The project aims to control erosion, improve water quality and raise citizen awareness.

Jessica Fitts Contributing writer An 18-month restoration project is underway for the South Fork Palouse River at Robinson Park near Moscow.

The Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute (PCEI) is working with the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, Latah County Parks and Recreation Department and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The project aims to improve the quality of water, provide better conditions for fish and other wildlife and create a safe atmosphere.

The Department of Environmental Quality monitors and manages state waterways and is “responsible for administration of the Clean Water Act,” said John Cardwell, regional water quality program manager. A management plan to bring the water quality up to state standards is part of this process, Cardwell said.

Plans for the restoration include reducing the slope of the banks, reducing the amount of sediment found in the water, and adding vegetation to the area, said Tracy Brown, watershed program coordinator for PCEI. “The banks were seven to 10 feet tall, making it a hazard,” Brown said.

Sloping and stabilizing the banks will help to reduce the levels of sediment in the water, she said. A special liner will also be added prior to planting to help reduce sediment, which will improve water quality. On-site erosion contributes to the high levels of sediment, so erosion control is a main concern, Brown said.

Another goal that PCEI has for the restoration is to improve citizen awareness. “Our focus is really environmental education,” Brown said.

PCEI hopes to use the restoration project as a way to get information about the environment and the necessity of such restorations to the public while creating a safe and enjoyable area for park visitors, she said.

The funding for this restoration is provided by a $100,000 federal grant designed to help improve the environment. 40 percent of the funds must be matched by PCEI and Whitman County, Brown said. Donated items such as plants contribute to matching the funds as well as hours from the volunteers working on the project and related maintenance. “We really use volunteers to implement our projects,” Brown said. Volunteer numbers vary, ranging from five to 20 at any given time, but about 800 volunteers participated in PCEI’s last restoration project.

The South Fork Palouse River is a tributary to the Snake River located five miles from Moscow.

Excavation of the floodplains will be underway until mid-September and planting is expected to begin in the spring.