RESTORE THE FIRST CREEK RIPARIAN CORRIDOR TO PROVIDE CONSISTENT ACCESS TO WATER ( 1.5M): FIRST CREEK IS AN IMPORTANT WATER SOURCE FOR THE REFUGES BISON HERD. NEARLY A CENTURY AGO, THE CREEK WAS HEAVILY ALTERED AND CHANNELIZED. REFUGE STAFF WOULD RESTORE NATURAL HYDROLOGY AND FLOODPLAIN ACTIVITIES ALONG FIRST CREEK, ALLOWING A RETURN TO NATURAL WATER FLOWS AND MORE CONSISTENT WATER ACCESS FOR BISON THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. A CONCEPTUAL PLAN FOR RESTORATION WAS CREATED IN 1994 AND THE SERVICE HAS COMPLETED A SMALL PORTION OF THIS RESTORATION. THIS PROJECT WOULD INCLUDE INSTALLATION OF ADDITIONAL DROP STRUCTURES AND RESTORATION OF COTTONWOOD AND WILLOWS THROUGHOUT THE DRAINAGE AREA. TO SUPPORT THIS RESTORATION, 1.5 MILLION WOULD BE REQUIRED FOR BOTH CONTRACT AND SERVICE STAFF WORK TO RESTORE ANOTHER 1.5 MILES OF THE FIRST CREEK CORRIDOR WITHIN THE REFUGE. PORTIONS OF THIS PROJECT, ESPECIALLY REPLACEMENT OF DAMAGED CULVERTS AND ROAD CROSSINGS, ARE INCLUDED IN DEFERRED MAINTENANCE FUNDING.