The henrys fork foundation (HFF), a non-profit watershed conservation organization, will partner with idaho department of fish and game (idfg) to develop a water quality basin plan across multiple…

The Bureau of Reclamation awarded $1.738 million to Henry's Fork Foundation, Inc. on August 19, 2025, under the Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Program (CFDA 15.580) to develop a comprehensive Water Quality Basin Plan for the Henrys Fork Watershed spanning Idaho and Wyoming. In partnership with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG), the Foundation will assess nature-based and evidence-based project designs to address water quality impairments in Island Park Reservoir and the Henrys Fork River, including elevated water temperatures, reduced thermal refugia, high dissolved oxygen concentrations, and harmful algae blooms caused by drought, climate change, aging infrastructure, and population growth. The deliverables will inform the development of detailed project designs addressing 60 percent of aging facilities with new or retrofitted infrastructure improvements and degraded tributaries through watershed-scale stream, wetland, and aquifer restoration initiatives.

The basin planning effort will be completed by September 30, 2027, and will include collaborative data collection, stakeholder outreach, and evaluation partnerships with local, state, and federal agencies to prioritize restoration projects for subsequent implementation. These projects are designed to restore water quality, build climate and drought resilience, and protect regional fish, wildlife, aquatic habitat, and associated economic resources within the watershed.

The henrys fork foundation (HFF), a non-profit watershed conservation organization, will partner with idaho department of fish and game (idfg) to develop a water quality basin plan across multiple subbasins of the henrys fork watershed in idaho and wyoming. Pervasive drought and climate change, coupled with rapidly aging infrastructure and a growing population, have increased average water temperatures, reduced spring-FED thermal refugia, and caused impairments including high dissolved oxygen concentrations and harmful algae blooms within the island park reservoir and the henrys fork river. This overall poor water quality has harmed local fish and wildlife populations, aquatic macroinvertebrate community health, and the recreational fishing experience. The water quality basin plan will assess a suite of nature- and evidence-based project designs to restore water quality build resilience to drought, climate change, aging infrastructure, and human population growth and thereby protect regional fish, wildlife, and aquatic habitat and associated economic resources. The plan will inform the development of 60% project designs that address aging facilities with new or retrofit infrastructure in island park reservoir, and restore degraded tributaries with watershed-scale, nature-based stream, wetland, and aquifer restoration projects. Projects will be prioritized for implementation after collaborative evaluation, data collection, and stakeholder outreach in partnership with local, state, and federal agencies.