Henry's Fork Foundation

Water Quality and Ecology Intern - Summer 2024

Organization Overview

The Henry's Fork Foundation is a nonprofit organization that works to conserve, protect, and
restore the unique fisheries, wildlife, and water resources of the Henry's Fork Watershed. HFF uses
a collaborative, science-based approach to achieve its mission and works closely with water users,
hydroelectric power companies, government agencies, and other nonprofit groups.

Job Type
Paid 10 weeks full time internship (June 3 - Aug 12, 2024)

Mentor
Jack McLaren, jack@henrysfork.org
Jack began working with the Foundation while an employee with the Idaho Department of
Environmental Quality in June 2015. A year later, he formally joined the Foundation's team as a
graduate student intern while a Master's student at Indiana University, and later as a doctoral
researcher at Utah State University. After six years of Masters and Ph.D. research on the Henry's
Fork River, Jack received his degrees and transitioned into his current role as the Aquatic Ecology
Program Manager. Jack grew up in Denver, Colorado, and there developed his love of trout and
fly-fishing. Jack holds B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Notre Dame, a Masters
of Environmental Science and a Masters of Public Affairs from Indiana University-Bloomington, and a
Ph.D. in Ecology from Utah State University. The Aquatic
Ecology program at the Henry's Fork Foundation uses data and scientific inquiry to identify
strategies to conserve the unique aquatic and fisheries resources of the Henry's Fork watershed.
Jack also maintains partnerships with government agencies and non-governmental organizations to
achieve conservation action.

Description
HFF studies and monitors aquatic ecology and water quality to assess the ecological health of the
river. A real-time water-quality data network provides hour-by-hour measurements of key properties
such as temperature and dissolved oxygen, while annual invertebrate (insect) sampling and long-term
studies of aquatic vegetation identify trends and provide information that can help
managers improve river health, fish habitat, and fishing conditions. This information is also critical to HFF's Voice of the River work, advocating for the river's best interest and protecting the river from potentially harmful activities.

The Water Quality and Aquatic Ecology Intern will build on the work of previous HFF interns to
identify strategies that can aid in the conservation of the Henry's Fork River. The intern will
also have the opportunity to conduct outreach on the Henry's Fork. Work could include (but is not
limited to) the following things:
1. Field Work (1-2 days a week)
2. Outreach (1-2 days a week)
3. Data analysis (1-2 days a week)

The intern will be mentored by HFF Aquatic Ecology Program Manager, Jack McLaren. This position is
estimated to be 60% field work and 40% office work.

Qualifications
• General interest in watershed management and conservation from the perspective of a
non-profit organization
• Good written and oral communication skills
• Ability to work independently on some tasks and as a member of a team on others
• Good time management skills
• Flexibility in work assignments
• Some experience or knowledge of fly fishing (or the ability to learn)
• Interest in scientific research
• Basic background in environmental science, statistics, ecology, and/or biology.
• Some background/experience working with R or a similar program (or the ability to
learn)
• Flexibility in work assignments
• Ability to share living space with 4 other interns
• Valid driver's license
• Ability to work in inclement weather and carry ~25 lbs

Additional Work Expectations
● The Intern may be asked to assist with other various Henry's Fork Foundation projects
including, but not limited to, restoration projects, water quality monitoring, outreach events, and
various other activities.
● The intern will be expected to put together a 5-7-minute presentation in a scientific
conference framework during the final weeks of the Summer Seminar Series (described in the Work
Schedule section below). This presentation will be a summary of the work completed at HFF
throughout the duration of the internship.

What to Expect During the Internship
*Past interns have asked us about specific things that are useful to know, and those items are
italicized.

The Watershed
The 3,200-square mile Henry's Fork watershed lies at the headwaters of the Snake River in eastern
Idaho and western Wyoming. The Continental Divide, Yellowstone Plateau, and Teton Range form the
watershed's northern and eastern boundaries. Elevations range from 4,300 feet above sea level at
the bottom of the watershed to over 10,000 feet along the Teton crest. Irrigated farms of potatoes,
grains, and hay dominate land use in the lower half of the watershed. At higher elevations,
National Forest and other public lands provide outstanding outdoor recreation, including hiking,
climbing, camping, fishing, hunting, cycling, and snow sports. The watershed is very rural, with a
total population of around 70,000 people. Agriculture and tourism are the
largest economic sectors; HFF's work seeks to maintain a balance between water use for agriculture
and streamflow to support world-class fishing and related ecological resources.

Living Arrangements
Interns from out of the Henry's Fork area will live in a co-ed dorm space at HFF's campus in
Ashton, a farming community of 1,000 people. The campus is housed in Ashton's old community
hospital, which was completely refurbished in 2017 to house HFF's offices, laboratory, interpretive
center, and intern/graduate student housing. The dorm space consists of two bunk rooms, two large
bathroom/shower facilities, a large open kitchen, laundry facilities, and a living room. Bunk rooms
and bathrooms will be gender-separated, but all other living space is shared. Housing, including
linens and all kitchen implements, is provided by HFF, but interns are responsible for their own
meals. If any intern would like to live in separate housing, it is their responsibility to find and
pay for separate housing arrangements before the internship begins. They will also be responsible
for driving to and from HFF in their own vehicle without fuel reimbursement.

