is known as the Pleistocene Period. The Pleistocene Period started about two million years ago, when the earth began to experience a series of great ice ages. Great glaciers grew during those ice ages, and melted during interglacial periods an unknown number

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 9 - 6 of times. The glaciers tied up enough water on land to lower sea level several hundred feet during the ice ages (Alt). These ice sheets from Canada invaded northern Washington and Idaho, plugging river canyons and backing up streams to create enormous glacial lakes (Orr).

Nearly every landscape in the region bears, in one way or another, the record of those drastic Pleistocene climatic changes. The western regional ice filled the valleys of British Columbia and the northern parts of Washington, Idaho, and western Montana (Alt). During the Pleistocene there were at least four major periods of continental glaciation that were separated by warmer “interglacial periods.” Lake Missoula formed in western Montana during the Pleistocene, and repeated draining of this lake caused when the glacial dam(s) melted helped form the “Channeled Scablands” of Washington. (Press)

The Bessette interglacial was followed by the Fraser glaciation that records the last interval of multiple ice sheet advances. This was a time when mountain glaciers expanded and flowed onto the interior plateaus and lowlands. At the height of the final Fraser glacial advance between 20,000 to 10,000 years ago, rounded lobes of the ice sheet probed southward. North of the , the Okanagan lobe merged with the ice mass of the Pend Oreille lobe across Washington, Idaho, and Montana. (Orr)

Glacial Lake Missoula is the largest lake known to have existed behind an ice dam anywhere in the world, and its sudden drainages caused the largest floods known to have swept any part of the world. At its maximum filling, Glacial Lake Missoula rose to an elevation of about 4,350 feet above sea level (Alt). In Idaho, the 1,225 foot deep U-shaped Lake Pend Oreille Basin resulted when glacial ice cut into soft underlying sediments (Orr). During the earlier of the two recorded ice ages, ice flowed down the Purcell Trench of northern Idaho, filling it to overflowing. The glacially-rounded mountains stand above both sides of the Purcell Trench north of Sandpoint (Alt). The Purcell Trench developed as a result of faulting during the Mesozoic Period and remains today as a valley extending south from the Canadian border through Bonners Ferry, Sandpoint, and part of the Cocolalla Valley. To the east of the trench are the Cabinet Mountains, which are composed of low grade metamorphic Belt Rocks. There were other crustal disturbances and intrusion of the Kaniksu Batholith, which created the Selkirk Mountains to the west. (DeSmet)

Once the ice began to diminish, it left a residue of gravel banks that blocked the St. Joe River and impounded Lake Coeur d’Alene. Both Lake Pend Oreille and Lake Coeur d’ Alene provided channels for water released from the Clark Fork River, a branch of the Columbia River, in multiple gigantic across northern Idaho and northwest Washington. These waters coursed through the south end of Lake Pend Oreille before splitting into two routes. (Orr)

During both of the last two ice ages, glaciers dammed the Clark Fork River at the present site of Lake Pend Oreille to impound Glacial Lake Missoula, which flooded the mountain valleys of western Montana. After each draining of Glacial Lake Missoula, the Purcell Valley lobe of the regional ice that filled the lowlands of British Columbia again advanced south across the Clark Fork River. That impounded a new version of Glacial Lake Missoula that would drain when its water floated the ice dam. Every sudden drainage released another overwhelming flood and another major catastrophe (Alt and Hyndman). The flooding waters expelled south and west

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 9 - 7 through the existing north-south trending valleys of the Rathdrum River drainage. Flood discharges as great as 9.5 cubic miles per hour were estimated to have discharged from the Clark Fork Valley resulting in flood elevations as high as 2,600 feet. (DeSmet)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan CHAPTER 9 - 8 APPENDIX

Table 1-5: Chemical Quality of the Priest River, Near Priest River, Idaho

Number of Average Value Range of Values Samples Water Temp (C°) 82 9.5 0.0 - 22 Turbidity (J.T.U.) 4 13.6 3.0 - 23 Specific conductance 80 66 6.2 - 8.4 (micromhos/cm) PH (range, std units) 6.2 - 8.4

Anions HCO3 (bicarbonate, mg/l) 10 34.0 21 - 58 CO3 (carbonate, mg/l) 10 0.0 Cl (chloride, mg/l) 15 .5 0.1 - 1.0 F (fluoride, mg/l) 14 0.1 0.1 - 0.2

Cations Ca (calcium, mg/l) 15 7.7 4.3 - 13.0 Mg (magnesium, mg/l) 15 1.9 1.1 - 2.6 Na (sodium, mg/l) 15 1.9 1.2 - 3.0 K (potassium, mg/l) 14 0.7 0.3 - 1.6

Nutrients Nitrogen, total (mg/l) 1 2.5 NO2 + NO3 as N (dissolved, mg/l) 14 0.05 0.01 - 0.30 Phosphorus, total (mg/l) 11 0.02 0.01 - 0.03 (Idaho Resource Water Board, 1995)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan APPENDIX - 1 Table 1-6: High Water Data Priest River in Cubic Feet per Second (cfs)

1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 Highest Daily 6860 3550 5480 4670 5420 6530 10700 Mean Lowest Daily 183 168 211 165 195 276 276 Mean (U.S.G.S., 12395000)

