Henry's Fork Foundation

Celebrating 40 years of Stewardship through Science—Henry’s Fork Foundation remembers its roots while looking ahead

The Henry’s Fork Foundation (HFF) had its humble beginnings back in 1984, when a handful of concerned community members gathered in an Island Park cabin to discuss threats to the river that they all loved so dearly. HFF’s earliest efforts to conserve and protect the river required some serious elbow grease as they worked to install seven miles of solar-powered cattle fencing from Last Chance to Pinehaven, preventing riverbank erosion in Harriman State Park, as well as protected Mesa Falls from the very real threat of being dewatered by new hydroelectric development. Fast forward to 2024, the Henry’s Fork Foundation is now 2000+ members strong, a community who shares that same love of the Henry’s Fork and that same passion to protect and preserve it for generations to come.

At the core of HFF’s work is a state-of-the-art water-quality data network, which provides measurements in real time at key river locations for temperature, turbidity, and dissolved oxygen. Combined with weekly physical water sampling and annual aquatic insect monitoring, the Foundation gathers an incredible amount of data. We share this data on our website (www.henrysfork.org) and through daily and weekly water reports. Our world-class science programs and groundbreaking research gives HFF a seat at the table, allowing us to identify and propose mutually beneficial solutions to water managers on the Henry’s Fork. Additionally, HFF has partnered with Fremont Madison Irrigation District as co-facilitators of the Henry’s Fork Watershed Council. A healthy river is beneficial to all water users, and the Watershed Council allows them all to have a voice. In recent years, HFF has collaborated with many partners to initiate Basin-scale water conservation programs, including Precision Water Management, Farms and Fish, and the South Fork Initiative. These programs have had a huge impact, saving 26,000 acre-ft of water in Island Park Reservoir per year since 2018. (That’s 10,000 Olympic swimming pools worth of water, or 19% of reservoir capacity!) These water savings benefit agricultural producers and anglers alike.

To celebrate its 40th anniversary, the Henry’s Fork Foundation will be holding Henry’s Fork Days XL, held in Island Park June 13–15. Henry’s Fork Day festivities include dinner, a live auction, a raffle, and reunions for previous interns and board members. You can also join us for our weekly summer seminar series, on Wednesdays from 3-4pm, where you can learn about important topics such as water management. Don’t forget to find us out on the river at Morning Bites, where you can pick up free donuts and coffee and learn more about the work that we do! There will also be an art contest, called “Casting for Colors.” More information about any of these events can be found at www.henrysfork.org/events-and-raffles