PRO Restoration to create more opportunities for wildlife, recreators alike

The Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge has long been a Boundary County attraction for recreators of all kinds throughout the region. Looking ahead, the refuge will undergo restoration in 2025 to improve the beloved fish and bird habitat and create more enjoyment opportunities for wildlife and enthusiasts alike. However, it will take time, so the refuge will be closed for the summer. 

For Progress 2025, we spoke to Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge Manager Shannon Ehlers about what to expect this year and in the years ahead. 

Why is it important for the Floodplain Reconnection Project to happen now? 

The Kootenai River has long been separated from its floodplain, and the river is severely deprived of nutrients that support aquatic wildlife, including the endangered white sturgeon, mussels and aquatic invertebrates. On the flipside, wetland habitats, like what is found on the Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge, are highly productive with wildlife and plants constantly living, dying, and decomposing the essential components of the nutrients the river needs. The Kootenai Floodplain Reconnection Project is a cooperative project with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bonneville Power Administration and the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho to connect the river with its wetland floodplain, flush these wetland nutrients into the river where they are utilized by microorganisms that then feeds the rest of the river inhabitants. Improved river conditions will benefit young sturgeon and other aquatic species. The project will also benefit wetland habitats by increasing open water habitat for migratory waterfowl during spring flooding, stimulating riparian plant establishment and saturating the soils for increased plant growth. 

The partnership between Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, Bonneville Power Administration and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been long-standing and truly collaborative. We are grateful also for the essential contributions and cooperation of Boundary County, City of Bonners Ferry, and the Department of Transportation with the habitat project.  

Logistically, what will change at the refuge?   

Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge is surrounded by levees that keeps water outside the bounds of the refuge; therefore, levees will need to be breached at four different locations to reconnect the river and wetlands, two on the Kootenai River, one on Myrtle Creek, and one on Deep Creek. The project includes new flood control measures so the county road Riverside Road, the Auto Tour Route, and Deep Creek trail will be accessible during spring flooding. Wetland swales, shallow channels that remove and store floodwaters, will be constructed to enable floodwaters to travel through the refuge and flush back into the Kootenai River as the spring floods recede. Finally, the project will plant or seed the newly constructed areas with native vegetation to give the habitat a head start. 

What areas will be closed down during the summer months, and what alternatives do you suggest for recreators? 

Portions of Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge will be closed during the project for the safety of visitors and wildlife. The Auto Tour Route will be closed June through October to all, including pedestrians, bicyclists, and motor vehicles. Riverside Road will also be closed at the Deep Creek bridge to Lion’s Den Road. A detour route will be posted. The Deep Creek trail north entrance will also be closed. The closure timings are subject to change depending on the project’s progress. Please check the refuge website or call the office if you have any questions about visiting. 

Myrtle Falls Trail, O’le Humpback Trail, and a portion of the Deep Creek Trail will remain open, as well as the south parking lot on Lion’s Den Road. Deep Creek Trail can be accessed from the south parking lot to Big Blowout Pond but will be closed from Big Blowout northward. The refuge plans to temporarily allow leashed dogs on the open portion of the Deep Creek Trail during the closure and will have that information posted at the trailhead. The picnic area and the public bathrooms will also remain open during construction. 

Based on the current construction schedule, the refuge anticipates most of the huntable areas will be open this fall for the waterfowl opening weekend. Hunters will want to contact the office about how to access huntable areas as they may look a little different post construction. This project will not change the boundaries of the managed waterfowl hunt. The upland hunting unit west of Lion’s Den Road will remain open, and the ADA Deer Blind lottery will continue with little alteration. 

How will this project revitalize the wildlife populations and the recreational experience? 

Through the reestablishment of the natural spring flooding between the Kootenai River and the wetlands protected within the Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge boundary, it is anticipated that migratory waterfowl will be utilizing more areas of the refuge while also improving river conditions for fish and other aquatic inhabitants. Additionally, spring flooding will provide soil conditions that will enhance woody vegetation establishment, which is important for moose and other big game as both food and shelter. This project includes raising and improving a portion of Riverside Road and the Auto Tour Toute. On Riverside Road, the project will install wildlife underpasses to lessen impacts to people and wildlife due to wildlife-auto collisions. The project will also create more pull-offs on Riverside Road and the Auto Tour Route to enhance refuge visitor experience, as well as a new trail that will be accessed off the Auto Tour Route. Though there will be no changes to any of the hunt boundaries, regulations, or the planting of small-grain crops, the project will enhance the refuge hunting experience by increasing migratory waterfowl use of the improved wetland habitat. 

What challenges existed previously at the refuge (i.e. Declining bird, fish populations?) 

Reconnecting the Kootenai River with the wetlands protected within the boundary of Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge will help local wildlife populations, including sturgeon, moose and migratory waterfowl. Challenges posed by water management and invasive, weedy species will continue, but the project will help the refuge reduce their negative impacts on wildlife and habitats. 

What challenges do you foresee with the project?  

Reconnecting the Kootenai River with its wetlands has been a goal for many partners in the area and in development for many years. Last year, the project underwent review through the National Environmental Policy Act process which includes the drafting of an environmental analysis based on the best available science and input from the public and the community. Folks can review the project documents and public comments at bpa.gov/learn-and-participate/public-involvement-decisions/project-reviews/kootenai-national-wildlife-refuge-floodplain. 

The design of this project is adaptive so that adjustments can be made for any weather or other challenges that arise. The partners will test, adjust and improve methods of the project throughout its duration. The project is intended to be completed this year, but it will take several years for habitats and wildlife to fully respond to the changes.