News Release Archive

Reclamation to Conduct Study Process Without Land Closure Near American Falls

Media Contact: John Redding , (208) 378-5212, jredding@usbr.gov
Hap Boyer, rboyer@usbr.gov

For Release: March 20, 2012

The Bureau of Reclamation is indefinitely postponing a temporary closure of 2,195 acres downstream of American Falls Dam in southeastern Idaho. The proposed closure was intended to provide protection to cultural and historical resources while Reclamation surveyed the area to assess whether those resources had been damaged by public recreation activities or looted by illegal artifact collecting.

"The public input we’ve received in the last week has given us a better perspective on how important these lands are to local residents," said Pacific Northwest Regional Director Lorri Lee. "While we continue to be concerned about protecting important cultural resources on these lands, we realize we need to find a way to do that without having such a large impact on public access."

The area Reclamation is studying has historical, cultural, and archeological features that may be subjected to illegal collecting activities, or damaged by public recreational use. Reclamation should complete its survey of the lands in the next year and will revisit the need to close public access to some, or all, of the site when it has survey results.

For more information, please contact Robert "Hap" Boyer at (208) 678-0461 x15 with the Bureau of Reclamation, Upper Snake Field Office in Burley, Idaho.

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The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits. Visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR; Facebook @bureau.of.reclamation; LinkedIn @Bureau of Reclamation; Instagram @bureau_of_reclamation; and YouTube @reclamation.