Other than businesses oriented primarily toward tourism and agriculture (auto parts and repair,
hardware, etc.), services in Ashton are limited to a small health clinic and pharmacy, one grocery
store, a dollar store, and five small eating establishments (Mexican, three traditional American
diners/drive-ins, and a pizza/sandwich shop). The grocery store is well stocked for a small town
but does not carry much in the way of organic and natural foods and is difficult to access from
HFF's campus because of a busy highway crossing with no stoplight or pedestrian facilities. The
nearest large supermarkets, Walmart, drug stores, and other business are located in Rexburg, about
25 miles southwest of Ashton. There are a few restaurants with broader menu options located in the
tourist area of Island Park, 20-30 miles north of Ashton. The closest natural-food stores and
restaurants, "finer" dining establishments, and "night life" (e.g., weekly outdoor concerts) are
located in Teton Valley, 40-50 miles southeast of Ashton. The closest regional airport is located
in Idaho Falls 53 miles southwest of Ashton. The closest international airport is located in Salt
Lake City (SLC) 220 miles south of Ashton. The Salt Lake Express shuttle runs from the airport Salt Lake City International Airport to Rexburg several times a day, but should be booked in advance.

The west entrance to Yellowstone National Park is a one-hour drive from Ashton, and Jackson,
Wyoming is about a 90-minute drive. The best climbing and hiking opportunities are 45-60 minutes
from Ashton, although outstanding fly fishing can be found 5 minutes away from the campus. An
out-of-state fishing license costs $108. Some of HFF's boats and rafts are available for intern
recreational use after hours and on weekends, when not being used for HFF's field work. HFF
provides company vehicles for work but does not provide vehicles for interns to use on their
personal time. Although not required, a personal vehicle is strongly recommended to allow full
enjoyment of the area's recreational opportunities. Interns without vehicles must rely on those
with vehicles for transportation to and from shopping and activities.

The Work Schedule

HFF is committed to supporting a diverse and inclusive workplace and to promoting careers in the
environmental and natural-resource sciences among groups underrepresented in these professions.
Thus, we will make every effort to adjust assignments to accommodate strong applicants who may
initially be uncomfortable with the work requirements described below. However, these adjustments
are much easier to make during the recruiting process rather than after interns arrive for the
summer, which is why we request that applicants contact us with questions before applying.

Interns are expected to work 40 hours per week, on average. Work weeks start with mandatory staff
meeting at 9:00 a.m. on Monday. The other mandatory weekly event for interns is seminar, held from
4:00-5:00 p.m. on Tuesday afternoons. For additional information on HFF's Summer Seminar Series and
what they entail, please visit https://www.henrysfork.org/internship-program and click on the link
under the Summer Seminar Series section. For the first 2 weeks of the internship, expect to work
more than 40 hours, including some evenings and weekends. These weeks will be filled with
orientation and training events-including CPR and first aid for those not currently certified-and
with Henry's Fork Days, a week of HFF's most important outreach and fundraising events. During that
week, June 10ᵗʰ - 15ᵗʰ, all interns will be expected to assist the fundraising and event team with
no fewer than three events, including a donor reception, HFF's annual membership meeting, and a
fundraising dinner and auction on Saturday the 18ᵗʰ attended by 600 of HFF's most dedicated
supporters. Work days during these first few weeks of the internship can begin as early as 6:30
a.m. and end as late as 10:30 p.m. Interns will be given extra time off around July 4 to compensate
for the additional work time. Other than June 15ᵗʰ, weekend work will be rare, but it may be
necessary to staff the interpretive center and accommodate availability of volunteers and shared
equipment, vehicles, or lab space. During the first few weeks, all interns will also participate in
educational short courses focused on hydrology and water rights, data analysis and statistics,
fundraising, and communications.

After the business of the first few weeks (and it is equally busy for staff), interns will settle
into a weekly routine of field, laboratory, and office work, with individual schedules dependent on
the particular internship position. Not all internships will require field work. For the internships

that do require fieldwork, this can vary between 25% and 75% of the intern's work hours. Field work

occasionally begins as early as 7:00 a.m. All field work will require driving to/from field sites,
usually 20-45 miles one way. Some field work will be done in teams with the intern's mentor and
possibly other interns, staff or volunteers, while other tasks will require the intern to work
alone in remote, rural settings. If you think you will not be comfortable working alone, please
request more information about the particular internship(s) of interest to you before you apply.

Depending on the internship position, field work could include conducting experiments in farm
fields, measuring various ecological and physical parameters in the river, surveying river users,
and maintaining fences to keep livestock away from streambanks. Field and laboratory work will
include use of expensive high-technology equipment as well as boats, rafts, and other standard
outdoor equipment and clothing. Field work will be done in all types of weather, aside from
lightning and severe thunderstorms. In June, temperatures can be below freezing, and snow is
possible at high elevations. During the rest of the summer, temperatures range from 40 degrees to
90 degrees, sometimes spanning that range in a single day. Expect wind, low humidity, and bright
sun, all of which add to the physical stress of working at high elevations, especially for those
not accustomed to the climate and altitude of the arid western U.S. At the same time, afternoon
thunderstorms are possible on any given day, usually producing some combination of strong winds,
heavy rain, hail, dangerous lightning, and sudden temperature drops of up to 40 degrees.
Orientation and training will cover procedures for conduct under these conditions. If you have
questions about field work and physical requirements of a particular internship, please request
more information before you apply.

As a Henry's Fork Foundation intern you must assist with fundraising and member events, education,
outreach and other projects as needed, including water quality monitoring, field work in hydrology
and stream ecology, maintaining fish passage facilities, installing/maintaining
livestock fences, and staffing HFF's interpretive center. Occasional evening and weekend work will
be required on these tasks. Interns will contribute to the HFF intern blog where they will provide
a weekly update on their work to our membership. Early in the internship, interns will select a
topic for his/her seminar presentation, within the scope of the independent project of their
internship. The intern will prepare to present on this topic in a seminar session structured like a
professional conference, with a 15-minute presentation followed by a 5-minute period for questions.
This seminar session will be scheduled near the end of the internship period.