Glacier bridge replacement has provisions for bird protections

Glacier National Park will start construction on a new North Lake McDonald Road bridge over McDonald Creek this month. The clear span bridge will replace a 57-year-old single-lane wooden bridge that has a 15-ton weight limit on it.

Firefighting and other services in the area are a strong part of the reason for the bridge replacement, the Park noted in 2022 documents.

“With the loss of several homes and buildings, including NPS assets on the northwest side of the lake during the 2018 Howe Ridge Fire, a bridge that can accommodate necessary traffic and loads is essential,” the park maintains in its categorical exclusion document.

The Howe Ridge Fire burned down several structures at the head of the lake, including many of the private homes at what’s known as Kelly Camp. All but the main cabin at the former summer home of Sen. Burton K. Wheeler also burned down. Those cabins were owned by the Park Service.

The new bridge will be located upstream of the existing bridge. A temporary bridge will be installed to the east of the new bridge. Once the new bridge is completed, the temporary and old bridge will be removed and the area will be rehabilitated.

Most of the work should be completed by the fall.

The construction schedule and other public entry restrictions are designed to protect bald eagles, harlequin ducks and other shorebirds that use the area.

The area surrounding the inlet to Lake McDonald will be closed to public entry during construction to protect eagles, ducks and other migratory birds and wildlife. Bald eagles nest near the head of the lake and often fish near the outlet.

Boats will also be prohibited within a quarter-mile of the inlet as well. Pedestrian traffic will also be prohibited along both banks of the creek to the bridge and along both shorelines about a 1/4-mile from the inlet.

To further protect harlequin ducks and eagles, which use the area, construction in May and June is restricted to two hours after sunsrise and two hours after sunset. Also, construction work will not be allowed from April 15 to Sept. 15 within 150 feet of the high water mark to minimize impacts to harlequin ducks and a plethora of other bird species that use the area.

Those restrictions were put in place as a result of ongoing research on the unique ducks.

Harlequin females forage on the creek during the day, and then roost at the lake at night until they sit on their nests further upstream, noted park biologist Lisa Bate.

Through the research, the hours near sunrise and sunset were identified as critical times for the birds in the area, Bate noted.

It’s not just ducks that are a concern. Black neck stilts and other shorebirds have been known to use the area.

“We’re trying to protect it for all water birds,” Bate said.

Harlequins are a special duck. They breed in mountain streams and winter on the Pacific Ocean.

The project also has restrictions to protect foraging bull trout. From Aug. 30 to Oct. 15, no night work will be allowed within 50 feet of the ordinary high water mark to reduce the risk of disturbing the endangered fish.

The project will have some impacts on the neighboring forests. All told about 43 large trees will be removed and 120 smaller trees.

Trees will be replanted after constructed.

All told, a little more than a half-acre will be disturbed by the construction.

This story has been corrected to note that the new bridge is located upstream, not downstream, of the old bridge.