Table 1-7: Priest River

Streams Length Order Average Peak flow Mean Low (mi) Annual (cfs) (cfs) (cfs) Beaver Creek 5.9 3rd 23.6 266 2.2 Big Creek 3.3 3rd 18.1 206 1.6 Binarch Creek 4.3 1st 21.7 246 2.0 Bottle Creek 1st 1.5 20 0.1 Canyon Creek 3.1 1st 10.7 125 0.9 Caribou Creek 11.2 3rd 75.8 810 7.5 Cedar Creek 4.2 2nd 10.8 126 0.9 Goose Creek 4.8 3rd 23.5 265 2.2 Granite Creek + SF 10.3 4th 22.9 259 2.1 Hughes Fork 12.5 4th 39.3 434 3.7 Hunt Creek 4.3 3rd 39.2 432 3.7 Indian Creek 10.5 3rd 58.2 630 5.7 Kalispell Creek 13.5 3rd 23.9 269 2.2 Lamb Creek 9.3 2nd 22.6 256 2.1 (head) 9.0 (head) 106 (head) 0.8 Lime Creek 3.9 2nd 11.9 139 1.0 Lion Creek 11.1 2nd 65.9 709 6.5 Lost Creek 7.1 2nd --- Lower West Branch 12.2 4th 13.6 158 1.2 Middle Fork East River 9.0 4th 57.3 620 5.6 Moores Creek 7.4 3rd 4.5 55 0.4 North Fork East River 8.8 3rd 42.6 467 4.1 Priest Lake Priest River 45.5 5th

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan APPENDIX - 2 Streams Length Order Average Peak flow Mean Low (mi) Annual (cfs) (cfs) (cfs) Quartz Creek 2.4 2nd 15.6 185 1.4 Reeder Creek 7.9 2nd 24.5 276 2.3 Snow Creek 11.8 2nd 12.8 149 1.1 Soldier Creek 7.1 3rd 42.0 461 4.0 Tango Creek 2.7 1st --- Trapper Creek 6.4 3rd 43.1 473 4.1 Two Mouth Creek 8.9 2nd 56.6 613 5.5 Upper Priest River - 2.7 5th --- Upper Priest Lake and Thoroughfare Upper Priest River to 18.5 5th (mid) 32.9 (mid) 366 (mid) 3.1 Canadian border (head) 10.8 (head) 126 (head) 0.9 Upper West Branch 19.7 4th 165 189 1.5 Priest River (Idaho Panhandle National Forests; Rothrock and Mosier; DEQ 1993; Idaho Resource Water Board, 1995)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan APPENDIX - 3 Table 1-16: Management Objectives for Bonner County

Suggestions by the DEQ for potential funding sources; no commitment for funding has been received.

Key to funding sources: 1. Clean Water Act Section 106 8. Anti-degradation Policy 2. Clean Water Act Section (Clean Lakes Program) 9. Agricultural Water Quality Management Program 3. Clean Water Act Section 319 (Non-point Source 10. Habitat Improvement Program Program) 11. Forest Stewardship Program 4. Clean Water Act Section 525 Reauthorization 12. Bonner County, Idaho 5. National Environmental Education Act 13. Private landowner 6. Idaho Clean Lakes Act 14. Municipalities 7. State Revolving Fund Grant Loan Program 15. Industries/Dischargers

Management Alternatives Lead Agency Priority Cost dollars Funding Sources Implement a stormwater control plan and Bonner Bonner Co., High 15,000 (development only) 2,3,4,12 County Ordinance. (Objective realized May 28, 1993; PHD, SCS Bonner County Ordinance 227) Identify areas in the Lake Pend Oreille watershed and Bonner Co., High Unknown (low) 12 zone for more dense development incorporating PHD, SCS municipal wastewater treatment facilities. Implement an erosion control plan and Bonner County Bonner Co., High 15,000 (development only) 2,3,4,12 ordinance. (Objective realized May 28, 1993; Bonner DEQ County Ordinance 227) Amend zoning ordinances to set residential density Bonner Co., High Unknown (low) 12 based on land and lake capabilities DEQ, SCS Amend zoning ordinances to restrict development in Bonner Co., Medium Unknown (low) 12 environmentally sensitive and unstable areas near DEQ watercourses.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan APPENDIX - 4 Management Alternatives Lead Agency Priority Cost dollars Funding Sources Allow individuals and developers to design erosion Bonner Co., Medium 30,000 annually 12,13 control plans based on soil type and slope. (Objective DEQ realized May 28, 1993; Bonner County Ordinance 227) Develop best management practices for methods and Bonner Co., Medium 10,000 2,3,4 rates of application of fertilizers based on soil type and DEQ slope. Implement a Bonner County ordinance prohibiting the Bonner Co., Medium 2,000 (development only) 2,4,12 sale of phosphate lawn fertilizers. DEQ Implement a Bonner County ordinance prohibiting Bonner Co., Medium 2,000 (development only) 2,4,12 shoreline burning. IDL Require marinas to install pump out stations. Bonner Co. High Unknown 13 Selective removal of aquatic plants by hand. Bonner Co., Low 100-150 for handheld cutter 12,13 Private Remove aquatic plants periodically using mechanical Bonner Co. Low 500-800 per acre biannually 12,13 harvesting. Cover lake bottom with fabric barrier. Bonner Co. Low 0.06-1.25 per sq. ft. with 12,13 Private annual maintenance (Hoelscher)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan APPENDIX - 5 Table 1-18: Water Quality for Upper and Lower Priest Lake*

