Photo credit: Charlie Lansche and Devan Ence

The Henry’s Fork Foundation is honored to receive a $1 million federal grant from the US Bureau of Reclamation’s WaterSMART program to develop the revolutionary DIRTT Plan: Developing Infrastructure to Reduce Temperature and Turbidity.

Water temperatures and changing hatches are at the forefront of anglers’ minds, and for good reason. Average water temperatures are increasing and may be the culprit in changing hatches. Plus, nutrient levels in the river are looking like the next big issue on the horizon.

It’s time to look at massive-scale engineering solutions, as well as grounded, nature-based solutions. We want to reduce the amount of sediment sent into the river, and to reduce water temperatures flowing through Harriman Ranch.

DIRTT aims to improve water temperatures and turbidity to build resilience for the river and the fish and insects that call it home. This might include variable-elevation withdrawal gates at Island Park Dam, tributary restoration, sediment stabilization, and deep-water oxygenation (adding oxygen to the reservoir for trout).

HFF is uniquely positioned – with the expertise, experience, data, and community – to be a leader in answering the difficult questions being asked across the fly-fishing world.

DIRTT Plan