WATERSHEDS -- A proposed watershed improvement project in what's been dubbed the Moose Drool Restoration Area of in the Coeur d’Alene River Ranger District will be explained Tuesday in an open house at the district's Fernan Office,  2502 E. Sherman Ave. in Coeur d’Alene.

District personnel will be available 4 p.m.-7 p.m. to answer questions. They'll make a short presentation beginning at 5:30 p.m.

The area covers about 22,000 acres and includes the headwaters of the Litle North Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River. 

In addition to improving westslope cutthroat trout habitat along the streams, some roads will be decommissioned, mostly roads that are not open to motorized travel. However, approximately seven miles of road currently open for public motorized use is proposed for decommissioning.

Read on for more details.

The Moose Drool Restoration Area encompasses approximately 22,000 acres, and includes the headwaters of the Little North Fork Coeur d’Alene River from the drainage divide at Prospect Mountain, downstream to Hudlow Creek tributary. As headwaters to the Little North Fork Coeur d’Alene River, this watershed area contributes to the North Fork Coeur d’Alene River, Coeur d’Alene Lake, and Spokane River.

The upper Little North Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River has been identified by the Forest Service as a high priority for restoration to improve hydrologic function and enhance fish habitat for native westslope cutthroat trout and other aquatic species.

Watershed characteristics contributing to the impaired condition include high road densities, numerous road crossings in a failed or failing condition, and riparian areas lacking large wood available for stream shade and fish habitat. The proposed restoration activities for this area include road decommissioning, road storage, road maintenance, and instream work such as wood additions and bank stabilization to improve physical and ecological functions in the stream.

The majority of road decommissioning work is proposed to take place on roads that are currently not open to motorized travel. However, approximately seven miles of road currently open for public motorized use is also proposed for decommissioning. Under the current proposal, alternate routes would be made available prior to decommissioning currently open roads.

Additional proposed activities include removal of remnant railway dikes (many of which are located within the riparian area), harvest of trees and root wads to provide natural in-stream structure material for stream restoration, invasive weeds treatments and riparian areas would be revegetated at all stream restoration and railway/dike removal areas.

Info: Project Leader K.K. Prussian at the Fernan Office of the Coeur d’Alene River Ranger District, (208) 769-3067.