Updates from the Outdoors

Spring is a busy time for environmental programs at Idaho Power. 50 Years of Protecting Birds of Prey Spring brings renewed wildlife activity, and that includes the hawks, eagles and other raptors that nest and raise their young in Idaho's Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area and other important habitat areas in our region. Raptors often use power poles to perch and nest. This poses a risk of electrocution to the birds and can lead to power outages. Messy nests can also put birds and the power system at risk. In 1972, Idaho Power partnered with Morlan "Morley" Nelson, a well-known birds of prey expert, to study eagles and powerline electrocutions. Today, we work with the Avian Power Line Interaction Committee (APLIC), a group of utilities and agencies who work to reduce risks to wildlife from powerlines. We also collaborate with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and state wildlife agencies to manage our power poles and lines to protect birds of prey. We are excited about our newest collaboration with the World Center for Birds of Prey — sponsoring and helping to build a new exhibit opening this summer as part of the World Center's expansion. The exhibit will give visitors an up-close look at how birds of prey interact with power lines and poles and some of the equipment we use to protect them. Learn more about our raptor-protection efforts at idahopower.com/ourenvironment. Keeping an Eye on Rippee Island We're watching the first signs of green beginning to emerge at the site of Idaho Power's latest large-scale in-stream restoration project on the Snake River, Rippee Island.   Idaho Power completed construction on the Rippee Island Research Project last fall. It created approximately 16.5 acres of floodplain planted with willows and other native species. The adjacent river channel was deepened to improve water flow and habitat. This project builds on lessons learned from the Bayha Island Research Project completed in 2016. The success of the Bayha and Rippee Island projects is, in large part, attributed to the cooperation and support of local landowners as well as county, state and federal agencies. Rippee Island is located between Walter's Ferry and the Map Rock boat ramp. Additional projects are planned as part of the company's Snake River Stewardship Program, which aims to address elevated water temperatures in the Snake River above Hells Canyon Dam. For more details, visit idahopower.com/river. Idaho Power Adds Fish Throughout Snake River Spring is a busy time for Idaho Power's fisheries biologists as they work to support a wide range of Snake River fish populations. In early March, about 50,000 pan-sized trout were released into the company's C.J. Strike Reservoir south of Mountain Home. Later in the month, Idaho Power tankers will begin hauling nearly two million juvenile steelhead from the Niagara Springs hatchery near Wendell to the Snake River below Hells Canyon Dam and the Little Salmon and Pahsimeroi Rivers, where they will be released to begin their journey to the Pacific Ocean.   Spring Chinook salmon smolts at our Rapid River hatchery near Riggins will be released in late March and early April. Summer Chinook salmon smolts will also be released in late March and April from the Pahsimeroi Hatchery near Challis.  Working with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, our staff is preparing to release the first crop of juvenile sturgeon from the Niagara Springs Sturgeon Hatchery. These foot-long fish will be placed at various spots along the Snake River between Shoshone Falls and Brownlee Dam in mid-April. Learn more about Idaho Power's fish programs at idahopower.com/fish. Planning a Camping Trip? Don't Forget to Reserve Your Spot We love welcoming visitors to our campgrounds in Hells Canyon and at C.J. Strike Reservoir. But if you are planning a visit this summer, it's important to reserve your spot in advance.  With the region's population booming and interest in our campgrounds at an all-time high, many locations fill up quickly. Before you pack that RV, camp trailer or tent, go online to idahopower.com/recreation and make a reservation. Idaho Power takes reservations at three campgrounds at C.J. Strike and four in Hells Canyon. We also maintain less-developed campsites that are available on a first-come, first-served basis at Swan Falls and in several locations around C.J. Strike and in Hells Canyon. Visit our website for a full list of locations. Idaho Power 1221 W. Idaho St., Boise, ID 83702 Unsubscribe - Unsubscribe Preferences