Good news for the Jarbidge River and bull trout
The mining company Newcrest Mining Limited will end their gold exploration drilling program (approved in 2020) in the headwaters of the Jarbidge River and complete reclamation during the upcoming 2022 season.
The Wild and Scenic Jarbidge River, flowing from northern Nevada into Idaho, is one of the most iconic river canyons and home to the world’s southernmost population of Endangered Species Act listed Bull Trout. These bull trout are unique both due to their southern geographic range, and because dams downstream in the Bruneau and Snake rivers prevent migration in or out of this particular river system - which means that it is a distinct genetic population.
the Jarbidge River in Idaho became a designated Wild and Scenic River in 2009
Bull trout are an indicator of stream health, and they require what is known as the 4 C’s - cold, clean, connected, and complex habitat to thrive. The snowmelt fed creeks and streams of the upper Jarbidge provide these necessary characteristics, but the particular bull trout in the Jarbidge have been negatively impacted by historic mining activities, habitat fragmentation, and downstream migration barriers. Bull trout were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1998, and in 2005 the Jarbidge River Bull Trout Recovery Team was established to protect and restore Jarbidge populations.
While the Idaho portion of the Jarbidge is protected under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, the headwaters in northern Nevada have recently been at risk from a gold exploration program approved by the US Forest Service in 2020.
When Newcrest Mining Limited submitted their original exploration plan for up to 1000 drill sites, 30 miles of new roads, and stream crossings within bull trout critical habitat during a 12 year project lifespan, IRU worked alongside our partners at Idaho Conservation League and the Idaho Chapter of the Sierra Club to file an objection to the approved project. Through a resolution process, we significantly scaled down the project scope and implemented additional measures to protect water quality and fish.
Our efforts in 2020 resulted in a 98% reduction in the number of drill sites, 88% reduction in surface disturbance, and stringent requirements to protect water quality and bull trout habitat.
Though we consider this resolution in 2020 a victory for the river and its bull trout, any drilling and new roads constructed near a sensitive watershed poses serious risk to water quality and habitat. Considering these risks, IRU and partners have been monitoring Newcrest’s project to ensure that bull trout are protected. In August 2021, IRU coordinated an overflight with our partner EcoFlight to get a birds eye view of the new road construction and drill pads in Jack Creek, a tributary of the Jarbidge and critical habitat for bull trout.
view of the new road and drill pads that will undergo reclamation this season.
It is great news for the river, its fish, and downstream river users that Newcrest has decided to end their drilling program and will conduct reclamation this season while also adhering to the requirements in our objection resolution. IRU and partners will join Forest Service staff in the field to evaluate Newcrest’s reclamation progress this summer and to ensure the Bull Trout’s 4 C’s remain intact in the iconic Jarbidge watershed.