Cusick Wetland Restoration

COOPERATIVE CONSERVATION CASE STUDY

Park, educational site created with wetlands restoration

Location: Far West

Project Summary: The Partnership restored a wetland, created a wetland educational site, and established a park.

Principal Spillway for pond. A dike gate installed in reverse to fill the ponds reservoir from the river during high water events.

Resource Challenge

The Town of Cusick is a small town with very limited economic resources. Its location is on the mouth of the Calispell River as it enters the Pend Oreille River . The town must be protected by dikes to prevent flooding during high water events.

The 17 acre site, located within the town, was the location of an old lumber mill and was also a significant cultural resource site for the Kalispell Tribe of Indians. Although the site was not being used, it was protected by the existing dike system for future development. The 1997 flood, and the related dike failures, caused the town to consider rebuilding the dikes. NRCS was contacted for technical and financial advice via the Emergency Watershed Program. NRCS proposed moving the dike inland creating the 17 acre site and launching the town’s plans to turn the site into a park and wetland education site.

Examples of Key Partners

Pend Oreille Conservation District; Kalispell Tribe of Indians; Town of Cusick; Boy Scouts Troop 696; Newport and Cusick High Schools; Environmental Protection Agency; Washington State Department of Natural Resources Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account; Natural Resources Conservation Service; Newport Equipment-Incorporated; Sewell Engineering; Washington State Conservation Commission.

Results and Accomplishments

The partnership reconnected 17 acres of floodplain to the Pend Oreille and Calispell Rivers while creating the land use change needed for the development of a park and wetland educational site. Projects completed on the site to date are:

A new dike was built inland to replace the failing dike.
A pond with an outlet control structure was built to increase the wetland diversity and to enhance the wetland during the dry months.
A river bank erosion control demonstration project was completed to show Pend Oreille River landowners a way to protect their banks from eroding.
One acre of irrigated lawn was created for a picnic area. A gazebo and picnic tables were build next to the existing boat launch.
A graveled trail system was built along the old dike and through the wetlands. Benches were installed along the trail system.
Ponderosa Pine trees were planted to replace the fallen Cottonwood trees which were previously utilized by Bald Eagle, Ospey, and other birds for perching.

Innovation/Highlight

Conservation Technical Assistance paves the way for wetlands site that benefits community.

Project Contact

Mark Simpson
Resource Conservationist
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service
100 North Washington Ave. P.O. Box 280
Newport, WA 99156-9070
509/447-4217
mark.simpson@wa.usda.gov

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