Park wants to expand Sun Road stream work

Glacier National Park would like to do more in-stream work such as dredging and rip-rap on waterways along the Going-to-the-Sun Road.

Under the Park’s 2005 road maintenance guidelines, crews are allowed to clear rocks, vegetation and other debris within 10 feet of a bridge or culvert.

But the Park would like to be able to do more, particularly in streams like Logan and Haystack creeks, which are prone to flooding and have damaged the Sun Road in the past after bridge spans or culverts plugged with debris.

In 2006, after a November rain that dropped 9.1 inches of rain on the Park in 36 hours, Logan Creek plugged with debris and water washed over the Sun Road, damaging the road.

Even outside of flood years, crews have to dig out sediment from under the historic Logan Creek bridge each spring as the bridge span usually fills with rock and other debris.

There are some problems with more stream work, the Park noted. The streams are in bull trout habitat and more disturbance could harm fish. The Park’s plan is to mitigate those disturbances as much as possible while still protecting the road from damage.

The public scoping document can be read online at www.parkplanning.nps.gov/GTSRBridgesCulverts. For more information, call Mary Riddle at 888-7898. Comments can be made online or mailed to GTSR Bridge/Culvert EA, P.O. Box 128, West Glacier MT 59936. Deadline is Dec. 14.