Encampment restoration/enhancement effort: This project is just one part of a large effort to improve aquatic and riparian habitat along the Encampment River. Issues at hand include improving irrigation efficiency, eliminating cobble push-up dams that cause river instability during their maintenance and also eliminate them as fish migration barriers. Riparian emphasis focuses on managing grazing near riparian areas as well as reestablishment of the cottonwood gallery.
Strategy: The Riverside Stream Enhancement project will use "Natural Channel Design" approach to assess and restore stream channels by moving them toward their potential stable form. Geomorphology, hydrology, drainage, erosion, irrigation and stream bank stabilization are all critical compenents that help make a natural channel design successful. Evaluation for natural channel design formally began on this project in 2008 with the survey and design that was paid for by area landowners.
Habitat Priority: Wyoming Game and Fish (WYG&F) recognizes this area from a watershed perspective because it is part of the "Upper North Platte WatershedCrucial Habitat Area" (combined Aquatic and Terrestrial). Habitat values include a functioning stream habitat that support and maintain wild trout fisheries, functioning riparian community, functioning wetland habtat for native amphibians, Saratoga sage grouse core area, intact shrublands and grasslands for grasslan and sagebrush obligate species. This region provides a high diversity and abundance of aquatic and terrestrial widlife and habitats. The river and connected tributaries provide a range of habitats and natural processes that maintain high wild trout populations. Also, an important number of migratory birds use the area. WYG&F have taken this a step further to designate the aquatic resources within the Encampment River Watershed as an Enhancement Habitat Area under "Wyoming Strategic Habitat Plan". Issues identified as needing work include: irrigation diversion dams which impede fish passage, pine beetle infestation, logging, conifer encroachement of aspen, livestock grazing, and road/culvert impacts. Ultimately their priority is to re-establish connectivity throughout the watershed for fish movement. This project fits perfectly with their long range habitat objectives.
Socio/Economics: The Encampment and Platte Rivers serve as the a primary economic foundation for the community of Saratoga. Ensuring high quality/quantity water resources in the valley is critical to agricultural producers, outfitters, and general recreationalists. Landowners upstream and downstream, in conjunction with diversion owners, see value in modifying this structure enough that they felt the need to fund the survey and design so this project could get off the ground.
