Six Springs Restoration Project

In 2004, Teton Regional Land Trust staff and the landowner developed a restoration/enhancement plan for several areas of the Six Springs Ranch that would target both increased function for agriculture and landscape-scale benefits to high priority fish and wildlife species. The main elements of the project included:

• restoration of Six Springs Creek
• wetland enhancement of three irrigation ponds
• converting a fallow field to a moist-soil management area.

In fall 2005, Teton Regional Land Trust contracted with Western Watersheds LLC to enhance nesting and brood-rearing cover in currently depauperate wetland areas. The contractor:

• re-shaped the margins of two of the ponds to produce shoreline complexity and created a seed-bed/soil bench along pond margins to facilitate establishment of native wetland vegetation
• replaced control structures in two of the three ponds to allow precise manipulation of water levels and ensure establishment and maintenance of emergent vegetation zones

Teton Regional Land Trust removed the remnants of an old dike and island that were part of an old pond created by damming the creek. The dike and island were both unstable and posed an imminent sedimentation threat to instream creek habitat

Teton Regional Land Trust reestablished riparian vegetation along important spawning reaches of the creek. Teton Regional Land Trust partnered with Friends of the Teton River to plant willows and hawthorn along 2,640 feet of the creek.

In spring 2006, the contractor executed restoration activities on one Pond and completed minor shaping and smoothing of earthwork on two Ponds. In summer 2006, Teton Regional Land Trust and volunteers planted wetland vegetation comprised of robust emergent vegetation such as hard-stemmed bulrush, sedges and tall-stature native wetland grasses in seedbed areas prepared by the contractor.

In regards to the moist soil unit, a 20-acre area of the Six Springs Ranch was converted from fallow field to a moist soil management area that produces livestock forage and provide shallowly-flooded stopover habitat for fall migrating waterbirds. Soil testing and hydrological monitoring to support the project design were completed. Land was shaped in to five terraces separated by dikes to facilitate shallow flooding. New control structures and a water delivery system have been integrated.

Two restoration priorities on the creek portion were completed:

• Teton Regional Land Trust removed the remnants of an old dike and island that were part of an old pond created by damming the creek. The dike and island were both unstable and posed an imminent sedimentation threat to instream creek habitat.
• Teton Regional Land Trust reestablished riparian vegetation along important spawning reaches of the creek. Teton Regional Land Trust partnered with Friends of the Teton River to plant willows and hawthorn along 2,640 feet of the creek.

In regards to the outreach component, 71 volunteers participated in restoration activities. In October 2005, 17 students from the Teton Valley Community School participated in the willow plantings on the creek restoration. The willow planting component crews averaged 2-6 community volunteers per day with the bulk of the work being completed in 5 days. A total of 34 volunteers helped complete the willow planting project including members of the public, staff from Teton Regional Land Trust, Friends of the Teton River, Grand Targhee Resort and Snake River Cutthroats. In summer 2006, Teton Regional Land held 3 planting days when 15 community volunteers participated in wetland revegetation elements. Teton Regional Land Trust also sponsored a weed pulling day on the property for weed control where 5 people participated.

Teton Regional Land Trust partnered with the US Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Teton Springs Foundation and other to finalize the interpretive display. The area was completed in October 2007. The Six Springs Restoration Project yields accessible educational and watchable wildlife benefits for local public school students and the community at large. The project allows the public to see and enjoy, first hand, the benefits of wetland restoration. The interpretive display explains the details and funding sources of the project, how it was planned and created, what effect it has on the Six Springs Ranch property and the wetlands of the area, and identifies possible wildlife that can be spotted throughout. It also talks about the need for conservation and wetland restoration in the Teton River Basin, the purpose of waterbird management, and other Teton Regional Land Trust restoration and enhancement projects within the watershed. Due to frontage road access along Highway 33, the display is easily accessible by classrooms and the general public and is a spot on the scenic byway. Teton Regional Land Trust organized a public unveiling of the site in October 2007 and several project partners and citizens enjoyed a project update and tour. Please feel free to visit the educational site.