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Projects

JC Boyle and Iron Gate Riparian Habitat Buffer Fencing Project

Status: Completed
Project Timeline: May–September 2024
Partners: Trout Unlimited, Klamath River Renewal Corporation
Fencing Installed: 22,147 feet

 

Project Overview

Lava Beds Butte Valley RCD contributed to two major riparian habitat protection efforts following dam removal on the Klamath River: the JC Boyle and Iron Gate Reservoir Riparian Habitat Buffer Fencing Projects. These projects aim to safeguard newly exposed riverbanks and riparian zones by excluding grazing animals and reducing human disturbance in critical restoration areas.

 

JC Boyle Reservoir

Construction workers in safety gear install a fence post near a riverbank.
Trout Unlimited field crew installing riparian fencing
A vast grassy field with scattered rocks, trees on the left, and distant blue mountains under a clear sky.
Installed fencing in a field
A person in a safety vest and helmet works with machinery in a grassy field setting up fencing.
Trout Unlimited field crew installing fencing
A person in safety gear is welding near a river, with a utility truck and equipment nearby, surrounded by nature.
Trout Unlimited field crew installing riparian fencing
Construction workers in safety gear install a fence post near a riverbank.
A vast grassy field with scattered rocks, trees on the left, and distant blue mountains under a clear sky.
A person in a safety vest and helmet works with machinery in a grassy field setting up fencing.
A person in safety gear is welding near a river, with a utility truck and equipment nearby, surrounded by nature.
  • Fence Installed: 36,552 feet
  • Gates: 14 vehicle gates, 11 pedestrian walk-throughs
  • Habitat Protected: 350 acres of riparian habitat, 3.3 miles of river
  • Fencing: ~7,710 feet of fencing

 

Iron Gate Reservoir

  • Fence Installed: 39,469 feet
  • Gates: 19 vehicle gates, 1 pedestrian walk-through
  • Habitat Protected: 942 acres of riparian habitat, 6.6 miles of river
  • Fencing: ~14,437 feet of fencing

 

Project Purpose

The removal of JC Boyle, Copco 1, Copco 2, and Iron Gate Dams is restoring over 400 miles of upstream salmon and steelhead habitat blocked for more than a century. However, reservoir drawdown exposes bare, sediment-laden soils that are vulnerable to erosion, invasive species, and damage from grazing or motorized use.

The riparian buffer fencing:

  • Excludes cattle, feral horses, and ATV use
  • Protects historical and cultural sites
  • Safeguards restoration plantings implemented by partners as part of the dam removal efforts

New vegetation in these zones will provide essential riparian function—shade, structure, and cooler water temperatures—to support salmon spawning, rearing, and migration.

 

Fencing Design Highlights

  • Wildlife-friendly: Four-strand fencing with barbless top and bottom wires
  • Barbed middle strands to prevent passage
  • Constructed with durability and wildlife safety in mind (e.g., 16–18" bottom clearance, 42" max height)

LBBVRCD is proud to support this vital restoration effort, which will protect over 2,300 acres of riparian habitat in total. This project exemplifies our commitment to ecological restoration and collaborative conservation in the Klamath Basin.

JC Boyle Reservoir Riparian Habitat Buffer Fencing Map.pdfIron Gate Riparian Fencing Map.pdf