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| The
Portneuf River
is located in
southeast Idaho, and follows a path of about
156 km from the east side of Yandell Mountain, flowing south on the
east side
of the Portneuf Range, and north between the Portneuf and Bannock
Ranges,
and on to the eastern Snake River plain where it enters the Snake
River. Precipitation
in this region shows a moderate peak in late
spring, and flows
in the Portneuf are highest
during spring runoff and following occasional intense summer
storms. |
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The Portneuf River
watershed contains land that is
used for many
different purposes. Much of the land at higher elevations is part
of
the Caribou-Targhee National Forest;
much
of this area is grazed by
livestock during the spring, summer, and fall. Lower elevations include
large expanses of agricultural lands that are cropped and/or grazed.
There are several towns and cities within the watershed. The largest of
these is the Pocatello/Chubbuck area, located about 15 km from the
confluence of the Portneuf and Snake Rivers.
The upper reaches of the Portneuf River are relatively
undisturbed and
support a good recreational fishery. In the mid-1900’s the lower
Portneuf also supported good populations of native fish. Much of the
lower third of the river was significantly degraded during the later
part of the 1900’s. Withdrawal of water for irrigation, loss of
streamside vegetation, and pollution all contributed to the degradation
of water and habitat quality. Various efforts are underway to reduce threats
to the Portneuf, with the goal of restoring as much of the
natural river ecosystem as possible. |
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