The Crystal Springs Planning and Operations/Maintenance Project is utilized to promote the development and construction of hatchery facilities to rear anadromous and resident fish to support the subsistence needs of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes.  As a result of the 2017 evaluation on the effects of water chemistry on anadromous fish, the Tribes and BPA determined that an appropriate measure to mitigate those adverse effects would be to bifurcate production into two facilities; with the production for anadromous fish located in the Salmon River basin and the resident fish hatchery to continue planning on the existing Crystal Springs site.  

During the 2021 contract year the Tribes will continue planning efforts at a Tribally owned parcel on the Pahsimeroi River that would be designed to rear Snake River Spring/Summer Chinook Salmon as previously permitted in the Panther Creek watershed, with ancillary facilities located in the Yankee Fork Salmon River.  Further, the Tribes will continue to plan and design the resident fish hatchery facilities at the existing Crystal Springs site to rear native Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout for release on the Fort Hall Reservation and adjacent Tribal lands to support harvest opportunities on this important food source.

This is a continuation of a multi-year planning effort that began in 2010, was approved to move into advanced design work and environmental compliance in 2012; and re-developed to accommodate significant environmental concerns in 2017.  While the project is adopting a new approach to developing a comprehensive program, the only significant change is that the primary location for rearing the anadromous component of the Crystal Springs program has moved into the Salmon River basin.  The Tribes will continue to work with BPA and technical staff from the USFWS, NOAA-Fisheries, and the USFS to complete the necessary approvals for the project in the coming contract years.  It is anticipated that the 2021 contract contains some work elements that may span multiple contract years depending on the length of time it will take to receive those approvals prior to constructing any component of the facility.