The flow regime in 2008 on the South Fork Boise departs from the standard practice of increasing flows to 1,600 cfs in late May and instead this year the flows have remained at 600 cfs through the month of June. As the upper graph shows, compared to last year and to “average” flow releases, we are well below flow levels even though snowpack is average. This is not normal. Why a difference?
In the fall of 2008, once flows drop to manageable levels, Idaho Fish and Game plans to survey the fish population in the canyon section of the river from Danskin Bridge down to Neal Bridge in order to compliment the data they have taken numerous times in the river above Danskin. These fish will most likely be included in the genetic survey as well.
This survey will most likely be an overnight trip through the canyon section due to the limited light hours during October. Volunteers are needed to help capture stunned fish for measure and counting, as well as ferry gear downstream for an overnight camp. There should be fishing opportunities available. Persons with river worthy pontoon craft and experience with some whitewater navigation are suggested as there will be a limited number of multi-person craft moving down river. Additional information will be available as the fall approaches.
“A tragic accident has taken away from us one of the true icons of Western water,” said former Interior secretary and Idaho Gov. Cecil Andrus.
John Keys died in a plane crash on Friday, May 30, 2008 in southern Utah. John was Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation 2001-2006 and prior to that served as the Regional Director for the Bureau of Reclamation’s Pacific Northwest office based in Boise.
One of John’s favorite places was the South Fork Boise River, and his role as Regional Director in approving the flow operations at Anderson Ranch Dam in the 1980s helps make the South Fork Boise the great fishery it is today.
Indeed, there is a back story that needs to be researched and the full story told on how the South Fork Boise went from a situation in the late 1970s where additional hydropower facilities, and an additional “re-reg” dam downstream were contemplated, to a protected river with a rather friendly fish and recreation flow management regime from the mid 1980s through today. And no doubt John Keys will figure greatly in that story.
During the energy crisis years of the 1970s the Bureau of Reclamation explored potential hydropower enhancement at their water projects. Anderson Ranch Dam was studied for its potential to “follow load” on a daily basis — that means the river flows would yo-yo with electricity demand. An additional turbine would help handle high flows during the day. Nighttime flows would be meagre. An additional dam would be built a mile downstream to smooth out the changes in flow.
Idaho Fish and Game contributed studies during that period that showed the great potential for the South Fork Boise River. So did the University of Idaho. Eventually the hydropower expansion plans were scrapped during the energy surplus days of the early 1980s. Soon a new flow regime would be adopted in the operations manual for the Boise Project: 300 cfs in the winter (better than the inflow to Anderson Ranch), 600 cfs in spring for wild rainbow trout spawning, and a steady 1,600 cfs during the summer for boating flows.
How such a 180 degree turn could happen is the mystery that deserves a longer story. But for South Fork Boise River anglers it’s a story with a happy ending.
This all became a reality on John Keys’ watch. John was proud of the Bureau’s river flow management because it is a showcase of multiple use of our water resources where fisheries benefit in the upper Boise River basin while still meeting water delivery contracts to Treasure Valley farmers and cities. And John was pleased to be a water user on the South Fork, taking his raft down the South Fork canyon run from Danskin to Neal bridge.
Cecil Andrus was a personal friend of Keys who fished with him and shared his love of the outdoors. “If all public employees held themselves to the same level of competence and integrity that John did, we’d have a wonderful world,” Andrus said.
REDD ALERT!
River flows on the South Fork Boise River will be 600 cfs during opening weekend. Great for wading anglers, but there are nearly 200 redds carved in the streambed which are the future of this fishery.
Anglers, please be careful and stay away from the side channel areas of smaller gravel as well as gravel that is brushed clean, both likely areas of trout redds.
For more information check out this post: http://www.westfly.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=399801&page=1#Post399801
Why so productive? Why so many big fish? A favorable combination of climate, underlying geology, and tailwater conditions is the common understanding.
Here’s an article from the Friday edition of the Idaho Statesman:
South Fork has big trout, but fewer small ones
Biologists, anglers study rainbow populations to figure out what’s going on.
BY ROGER PHILLIPS – rphillips@idahostatesman.com
Edition Date: 05/09/08
Big fish, good, but fewer fish, bad. That’s what’s happening on the South Fork of the Boise River, and state and federal biologists and local fly fishing clubs are trying to find out why.
For more than 20 years, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game has tracked trout populations on the South Fork between Anderson Ranch Dam and Danskin Bridge, which is one of the most popular trout fishing areas in Southwest Idaho.
Population surveys show a downward trend in wild rainbow trout in the 5- to 9-inch range, fewer fish in the 10- to 16-inch range, but more fish larger than 16 inches.
F&G, Trout Unlimited, the Forest Service, Boise Valley Fly Fishermen, and the Bureau of Reclamation are partnering on projects to learn more about the South Fork’s trout population, what might be affecting it and how they can protect and enhance it.
There will be a full overview of the projects at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 14, at the MK Nature Center at 600 Walnut St. in Boise.
The river still has a healthy trout population, many of which are wild, native rainbows and bull trout.
But F&G has found there are more larger trout than could be produced by the numbers of smaller trout in the system.
Radio telemetry studies showed bull trout migrate in and out of the South Fork, which raises the question of whether large rainbow trout are produced in the South Fork or are born elsewhere and migrate there.
It also raises questions why there are fewer small fish in that section of the South Fork and whether it has adequate spawning and rearing habitat.
Mike Toalson, board member for the Ted Trueblood chapter of Trout Unlimited, said all parties want to get more information before deciding what to do.
“It wouldn’t behoove us to take remediation actions until we know what’s going on,” Toalson said.
Projects include a redd count to discover how many fish are spawning in that section of the river, which will be done this month.
In June, biologists and volunteers will survey South Fork tributaries between Anderson Ranch Dam and Arrowrock Reservoir to see how trout are using them.
In July, there will be a large project that will include sport anglers catching trout and biologists taking samples for genetic testing to try to determine whether the South Fork’s trout were born there, or migrating from someplace else.
In late summer, F&G and volunteers will descend into the South Fork’s “canyon” section below Danskin Bridge to survey trout populations and see how they compare with upstream sections.
To learn more about projects on the South Fork of the Boise River, log onto www.southforkboise.org
