The Basin

Central Idaho is formidable, magnificent country, isolated by craggy mountain ranges. Fewer than 12,000 people live in this arid landscape spanning over four million acres.

The Upper Salmon Basin includes four large watersheds—the Lemhi, the Pahsimeroi, the East Fork, and the headwaters of the Salmon River—with more than 7,000 miles of waterways. The majority of this country is public land. But 54 percent of the critical spawning habitat for salmon is located on private land. This is where the USBWP’s work is focused.

“The USBWP is doing something very different— leading the way forward, providing a new model for all of us who care about agriculture and conservation.”