Total Total Total Total Mineral Inorganic Organic Tributaries Phosphorus Suspended Content Nitrogen Nitrogen (TP) Solid (TSS) EC (TIN) (TOC) Upper Priest River Moderate Highest Low High Highest at mouth The Thoroughfare Low Low Moderate Low Low East Side Streams Bear Creek ------Caribou Creek Low High Moderate Low Low Goose Creek -- Low Low -- Low Indian Creek Low Low Low Low Low Lion Creek Moderate Moderate Low Low Low Squaw Creek ------Trapper Creek Low Low Moderate Low Low Two Mouth Creek Low Low Low Low Low Lower East Side Cougar Creek High High Moderate High Low Horton Creek Moderate Low Low Moderate Low Hunt Creek Moderate Low Moderate Moderate Low Southeast Side Soldier Creek Moderate Low Moderate Moderate Low Upper West Side Beaver Creek Low Low Moderate Moderate Low Distillery Bay Tribs Moderate Low Moderate Moderate Moderate Tango Creek ------Tepee Creek ------Granite Creek Moderate Low Moderate Moderate Moderate Mid-Lower West Side Kalispell Creek High High High Highest Moderate Lamb Creek High Highest Highest Highest Moderate Reeder Creek High Highest Highest Moderate Moderate Reynolds Creek High Moderate Highest Highest High Relative Ranking ìg/L ìg/L ìg/L mg/L EC (ìmhos) Criteria Units Low < 2 to 9 < 5 to 39 < 50 to 79 < 1 to 3 8 to 29

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan APPENDIX - 6 Total Total Total Total Mineral Inorganic Organic Tributaries Phosphorus Suspended Content Nitrogen Nitrogen (TP) Solid (TSS) EC (TIN) (TOC) Moderate 10 to 19 40 to 79 80 to 149 3 to 7 30 to 49 High 20 80 to 119 150 to 299 7 to 15 50 to 69 Highest -- > 120 > 300 > 15 > 70

* Relative ranking of water quality characteristics for Upper and Lower Priest Lake tributaries, based on spring run-off, high flow data. (Rothrock and Mosier)

Table 1-19: Criteria for Fixed Trophic Classification

Concentrations (:g/L) Secchi disk readings Total Trophic State Chlorophyll a (m) Phosphorus Mean Mean Maximum Mean Minimum Ultra-oligotrophic < 4.0 < 1.0 < 2.5 > 12 > 6 Oligotrophic <10.0 < 2.5 < 8.0 > 6 > 3 Mesotrophic 10 to35 2.5 to 8 8 to 25 6 to 3 3 to 1.5 Eutrophic 35 to100 8 to 25 25 to 75 3 to 1.5 1.5 to 0.7 Hypereutrophic > 100 > 25 > 75 < 1.5 < 0.7 (Hoelscher)

Table 1-20: Trophic State of Upper and Lower Priest Lake

The trophic states are (TS) trophic state, (UO) ultra-oligotrophic, (O) oligotrophic, (OM) oligo- mesotrophic.

Total Phosphorus Chlorophyll a (:g/L) Secchi disk (:g/L) Lake Mean TS Mean TS Max. TS Mean TS Min. TS Upper 1993 10 OM 1.8 O 4.1 O 6.5 O 3.0 OM 1994 5 O 1.6 O 3.2 O 8.1 O 4.3 O 1995 4 O 2.5 OM 3.9 O 7.1 O 4.5 O Lower 1993 5 O 1.0 O 2.2 UO 9.5 O 4.7 O

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan APPENDIX - 7 Total Phosphorus Chlorophyll a (:g/L) Secchi disk (:g/L) Lake Mean TS Mean TS Max. TS Mean TS Min. TS 1994 4 O 1.4 O 3.0 O 10.1 O 6.0 O 1995 4 O 1.6 O 3.8 O 9.7 O 5.0 O (Rothrock and Mosier)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan APPENDIX - 8 Table 2-5: Idaho Conservation Data Center Special Status Plant Species by County

Updated: January, 2000 The following lists of species represent known occurrences in Bonner County. The list does not represent potential distribution.

Scientific Name Common Name Federal State USFS-R1 USFS-R4 BLM Andromeda polifolia bog-rosemary 1 S Aster junciformis rush aster S S Astragalus microcystis least bladdery milkvetch 1 Betula pumila var glandulifera dwarf birch S Blechnum spicant deerfern S S S Botrychium ascendens triangular-lobed moonwort SC GP3 S S Botrychium lanceolatum var lanceolatum lance-leaved moonwort S S S Botrychium minganense Mingan moonwort S S S Botrychium montanum mountain moonwort GP3 S Botrychium pinnatum northern moonwort S S S Carex buxbaumii Buxbaum’s sedge S S S Carex chordorrhiza string-root sedge 1 S S Carex comosa bristly sedge 1 S S Carex flava yellow sedge M S S Carex leptalea bristle-stalked sedge S S Carex livida pale sedge S S S Carex paupercula poor sedge 2 S Carex rostrata beaked sedge S Cetraria subalpina 1S Cicuta bulbifera bulb-bearing water hemlock S S S Cladonia imbricarica

