GOAL: Improve and expand riparian vegetation along the banks of the river and enhance fish habitat.

Revitalization

The Boise Whitewater Park revitalized a section of the Boise River that was neglected for years. The river, adjacent to the site of a former concrete plant, was channelized in the early 1900s. The riparian area and riverbed were since marginal for wildlife and fish habitat. The river bed and banks were littered with blocks of concrete and rebar, the cracks through which native plants and trees struggle to retain a foothold.

Public hearings participants in 2003 indicated they would like the area to provide a natural experience, include habitat conducive to wildlife and the redevelopment of a riparian zone. Participants also expressed preferences for educational opportunities centering on the importance of the natural environment, and that would symbolize Boise’s commitment to the environment and active healthy outdoor living.

The Boise Whitewater Park includes protection of the existing banks from erosion and the integration of nature and park users: with in-stream structures, access points and trails designed to mesh with the river and riparian zones around them.

Esther Simplot Park
& String of Pearls

The Boise Whitewater Park is adjacent to the new gem in the Boise Parks System “string of pearls” park system.

Esther Simplot Park, with its system of new and expanded ponds, view points along the river and striking features, provides a unique, family-friendly gathering place for community events, school outings and impromptu gatherings in a natural setting near the heart of the city, a place to linger in the midst of a busy day and enjoy the best Boise has to offer.