Heagle Park Floodplain Restoration Project
The Heagle Park Floodplain Restoration Project, located south of Heagle Park in Hailey, aims to reduce flooding, restore crucial habitats, and return the banks of the Big Wood River to a natural state. This area, previously home to the Riverside Wastewater Treatment Plant, was heavily altered by human activities, leading to instability, excessive deposition, bank erosion, and residential flooding. Following a significant flood in 2017, the Hailey Greenway Master Plan (HGMP) was revised to include enhanced river system management recommendations, focusing on re-establishing natural channel processes. This effort was accomplished with the support of The City of Hailey, Flood Control District #9, the Trout and Salmon Foundation, Wood River Land Trust, and the Idaho Water Resource Board. The restoration treatments align with best management practices identified in the Big Wood River Atlas and adopted by Blaine County, making this initiative a comprehensive win-win-win for the environment and the community.
Project Goals and Benefits:
Natural Bank Replacement: Remove armored banks and replace them with natural materials to increase fish habitat diversity and reduce erosion risk.
Side Channel Improvement: Enhance conveyance in side channels to provide essential spawning and rearing habitats for fish during high flows, coinciding with trout migration.
Floodplain Connectivity: Reestablish connectivity at natural elevation grades to facilitate regular flooding and habitat access.
Riparian Succession: Jumpstart natural riparian plant growth for long-term ecosystem health.
Infrastructure Removal: Eliminate unnecessary wastewater effluent pipes.
Community Enhancement: Improve overall aesthetics and walkability to enhance community value, safety, and access.
The proposed treatments align with best management practices identified in the Big Wood River Atlas and adopted by Blaine County, making this initiative a comprehensive win-win-win for the environment and the community.
