News and information on BVFF conservation projects
BVFF started work on a gravel augmentation on the Owyhee River in Fall of 2021. Our gravel augmentations on the Lower Boise River had gone smoothly and we anticipated a similar process on the Owyhee. However, the process has been much more complicated and lengthier than we anticipated.
First there were complications with getting landowner (BLM) and Malheur county approval for the project and there is a chain of permits that need to be filed--each having its own review period. We started with the Army Corps which then required a Dept of Water Quality permit and approval from the Department of State Lands and the Environmental Protection Agency. We are getting close to the Dept of Water Quality permit being approved which will then move us into the last permitting review from the EPA. Our best estimate is that the permitting will be complete sometime in December of 2024 (barring any complications or additional permit review requirements). If all goes well, we hope to do the gravel augmentation in late winter (late Feb or early March).
Once we get the permits we still have significant work to get the gravel into the river. If you are able to help with any of these tasks, please reach out to me at "conservation@bvff.com".
This gravel augmentation is ten times as large as our Boise River gravel augmentations and the project location is more remote, which significantly increases the cost. The price has gone up significantly in the last 3 years and we have done additional fund raising to help pay for the project. We have:
We want to thank everyone who has helped us along the way on this project. Our friends at the Owyhee River Ranch; Fish biologists Dave Banks and Kirk Handley at ODFW; and especially the organizations and people who have donated to make this project happen.
A site photo, site plan and aerial map from our stream alteration permit application is shown below. For more details about the gravel augmentation project, see our conservation blog Owyhee River Gravel Augmentation and our Owyhee River Gravel Augmentation Study.
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.
In a recent conversation with Idaho Fish and Game's SW Regional Fisheries Manager, Art Butts, Art pointed out to me that while IDF&G did not adopt BVFF's proposal to manage the Boise River above Barber Dam for wild trout, they did add goals to improve trout habitat which were directly influenced by BVFF's efforts. Art went on to say that these types of changes are much more effective at improving the wild trout population than making changes to the fishing rules. Here is the excerpt from the Fish Management Plan for “Additional Management Directions” for the Boise River that Art was referring to:
Foster efforts to prioritize and improve habitat complexity, water quality, and reconnect floodplain and riparian processes, especially in side channels and tributaries. Collaborate with local and federal agencies and private groups to maintain or enhance in-channel wood and woody debris.
BVFF appreciates IDF&G's continued partnership to improve trout habitat on the river, especially their work to lead the effort to restore year-round flows to a mile of side channel spawning and rearing habitat behind Expo Idaho. BVFF also appreciates IDF&G’s efforts to work with the flood district and fire department to educate them on the importance of wood in the water to provide cover for trout. In fact, much of the technical content of these conservation blogs are based on conversations with SW Fisheries Manager Art Butts, the previous SW Fisheries Manager John Cassinelli and Fisheries Biologist Tim D'Amico, all who have repeatedly emphasized the importance of side channel habitat and woody cover, which has driven much of BVFF’s conservation efforts.
I completely agree with Art's statement that habitat improvement is the best way to improve the Boise River's trout population, and to that end, I am pleased to announce that BVFF is participating in a habitat restoration project in the Barber Pool section of the Boise River and has pledged $10,000 over 3 years to a feasibility study to identify ways to improve habitat conditions on that stretch of river. Project goals are to restore multiple side channels, create wetland habitat, enhance riparian vegetation, and develop recreational infrastructure that protects sensitive areas while providing for limited public access. A public scoping meeting is expected soon—stay tuned for more details. Here is more information about the Barber Pool Conservation Area.
BVFF is grateful to be able to participate in the Barber Pool Project, and we are excited about the potential that the trout habitat improvements represent for the wild trout population. We appreciate the partnership of BSU and the Diane Moore Nature Center and the extraordinary leadership of Greg Kaltenecker. I am excited about the potential this project has and expect there will be many volunteer opportunities for BVFF club members to participate in the coming years.
I want to thank all the people who help make our BVFF Fly Fishing Expo happen every year. It is the fund-raising engine that enables us to invest in great projects like this. BVFF's Fly Fishing Expo continues to grow and we need volunteers. If you are interested in helping, please go to our Expo Volunteer Web Page.
Idaho Fish and Game (IDF&G) has completed incorporating public input into their Fisheries Management Plan and is seeking final public input. For more information, see their website . BVFF encourages anglers to review the new plan and give their comments by August 26th.