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan APPENDIX - 9 Scientific Name Common Name Federal State USFS-R1 USFS-R4 BLM Cladonia transcendens transcending lichen 2 S Cladonia uncialis 1S Collema curtisporum short-spored jelly lichen GP1 Collema furfuraceum Cypripedium parviflorum var pubescens small yellow lady’s slipper 1 S Diphasiastrum sitchense sitka clubmoss S S Dryopteris cristata crested shieldfern S S Epilobium palustre swamp willow-weed M S S Epipactis gigantea giant helleborine 1 S Eriophorum viridicarinatum green keeled cottongrass 1 S Gaultheria hispidula creeping snowberry 2 S Hypericum majus large Canadian St. John’s-wort 2 S S Hypogymnia apinnata tube lichen S S Lobaria hallii Hall’s lungwort 2 S Lycopodiella inundata northern bog clubmoss 1 S Lycopodium dendroideum groundpine S S Maianthemum dilatatum false lily-of-the-valley 1 W Muhlenbergia racemosa green muhly 1 S Nymphaea leibergii Leiberg’s waterlily SX Oxalis trilliifolia trillium-leaved wood sorrel 1 Petasites sagittatus arrowleaf coltsfoot M Phegopteris connectilis northern beechfern 2 S Polystichum braunii Braun’s swordfern 2 S Rhynchospora alba white beakrush 1 S Ribes sanguineum red-flowered currant 1

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan APPENDIX - 10 Scientific Name Common Name Federal State USFS-R1 USFS-R4 BLM Rubus spectabilis salmonberry 1 S Salix candida hoary willow S S S Salix pedicellaris bog willow 2 S Sanicula marilandica black snakeroot S Scheuchzeria palustris pod grass 2 S Scirpus subterminalis water clubrush S S S Sphagnum mendocinum peatmoss 2 Streptopus streptopoides var brevipes kruhsea S S Tellima grandiflora fringecup S Thalictrum dasycarpum purple meadow-rue R Triantha occidentalis ssp brevistyla short-style tofieldia 1 S Trientalis arctica northern starflower S S Trientalis latifolia western starflower M S Vaccinium oxycoccos bog cranberry 2 S (Idaho Conservation Data Center)

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan APPENDIX - 11 Table 5-2: Special Status Species, Bonner County

G- USFS- Scientific name Common name Comments S-rank State Federal BLM rank 1 Accipiter gentilis Nesting territories G5 S4 SC W S S Aechmophorus Western grebe Breeding sites G5 S4B S2N P occidentalis Aegolius funereus boreal owl Probable nesting G5 S2 SC W S territories Bucephala clangula common goldeneye Breeding sites S3B S3N G Bucephala islandica Barrow’s goldeneye Breeding site G5 S3B S3N G Chlidonias niger black tern Colonial breeding G4 S2B S2N SC areas Corynorhinus Townsend’s big-eared bat Confirmed trapped G4 S2? SC SC S S townsendii specimens Elgaria coerulea Northern alligator lizard Occupied habitat G5 S2? W Falco peregrinus peregrine falcon Eyrie G4 S1B S2N E S S anatum T3 Gavia immer common loon Breeding sites G5 S1B S2N SC W S Glaucidium gnoma Northern pygmy-owl Probable nesting G5 S4 SC W W territories Gulo gulo luscus North American Sightings, G4 S2 SC W S S wolverine confirmed T4 specimens Haliaeetus bald eagle Nesting territories, G4 S3B S4N E LT leucocephalus wintering area Histrionicus histrionicus harlequin duck Breeding streams G4 S2N S1B GSC W S S

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan APPENDIX - 12 G- USFS- Scientific name Common name Comments S-rank State Federal BLM rank 1 Lophodytes cucullatus hooded merganser Breeding sites G5 S2B S3N G Loxia leucoptera white-winged crossbill Nesting areas G5 S1? P Lynx canadensis lynx Sightings, G5 S1 GSC PT S confirmed specimens Martes pennanti fisher Sightings G5 S1 SC W S S Myotis evotis long-eared myotis Confirmed trapped G5 S3? W specimens Myotis yumanensis yuma myotis Confirmed trapped G5 S2? W specimens Oreortyx pictus mountain quail Probable sighting G5 S2 SC SC Otus flammeolus flammulated owl Probable nesting G4 S3B S2N SC W S S territory Picoides arcticus black-backed woodpecker Nesting territory G5 S3 SC W S S Picoides tridactylus three-toed woodpecker Nesting territories G5 S3 SC W S Podiceps grisegena red-necked grebe Breeding sites G5 S1 P Poecile hudsonicus boreal chickadee Probable nesting G5 S1? P territories Sorex merriami Merriam’s shrew Museum specimens G5 S2? Sorex hoyi pygmy shrew Confirmed trapped G5 S2 W specimens Strix varia barred owl Probably nesting G5 S4 P territories Strix nebulosa great gray owl Nesting territory G5 SC SC W S Synaptomys borealis Northern bog lemming Confirmed trapped G4 S1 SC W S specimen

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan APPENDIX - 13 The CDC ranks the rangewide and state status of plants and animals on a scale of 1 to 5. 1 Critically imperiled 2 Imperiled 3 Rare or uncommon but not imperiled 4 Not rare but apparently secure but with cause for long-term concern 5 Demonstrably widespread, abundant and secure B Breeding population N Nonbreeding population SC Special concern (state) or species of concern (federal) T Threatened E Endangered P Protected game/nongame W Species stable but with population on periphery of range, unique habitat LT Listed threatened PT Species proposed to be listed as threatened ? Not yet ranked

GLOSSARY

Abbreviated Water Quality Units

ac acre ac-ft acre-feet cfs cubic feet per second cm centimeter ha hectare kg kilograms kg/ha/yr kilograms per hectare per year

