Lower Clark Fork Watershed Group

“Expenses advertising 815 office expenses 900 travel 2,556 conferences/training 250 insurance 3,316 program expense 2,421 penalty/interst 417 supplies 297 other 40 total 11,012”

“Accounts payable and accrued expenses 0 4,041 deferred revenue 52,595 46,592 payroll liabilties 5,328 4,263”

“Facilitate collaboration among watershed stakeholders and coordinate efforts to maintain, enhance and restore the ecological integrity of tributaries to the lower clark fork river.”

“The mission of the lower clark fork watershed group (lcfwg) is to facilitate collaboration among watershed stakeholders and to coordinate efforts to maintain, enhance and restore the ecological integrity of tributaries to the lower clark fork river. Our work focuses primarily on in-stream and on-the-ground restoration projects that improve water quality and enhance habitat for bull trout and west slope cutthroat trout. In 2017 the lcfwg held quarterly meetings for members and partners and actively worked to coordinate continued efforts on all ongoing watershed projects. They are involved in the planning, fundraising, coordination, contracting, administration and ongoing monitoring of multiple projects in the watershed. In 2017, major projects included: - bull river re-vegetation: the lcfwg has continued a multi-phased effort to re-vegetate areas along the bull river. The bull river has been transformed by land clearing, diking, straightening and invasion of a non- native grass called reed canary grass. This grass forms dense cover over a great area and prevents the natural re-vegetation of many desirable riparian species, most importantly, woody trees and shrubs. While growing into a thick mat over the surface of the soil, the grass has a shallow root system that greatly reduced bank stability and increased sediment additions to the bull river, which affected the river's water quality and the quality of habitat for native fish. In 2017 the lcfwg continued ongoing efforts to improve the health of riparian areas along the river by maintaining re- vegetation along the bull river and planting native tree and shrub species better able to stabilize the banks of the river and create habitat for native fish and wildlife. - miners gulch stream and riparian restoration project: in 2017 the lcfwg worked in conjunction with the united state forest service, to finalize a major stream restoration project on the vermilion river. The lcfwg's role in the project was to coordinate funding, contracting, implementation and outreach efforts related to the project. - in 2017 the lcfwg also sponsored the development of the thompson river watershed restoration plan, coordinating efforts of multiple stakeholders to develop and prioritize project ideas to improve water quality (address stream impairments) and enhance habitat for native fish.”