Myrtle Creek Fire Project
Sarah Bigger facilitated a collaborative project under the Healthy Forests Restoration Act for the City of Bonners Ferry, Boundary County, and the Kootenai Tribe focusing on the health of the Myrtle Creek drainage on the National Forest which serves as the municipal water supply for Bonners Ferry. ESPRI facilitated defining the outcomes the community desired from the Forest Service work under HFRA.
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| The Myrtle Creek Fire — photo by Aaron Drew, USFWS |
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| Photo of fire damage to one hillside from September 2003 fire |
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| Evidence of July 4, 2004 mudslide resultant from 2003 fire impacts |
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Photo of retaining wall built in the 1950's
to reduce sediment impacts of roads to water supply |
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| A diverse community group |
ESPRI is facilitating a collaborative project under the Healthy Forests Restoration Act for the City of Bonners Ferry, Boundary County, and the Kootenai Tribe focusing on the health of the Myrtle Creek area on the National Forest which serves as the municipal water supply for Bonners Ferry. The purpose of the project is to protect and manage the Myrtle Creek watershed to ensure sustainable and secure production of high quality, clean potable water for the Bonners Ferry municipal water system and those who purchase water from the City of Bonners Ferry. Adjacent lands may be included as necessary to reach the goals. ESPRI will provide the supporting role for the Core Group (mailings, preparing documents/letters, preparing the written Purpose and Need statement and Goals and Objectives to be presented to the Forest Service).
The Myrtle Creek Drainage on the Idaho Panhandle National Forests serves as the municipal watershed for the City of Bonners and the Kootenai Tribe. For almost a decade, the City, the Tribe, and the Boundary County Commissioners have been concerned about wildfire risk in the drainage. The US Forest Service issued a Record of Decision for the Myrtle Cascade project in March 2001 to conduct work in the drainage to restore a more natural stand of trees and improve water quality. Work was deferred in November 2001 due to the uncertainty of the "roadless rule". Work resumed in 2003. On the evening of September 2, 2003 a human-caused fire started in drainage burning part of the municipal watershed. The Forest Service has conducted rehabilitation work in the burned area.
The City of Bonners Ferry, the Kootenai Tribe, and the Boundary County commissioners remain concerned about the health and wildfire risk to the municipal water supply and the Myrtle Creek drainage. They have approached the Forest Service to pursue a long-term strategy to protect the watershed under the Healthy Forest Restoration Act. A picture of the Myrtle Creek Fire appears on page 17 in the Healthy Forest Restoration Act interim field guide.
Additional Information
