November 22nd, 2011
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The Southwest Idaho RAC funded a project to improve water quality and habitat on Grimes and Granite Creeks. Many miles of both creeks are lined with mine tailings from past dredging operations. The tailings have impinged the creek and limit riparian vegetation. Grimes and Granite Creeks are listed on the Clean Water Act 303(d) list for temperature and sediment. This project addresses both of these impairments through Read more…
McCall, ID - The newest bridge in the Payette National Forest (PNF) spans 80 feet over Big Creek near Edwardsburg, Idaho, a popular entrance to the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness.
The new Big Creek Bridge replaces a drivable ford through Big Creek used by the public and private landowners since the 1920s. Two cranes were trucked in to lift and lower the four bridge components into place.
Read more…
The Southwest Idaho RAC recommended some Title II funds be used to improve trails in the Sawtooth Wilderness Area. This recommendation came in the spring of 2011 and the money reached the ground this summer with a trail crew using skill and brawn to improve many trails.
This project funds 159 miles of patrols and deferred trail maintenance/heavy maintenance on trails within Elmore and Boise Counties. The project is needed to address a critical backlog of trail maintenance due to years of fires, wind events, beetle-kill trees and neglect. Forest Service crews, youth crews and volunteer groups have been used to work on the trails but these efforts have barely been able to scratch the surface. In 2010 a large Federal earmark was given to the Sawtooth NRA to address declining trail conditions. Much headway was made; however, many of the trails were in such poor condition (in some burned locations there were up to 400 trees/mile) that progress was slow and many miles of trail are still in need of attention.
Read more…
Lowman, ID – A portion of the popular Landmark – Stanley Road (Forest Road 579) will be temporarily closed from July 25 through approximately August 9 at Tennessee Creek in the Bear Valley area to remove and replace two culverts. This project received a $43,000 grant from the Southwest Idaho RAC and will improve fish habitat and fish passage, and should also help avoid a likely blowout of the road in the future.
Read more…
The Southwest Idaho RAC plans a field trip on Thursday, August 11th. Check back soon as etails will be forthcoming.
At the May 26 meeting of the Southwest Idaho RAC the following projects were funded: Read more…
Some attention is being paid to Idaho RACs. A Sunday June 12 article in the Idaho Statesman describes how the RACs authorized by the Secure Rural Schools law helped promote collaborative relationships among normally adversarial parties. Statesman reporter Rocky Barker interviewed a number of people including RAC members for the article.
In addition to the story in the newspaper, Barker also blogged about the May 26 Southwest Idaho RAC meeting. you can read the first one here prior to the meeting and then the follow up story after.
The next Southwest Idaho RAC meeting will occur on Thursday, May 26th in Cascade, Idaho at the Emergency Operations Center (EOC).
The meeting is scheduled to being at 9:00 a.m.
The RAC will be looking at approximately 16 proposed projects for funding.
For more information contact Kim Pierson at (208) 347-0300.
Here are the minutes (pdf) for the March 17, 2011 meeting of the Southwest Idaho RAC.
The Southwest Idaho RAC meet Thursday April 21 at the Idaho Counties Risk Management Program (ICRMP) building, 3100 South Vista Avenue in Boise.
The RAC will consider all projects submitted and will put them into one of FOUR categories:
1) Projects that the SWIRAC will consider for final funding at the May 26, 2011 – no presentation needed – no further information requested
2) Projects that the SWIRAC did not feel met the intent of Title II funding and will not be considered further
3) Projects that the SWIRAC felt that they needed additional information on and requested either:
a. email resolution to the questions
b. presentation at the May 26, 2011 SWIRAC meeting in Cascade, Idaho.
