The Bureau of Reclamation is looking for the public's feedback on a proposal to replace and modernize the Ridenbaugh Canal. Irrigation canals are essential to water distribution for irrigation in the Treasure Valley but most were built before any thought was given to their impact on fish. As a result, many fish get pulled into them and end up dying at the end of every irrigation season when the irrigation water is turned off. This modernization project is an opportunity to prevent that problem.  

Talking with Idaho Fish and Game Southwest Regional Fishery Manager Art Butts, he said that IDF&G's position that this modernization project should (1) include screening or other mechanisms to prevent fish entrapment; (2) that sedimentation should be controlled to reduce the impact to brown trout and mountain whitefish redds/nests which are vulnerable December – February; and (3) efforts should be made to minimize damage to the riparian zone.

BVFF agree's with IDGF&G's recommendations, and in addition, BVFF sees this as an opportunity to help improve the spawning habitat on the Boise River by adding gravel into the river by using gravel-bag cofferdams and then emptying the gravel into the river when construction is complete. This is an approach used at the Garden City Heron Park project in 2020. Adding spawning size gravel back into the river is helpful as the Boise River is starved for gravel because Lucky Peak prevents new gravels from migrating downstream into the Boise river below. Gravel added in this location would migrate downstream over time and improve spawning habitat for trout and whitefish.

We encourage BVFF members to review the scoping document and send public comments about the project by emailing "sra-nepa-comments@usbr.gov" by October 31, 2024.

Ridenbaugh Canal Headworks Modernization Project is below and the Rdenbaugh Canal Headworks Modernization Project scoping document can be found HERE:

For history on the Ridenbaugh and other local canals, see:

You can read more about BVFF’s first Boise River Gravel Augmentation HERE: 

You can find out more about Trout Unlimited’s gravel augmentation projects HERE.