A mile of Jesse Creek was dewatered when water was diverted away from the natural stream channel and into an artificial channel over 60 years ago. This limited fish passage and reduced the total habitat available to support Yellowstone cutthroat trout and other key species of concern.

A collaborative effort among The Nature Conservancy, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Brigham Young University – Idaho and the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Jesse Creek project has restored stream flow into the natural, historic Jesse Creek channel permanently restoring water to the dewatered lower section and restoring over 40 acres of wetland. In addition, over 800 native willows were planted along the restored reach. This expands habitat for fish and wildlife and reconnects high quality stream habitat to the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River.