Earlier this year BVFF submitted input to IDF&G on their Fisheries Management Plan and Fishing Regulations to add protections for wild trout in the Boise River above Barber Dam. This section has been only occasionally stocked by IDF&G but has developed good population of wild rainbow trout. Our proposal was to manage this section of the river for wild trout, including ceasing stocking it and either closing it during spawning season or reducing bag limits. Before submitting the proposal, we surveyed area anglers to gauge their level of support for this type of change and were pleased to see that 94% of anglers surveyed (of all types) were supportive of giving this area special protection. For full details on the proposal and angler feedback, see this conservation blog article.
Unfortunately, neither IDF&G's new Fisheries Management Plan or the recent regulation changes incorporated any of BVFF’s requests to help protect the wild trout population in the Barber Pool area. BVFF met with IDF&G about our proposal and Southwest Regional Fishery Manager, Art Butts, explained that IDF&G does not know much about the Boise River between Barber Dam and Lucky Peak. It is part of their yearly fry surveys but has not been part of their Triennial Adult Trout Mark-Recapture Surveys because the depths of Barber Pool make it difficult to electro-fish. Art told us that IDF&G wants to study the area to better understand the fishery, which is the first step to protecting it. He said they also want to try and establish a wild brown trout population in that section using egg-boxes which are secured in-stream and allow for a more natural hatching and rearing process.
Although BVFF is disappointed that IDF&G did not incorporate any of our feedback into the Fisheries Management Plan, we are very encouraged that they want to study this section of the Boise River and we support their efforts to establish a wild brown trout population. BVFF believes this section of the Boise river is special and plans to continue to invest resources and volunteer efforts including doing additional snorkel trout fry surveys and supporting a Barber Pool side channel complexity project that has just started. Stay tuned for more details about that, and for information about last year’s snorkel survey, see this conservation blog article.
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Lucky Peak is being drawn down 125 feet to do repairs on the Turner Gulch boat ramp. The low water levels in Lucky Peak will impact water temperatures on the Boise river this August. Water temperatures on the whole river are expected to rise and stay above 66 degrees for several weeks, which is very hard on trout.
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The US Army Corps has started down Lucky Peak in order to do a repair on the Turner Gulch boat ramp, which means by the end of August, there will be no ramps available. The Lucky Peak Dam and Lake – WallaWallaUSACE Facebook Page recently posted this warning:
BOATERS - Remember to be very cautious about any long term mooring, beaching, or anchoring as the continued fall of the lake is about 2’ per day. No salvage services are available and if your boat becomes stranded it will likely remain until the spring fill so be careful.
The figure below shows the current elevation of the reservoir (as of 7/27/24) and the different boat ramps. You can find the latest version of this graph under the "Boat Ramps" section of BVFF's Local Waters web page.
BOISE RIVER FLOWS
Flows on the main Boise through town are not expected to rise during the drawdown. The drawdown is being achieved by reducing inflows from Arrowrock and Anderson Ranch Reservoirs (Arrowrock cut inflows first and Anderson will reduce flows the 3rd week of August). This approach allows them to maintain the water in upstream reservoirs for future irrigation needs.
LUCKY PEAK OUTFLOW ZONE
Tailwaters like Lucky Peak and Anderson Ranch Dam usually release cold water all summer long because the water is coming out of the bottom below the thermocline where water is colder. However, the Lucky Peak drawdown will bring the warmer surface epilimnion layer of water into the outlet zone which will increase the temperature of outflows.
2024 EARLY AND DEEP DRAWDOWN
Lucky Peak is typically drawn-down around 20 feet in August as a way to manage water for the next irrigation season. In 2021, because of prolonged drought conditions, the drawdown was started a couple weeks earlier than normal and by the end of August Lucky Peak was 75 feet lower than usual. This drawdown resulted in the warmer surface water entering the outlet-zone which resulted in water temps being released from Lucky Peak that were 67 degrees all day long with water temperatures downstream at Glenwood Bridge reaching the low 70s. (Water temperature data was obtained from a public records request from the City of Boise who has a temperature logger just below Lucky Peak dam. Click on the graph to see a larger version.)
