The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) is considering raising the Anderson Ranch Dam on the South Fork of the Boise River. They have formally opened the process to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for that project. The following notice was published in the Federal Register https://www.usbr.gov/pn/studies/boisefeasibility/noisigned.pdf You now have an opportunity to learn more about the proposal and the public process by attending any of three open houses, and to provide your personal comments to the BOR on the potential impacts of the project. Trout Unlimited’s formal written comments are currently being drafted and will be submitted in September.
Locations/Dates/Times
The public scoping open houses on the EIS are as follows:
Tuesday, August 27th, 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Boise River Senior Center, Pine, Idaho
Wednesday, August 28, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Wyndham Garden Inn, Boise, Idaho
Thursday, August 29, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
American Legion, Mountain Home, Idaho
Written comments:
Must be submitted by 5 p.m. on September 9, 2019, by email to BOR-SRA-BoiFeasibility@usbr.gov
Why should you attend and comment?
A law passed at the end of 2016 gives BOR the authority, and likely the funding, to proceed directly to construction upon completion of the studies. This is the time for you to learn more about BOR’s plans and for you to express to BOR the importance of the South Fork of the Boise River fishery. You can request that they explore the following issues, among others, in the environmental impact statement:
- How would this dam raise impact winter flows for fish both in the South Fork and the Boise River through town?
- Will spring flushing flows be affected?
- How much will it cost to raise the dam and will other, possibly less expensive, alternatives be considered such as water conservation or efficiency projects?
- Will opportunities to provide additional water storage for winter fisheries flows be considered?
Questions?Please email Peter Anderson at:
Peter.Anderson@TU.orgor call Kira Finkler, Michael Gibson, or Peter Anderson at the TU Boise office, at 208-345-9800.
