portneuf river
The Portneuf River Watershed covers over 2100 square miles of Southeast Idaho. The watershed is overused, supporting over multiple cities, and has been historically altered due to a series of heavy floods in the early 1960s. Flooding spurred the construction of a concrete channel in the City of Pocatello and that channelization has drastically altered natural river processes – extinguishing a once blue-ribbon cutthroat trout fishery.
Beginning in the mountains southeast of the Snake River Plain on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation, the Portneuf River flows through Lava Hot Springs to Pocatello and back onto the Reservation before converging with the Snake River.
FLYING ELK (CE-12)
Acquired in 2009, the Flying Elk Ranch conservation easement encompasses 282.99 acres of rolling agricultural fields, wooded hillsides, aspen and maple groves, and riparian habitat along Rapid Creek in Bannock County, Idaho.
Conservation values include:
- Big game migration corridors and seasonal ranges
- Critical in-stream habitat for native fish
- Scenic open space and views of Bonneville Peak and the Pocatello Mountains
- Natural habitat for native plants, fish, and wildlife; including several species of greatest conservation need: Yellowstone cutthroat trout, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse, sandhill cranes, and short-eared owls
old tom mountain (CE-24)
The Old Tom Mountain conservation easement was acquired in 2017. The 490-acre property is comprised of grasslands, rolling sagebrush and bitterbrush covered hillsides, and cropland.
Conservation values include:
- Scenic open space and views of Old Tom Mountain – a popular destination for hikers
- Natural habitat for native plants and wildlife; including several species of greatest conservation need: Columbian sharp-tailed grouse, long-billed curlew, and burrowing owl
- Borders other protected lands: Bureau of Land Management and US Forest Service
- The flat grassland is enrolled in the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement Program which focuses on enhancing habitat for upland birds, particularly sharp-tailed grouse
Upper Portneuf River (CE-25)
The Upper Portneuf River conservation easement was acquired in 2017. The 559.4-acre property is comprised of two parcels (79.4 acres that straddle the Portneuf River and 480 acres that borders the Bureau of Land Management) of sagebrush steppe, aspen forest, and woodland habitat types.
Conservation values include:
- Fenced riparian area to enhance riparian habitat
- Working farm/ranch
- Robust stands of sagebrush steppe habitat
- Natural habitat for Yellowstone cutthroat trout, sandhill cranes, Columbian sharp-tailed grouse, dusky grouse, ruffed grouse, greater sage-grouse, mule deer, elk, moose, mountain lion and several species of migratory birds
- Public fishing access