Looking back at Lucky Peak Reservoir elevation data, there has never been a drawdown in August like this. This year’s draw down is likely to impact Boise River water temperatures even more than 2021, because the reservoir level will drop another 33 feet than it did in 2021 (down 108 feet from 2020!), which will increase the percentage of outflows that are the warmer surface layer. There is no way to know how warm Lucky Peak’s outflow water temperatures will get, but it is possible they will reach the lower 70s, which means water temperatures at Glenwood bridge would warm into the mid 70s.
High water temperatures are hard on trout, especially when the temperatures don’t drop below 65 degrees overnight for trout the bleed off the excess heat their bodies gained. Sadly, once Lucky Peak starts putting out water temperatures over 66 degrees in mid-August, this condition will exist on the entire river. Trout will seek out cool water refuge zones near ground springs and deeper holes, but will become overwhelmed by the prolonged high water temperatures.
IDAHO FISH AND GAME
If this condition happened in any of our neighboring states, their Fish/Game/Wildlife departments would issue a public warning and put short term restrictions on fishing—from a Hoot Owl warning to restrict fishing to just the morning hours to closing the fishery until water temperatures dropped.
However, Idaho Fish and Game takes a different approach to warm water conditions. They did a study on the Big Wood river and found that trout were much less likely to be caught in warmer water conditions. And although they found that those fish that were caught experienced a very high mortality rate they state that in the following years the fishery recovered. Because of this, they do not feel it is needed to close a river due to warm water conditions. You can read more about IDF&G’s position on this topic in this article: Perspective: Trout fishing during low water and high temperatures.
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While IDFG's study shows the trout population will rebound, there is no denying there will be short term impacts. And just like good C&R practices, avoiding fishing when water is too warm will maintain or improve fishing this Fall/Winter/Spring. ______________________________________________________
A PERSONAL DECISION
I don’t disagree with IDF&G’s findings, nor do I want to start a debate about it. But I do think it is worth anglers thinking about it before they head out fishing. While IDFG looks at the whole fish population, anglers only have control over their own catch. My personal position is that if you believe that Catch and Release improves the fishing on a river, then you probably should avoid fishing waterways that are above 68 degrees. If you like fishing to keep your limit, then there is no reason to stop fishing. Keep in mind that fishing the Boise River through town is likely to be poor in these conditions, so it is smart to seek out cooler waters like the SF of the Boise River or the upper sections of the MF or SF Boise River. And if you do decide to fish the Boise in town this August, you should consider keeping what you catch, as they are unlikely to survive you are essentially wasting a gamefish.
Checking water temperatures before you go fishing is a good way to find the most productive water to fish. BVFF has water temperature gauges for local rivers on our Local Waters web page. It also helps to carry a stream thermometer. Fish Pond just came out with a new digital one that looks great! For more information on how to use a thermometer to improve your fishing, check out this previous Conservation Blog article.
As a part of taking care of our waterways, BVFF encourages members to pick up some trash at the end of their fishing day. We appreciate all that have participated in our #FillTheNet program and know that many of you do it but don't post a photo. Leading by example is important, but for it to do any good people have to see you do it!
To help show others how we take care of our waterways, we ask that you post a photo to social media and tag it #FillTheNet. If you're not into Facebook, send us a photo at conservation@bvff.com and we'll post it for you! Join BVFF's Facebook Group Page for more club updates, river updates, fishing reports and more!
BVFF FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/groups/23111329988
THANK YOU to those who have posted recently:
Maggie Sayz #FillTheNet For Good Fishing Karma!
Summary:
In April, BVFF submitted a proposal to Idaho Fish and Game (IDF&G) to change their Fisheries Management Plan for the Boise River to manage the section of the Boise River by the Diane Moore Nature Center for wild trout. We also proposed they change the Fishing Regulations to limit the catch impact by reducing the bag limits and or closing that section of river during the rainbow trout spawning season. For a full description of the proposal please see this previous conservation blog article .
Last week IDF&G asked to meet with us to discuss our proposed changes. IDF&G said that BVFF did a good job on their proposal, however they were not able to move the regulations portion of the proposal forward for consideration by the commissioners because changes to regulations in this cycle must align with the current/approved fisheries management plan. IDF&G apologized for the confusion—having both the regulations and the plan up for review at the same time doesn’t usually happen. IDF&G did think the proposal to manage the upper section for wild trout was reasonable and it is being considered for review by the commissioners. Changes to the fisheries management plan will come out in July.
