The Kootenai River white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) and other native fish species are culturally important to the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, but their habitat and recruitment have been affected by anthropogenic changes to the river. White sturgeon and burbot have not successfully spawned in the Kootenai River since the completion of Libby Dam upstream in Montana. In recent years, most white sturgeon have attempted to spawn in river reaches downstream of Bonners Ferry, Idaho, that have sandy substrates. Sturgeon eggs adhere to the sand and suffocate as more sand is deposited.
In an effort to recover endangered and threatened aquatic species, the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho has undertaken a large-scale restoration project in the Kootenai River. In cooperation with the Tribe, we have been monitoring sediment in restoration project areas. These efforts have included sampling for suspended and bedload sediment, modeling of sediment transport, underwater video surveying, sediment facies mapping, and the use of acoustics as a surrogate for traditional sampling.
The following publications are associated with this project.
Sediment transport and evaluation of sediment surrogate ratings in the Kootenai River near Bonners Ferry, Idaho, Water Years 2011–14
Sediment cores and chemistry for the Kootenai River White Sturgeon Habitat Restoration Project, Boundary County, Idaho
Sediment Characteristics and Transport in the Kootenai River White Sturgeon Critical Habitat near Bonners Ferry, Idaho
- Overview
The Kootenai River white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) and other native fish species are culturally important to the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, but their habitat and recruitment have been affected by anthropogenic changes to the river. White sturgeon and burbot have not successfully spawned in the Kootenai River since the completion of Libby Dam upstream in Montana. In recent years, most white sturgeon have attempted to spawn in river reaches downstream of Bonners Ferry, Idaho, that have sandy substrates. Sturgeon eggs adhere to the sand and suffocate as more sand is deposited.
In an effort to recover endangered and threatened aquatic species, the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho has undertaken a large-scale restoration project in the Kootenai River. In cooperation with the Tribe, we have been monitoring sediment in restoration project areas. These efforts have included sampling for suspended and bedload sediment, modeling of sediment transport, underwater video surveying, sediment facies mapping, and the use of acoustics as a surrogate for traditional sampling.
- Publications
The following publications are associated with this project.
Sediment transport and evaluation of sediment surrogate ratings in the Kootenai River near Bonners Ferry, Idaho, Water Years 2011–14
The Kootenai River white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) and other native fish species are culturally important to the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, but their habitat and recruitment have been affected by anthropogenic changes to the river. Although the interconnections among anthropogenic changes and their impacts on fish are complex, the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, in cooperation with other agencies,AuthorsMolly S. Wood, Ryan L. Fosness, Alexandra B. EtheridgeSediment cores and chemistry for the Kootenai River White Sturgeon Habitat Restoration Project, Boundary County, Idaho
The Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, in cooperation with local, State, Federal, and Canadian agency co-managers and scientists, is assessing the feasibility of a Kootenai River habitat restoration project in Boundary County, Idaho. This project is oriented toward recovery of the endangered Kootenai River white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) population, and simultaneously targets habitat-based recoveryAuthorsGary J. Barton, Rhonda J. Weakland, Ryan L. Fosness, Stephen E. Cox, Marshall L. WilliamsSediment Characteristics and Transport in the Kootenai River White Sturgeon Critical Habitat near Bonners Ferry, Idaho
Recovery efforts for the endangered Kootenai River population of white sturgeon require an understanding of the characteristics and transport of suspended and bedload sediment in the critical habitat reach of the river. In 2007 and 2008, the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, conducted suspended- and bedload-sediment sampling in the federally designated criticaAuthorsRyan L. Fosness, Marshall L. Williams