OVERVIEW
Hughes Fork is the largest tributary to the Upper Priest River in northern Idaho, which is designated critical habitat for Bull Trout recovery. In an effort to create a secret airstrip to support the war efforts during WW2, this 200-acre meadow was diverted into a ditch along its western edge, which channeled the creek and dried the meadow. While the plans for the airstrip were scrapped many decades ago, the changes to the creek had lasting effects that continued well into the 2000s.
Drying out the meadow reduced the native plants and wetland habitat, which negatively impacted both Bull Trout and grizzly bears, who depend on this riparian area for foraging every spring. In 2017, the creek was plugged in places and rerouted to rehydrate the meadow and raise the water table level. Since the successful completion of the project, there has been a noticeable increase in wildlife activity, including families of otters utilizing the habitat.