Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge is seeking public review and comment on its Draft Compatibility Determinations for water extraction. We will accept comments received or postmarked on or before August 24th, 2026.
The Service prepares Compatibility Determinations to ensure that public and economic uses of National Wildlife Refuges do not interfere with or detract from the purposes for which each refuge was established. Compatibility Determinations also describe how these uses would contribute towards achieving Refuge purposes and the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
You may submit comments or requests for additional information through any of the following methods:
• Email addressed to: Southeast_Idaho_NWR@fws.gov; Include “Minidoka NWR Compatibility Determination” in the subject line of the message.
• U.S. Mail addressed to: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Attn: Jaime Allen, Refuge Manager, Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge, 961 E Minidoka Dam, Rupert, ID 83350
All comments received from individuals become part of the official public record. The Service’s practice is to make comments, including names and home addresses of respondents, available for public review during regular business hours. Individual respondents can request that we withhold their home address from the record, which we will honor to the extent allowable by law. If you wish to have your name and/or address withheld, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your comments.
Visit Us
Visitors are welcome at Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge year-round and the refuge provides good opportunities to view wildlife. Birdwatching, hiking, fishing, and hunting are some of the recreational opportunities you can enjoy on the refuge. Additional activities are available at Lake Wolcott State Park including a campground and disc golf course.
Location and Contact Information
About Us
The refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The US Bureau of Reclamation operates the dam and power plant and controls the water levels in the reservoir. The Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation manages Lake Walcott State Park, a 30 acre fee area park near the dam that offers campgrounds, picnic areas, a disc golf course, cabins, and a boat ramp.
