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Restore

Printer-friendly versionSend to friendIn a region where battles between landowners, agencies and environmentalists often dominate the headlines, TU is quietly working with diverse partners on projects that preserve trout habitat and restore healthy water flows. These projects demonstrate that collaborative, win-win water solutions are possible, even in the arid West. In Wyoming, for instance, we partnered with private landowners and state and federal agencies to restore 4,000 feet of stream channel on Grade Creek, reconnecting it to Smiths Fork for the first time in more than 50 years and opening the tributary to spawning native trout.

Spotlight: Badger Creek, Idaho


Badger Creek: Before


Badger Creek: After

On Badger Creek, a key bull trout spawning area, ranch diversion structures removed almost all flows from the stream during the summer, effectively cutting off access to upstream spawning and rearing areas for trout. TU collaborated with landowners and federal and state partners to find a water solution that met the needs of both farmers and fish. TU secured funding from several federal programs and coordinated the conversion of several ranch operations from flood to sprinkler irrigation. The result: less water diverted from the creek while ranch productivity increased. A nearly dewatered reach of the creek came back to life, and trout were spawning there just a week after the project was completed.