|
Project summaries
Rock Creek
Rock Creek is the largest tributary
to Hangman (Latah)
Creek, and drains more than 114,500 acres. The
headwaters of Rock Creek begin in the
Mountains west of Plummer, Idaho in Benewah County.
They flow through Kootenai County before entering
southeastern Spokane County in Washington State. The
majority of the Rock Creek watershed supports dryland
agricultural crops and livestock grazing.
The local Shoreline
Master Program does not regulate Rock
Creek in its entirety. However, the inventory and
assessment project included all of Rock Creek within
Spokane County. In general, 64 percent (10.0 river miles)
of
the reaches in Rock Creek under the SMP are in PFC
condition. Approximately one third (5.6 river miles) is
considered FAR and no reaches are hydrologically
nonfunctional.
Below the town of Rockford, the stream is
in fairly good
condition until the last reach where livestock management
operations have degraded the stream channel and
vegetative communities. Reaches numbered eight and nine
(consisting of 9.8 river miles) contain the best combination
of
channel stability and ecological conditions. This area
contains the deeply confined basalt canyon of Rock Creek.
The area is moderately disturbed with minor land uses,
but
possesses some of the best habitat diversity in the Rock
Creek watershed.
Click photos for larger view.
|
