Silver Creek Field Trip Agenda

On Wednesday, October 1 we will have a field trip to view the work in
progress to complete the Silver Creek Weir Removal Project. We need to
know who is coming so please RSVP by replying to this email or call Andy at
334-1770.

10:30 a.m. -- Arrive at Silver Creek Plunge, 25 miles north of Garden
Valley (directions to get there are below)
11:00 – noon -- Go to the construction site and observe the spider
excavator.
Noon – Lunch at Silver Creek Plunge, sponsored by Trout Unlimited. Discuss
potential RAC project ideas the Emmett Ranger District may want to propose,
such as improvements to the road to Silver Creek.
1:00 p.m. -- Tour the Silver Creek riparian enhancement work that has been
implemented since 1999.
1:30 p.m. -- Conclude and go home.

Directions to Silver Creek Plunge:
From State Street west of Boise take Highway 55 north 34 miles to Banks.
Turn right (east) onto the Banks-Lowman Highway (798) and travel about 10
miles. Turn left (north) onto road 698 towards Crouch. Continue north
through town, and follow this road to the Boise National Forest boundary
where the road will turn to dirt. Stay on this road another 5 miles or so,
until you see Trail Creek Campground on the left. Then watch for a road
sign that points you to turn right (east) onto Forest Road 671 towards
Silver Creek. Follow this road 8-9 miles to the Silver Creek Plunge, which
is on the right hand side of the road. Ample parking is available near the
developed campground on the west side of Silver Creek.

Background on the Weir Removal Project and on the Spider Excavator

The Silver Creek Weir Removal Project is funded in part by the Southwest
Idaho Resource Advisory Committee, with additional support from the Boise
National Forest Emmett Ranger District, the Ted Trueblood Chapter of Trout
Unlimited and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. In the fall of 2002
Trout Unlimited volunteers and Forest Service workers dismantled by hand
the nearly two dozen wooden structures that were installed to measure
sediment and water flow on several small tributaries to Silver Creek. The
completion phase of this project will occur in the fall of 2003 with the
use of some unique heavy equipment, a spider excavator. On Oct. 1 we will
view this equipment in action as it removes the concrete and sheet piling
foundations of several of the weirs and structures from these small
streams.
Here are a couple of internet links to check out:
http://www.tedtruebloodtu.org/silproj.htm
http://www.kempwest.com/equipment/index.htm