The Courier
NEWS
News from the Heart of Idaho Camas • Lincoln • Gooding
December 6, 2023
Vol 47 Num 49
Fish Surveys Following Quagga Mussel Treatment Idaho Homeowners Receive
In September, Quagga mussels were found in the Snake River near Twin Falls by the Idaho Department of Agriculture (DOA). The DOA with the assitance of Idaho Fish and Game identified chelated copper as the best treatment to apply to the river to kill quagga mussels. It was also understood that this treatment would likely kill fish, aquatic insects, amphibians, and aquatic plants. Before the treatment, F&G surveyed about 11 miles of shoreline habitat of the river to better understand impacts to fish populations. Surveys were conducted using electrofishing boats which allowed for relatively quick assessments of the river. Over 4,000 fish were shocked, netted, identified to species, marked, and released alive. The pre-treatment fish survey was completed over a twoday period, just days before the start of the treatment on October 3, 2023. The majority of the fish sampled in pretreatment surveys were largemouth bass, yellow perch, various sunfish species, and smallmouth bass. Other sampled fish included common carp, largescale suckers and northern pikeminnow. No white sturgeon were sampled because electrofishing is generally ineffective for this species. However, the Idaho Power Company survey in 2022 estimated that the white sturgeon population in this reach included 49 fish greater than two feet long. As was anticipated, large numbers of fish mortalities were observed on the river within two days of the start of the mussel-killing treatment. Fish and Game examined approximately 3,500 dead fish, most of which were largescale suckers, northern pikeminnow, common carp and yellow perch. Based on the Idaho Power survey, fisheries biologists estimated 100 percent sturgeon mortality within the six-mile treatment area. All sturgeon mortalities were hatchery-origin, based on fish marking, fin conditions, PIT tag information, or previous sampling history. No sturgeon mortalities were detected downstream of Auger Falls.
Now What?
While post-treatment fish survey showed nearly 100 percent mortality on largescale suckers, northern pikeminnow and yellow perch, very few largemouth bass, bluegill and green sunfish were found dead. A follow-up survey will conducted next year to evaluate the long term effects. Translocations of fish such smallmouth bass may be needed within certain segments of the treatment area to jumpstart the recovery. Natural recolonization of largescale suckers, northern pikeminnow, and yellow perch may occur from fish moving upriver from areas downstream of Auger Falls. Also, fish from upstream continued on page 2... should get washed down during high spring flow periods.
Property Tax Reduction
Property tax bills arrive in Idahoans' mailboxes across the state this week, and in most counties, taxpayers will see huge reductions in year-over-year taxes due to the historic property tax relief bill championed by Governor Brad Little and the Idaho Legislature this year. The average reduction in property taxes for Idaho homeowners is approximately 18%. The average reduction in property taxes for all property taxpayers, including commercial, is nearly 14%. The State of Idaho provided a new spreadsheet showing the total $314 million breakdown by county. Camas received a 10% reduction, Gooding 13%, and Lincoln 15%. "Idaho already has the third lowest property taxes in the country, and we took steps this year to lower them further. Idaho has delivered more tax relief per capita than any other state, and we're proud to turn money back to the hardworking people of our state while making critical investments in schools and infrastructure to keep up with growth," Governor Little said. In his 2023 State of the State and Budget Address in January, Governor Little announced his budget would include property tax relief for Idahoans clamoring for relief amid rapid increases in property values due to our state's record growth over the past few years. Working together, the Governor and legislators got property tax relief done right and delivered $314 million in enduring property tax relief in the first year as part of House Bill 292. More than $106 million in state General Fund dollars was deployed at the end of August to school districts across Idaho. As Governor Little noted in his 2023 State of the State and Budget Address in January, when the State of Idaho invests more in public schools and local needs, property taxpayers see the benefits. "There is no doubt Idaho's tremendous pace of growth is putting a strain on services at the local level, which increases the potential to drive up your local property taxes. But too often, we are simply shifting burdens across taxpayers when we should be addressing the needs head-on. Let us work on better ways to facilitate growth paying for growth and give local governments the tools they need to keep taxes low. How? By continuing to make long-range strategic investments in schools, roads, water, and other key areas to maintain our high quality of life," Governor Little said in his speech.