Two Idaho landowners have agreed to work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to restore habitat for the threatened bull trout and other aquatic and riparian species in the Pashsimeroi River Basin, the Service announced today.
Private landowners John Folsom and Ben O’Neal and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are in the process of formalizing a conservation effort including a bull trout Safe Harbor Agreement and an aquatic/riparian habitat restoration project near the mouth of Falls Creek, a tributary of the Pahsimeroi River.
"At the heart of what I call new environmentalism is a belief that for conservation to be successful, we must involve the people who live on, work on and love the land. As this agreement demonstrates, private citizens continue to make a difference for threatened and endangered species," said Interior Secretary Gale Norton, adding that the Department looks forward to working in partnership with other landowners in the upper Salmon River Basin to conserve threatened and endangered species.
The Falls Creek project would restore six miles of stream habitat that has been dewatered from agricultural irrigation diversions for nearly a century. The project would reconnect a population of bull trout that has been isolated in the headwaters of Falls Creek with populations downstream in the Pahsimeroi River, and open new migration, spawning and rearing habitat for bull trout and other resident fish species. Six miles of riparian habitat would also be restored under the project. These fish habitat benefits would occur while allowing for continued irrigation of agricultural fields through groundwater pumping. The Service and others would provide funding assistance to the landowners for the purchase and installation of pumping and sprinkler equipment.
Bull trout were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1998. Bull trout are negatively affected by impacts to habitat from many sources, including in some cases, agricultural irrigation activities. It is hoped that habitat restoration projects such as those proposed on Falls Creek will contribute substantially to the conservation of bull trout and other fish species.
Under the project, Folsom and O’Neal would enter into a Safe Harbor Agreement with the Service to conserve bull trout by returning irrigation flows to Falls Creek. The Bureau of Land Management would assist with this endeavor by implementing stream habitat restoration on their lands, as well as providing technical assistance to neighboring private landowners. The project is not expected to have any impacts on existing ground water resources, but due to the experimental nature of the project, the Service, BLM, and others will monitor effects on bull trout, aquatic and riparian habitats and on ground water resources, and adapt management as necessary.
Safe Harbor Agreements encourage private and other non-Federal landowners to implement conservation efforts for listed species by assuring landowners they will not be subjected to additional land use restrictions in the future. A permit would be issued under the Endangered Species Act to Folsom and O’Neal for their agricultural activities in exchange for their commitment to implement the provisions of the Safe Harbor Agreement. The proposed term of the agreement is 20 years. The Service has prepared an Environmental Assessment for approval of the Agreement and issuance of the permit.
Bob Ruesink, the Services’ Snake River Basin Office supervisor, said, "The Falls Creek restoration project and bull trout Safe Harbor Agreement are excellent examples of State and Federal agencies working with private landowners to further conservation of sensitive and listed species while protecting the needs and rights of landowners. We appreciate the opportunity Mr. Folsom and Mr. O’Neal have provided us to work cooperatively on fish conservation."
The Service is requesting public comment on the proposed Safe Harbor Agreement, permit application, and Environmental Assessment. Copies of the documents for review or additional information may be obtained by contacting Ted Koch at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Snake River Basin Office, 1387 S. Vinnell Way, Room 368, Boise, ID 83709, (208) 378-5293, FAX (208) 378-5262. All comments must be received on or before April 22, 2002.
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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses more than 540 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 70 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.
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