Wolf Lodge Creek is a perennial stream that drains a 40-square-mile watershed into Wolf Lodge Bay on the northeast side of Coeur d'Alene Lake. Most of the watershed is managed by the US Forest Service with the remaining land primarily under private ownership. The Wolf Lodge Creek Reach 3 project is on two adjoining private properties near the confluence of Marie Creek and Wolf Lodge Creek.

Wolf Lodge Creek is an important habitat for westslope cutthroat trout and other wildlife and is an important tributary to Coeur d’Alene Lake. Past timber harvest practices, overgrazing, dredging, and riparian vegetation removal has degraded the water quality and fish habitat.

The project reestablished proper channel dimensions and streambank conditions to reduce rates of lateral channel migration, sedimentation, and reestablish important habitat for westslope cutthroat trout and aquatic life. This project treated 2,000 feet of streambank and 3.2 acres of riparian area. The design incorporated bioengineering techniques with large wood, root wads, and willows that provide interim stability and support development of mature riparian vegetation. The project created complex aquatic habitat to support populations of wild trout and other aquatic organisms.

This project restored habitat functions and processes in uncontaminated stream and riparian areas. Long-term outcomes include reduced sediment loads and associated nutrients, reduced solar loading, and enhanced cover and habitat for fish and wildlife. This will benefit native trout in Wolf Lodge Creek and contribute cumulatively to water quality improvements in the Wolf Lodge Creek Watershed and downstream Coeur d’Alene Lake.