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Watershed Restoration Decreases Sediment Levels and Improves Fish
Habitat in Jordan Creek
Waterbody I mproved ear'y as -^92, data indicated that excessive sedimentation from
eroding forest roads impacted cold-water aquatic life in Idaho's
Jordan Creek watershed. In 2002 the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) added the
Jordan Creek Headwaters and Tributaries assessment unit (AU) to the state's list of impaired waters
for sediment. Since the 1990s, watershed stakeholders, led by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), have
worked to remove or repair failing roads and restore stream habitat. Over time, these activities
have reduced sediment levels, improved aquatic habitat and enhanced an important cutthroat trout
fishery. As a result, DEQ removed the Jordan Creek Headwaters and Tributaries AU from the state's
2014 list of impaired waters for sediment.
Problem
Jordan Creek is within the boundaries of the Idaho
Panhandle National Forests in the headwaters of the
North Fork Coeur d'Alene (NFCDA) River Subbasin
in the northern Rocky Mountains. Culvert failures,
eroding roads and all-terrain vehicle trails (particularly
at stream crossings and in riparian areas) contributed
sediment to streams. In the early 1990s, USFS riffle
stability studies and other habitat data indicated that
cold-water aquatic life in creeks within the Jordan
Creek watershed was impaired due to sediment. In
2001	DEQ completed an assessment of the NFCDA
Subbasin (which includes the Jordan Creek watershed).
On the basis of the NFCDA Subbasin assessment and
past data, DEQ added the Jordan Creek Headwaters
and Tributaries AU (ID17010301PN014_02) to Idaho's
2002	list of impaired waters for sediment (Figure 1).
Project Highlights
Partners have been conducting restoration work in
the Jordan Creek watershed for more than 20 years.
USFS and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game
completed two instream habitat improvement projects
in the upper reaches of Jordan Creek (downstream of
Lost Fork), including placing 68 logs and rootwads in
the stream in 1993, and placing more than 200 logs
into the stream in 1995 to provide habitat and water
quality benefits. This woody debris provided crevices
and branches that forced the water to shift direction
and velocity, dropping silt in quiet places and remov-
Figure 1. Idaho's Jordan Creek Headwaters and
Tributaries assessment unit (ID17010301PN014_02)
Includes the watershed's first- and second-order streams,
totaling 15.3 miles.
ing it from riffle areas. It also helped to dissipate the
energy of rushing water that could otherwise lead to
the erosion of stream banks.
In Lost Fork Creek (a Jordan Creek headwaters stream),
the USFS replaced an undersized crossing structure
on Forest Road (FR) 412 with a larger, bottomless
arch structure. This new structure improved passage
for aquatic organisms and restored a more natural
hydrology, thereby reducing the potential for erosion
,-X.BIuff Creek.
North Fork
Coeur d'Alene
Watershed
Assessment Unit
#ID17010301 PN014_02
Assessment Unit
#ID17010301PN014_02a
Assessment Unit
#ID1701030lPN014_02b
Assessment Unit
#ID17010301 PN014_03

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and siltation. Properly sized structures also reduce
the risk of failure and associated sediment delivery to
the stream. The USFS closed approximately 1 mile of
unauthorized all-terrain vehicle trails in the lower Lost
Fork Creek drainage. This reduced the likelihood that
sediment eroding from unvegetated and unstable tra:
areas would enter the stream.
The USFS treated more than 3 miles of road (FR 600C)
along the south side of Lost Fork and Jordan Creek.
USFS closed the road, removed 14 culverts, and
constructed waterbars on the remaining road surface.
Removing culverts, which could be overwhelmed dur-
ing high water events, prevents erosion of sediment
from around the culvert and the road bed that would
then enter the stream. Adding waterbars (humps of
dirt placed diagonally across the road bed) reduced
sediment entering the stream by preventing road
runoff from flowing down the road, increasing in flow
and volume, and creating sheet or rill erosion. Finally,
during the Ulm Peak fire in 2006, the USFS completed
extensive road treatments on FR 992, including blading
and reshaping the road surface for improved travel,
drainage and erosion control.
Results
Recent data indicate that Jordan Creek supports its
cold-water aquatic life beneficial use (Table 1). In 2012
DEQ conducted biological monitoring (i.e., Beneficial
Use Reconnaissance Program [BURP]) throughout
the Jordan Creek watershed. Data from Jordan Creek
(near its confluence with Lost Fork Creek), showed
an average BURP score of 2.67. According to section
6 of DEQ's 2002 Water Body Assessment Guidance,
an average BURP score of greater than or equal to
2.0 indicates full support of cold-water aquatic life.
Macroinvertebrates samples included numerous EPT
(ephemeroptera [mayflies], plecoptera [stoneflies] and
Table 1. Jordan Creek 2012 assessment data.
BURP Multimetric Index Scores1
Stream Macroinvertebrate Index
3.0
Stream Fish Index
2.0
Stream Habitat Index
3.0
Average BURP Score
2.67
1 Water quality standard: Average BURP score > 2.0 indicates full support of cold-water
quality life beneficial use.
Figure 2. Jordan Creek during the 2012 assessment
(after restoration).
trichoptera [caddisflies]) that are associated with cold,
clear mountain streams.
Other 2012 data also indicate beneficial use support.
A fish survey detected sculpin and westslope cutthroat
trout, native species associated with good water
quality. Stream habitat data showed high bank stability
(85 percent) and cover (100 percent), and low percent
fines less than or equal to 2.5 millimeters (mm) in size
(7 percent). According to DEQ's Guide to Selection
of Sediment Targets for Use in idaho TMDLs, most
impairment is found when percent fines of 2.5 mm in
size are greater than 30 percent. Because data show
Jordan Creek now fully supports its cold-water aquatic
life designated use, DEQ removed this AU from Idaho's
impaired waters list in the 2014 integrated Report
(Figure 2).
Partners and Funding
The USFS Coeur d'Alene River Ranger District led the
effort to plan and implement watershed restoration
projects. DEQ's Coeur d'Alene regional office conduct-
ed monitoring and led the assessment of the NFCDA
Subbasin. The NFCDA Watershed Advisory Group (con-
sisting of interested citizens and other stakeholders)
meets multiple times per year to provide local public
input and guidance to DEQduring development and
implementation of water quality improvement plans
for watersheds within the NFCDA Subbasin, including
Jordan Creek. The Jordan Creek AU restoration effort
cost an estimated $365,000, which was supported by
funds from the North Idaho Fly Casters, timber sale
receipts (Knutson-Vandenberg Program funds), and
other USFS sources.
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA 841-F-17-001F
July 2017
For additional information contact:
Kajsa Eagle Van de Riet
Idaho Department of Environmental Quality
208-769-1422 • kajsa.vanderiet@deq.idaho.gov
Dan Scaife
Idaho Panhandle National Forest
208-664-2318 • dscaife@fs.fed.us

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