Multiple irrigation diversion dams on the upper clark fork between warm springs and deer lodge western montana are negatively impacting aquatic resources river function and recreational use of the…

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service awarded a $1,300,000 Cooperative Agreement under the National Fish Passage Program (CFDA 15.685) to Trout Unlimited, Inc. to improve fish passage and restore aquatic habitat along the upper Clark Fork River in western Montana. The project aims to reconnect 27 miles of critical bull trout habitat by constructing fish passage improvements and installing fish screens at four remaining irrigation diversions that currently impede upstream passage and entrain migratory fish. Key objectives include providing year-round fish passage for all species and life stages, preventing fish entrainment in irrigation ditches, maintaining irrigation water delivery, and improving recreational float passage. The project will be implemented in two phases, with the first phase prioritizing the Kohrs Manning diversion beginning in late 2025. The remaining diversions, including the Valiton Ditch, will be addressed in successive years. This effort complements ongoing habitat restoration work in Warm Springs Creek to reconnect an additional 64 miles of aquatic habitat.

Multiple irrigation diversion dams on the upper clark fork between warm springs and deer lodge western montana are negatively impacting aquatic resources river function and recreational use of the river. These diversions which range from small push up dams to full spanning pin and plank style structures fragment fisheries habitat entrain fish in irrigation ditches reduce stream flow create hazards for boat passage and pose safety risks to waders and floaters. Four diversions alvi beck helen johnson broken circle and sager lane have been removed between 2020 and 2024. Four major mainstem diversions remain whalen westside valiton and kohrs manning. The upper clark fork fish passage project will reconnect critical bull trout habitat at the headwaters of the clark fork river through the construction of fish passage improvements and the installation of fish screens at the four remaining irrigation diversions on the clark fork river that impede upstream passage and entrain migratory fish. Objectives at each site include providing year round fish passage for all fish species and life stages preventing entrainment of migratory fish in irrigation ditches maintaining irrigation water delivery and improving recreational float passage. In total the project will reconnect the uppermost 27 miles of mainstem clark fork river habitat over the next four years complementing ongoing efforts in warm springs creek to reconnect an additional 64 miles of habitat. This project targets irrigation diversions prioritized for improvement by trout unlimited (TU) and project partners clark fork coalition (CFC) and the natural resource damage program (NRDP) in 2017 through an assessment of fish passage and streamflow restoration opportunities on the mainstem river. Since then project partners have successfully improved fish passage and instream flow at four of the eight DAM sites targeted in the 27 mile project reach while successfully gaining support from irrigators and landowners for improving the remaining four diversions described in this proposal. NRDP has prioritized addressing fish passage issues at these diversions under their 2023 upper clark fork aquatic and terrestrial resources restoration plans specifically allocating matching funds towards this effort. This project will be split into two phases. Phase 1 will prioritize the kohrs manning diversion. Phase 2 consists of the completion of the remaining diversion sites with the valiton ditch as the second highest priority.on the ground project implementation for kohrs manning is projected to begin in the late fall of 2025. The remaining projects will be implemented in successive years with permitting and procurement preceding construction at each site.