IDF&G admitted that they don’t know much about the trout population on this section of river, as the Barber Pool is difficult to electro-fish. But they committed to studying the area more to better understand the fish population and then then talk about possible regulation changes in 3 years when the next regulation change cycle occurs. IDF&G was very complimentary on our work to improve woody cover for juvenile trout in our side channel and at the Diane Moore Nature Center and emphasized that trout habitat improvements like this are an important part of improving the trout population.
While we were surprised by not being able to change the regulations along with the fisheries management plan, we understand the limitation and are pleased that IDF&G is considering the proposal to manage the area for wild trout and that they are going to study the trout population in this section of river. BVFF is committed to helping IDF&G and we plan to do more snorkel fry surveys in the restored side channel. BVFF is also committed to continuing to invest resources in trout habitat improvements at the Diane Moore Nature Center and the Barber Pool. Stay tuned for more details on future projects in this unique and special area.
We encourage members to give IDF&G feedback on their proposed changes to the fishing regulations on their website .
BVFF has been working on a gravel augmentation for the lower Owyhee river (below the Owyhee Dam) for several years. We started in November of 2021 by doing a study of the depth, water velocity and bottom structure that brown trout were using to spawn and then used that information to evaluate a proposed gravel augmentation location. Gravel augmentations are expensive endeavors, so we applied for a grant from FFI and ODFW to help pay for the project.
Anytime you do work in a river, you are required to have a stream alteration permit from the Army Corps of Engineers as well as approval from the local department of water resources and permission from the landowner., which in this case is BLM. As we navigated the permitting process, we learned that we would need an engineering analysis to show the impact to the flood zone. It took some time, but we found an engineering firm that was willing to do the analysis and we raised the necessary funds through Idaho Gives and a club “Greenbacks for Redds” program.
When we got back to the permitting process we found that the players at the different agencies had changed, so we had to start those discussions over. After numerous meetings we obtained all of the necessary signatures and were able to submit our Stream Alteration Permit to the Army Corps of Engineers. We expect the permit to be completed by August, at which time we will reapply for the ODFW grant (which expired) and if all goes well, we will do the gravel augmentation in late October, after the flows drop to winter levels.
This gravel augmentation is 100 cubic yards, which is ten times larger than the ones we have done on the Boise River. But don’t worry, we’re not moving it by wheelbarrow! The day before, the gravel will get staged near the site and the Owyhee River Ranch has volunteered to use their front-end loader to transfer it into a gravel shooter/slinger which will throw it from the road into the river with the goal of laying down a 6 inch base of gravel through the run.
We still have some planning work to do, including working with Malheur county on a traffic control plan and coordinating with Sunroc and the gravel shooter company, as well as volunteers to help on the day of the augmentation. We will post the event for volunteer signups once we have the permit and the date. If you are interested in helping with any of the remaining tasks, please reach out to us at conservation@bvff.com.
Many thanks to those who contributed to Idaho Gives and bought Greenbacks. Inflation has increased the cost of the augmentation. If you want to help support it, consider buying a “Greenback” at the BVFF-Store.
Thanks to the Vale BLM office and ODFW fish biologists Dave Banks and Kirk Handley for their continued support on this project. And my thanks to Forrest Goodrum and Jon Fishback for their help on the initial grant proposal and budgeting on the project.
For more background on the Owyhee gravel augmentation, see this previous conservation blog article., and you can see our stream alteration permit and drawings here.
BVFF has submitted a stream alteration permit to the Army Corps of Engineers for a gravel augmentation project on the lower Owyhee River.
A copy of that permit can be found HERE. BVFFOregonJointPermitApplicationSignedLandownerApplicant.pdf
A copy of the permit drawings can be found HERE. PermitDrawings.pdf
An update on the gravel augmentation project will be posted on the Conservation Blog soon. A copy of the Permit Application Acceptance Email is below.
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Corps Regulatory Permit Application Receipt, NWP-2024-237 (Boise Valley Fly Fishers Lower Owyhee Gravel Augmentation)
Thu, May 2, 2024 at 4:35 PM
From: White, Melody J CIV USARMY CENWP (USA)
To: "conservation@bvff.com" , "jblustain@blm.gov" cc: : "Holecek, Alexandra CIV USARMY CENWP (USA)"
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Portland District Regulatory Branch Portland Permit Section Regulatory Permit Application Receipt Project Name: Boise Valley Fly Fishers Lower Owyhee Gravel Augmentation Corps Application ID Number: NWP-2024-237
After preliminary evaluation of your application, we may contact you if additional information is required. Please refer to the Corps Application Identification (ID) Number above when you contact this office regarding your project/property.
