For more than a decade, Simplot has collaborated with several state and federal agencies, and other organizations such as Trout Unlimited, on a major ecological restoration of the Yankee Fork River in central Idaho. This work is funded by the Bonneville Power Administration.
Now, a new update on the project to restore this river reach is available. You can check it out here.
The video update shows the 2023 status of the Yankee Fork project. It also highlights project benefits such as beaver and side channels and discusses natural mechanisms operating to continue improvement and recovery of the area. Dredging in the mid-1900s removed fines, eliminated the floodplain, and left the river trapped between the dredge tailings and the mountain, necessitating restoration of this area.
You can also watch additional videos showing the progress of this project:
Phase 1 - West Fork - 2015
Phase 2 - West Fork - 2016
The goal of the multi-year Yankee Fork restoration project is to significantly improve spawning and rearing habitat in the river for threatened and endangered fish species, especially summer Chinook salmon and steelhead. You can learn much more about the project and Simplot’s longtime involvement here.
