Category: Blog

  • New South Fork Watershed Coordinator

    In early 2023, Trout Unlimited (TU) secured funding from the US Bureau of Reclamation’s WaterSMART program to establish a new watershed group in the lower South Fork Boise River Watershed. The goal is to foster collaboration and trust related to planning and implementing solutions to address challenges such as degraded water quality, habitat degradation, loss of stream function, and impacts of climate change. 

    To lead this important initiative, TU recently hired Anthony Prisciandaro as the South Fork Boise River Watershed Manager. 

    OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

    Name: Anthony Prisciandaro 

    University/Degree/Background: 

    BS in Biology with a minor in Environmental Science and Policy from Hartwick College in New York State (2004). 

    Masters in Natural Resources from University of Idaho (2015). 

    Anthony is a highly accomplished Fish Biologist, formerly employed by the Bureau of Reclamation (“Reclamation”). With over 17 years of experience, he has excelled in several areas, including facilitating meetings to reach agreements on critical topics related to fish and water management, coordinating interdisciplinary teams for fisheries monitoring and mitigation, securing substantial grant funding, developing and managing programs, and ensuring environmental compliance.  

    During his time at Reclamation, Anthony made significant contributions to projects involving water management, bull trout ecology, invasive species monitoring, and water quality assessments. His expertise and achievements have been recognized through awards and honors, and he has actively shared his knowledge through presentations and publications.  

    When asked what he is most excited about in this new role, Anthony responded, “I am most excited about being able to use science to inform a proactive conservation strategy for the South Fork Boise River Watershed.” 

    Written by Ashlynn Goody, Policy and Outreach Associate for Trout Unlimited based out of Bosie, Idaho. 

  • We’re Hiring – South Fork Boise River Watershed Manager

    Trout Unlimited (TU) brings together diverse interests to care for and recover the rivers and streams on which we all depend. We are a national organization with 300,000 members and supporters organized into over 400 chapters and councils nationwide. Our dedicated grassroots volunteers are matched by a respected staff of organizers, lawyers, policy experts, and scientists, who work out of more than 45 offices across the country.

    This position is an exciting opportunity for a self-motivated, highly capable person with a diverse skill set to advance TU’s conservation and planning efforts in the South Fork Boise River watershed (located in southern Idaho). The watershed manager will be responsible for establishing and coordinating a new watershed group for the South Fork Boise River watershed as well as identifying, planning, and implementing restoration projects. This work will require an individual who is action and solution-oriented, works well with diverse stakeholders and personalities, and can build a new program from the ground-up. Candidates for this position will need to demonstrate excellent meeting coordination and facilitation skills, strong project management skills and follow-through, community outreach experience, and technical abilities related to river restoration, hydrology, and aquatic ecology. The position is based in Boise, ID or nearby surrounding areas.

    DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

    Watershed Group Coordination, 75% 

    • Carry out the goals and objectives of a TU-led Bureau of Reclamation Cooperative Watershed Management Planning grant for the South Fork Boise watershed, including:
    • Building a comprehensive network of agency, nonprofit, business, and community partners within the watershed. 
    • Overseeing organizational development, formal creation of a new watershed group, and meeting coordination. 
    • Coordinating community outreach, communications, and stakeholder engagement efforts. 
    • Conducting research and stakeholder interviews for watershed planning and setting the stage for a future stakeholder-driven watershed restoration plan.
    • Research, plan, and implement a recreational use survey within the watershed. 
    • Manage and maintain southforkboise.org website with relevant work, meetings, and documents.

    Project Management and Administration, 25% 

    • Identify, plan, and implement on-the-ground projects, including: 
    • Identifying, developing, and coordinating priority fish passage and habitat restoration projects.
    • Actively identifying and pursuing potential funding sources, including writing grant proposals and budgets, for high priority projects.
    • Conducting on-the ground project oversight and monitoring in coordination with partner agencies.
    • Fostering and maintaining positive relationships with landowners and other stakeholders with varying political and social backgrounds. 
    • Administering projects including grant applications, contracting and procurement, reporting, invoicing, and tracking project budgets.