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan GLOSSARY - 1 L liter m meter mg/L milligrams per liter mg/m2 milligrams per square meter mL milliliter mm3/cm2 cubic millimeters per square centimeter m. ton metric ton ìg/L micrograms per liter Ìmhos micromhos per centimeter (electrical conductivity)

Conversion Factors Applicable in this Report

Multiply To Obtain acre 0.405 hectare acre-feet (ac-ft) 1,219.68 cubic meters centimeter (cm) 0.3937 inch cubic meter (m2) 35.31 cubic foot cubic kilometer (km3) 0.2399 cubic mile cubic feet per second (cfs) 0.028 cubic meters per second feet (ft) 0.3048 meters hectare (ha) 2.47 acre kilogram (kg) 2.205 pound kilogram per hectare (kg/ha) 0.8922 pounds per acre kilometer (km) 0.6214 mile liter (l) 1.057 quart meter (m) 3.281 foot metric ton 1.102 square foot mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer square meter (m2) 10.76 square foot

To convert ºC (degrees Celsius) to ºF (degrees Fahrenheit), use the following: ºF=(1.8 x ºC) +32

Term Definition

Accipiter Any of a genus of medium-sized, short-winged

anadromous ocean-migrating

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan GLOSSARY - 2 anoxic of such severity as to result in permanent damage

AST above ground storage tanks

benthic deep

biota the flora and fauna of a region

Bovids Any of a family (Bovidae) of ruminants that have hollow, unbranched, permanently attached horns present in both sexes and that include antelopes, oxen, sheep, and goats.

Cambrian Relating to the earliest geologic period of the Paleozoic era.

Category 2 Species Listing as a threatened or endangered species might be appropriate, but conclusive data is not currently available.

Chlorophyll The green photosynthetic coloring matter of plants

DEQ Idaho Division Environmental Quality

Eutrophication high-nutrient, low-oxygen content

HM hazardous materials

IDL Idaho Department of Lands

Littoral near shore waters

order

pelagic off shore waters

PHD Panhandle Health District

piscivores fish eaters

Pleistocene of the earlier epoch of the Quaternary or the corresponding system of rocks

Precambrian Geologic era that occurred 4.5 billion years ago.

rip/rap A foundation or sustaining wall of stones or chunks of concrete thrown together without order.

riparian relating to river banks

scaup a species of diving ducks with a fondness for shellfish

seechi disc A device used to measure water clarity.

SCS United States Soil Conservation Service

trophic level One of the hierarchical strata of a food web characterized by organisms which are the same number of steps removed from the primary producers.

UST underground storage tank

Vadose Shallow ground water. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan BIBLIOGRAPHY - 1 Alt, David and Donald W. Hyndman. Northern Exposures a Geologic Story of the Northwest. Missoula. Montana: Mountain Press Publishing Company, 1995.

American Fisheries Society, Idaho Chapter. Fishes of Idaho. Web site: http://www.fisheries.org/idaho/fishes_of_idaho.htm

Anthony, R.G., R.L. Knight, G.T. Allen, B.R. McClelland, and J.I. Hodges. 1982. Habitat Use by Nesting and Roosting Bald Eagles in the Pacific Northwest. Transcript, North American Wildlife Natural. Resources Conference, 47:332-342.

Bacheler, C.L. 1968. Compensatory Response of Artificially Controlled Mammal Populations. Proceedings of the New Zealand Ecological Society 15:25-30.

Barney, Danny L., PhD. 2003. Letter to Bonner County Planning Department. 13 January, 2003.

Battien, Pauline. The Gold Seekers. 1989.

Beck, A.M.. The Ecology of Stray Dogs: A Study of Free-ranging Urban Animals. Baltimore: York Press,1973.

Bergquist, June. Water Quality Compliance Officer. State of Idaho, Department of Environmental Quality. 17 August 1998.

Bonner County Conditional Use Permit 519-94.

Bonner County Planning Department File ZC236-96.

Bonner County Revised Code, Title 12, Chapter 27.

Bonner Soil Conservation District. Cocolalla Lake Watershed Management Plan. Shelley Gilmore, Shelly, Resource Planning Unlimited. June 1996.

Bonneville Power Administration. Albeni Falls Wildlife Management Plan Final Environmental Assessment. Portland, OR. 1996.

Brown, David. District Conservationist. Natural Resource Conservation Service. 07 August 1998.

Cassirer, E.F. and C.R. Groves. Harlequin Duck Ecology in Idaho: 1987 - 1990. State of Idaho, Department of Fish and Game. 1991.

---, D.J. Freddy, and E.D. Ables. 1992. Elk Responses to Disturbance by Cross-country Skiers in Yellowstone National Park. Wildl. Soc. Bull. 20(4):375-381.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan BIBLIOGRAPHY - 2 Cole, Patrick. Habitat Biologist. State of Idaho. Department of Fish and Game. Personal observation.

---. Habitat Biologist. State of Idaho, Department of Fish and Game. Email to Bonner County Planning Department staff. 4 January 2000 and 10 January 2000.

--- and Paul Hanna. Pend Oreille Wildlife Management Area Management Plan. Idaho Fish & Game Department. July 1999.

Coleman, J.C., and S.A. Temple. 1993. Rural Residents’ Free-ranging Domestic Cats: A Survey. Wildl. Soc. Bull. 21:381-390.

Craighead, J.J. and D.S. Stockstad. 1961. Evaluating the Use of Aerial Resting Platforms by Canada Geese. J. Wildlife Management. 25:363-372.

