FAQ

Stream Channel Alteration Permit, Idaho Department of Water Resources 287-4800 or www.idwr.state.id.us 

Dredge and Fill Permit, Army Corps of Engineers 345-2155 or www.nww.usace.army.mil/html/offices/op/rf/rfhome

City and county governments have authority to address plan and plat review, building permits, flood plain permits, and ordinance enforcement.  For development information, contact the following entities:

Canyon County, 454-7458 or www.canyonco.org 
Ada County, 287-7900 or www.adaweb.net 
Boise City, 384-3830 or www.cityofboise.org
Garden City, 472-2900 or www.gardencityidaho.org
Eagle, 939-0227 or http://www.cityofeagle.org/
Star, 286-7247 or www.staridaho.org
Middleton, 585-6611 or www.middletonidaho.org
Nampa, 468-5405 or http://www.cityofnampa.us/
Caldwell, 455-3011 or www.cityofcaldwell.com

The Boise River flows through several jurisdiction that are responsible for channel maintenance.  Depending on where the problem is, there are different entities to contact.

  • From  Lucky Peak Dam to Barber Dam, contact Ada City County Emergency Management, 577-4750,
  • From Barber Dam to Garden City, contact Boise Public Works, 384-3900
  • From Garden City to the Plantation Golf Course, contact Garden City Public Works, 376-3570
  • From Plantation Golf Course to just upstream of the Steel Bridge in Caldwell, contact the Boise River Flood Control District #10 Project Manager, 861-2766
  • From the Steel Bridge in Caldwell to the Snake River, contact Boise River Flood Control District #11, 459-2838

State Floodplain Coordinator, Idaho Department of Water Resources, 287-4800 or the floodplain administrator in the city or county in which you reside.

In Ada County, contact Ada City County Emergency Management, 577-4750 or www.accem.org

In Canyon County, contact Canyon County Emergency Management 454-7271or www.canyonco.org/Elected-Officials/Sheriff/Emergency-Management.aspx

Contact the State Flood Plain Coordinator, Idaho Department of Water Resources at 208-287-4800 or the city or county in which you reside.  You can also visit the Idaho Water Resources Flood Hazard Mapping Application at this web site: http://maps.idwr.idaho.gov/FloodHazard/Search

Work is authorized through the Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Environmental Quality, the Idaho Department of Water Resources and the Idaho Department of Lands.

Woody debris needs to be allowed a drying period prior to burning.  The District places wet woody debris outside of the river channel, often in piles designed to provide temporary wildlife habitat.

Flood Control District #10 is funded primarily through property taxes.  The budget is approved annually in August by the District Commissioners (/ ).  The budget is published in late July and the Commissioners welcome public comment.  Construction of bank stabilization projects on private property is paid for by the property owners. 

Private property owners have a Constitutional right to develop their property, subject to certain limitations put in place by cities and counties.   Cities along the Boise River along with Ada and Canyon Counties each have flood plain ordinances that specify how development along the river must be constructed to reduce the risk of flood damage. The ordinances also allow property owners to be eligible for federal flood Insurance.

Flood Control District #10 reviews major developments along the Boise River and recommends measures to limit flood damage and ensure continued access to the river.  The Board’s resolution and Land Use Change Application can be found here.

The District removes trees and debris using protocols that have been approved by the Army Corps of Engineers and the Idaho Department of Water Resources.  You can see these protocols at (/river-maintenance-protocol.html ).   Generally, the District only removes trees that have already fallen in the river or are about to fall in the channel.  If a tree is leaning and ready to fall, the District often cuts the trunk 2 to 3 feet above the ground and leaves the root in place to help keep the bank stable.The District removes trees and debris using protocols that have been approved by the Army Corps of Engineers and the Idaho Department of Water Resources.  You can see these protocols at (/river-maintenance-protocol.html ).   Generally, the District only removes trees that have already fallen in the river or are about to fall in the channel.  If a tree is leaning and ready to fall, the District often cuts the trunk 2 to 3 feet above the ground and leaves the root in place to help keep the bank stable.

Excavators in the river remove accumulations of woody debris that can get caught up on bridges and other channel obstructions during a high flow event and cause localized flooding.  For example, the University of Idaho modeled what would happen if flows are blocked under Glenwood Bridge.  At 20% blockage during a 100-year flood, the model predicts extensive flooding on both sides of the river upstream of the Bridge.  Once an obstruction causes the water to overtop the banks, it’s difficult to predict where the flood water will go.  Removing woody debris from the channel reduces the risk of unanticipated flooding along the river.

 From time to time, the District works with highway districts to remove gravel at key locations where accumulated gravel can alter river flow and present a significant risk during a flood.  Accumulated gravel is removed from the channel and used by the highway districts for construction projects, which in turn, saves taxpayer money. 

The Boise River is a working river – there are many demands placed on the river every day.  Perhaps, if the Boise River was truly a natural river, channel maintenance would not be needed, but the River is far from natural.  We have a long history of development along the banks.  Constructing irrigation dams and diversions, bridges and other important infrastructure, and more recently homes and businesses, all place property and people at risk during high water.