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Foes of Trestle Creek project need to hear the facts
Bonner County Daily Bee, 9-28-23
Many speakers at the Sept. 6 public hearing on the proposed Trestle Creek marina project showed a total lack of understanding of the project.
After an Idaho Department of Lands official prefaced the meeting with the blatantly false statement that the U.S. Fish & Wildlife biological report had been rescinded, the excellent presentation by Jeremy Grimm fell mostly on deaf ears.
Here are some facts that project foes should understand. When the original marina was built in 1983, the man-made north channel was redirected into a slack-water pond that became a death trap where bull trout fry are eaten by predator fish. The proposed project will restore the north channel to its original configuration and eliminate the death trap.
Trestle Creek itself will be untouched. Anyone interested in preserving the bull trout population should want this project to proceed. There are no plans to develop the 5.8-acre parcel that was formerly a dense RV park along the north side of Trestle Creek from the lake to the railroad tracks — that’s about 1000 feet of creek frontage that will be untouched. Those interested in fish viewing should urge the county to purchase that parcel. It would make a great little park.
DAVID REED
Sandpoint
Invasive mussels in Snake River pose ‘serious challenges’ to Idaho infrastructure, ecosystem
Idaho Capital Press, 9-27-23
One week after implementing its rapid response plan after confirming the presence of invasive mussels, the Idaho State Department of Agriculture continues to urge recreation users to stay off the water in the Snake River near Twin Falls.
On Sept. 18, the department said it found multiple samples of quagga mussels in the Centennial Waterfront Park area in Twin Falls. Since then, it has implemented multiple measures to contain the species and treat the water in the area.
“For the public’s safety, the safety of ISDA staff and to minimize potential movement of quagga mussels, the ISDA has closed off public access to the Snake River between Niagara Springs and Twin Falls,” the department said in a press release Tuesday.
Idaho State Department of Agriculture spokesperson, Sydney Kennedy, said in an email Monday that people entering the Snake River on boats, paddleboards and kayaks over the weekend hindered the rapid response plan.
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Invasive mussels discovered in Idaho's Snake River
Boise State Public Radio, 9-27-23
The confirmation of quagga mussel larvae in the Snake River last week is a discovery that's long been dreaded for the Pacific Northwest. By last Tuesday, the popular waterfront park in the Snake River Canyon was shut down and nearby lakes and river access points were closed to recreationists with boats, kayaks, paddle boards and canoes.
Adult quagga mussels are smaller than a human thumbnail. A single female can produce more than one million eggs in a year. Within a month of hatching, they latch onto surfaces, quickly coating and clogging irrigation pipes, drinking water intakes and hydropower equipment.
Boise State Public Radio's Rachel Cohen reports on the possible implications for the region.
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Fishing ban on portions of Snake River due to discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Idaho
KTVB, 9-25-23
TWIN FALLS, Idaho — A fishing ban on a stretch of the Snake River was put into effect Friday, Sept. 22, in response to the detection of quagga mussels in Twin Falls. The ban was added to several already-existing closures along the Snake River.
"This is more than a local Twin Falls issue because so many people from the Treasure Valley use the Snake River," a public information officer wrote.
As part of the emergency declaration, Idaho Fish and Game (IDFG), along with the Idaho State Department of Agriculture, closed fishing of any kind on the Snake River from Twin Falls Hydroelectric Dam to the bridge crossing the Snake River at Highway 46.
On Monday, Sept. 25 the Idaho State Department of Agriculture said people are not staying off the water.
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Land Board gets update on fire cost to the state
KMVT, 9-24-23
BOISE, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) —While this years fire season may be less eventful than compared to years past.
The total cost to fight wildfires that the state must pay for is still increasing. At the recent Idaho State Land, Board of Commissioners meeting the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) gave the most updated fire numbers and cost break down to the land board.
As of the middle of September, there’s been 271 fires on land managed by the IDL, which also includes state endowment land; 195 of the fires were found to have been human caused due to more recreational use. Human caused fires are up this year by about 30%, with 2600 acres burned so far in 2023.
There are no fires burning currently on IDL land, but a warmer and drier outlook is predicted for the next month, which could extend fire season into October. Land board members also got a breakdown of the costs so far to date for the state.
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Sharable Social Media Posts
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Keep Out of the Mid-Snake River Area
Posted September 26, 2023
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The ISDA needs the public to KEEP OUT of the Mid-Snake River area. For your safety and the safety of ISDA staff, all public access to the water from Niagara Springs to Twin Falls is CLOSED. Temporarily closing waterbodies is also critical to minimizing any potential movement of quagga mussels.
Other state and local agencies have closed off public access to certain water bodies in the area. This is a dynamic situation – please see the latest closure map for more information at idaho.gov/quagga.
We must work together to protect our water and way of life here in Idaho.
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