    This is a non-supervisory position. This is not an all-inclusive list of duties and responsibilities. Requirements

    • Bachelor’s degree in fisheries, environmental sciences, or other related natural resources field required; Master’s degree preferred. 
    • Self-motivated and highly energetic, with excellent time-management skills and attention to detail.
    • Superior interpersonal skills and ability to work with multiple and diverse partners in a highly collaborative and inclusive manner, even on contentious issues. 
    • Professional experience working with resource managers, landowners, and other stakeholders in a collaborative setting. 
    • Professional experience in natural resource management or conservation project management. 
    • Excellent written and oral communication skills. 
    • Demonstrated performance in grant writing and other fundraising activities. 
    • Knowledge of conservation, hydrology, and water quality. 
    • Experience in meeting facilitation. 
    • Experience with communications, outreach, and volunteer engagement. 
    • Good organizational and problem-solving abilities. 
    • Knowledge of the region and watershed a plus. 
    • Ability and willingness to travel; valid driver’s license and own vehicle required. 
    • A passion for fisheries conservation and for protecting and restoring rivers and streams.

    SALARY AND BENEFITS

    Staff and leadership at TU understand that life outside of work is important to personal health, and we strive to create a healthy and family-friendly atmosphere. This is a full-time position with a generous benefits package. The approximate salary range is $50,000 – $60,000 annually, depending on relevant experience. We are committed to building space for all people to participate in our work to care for trout and salmon and clean our shared waters. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and welcome you to read more about TU’s equity practice and values.

    HOW TO APPLY 

    Please upload a resume (2 pages maximum) and a cover letter using TU’s Paylocity application system, accessed from: https://www.tu.org/about/jobs-and-internships/. We will begin reviewing applications on March 29, 2023. The position will be open until filled.

    https://recruiting.paylocity.com/Recruiting/Jobs/Details/1530018

    Salary Description$50,000 – $60,000

  • Flows Remain Low This Spring

    Wow, it’s mid-May and the flows from Anderson Ranch Dam remain at the winter minimum 300 cfs. Normally this time of year the flows in the South Fork Boise River will be running 600 cfs. As the chart below shows, last year the flows increase from 300 cfs to 600 cfs on April 1, 2021.

    Screen grab from the Bureau of Reclamation webpage.

    The last time that 300 cfs flows extended into the spring spawning season was 2014, which came after the 2013 debris flows that had covered much of the South Fork Boise in sediment. A double whammy! The flows increased in early June as this chart from a previous post in 2014 showed:

    Note this chart only runs to 2014. It’s what we had in the media file.

    One result of the 600 cfs flows in the spring months is it waters up some side channels and allows some rainbow trout spawning in those locations. At 300 cfs we probably have less spawning areas available.

    Why is this happening? There is a pretty good reason. The Boise River reservoir system is below average in water because last year was so hot and dry and until the last few weeks the snowpack was below normal. And, Anderson Ranch Reservoir sits highest upstream in the Boise River basin among the storage reservoirs and the water stored highest upstream is most valuable for future uses. As the graph below shows, Anderson Ranch is filling, maybe a little faster than it filled last year, but the total contents are still well below both long-term average and last year as well.

    The flow of 300 cfs since April 1 being half the normal rate means so far some 25,000 acre feet more water in the reservoir then there would be if the flows were at 600 cfs.

    Currently Anderson Ranch Reservoir is approximately half full and the downstream Arrowrock and Lucky Peak projects are well above half, with the natural flows from the Middle Fork Boise River poised to fill those pools when the snow melt starts in earnest.

    What are the implications for the fishery? There may be less spawning, or survival from it, in the mainstream river this year, versus when the river flows at 600 cfs. It also points to the importance of the tributaries that can contribute more spawning habitat with actions to improve access (where culverts may inhibit fish passage) and improved habitat. A balance of both mainstream and tributary spawning is necessary or balance the risks to the population.

  • New South Fork Boise Video

    The Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission has produced a new video on the South Fork of the Boise River. The video urges responsible recreation behavior as the area continues to see increased use.

  • Anderson Dam Raise Open House


    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 [email protected]

    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:
    [email protected]or call Kira Finkler, Michael Gibson, or Peter Anderson at the TU Boise office, at 208-345-9800.