Upper Pratt Creek Access and Flow Enhancement

Project Narrative

An irrigation system on Upper Pratt Creek was improved through installation of a new center pivot. Nine diversions were consolidated into two screened diversions and the discontinued diversions were removed, opening 1.3 miles of upstream habitat.
The improvement allowed for a water savings of 1.5 cfs to be retained as instream flow for 3.7 miles of steelhead habitat. A permanent 1,085.9 acre feet water agreement was accomplished, and a stream gauge installed by Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR) will monitor instream flow, while two newly installed flow meters will monitor diverted stream flow. This project was completed in 2 phases. Phase I improved on-farm infrastructure to allow for the water management needed for the consolidation of seven PODs into one, which allowed the irrigator the flexibility to release instream flow for fish. Phase II consolidated two diversions on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) property. This project will improve water management that will increase flow in Pratt Creek and make more stream accessible for the ESA-listed Snake River Chinook Salmon ESU, Upper Salmon River MPG, and Lemhi River Chinook Salmon population. Pratt Creek is designated critical habitat for Chinook Salmon. This work will address two limiting factors to fish production in the Lemhi steelhead population, which are fish passage and stream flow.