Crenshaw, J.G. 1987. Effects of the Cabinet Gorge Kokanee Hatchery on Wintering Bald Eagles in the Lower Clark Fork River and Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho. Bonneville Power Administration.

Cronan, J.M., Jr. 1957. Food and Feeding Habits of the Scaups in Connecticut Waters. Auk 74:459-468.

Dahlgren, R.B. and C.E. Korschgen. 1992. Human Disturbance of Waterfowl: An Annotated Bibliography. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv. Resour. Pub. 188.

DeSmet, James S., P.E. State of Idaho, Department of Environmental Quality. North Idaho Regional Office. Hydrogeology of the Southside Aquifer, Sagle, Idaho. Coeur d’Alene, ID. 1987.

Edge, W.D. and C.L. Marcum. 1985. Movements of Elk in Relation to Logging Disturbance. J. Wildl. Manage. 49(4):926-930.

---. “Topography Ameliorates the Effects of Roads and Human Disturbance on Elk” in Proceedings of a Symposium on Elk Vulnerability. Bozeman: Montana State University, 1991.

Eduscapes. Bighorn Sheep. Web site: http://www.eduscapes.com/nature/bighorn. 9 July 2002.

Erwin, M.R. 1989. Responses to Human Intruders by Birds Nesting in Colonies: Experimental Results and Management Guidelines. Colonial Waterbirds 12:104-108.

Figley, W.K. and L.W. Vandruff 1982. The Ecology of Urban Mallards. Wildl. Monogr.

Franzmann, A.W. “Moose” in. Big Game of North America Ecology and Management. J.L. Schmidt and D.L. Gilbert. Harrisburg, PA: Stockpole Books, 1980.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan BIBLIOGRAPHY - 3 Fraser, J.D., L.D. Frenzel, and J.E. Mathisen. 1985. The Impacts of Human Activities on Breeding Bald Eagles in North-central Minnesota. J. Wildl. Manage. 49(3):585-592.

FurBearers Unlimited. Web site: http://www.furbearers.org/FbuFurbearers.html. 9 July 2002.

Geis, M.B. 1956. Productivity of Canada Geese in the Flathead Valley, Montana. J. Wildl. Manage. 20:409-419.

General Telephone records, 1987.

Harris, Bob. Mayor of East Hope. Personal communication. 23 July 1999.

Hoelscher, Brian, Jack Skille, and Glen C. Rothrock. State of Idaho, Department of Environmental Quality. North Idaho Regional Office. Phase I Diagnostic Analysis: A Strategy for Managing the Water Quality of Lake Pend Oreille Bonner and Kootenai Counties, Idaho, 1993. Coeur d’Alene, ID. 1993.

Holmes, T.L., R.L. Knight, and L. Stegall. 1993. Responses of Wintering Grassland Raptors to Human Disturbance. Wildl. Soc. Bull. 21(4):461-468.

Hobbs, N. T. 1989. Linking Energy Balance to Survival in Mule Deer: Development and Test of a Simulation Model. Wildlife Monograph 101.

Hume 1976.

Hunting Network. Whitetail Deer. Web site: http://www.whitetaildeer.com. 30 May 2002.

Idaho 2000, Official Millennium Travel Guide. 2000.

Idaho Climate Services. Biological and Agricultural Department at University of Idaho. Moscow, Idaho. Web site: http://baegis.ag.uidaho.edu/~climate/download.html. 6 August 1998.

Idaho Department of Lands. Mineral System Land Inventory.

Idaho Conservation Data Center. May 1998.

Idaho Fish & Game, letter of March 18, 1999.

Idaho Fish & Game Commission. Idaho 2000 and 2001 Fishing Seasons and Rules Including Steelhead. Boise, Idaho. 2000.

Idaho Public Television. Dialogue4Kids. Bear Facts. Web site: http://www.idahoptv.org/ dialogue4kids/bears/facts.html. 30 May 2002.

Idaho State Historical Society. Mining in Idaho. Boise, ID. 1969.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan BIBLIOGRAPHY - 4 Idaho Water Resource Board. Idaho Comprehensive State Water Plan - Priest River Basin. Boise, ID. 1995.

---. State of Idaho - The State Water Plan. Boise, ID. 1997.

Jageman, H. White-tailed Deer Habitat Management Guidelines. Moscow, ID: University of Idaho. 1984.

Jahn, L.R. and R.A. Hunt. Duck and Coot Ecology and Management in Wisconsin. Wis. Conserv. Dep. Tech. Bull. 33. 1964.

Keister, G.P. and R.G. Anthony. 1983. Characteristics of Bald Eagle Communal Roosts in the Klamath Basin, Oregon and California. J. Wildl. Manage. 47(4):1072-1079.

Klauss, Mike. Idaho Department of Environmental Quality. Personal communication..

Klein, M.L. 1993. Waterbird Behavioral Responses to Human Disturbances. Wildl. Soc. Bull. 21(1):31-39.

Knight, J.E., Jr. Effect of Hydrocarbon Development on Elk Movements and Distribution in Northern Michigan. Ann Arbor:University of Michigan. 1980.

Knight, R.L. and S.K. Skagen. “Effects of Recreational Disturbance on Birds of Prey: A Review” in Proceedings of the Southwest Raptor Management Symposium: A Workshop. R.L. Glinski, B.G. Pendleton, M.B. Moss, M.N. LeFranc, Jr., B.A. Millsap, and S.W. Hoffman, eds. Washington, D.C:National Wildlife Federation, 1988.

