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Bear Lake Soil & Water Conservation District Performance Report 2018 page 1
Educational Programs • Sponsered the poster contest for students at
the BLMS using the NACD theme “Watersheds: Our Water, Our Home”.
• Spent the day with the 6th grade science classes at BLMS teaching about waterways.
• Held an annual Co-operator of the Year Banquet where Chad Hulme was honored.
• Participated in the Bear Lake County Fair.
• Conducted a tree Sales Program and awarded scholarships to graduating Bear Lake Seniors who plan to attend colllege.
New Projects…
Williamson Hollow Fuels Reduction Grant
Like the French Dutch project, this project is a
necessity to save millions of dollaras in summer
homes from the distruction of a wild fire. This work
will be done by crews using chairsaws and small
brush machinery as not to damage any homes.
Bear River Nutrient Reduction Project
This porject was submitted for funding consideration
in July of 2018. If approved the project will begin in
October of 2019. The goal of the project is to work
on a large ditch to pipe conversion, isntall a large
windbreak, isntall an off-stream watering system for
livestock, and to work on another irrigation system
piping project.
Jennifer Jenson, Chairman James Hardcastle, Vice-Chairman Todd Lloyd, Secretary/Treasurer Mark Parker, Supervisor Devin Boehme, Supervisor Brandee Wells, District Manager of Operations
Soil and Water Conservation District
Bear Lake
785 No. 4th St, Suite B
Montpelier, Idaho 83254
PHONE: (208) 244-3705
SWCD Board Meetings: 1st Monday of each month
2018 Project Funds State Funding $20,692.00 County Funding $10,000.00 Funds Administered Highlands CWMA $34,650.00 Stauffer Creek 319 Grant $186,361.20 Thomas Fork AFO 319 Grant $299,665.00 Paris Hills Fuels Reduction Grant $598,500.00 ECC projects $36,460.00 French Dutch Fuels Reduction $148,500.00 Project totals administered during 2016 $1,334,828.20
Top 7 Conservation Priorities 1. Water Quality 2. Water Quantity 3. Rangeland/Cropland 4. Woodlands 5. District Operations & Public Outreach 6. Fish & Wildlife 7. Urban Interface
Bear Lake Soil & Water Conservation District Performance Report 2018 page 2
Soil and Water Conservation District
Bear Lake Current Projects…
French Dutch Fuels Reduction Grant began in the
spring of 2016. Work with the Bear Lake West Property
Owners Association (POA) board of directors has been very
helpful getting over 400 landowners ready for work to
begin. Due to the close location of wildfire fuels and
hundreds of summer homes this project was a must. High
fire danger put this project on hold until next year.
Highlands CWMA Highlands CWMA received their regular ISDA grant plus one
for Phragmites on the Bear Lake. The CWMA held workdays
and worked with landowners to spray for noxious weeds
with its normal grant. The CWMA held a spring meeting
where they offered continuing education for licensed
applicators credits (credits were received for Wyoming,
Idaho, and Utah). The phragmites grant sprayed for
phragmites around the Bear Lake with a helicopter and also
did some mowing.
Thomas Fork AFO 319 The Thomas fork AFOs project is located in Geneva,
Idaho. This project is focusing on two Animal feeding
Operations, two stock water systems, one ditch to pipe
conversion, and one large streambank stabilization
project. This project is entering its last year, so the
participating landowners are gearing up to finish strong.
Bear Lake Diversions and Streambank
Stabilization Project
This project will focus on upgrading diversion structures
on St. Charles Creek and Bennington Creek, by replacing
old dilapidated structures with new and fish friendly
structures. The project will also work to reduce water
loss in areas where large historical losses have been
noticed and recorded. This project is in its infancy and
the District is just waiting for the signed sub-grant
development agreement to be returned to the office
from Boise so we can get rolling!
Bear Lake Soil & Water Conservation District Performance Report 2018 page 3
Soil and Water Conservation District
Bear Lake Completed Projects… Paris Hollows Landowners and contractors worked together to create a
less fire friendly environment. Individual plans and
prescriptions were created by each landowner. The
contractor worked with 12 landowners to create a
successful project. Partners included IDL, USFS, BL County,
BLSWCD, and the Highlands CWMA. The final stage was to
put a sign in to inform the public what had happened in
this project.
Stauffer Creek 319 Project
The Stauffer Creek 319 Project concluded this year and
was spotlighted on our annual District Tour this year.
The Project worked with six different landowners to
install riparian fence, Irrigation Mainline, a Diversion
structure, Stream Crossing, two Livestock off-stream
Watering systems, and a telemetry system.
