Sunday we took the Anderson Ranch to Prairie to Black Creeks road trip. Took a couple of pictures.

We have a couple of new additions to the library:

• 2015 SFB Juvenile Trout Survey – This report displays the results of the 2015 survey of age zero trout along the stream edges of the South Fork Boise River.
• 2014 SFB Population Survey and Tributary Surveys – This report displays the results of the 2014 population survey. Typically conducted every three years, the survey was accelerated by one year to gauge the effects of the 2013 wildfire and debris flows. The document also contains information on the 2014 survey of tributaries to the South Fork, including some affected by the debris flows in 2013 and 2014.

Thanks to Idaho Fish and Game for making available their annual reports on fishery investigations.  We took the large document and extracted the relevant sections so you can review the South Fork Boise River fishery reports and not the rest of southwest Idaho’s waters.

After we take some time to delve into these reports we will come back with a reflection on what it could mean for the South Fork Boise.

WHAT: Riparian Habitat Restoration mitigating effects of Fire on the South Fork Boise with Bitterbrush and Cottonwood planting.

WHO: Interested Fishermen. We will be helping some Youth Groups out of Mtn Home who plan to come with personnel from Mtn Home Ranger District personnel.

WHEN: 10:30 am, Saturday, April 9, 2016

WHERE: Two sites on the South Fork Boise River. Arrive at Pierce Creek Boat Landing Parking Lot below Anderson Dam at beginning between 10 AM and 10:30 AM. After lunch we will all travel to Wilson Creek above the Dam.

ROUTE:  Cow Creek Road off US Hwy 20 not likely to be open. Preferred route: IH 84 to US 20; US 20 to Anderson Road turnoff; Anderson Road to Anderson Dam; Downstream on NFD 131 to Pierce Creek Boat Ramp parking lot. Plan on about two hours to arrive at Pierce Creek from the center of Boise.

Uplands burned near river, August 2013

After lunch, when the selected sites are completed on the tail water, we will return upstream toward the Dam and without crossing the Dam proceed two miles along the reservoir to Wilson Creek for a second site.

BRING: (1) Your Lunch and Water; (2) A Shovel if you have one but Forest Service will have some tools available however; (3) Work Gloves. Dress appropriately, of course, for some mud and the projected weather.

RSVP: to Richard Oehlschlager right up to April 8th, sooner being better than later; richardkomd@msn.com or 208 363-0108.

The Elk Complex Wildfire of August 2013 will have long-lasting effects on the lower South Fork Boise River.

One short and medium term effect is the focus on recovery after the wildfire. After a year of emergency rehabilitation efforts, including an initial planting effort November 9, 2013, and an August 2014 manipulation of flows to attempt to move sediment, attention now turns to longer-term work on recovering the vegetation along the river corridor.

In mid-September 2014 the Forest Service finalized its decision for the South Fork Boise River Corridor Post-Fire Restoration Project. Implementation was planned to begin in the fall of 2014.  Some other things took priority over the recovery project, such as getting a larger culvert on Granite Creek.  Plus, it took time for the plants to grow.

TIME FOR A PROJECT

At a minimum, there will be two opportunities to help out this spring. The first event will be on February 28th:

• Volunteers will cut willow cuttings from designated areas along the river.
• These cuttings will be brought to Lucky Peak Nursery and held for us in coolers until a planting day, later in the spring.
• The cutting event is scheduled for next Saturday, the last day in February!
• If you are interested in joining in, please contact Pam Harrington at 345-9800, preferably by Wednesday at latest. Depending how large of a crew we have, we might need to ask folks to bring pruners/loppers.

Don’t worry if you will not make February 28th.  There will be additional planting dates, likely late March and mid April.

“At this time we have 3,414 seedlings available to plant this spring,” says Scott Bodle, a wildlife biologist with the Boise National Forest. “About 2/3 are cottonwoods and 1/3 willow. Based on the turn out we had last time your groups came together I believe we could plant the entire amount in a day using volunteers.”

In addition to the seedlings Bodle mentions there will also be the cuttings collected February 28th.

Stay in touch.  This is the year we begin some of the recovery work!