Korschgen, C.E. and R.B. Dahlgren. Human Disturbance of Waterfowl: Causes, Effects, and Management. in D.H. Cross Compiler, Waterfowl Management Handbook. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Fish Wildl. Leaflet 13. 1992.

Kuck, L., G.L. Hompland, and E.H. Merrill. 1985. Elk Calf Response to Simulated Mine Disturbance in Southeast Idaho. J. Wildl. Manage. 49(3):751-757.

Liknes and Graham, 1988.

Lincer, J.L. 1981. Bald Eagle Management at the Local Government Level. Florida Sci. 44:36- 37.

Lowry, D.A. and K.L. McArthur. 1978. Domestic Dogs as Predators of Deer. Wildl. Soc. Bull. 6(1):38-39.

Matchett, M.R. 1985. Habitat Selection by Moose in the Yaak River Drainage, Northwestern Montana. Alces 21

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan BIBLIOGRAPHY - 5 Miller, R.F. 1943. The Breeding Birds of the Philadelphia Region. (Part ll) Cassinia 33:1-23.

Mitchell, Lori et. al. The History of Bonner County. Sandpoint, ID:Spud Press, 1996.

Moore, Dean. Soil Conservationist. Natural Resource Conservation Service. 04 August 1998.

Monster Muleys. Mule Deer. Web site: http://monstermuleys.com/muledeer.html. 30 May 2002.

Montgomery Watson Engineers, 1993.

Mortay’s Home Page. The Mountain Lion. Web site: http://www.mortay.com/Cougar/Lion.shtml. 30 May 2002.

Mossier, Jere. State of Idaho, Department of Environmental Quality. North Idaho Regional Office. Idaho Lake Water Quality Assessment Report. Water Quality Status Report No. 105. Coeur d’Alene, ID. 1993.

Mountain Goats. Web site: http://www.mountain-goats.org. 30 May 2002.

Naturescapes. Web site: http://eduscapes.com/nature. 9 July 2002.

Newport, City of. Washington/West Bonner Water District, No. Idaho. Wellhead Protection Plan Phase I. Welch, Comer & Associates, Inc. Coeur d’Alene, ID. 1994.

Northeast Furbearer Resources Technical Committee (NEFRTC). Trapping and Furbearer Management: Perspectives from the Northeast.

Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center. Upland Game Identification. Web site: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/tools/upland

Orr, Elizabeth L. and William N. Orr. Geology of the Pacific Northwest. San Francisco:The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc, 1996.

Paige, C.B. Madden and B. Ruediger. 1991. Habitat Management Guide for Bald Eagles in Northwestern Montana. Montana Bald Eagle Working Group.

Painter, Brian. Groundwater Specialist, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality. Personal communication.

Panhandle Bull Trout Technical Advisory Team. Lake Pend Oreille Key Watershed Bull Trout Problem Assessment. Prepared for Lake Pend Oreille Watershed Advisory Group and the State of Idaho. December 1998.

Parker, J. Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias) in Northwestern Montana: Nesting Habitat Use and Effects of Human Disturbance. Missoula: University of Montana. 1980.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan BIBLIOGRAPHY - 6 Patten, Rick. Forest Hydrologist. Idaho Panhandle National Forests. Pend Oreille Basin, Clark Fork Basin, and Priest River Basin. Statistics and database on the subwatersheds of the basins. 21 July 1998.

Predator Conservation Alliance. Web site: http://www.predatorconservation.org. 11 July 2002.

Peek, J.M. “Northern Rocky Mountains” in White-tailed Deer Ecology and Management. L.K. Halls, ed. Harrisburg, PA: Stockpole Books, 1984.

Press, Frank and Raymond Siever. Glaciers: the Work of Ice. Understanding the Earth System. 2nd ed. 3 March 1997. Web site: http://www.uh.edu/~jbutler/physical/chapter15.html. July 29, 1998.

Reed, D. L. “Conflicts with Civilization” in Mule and Black-tailed Deer of North America. O. C. Wallmo, ed. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1981.

Rieman and Apperson, 1989.

Rieman and McIntyre, 1993 and 1996.

Rothrock, Glen. State of Idaho, Department of Environmental Quality. North Idaho Regional Office. Phase I Diagnostic and Feasibility Analysis Cocolalla Lake, Bonner County, Idaho. Coeur d’Alene, ID. 1995.

--- and David T. Mosier. State of Idaho, Department of Environmental Quality. North Idaho Regional Office. Phase I Diagnostic Analysis Priest Lake, Bonner County, Idaho, 1993- 1995. Coeur d’Alene, ID. 1997.

Sandpoint, City of. Little Sand Creek Municipal Watershed Management Plan.

Sandpoint.com. K&K Fishing Derby. Web site: http://www.sandpoint.com/entertainment /kkderby.asp

Schloss, Bob. Army Corps of Engineers, Albeni Falls Dam. Personal communication.

Simpson, Claude and Catherine. North of the Narrows. Moscow: University Press of Idaho, 1981.

Sincock, J.R. Back Bay - Currituck Sound Data Report. Waterfowl studies, Vol. 2. U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv., Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD. 1966.

Skille, Jack. Water Quality Specialist. State of Idaho, Department of Environmental Quality. 17 August 1998.

