Labor of Love: Rancher Uses EQIP to Improve Idaho Ranch

POCATELLO - While swallows signify the coming of spring and are viewed as a symbol of good luck by many people, James Guthrie, Sr., hopes they never return to his ranch.

The Inkom rancher has completed an eight-year restoration project on a half-mile stretch of the Portneuf River that runs through his property. Swallows are blamed for the damage, Guthrie said.

The birds bored into the river bank collecting mud to build nests on nearby bridges, leaving the soft bank filled with large holes that increased erosion, he explained.

"I'm not sure what attracted them. Maybe the dirt's soft and it's easy digging," Guthrie said.

Guthrie said seasonal high water filled the holes left by the swallows, causing the bank to collapse, and eating away two feet of land each year.

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Working with State conservation agencies, Guthrie hauled 1,200 tons of rip rap to the riverbank and installed a series of stream barbs to redirect water flow from the banks. He has fenced the river on both sides to prevent cattle from grazing the riverbank.

Cropland has been converted into permanent pasture and he now uses pivot sprinkler systems rather than flood irrigation on his hay fields, Guthrie said.

Guthrie and his wife, Carol, planted willow trees, but said they have lost some.

"We planted 600 trees, but I think the beavers took about half of them," James Guthrie said. They plan to plant more trees at the site.

Carol Guthrie said the project has been complicated, but she is happy with the results, "It took us four years just to get all the permits we needed," she said.

Guthrie collected the rock from his property and owns the equipment used to haul it, decreasing the total cost of the project.

The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has installed a water quality monitoring system at Guthrie's ranch.

"We would like the public to know that farmers and ranchers are concerned with water quality and the environment and we are working to improve it," Guthrie said.

Justin Krajewski of the Idaho Soil Conservation Commission commended the Guthries for their commitment to the project,

"I can't say enough about how cooperative Jim and Carol (Guthrie) have been with my agency and others. They really do have the interest of water quality and natural resources as their priority," he said.

The result has been the re-creation of natural stream flow and improved water quality on Guthrie's ranch and downstream, Krajewski said.

Although it is difficult to quantify the impact of Guthrie's project on the river, Krajewski said it had eliminated between 300-400 tons of sediment washing into the Portneuf.

"There is still some erosion, but it's insignificant," he said.

Karjewski said Guthrie's efforts would also help to regulate seasonal flooding.

Channelization of the river on Guthrie's property also contributed to the rapid erosion. Channelization occurs when bridges or other structures affect the stream's natural flow. Interstate 15 crosses over a portion of Guthrie's ranch. The bridges, along with the soft riverbank, could have attracted the swallows, Krajewski said.

Guthrie's river restoration had served as a model for his agency and for other farmers in the area, he said.

"Generally, farmers are concerned with environmental damage," Krajewski said.

The 2002 Farm Bill includes several programs designed to provide technical assistance and financial assistance to Idaho farmers who are interested in conservation improvement. Assistance is available through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), he said.

In January 2004, Guthrie was named Idaho Grassman of the Year after being nominated by the Portneuf Soil and Water Conservation District. The district recognized his effort to stabilize the Portneuf riverbank and to protect the river in the future.

Guthrie has received EQIP funds to improve waste management of feed operations and corrals on his property. The Guthries also operate an arena at their ranch where various roping events are held year round.


Story by Debbie Bryce, Idaho State Journal. Jim Guthrie Sr. and Carol Guthrie stand next to the Portneuf River. The Guthries have dropped 1,200 tons of rip rap and lava rock along the Portneuf's banks to stop riparian erosion. Journal photo by Bill Schaefer.