Walking tours offered for Clark Fork River delta project
SANDPOINT - The Clark Fork Delta is facing the very real threat of disappearing. Extensive bank erosion from wave action and water level fluctuations caused by dam operations result in the loss of more than 15 acres each year of vital wetland habitat in the delta.
Fortunately, a massive restoration project is underway to protect shorelines from future erosion and restore fish and wildlife habitat lost in recent years.
The public has the opportunity to see the restoration project first-hand with a walking tour of the delta led by the restoration project leader, Kathy Cousins, a mitigation biologist with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.
Two walking tours are planned for Sunday, Jan. 25 and Sunday, Feb. 8, from noon to 2 p.m.
Participants will meet at the Clark Fork River delta driftwood yard, off U.S. Highway 200 near Clark Fork.
This is an Idaho Conservation League sponsored event and is free to the public. All participants must register beforehand as space is limited.
Tour participants will walk to the restoration project site from the driftwood yard parking area over the newly constructed temporary road and bridge. These were created to span the waterway and give restoration crews and necessary construction vehicles the access needed to implement the project.
Cousins will lead the group through the project site giving background and historical information about the delta.
She will explain the importance of the delta and why biologists consider it one of the top 10 most important wetland areas in Idaho. She'll also explain the devastating effects erosion has had on the shorelines of the delta and participants will be able to see this destruction up close.
Other upcoming restoration efforts include the installation of erosion control measures, the installation of weirs and other structures to redirect local water flow and the actual raising of lands in certain areas and the deepening of channels in others.
These restoration efforts are being spearheaded by Fish and Game with help from partner agencies, organizations, individuals and a huge number of volunteers.
The Conservation League is assisting with outreach and volunteer recruitment for the project.
Interested volunteers can go to the project site's website: www.clarkforkdelta.org and read the list of volunteer teams (under the project implementation heading) that were created to make it easy for volunteers to choose a task that appeals to them.
Tour participants should dress warmly and wear good boots for traversing wet, muddy or snowy terrain. Ample time will be given for exploring the delta.
To register for the tour online and for more information go to www.idahoconservation.org or register by phone at (208) 265-9565.