Soltero and Hall. 1985.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan BIBLIOGRAPHY - 7 Stalmaster, M.V. and J.R. Newman. 1978. Behavioral Responses of Wintering Bald Eagles to Human Activity. J. Wildlife Manage. 42(3):506-513.

State of Idaho. Department of Commerce. County Profiles of Idaho, Bonner County.

---. Department of Commerce. Web site: http://www.idoc.state.id.us/

---. Department of Environmental Quality. 303(d) list. 1998.

---. Department of Environmental Quality. Clark Fork/Pend Oreille Sub-Basin Assessment and Total Maximum Daily Loads. Coeur d’Alene, ID. March 2001.

---. Department of Environmental Quality. North Idaho Regional Office. Database and statistics on rivers and streams in North Idaho. Coeur d’Alene, ID. 1993.

---. Department of Fish and Game. 1996–2000 Fisheries Management Plan. Web site: http://www.state.id.us/fishgame/drain1.htm#pdo

---. Department of Fish and Game. Idaho Fish and Game. Web site: http://www.state.id.us/fishgame/fishgame.html.

---. Department of Fish and Game. Idaho’s Water Birds: The Colony Nesters. Non-game Wildlife Leaflet 2. Boise, ID. 1987.

---. Department of Fish and Game. Nongame Wildlife Program. Web site: http://www2.state.id.us/fishgame/info/nongame/nongame.htm.

---. Department of Fish and Game. Sensitive Wildlife Habitat Map.

---.Department of Water Resources. Web site: http://www.idwr.state.id.us/idwr/ planpol/techserv/resinfo/gis.htm

Thurow. 1988.

Tourtlotte, Greg. Regional Supervisor. State of Idaho. Department of Fish and Game. Letter to Bonner County Planning Department, 16 April 1999.

---. Regional Supervisor. State of Idaho. Department of Fish and Game. Letter to Bonner County Planning Department, 29 May 1996.

---. Regional Supervisor. State of Idaho, Department of Fish and Game. Correspondence regarding Potential Wildlife Impacts and Mitigation Associated with Rural Development in Bonner County, Idaho, 29 May 1996.

Traeumer, Drea. State Climate Services. Engineering and Physics Department, University of Idaho. E-mail interview. 07 August 1998.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan BIBLIOGRAPHY - 8 Trost, C. H. The Status and Distribution of Colonial Waterbirds in Northern Idaho and Selected Species in Southern Idaho 1994. Idaho Fish and Game Nongame Wildlife Program. 1994.

U.S. Department of Agriculture. Birds of Bonner & Boundary Counties Idaho, A Cooperative Effort by Bonner-Boundary Birders and the Sandpoint Ranger District. U.S.D.A. publication R1-89-34, 1989. ---. Forest Service. Forest Statistics Bonner County, Idaho. Northern Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Missoula Montana, 1937.

---. National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). 1992 Census of Agriculture. Web site: http://www.nass.usda.gov/census/

---. Natural Resources Conservation Service ( NRCS). Soil Survey of the Bonner County Area, Idaho. November 1982.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Regions 8 and 10: State of Montana, State of Idaho, and State of Washington. Clark Fork-Pend Oreille Basin Water Quality Study - A Summary of Findings and a Management Plan. Seattle, WA. 1993.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1986. Recovery Plan for the Pacific Bald Eagle. Portland, OR.

---. 1993. Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan.

---. 1994. Recovery Plan for the Selkirk Mountain Woodland Caribou.

---. 2000. Proposal to Delist the Bald Eagle, A Summary.

---. Web site: http://www.r1.fws.gov.

U.S. Geological Survey. Pend Oreille River Basin. 1235500 Pend Oreille River at Newport, ID. Database on Discharge Outflows 1991-1997.

---. Pend Oreille River Basin. 12392000 Clark Fork at Whitehorse Rapids, near Cabinet, ID. Database on Discharge Outflows 1991-1997.

---. Pend Oreille River Basin. 12395000 Priest River near Priest River. Database on Discharge Outflows 1991-1997.

University of Montana. Idaho’s Forest Products Industry: A Descriptive Analysis 1979–1996. Missoula, MT.

Vogel, W.O. 1989. Response of Deer to Density and Distribution of Housing in Montana. Wildl. Soc. Bull. 17(4):406-413.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan BIBLIOGRAPHY - 9 Vos, D.K., R.A. Ryder, and W.D. Graul. 1985. Response of Breeding Great Blue Herons to Human Disturbance in North Central Colorado. Colonial Waterbirds 8(1):13-22.

Wakkinen, Wayne. Idaho Department of Fish and Game. E-mail correspondence to Bonner County Planning Department. 17 February, 2000.

Western Regional Climate Center. Desert Research Institute Atmospheric Sciences Center at the University and Community College System of Nevada. Reno, NV. Web site: http://wrcc.sage.dri.edu/. 6 August 1998.

Wilson, IDL.

Wolfe, M.L. “Habitat Changes and Management” in Big Game of North America: Ecology and Management. J.L. Schmidt and D.L. Gilbert, eds. Harrisburg, PA: Stockpole Books,1980.

Young, William. Geologist. United States Geological Service. E-mail and interview. 07 August 1998.

Zimmerman, 1953, as cited by Jahn, L.R., and R.A. Hunt. Duck and Coot Ecology and Management in Wisconsin. Wisconsin Conservation Department, Technical Bulletin 33. Madison, WI. 1964.

Natural Resources Component Bonner County Comprehensive Plan BIBLIOGRAPHY - 10