Knife River Watershed Protection Project

The Knife River is a state protected water and a Designated Trout Stream. It is nationally known as a prime fresh-water steelhead fishery and is managed as a cold-water trout fishery for native species including brook trout. The Knife River is characterized by steep gradients, multiple water-falls and cascades, tea-colored water, and remnant old-growth forest cover types including white pine, Norway pine and white cedar.
For all its attributes, the Knife River does not meet water quality standards for sediments and turbidity. This project will restore two severely eroding streambank sites along the river identified as producing the greatest sediment loads of the entire river system.
The benefits from a stable channel in this location include reduced sediment downstream, less sediment pollution into Lake Superior and protection of native riparian plant communities. Toe wood combined with rock stream vanes will decrease bluff erosion and create beneficial fisheries habitat through the introduction of much needed woody debris.
Both project sites will be fully restored and stabilized with state-of-the-art engineering practices that have been successfully implemented on North Shore streams. Once the sites are fully restored, sediment loading to the Knife River will be reduced by 17 percent.