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Idaho Matters

Idaho Power helps fish and habitat on the Snake River

Idaho Power works to protect habitat and salmon in the Snake River.

Broadcast on:
27 Jun 2022
An island sits between two arms of a deep blue river which is surrounded by desert on the left and right.
Idaho Power recently completed its second island floodplain project as part of its Snake River Stewardship Program, designed to improve habitat and water quality.(Idaho Power)

Last fall, Idaho Power finished adding 16 acres of floodplain to an island in the Snake to help fish thrive in that river.

Rippee Island sits between the Swan Falls Dam and Marsing.

This is desert land and the sun can warm the water in the river to a deadly degree for fish.

By creating a narrower, deeper channel the river stays cooler and keeps the bottom of the river cleaner which is better for the fish.

Jim Chandler joins Idaho Matters to talk more about this project. He’s the fisheries and water quality leader with Idaho Power.