Coeur d’Alene, Restoration Partnership, Sunshine Mining Company, team up

The Coeur d'Alene Tribe, in collaboration with the Restoration Partnership and Sunshine Mining Company, announced the completion of the Big Creek Fish Passage Barrier Removal Project.

The milestone marks a significant step toward improving the health of Big Creek and enhancing fish passage for aquatic species, according to a press release.

"This is a great example of industry integrating with partners and natural resources," said Wade Jerome, restoration biologist with the Idaho Panhandle National Forests, a division of the U.S.D.A. Forest Service. 

The project, sponsored by the Coeur d'Alene Tribe, aimed to remove a 1935 fish passage barrier at the Sunshine Diversion Dam, opening up stream habitat. Additional work helped to enhance and promote natural stream processes, and beginning this year, native seed mixes will restore riparian areas around the creek.

It is part of a broader initiative seeking to restore, rehabilitate, replace and acquire the equivalent of damaged natural resources in the Coeur d'Alene Basin," the release said.

"Sunshine Mine places wildlife conservation and environmental best practices at the heart of our operation. Partnering with the Coeur d'Alene Tribe, the BLM and the USFS was both energizing and effective," said Tom Henderson, Sunshine general manager. "The results speak for themselves — the Big Creek restoration project highlights the power of collaboration and paves the way for future successes."

The Coeur d'Alene Tribe and its partners remain committed to preserving and restoring the region's natural resources for future generations, the release said. The Big Creek Fish Passage Barrier Removal Project is a significant step in achieving this mission, and the team looks forward to continuing their work in the Coeur d'Alene Basin. 

The Big Creek project exemplifies the power of partnerships and community collaboration. The Coeur d'Alene Tribe, Sunshine Mining Company, HMH Engineering, and McGillivray Environmental worked together to achieve common goals and objectives, demonstrating the importance of building strong relationships and leveraging shared resources, the release said.

    The Big Creek Fish Passage Barrier Removal Project united several agencies.