Located south of Richland, Oregon, the 10,000-acre Daly Creek property was purchased by Idaho Power in 2005 as mitigation for relicensing the Hells Canyon Complex (HCC). It is one of several Hells Canyon properties in Idaho and Oregon, which eventually will total over 24,000 acres. Daly Creek and its facilities serve as Idaho Power’s headquarters for managing all the habitat mitigation properties.

View a map of the area and further details (PDF).

Idaho Power is developing a comprehensive management plan for all HCC habitat mitigation properties in consultation with state and federal resource agencies. The plan is expected to be implemented after the company receives a new license for the HCC. Until then Idaho Power’s objectives are to improve infrastructure, clean up the areas and initiate pilot habitat improvement projects.

Area Improvements

• Establishing on-site infrastructure and acquiring equipment to monitor and manage the property
• Removing discarded and unneeded equipment and materials
• Treating hundreds of acres to control noxious and invasive weeds
• Removing miles of interior fences to facilitate wildlife movement
• Replacing and repairing perimeter fencing for security and access purposes
• Transitioning from flood irrigation to a pressurized, automatic system that is less labor intensive and conserves water
• Initiating pilot habitat improvement projects such as food plots, shelterbelts and restoration of native habitat

Public Access

Access to the habitat mitigation properties varies by parcel. Idaho Power anticipates most, if not all, properties will allow some level of public access once the comprehensive management plan is approved. In the interim, the decision to allow access was decided by how well use could be managed and the type of precedent that would be set.

In Oregon, no access is allowed on the Daly Creek and Eagle Creek properties. Access is allowed on property Idaho Power previously owned along the south side of the Powder River.

In Idaho, access is allowed to the Cottonwood property as part of Idaho Department of Fish and Game’s access plan for the Cecil D. Andrus Wildlife Management Area. Non-motorized access is allowed on the Sturgill Creek property. Access to these properties is limited and difficult.