Please direct all inquiries and comments to the Project Manager listed below.
Project Manager: Alex Holecek
Melody White
Portland Permits Section Chief Regulatory Branch U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Portland District 333 S.W. First Avenue, P.O. Box 2946 Portland, OR 97208-2946 Phone: 503-808-4385 | Cell: 503-201-0797 Melody.J.White@usace.army.mil
Restoring Winter Flows to the Les Bois Side Channels
By Troy Pearse, Conservation Committee Chairperson
Conservation@BVFF.com
In 2017, after extended high water flows from Snowmageddon runoff, BVFF anglers recognized that 2 side channels behind the old Les Bois racetrack at Expo Idaho no longer flowed during the winter. This was very concerning because the 2 side channels represented a mile of premium trout spawning and rearing habitat. In 2019, BVFF started talking with Idaho Fish and Game, and although they shared our concern, they said they needed concrete evidence that the side channels used to flow during the winter. In 2021 we found dated aerial photography that clearly shows both side channels used to flow during the winter, as shown in the figure below, which gave IDF&G the evidence they needed.
Last Spring, BVFF monitored the side channels as river levels came up and documented that the upper side channel flows through with very little inflows, but the lower side channel has more high-spots that kept water from flowing until the main Boise River was higher. Given this information, the project team recommended focusing on restoring flows to the upper side channel first and then applying lessons learned to the lower side channel.
One thing Zach Kirk, County Engineer from Ada County Development Services, noticed while we were documenting the side channel rewatering last year is there were some juvenile fish in the deeper pools that had survived the winter. We wanted to know more about the fish stranding in this disconnected side channel so last Fall, after flows dropped for the winter, IDF&G electro-fished the side channels and rescued trout that were stranded in the disconnected pools. Over the following winter, BVFF monitored two of these stranding pools and found that the water levels were relatively stable, and that dace and shiners (minnows) were able to survive the winter. This means the pools were connected to groundwater which was able to keep adequate oxygen levels for fish to survive, which is an important learning that stranding does not necessarily mean mortality if the pools are connected to groundwater. It also helps if the pools have some depth and enough woody-cover for the fish to avoid predation from birds like mergansers and herons. The location of the stranding pool study is shown on the aerial photo above and the photos below show the stranding pool levels last November and this March.
Getting permits to work in the river is expensive and takes time. This Fall the Flood District obtained the permits needed to dig the side channel entry test-pits and we were able to get good data on substrate and depth-to-groundwater that will help with modeling and plans for excavating the side channels. Here is the new Flood District Manager, Mark Zirschky, monitoring the test-dig at the top of the upper Les Bois side channel. The flood district is interested in helping this project both because they are great partners who want to help improve trout habitat and because they recognize that when side channels like this lose their carrying capacity the overall flood risk on the river increases. This year, BVFF volunteers again monitored the side channels as flows on the Boise River increased and rewatered the side channels. We gathered cross-sectional depths and flows to document where water will go once the side channel entry is excavated, which will help guide the river restoration work and possible trout habitat improvements such as adding spawning gravel or woody cover. We also documented where the river crossed the first high-spot in the lower side channel, to help guide the excavation at that location. Here is the BVFF crew (Klaus Kissman, Jeff Jones, Tim Opp and Mike Stahl) taking measurements at the entry to the upper Les Bois side channel. Meanwhile George Butts was in the lower side channel photo-documenting the water as it crossed the first high spot.
Side channels are important for trout spawning and rearing. They tend to have more spawning size gravels available as well as better woody-cover which improves fry survival. IDF&G does a yearly fry survey on the Lower Boise River and they find 7 – 10 times the fry density in side channels as they do in the main river, which reinforces how important side channels are to the trout population. Restoring side channels is one of the best ways to improve the trout population, but it is a difficult undertaking, and it couldn’t happen without cooperation and leadership from multiple agencies. BVFF is very excited to be a part of this project team and would like to thank Idaho Fish and Game for their leadership; Flood District 10 for their efforts to lead the excavation work; and the City of Boise for helping fund the river modeling necessary to do this complicated project. If all goes well, we could see the upper side channel excavation this upcoming winter!
