Where are we now and where do we want to be? Those are the questions the City of Pocatello and Army Corps. of Engineers® are asking when it comes to the Portneuf River. Recently, the two groups joined forces and have laid the groundwork for the Portneuf River Visioning Study. The year-long study aims to assess the river’s role and place in the Pocatello community. The study will solicit community input to determine how the City should manage the river in the future. Input will be sought on how and where the City can increase access to the river along publicly owned land, while maintaining flood control and improving water quality. The goal of the study is to create a map of the Portneuf showcasing projects that the City and local partners could implement to meet the community’s vision for the Portneuf. “We’re not looking just months down the road with this study. We are talking in terms of years and decades,” said Hannah Sanger, Science and Environment Division Manager for the City of Pocatello. Later this year, the two groups will host a series of public meetings on the topic and will be asking for citizen input, particularly from community members who live near the river. A website is also in the works where people can voice their opinion on the future of the river. “Ultimately, we will create a master plan for the river” Sanger continues. “It will identify what the community wants of the river, the opportunities available to meet those goals, and what hurdles we might face trying to get there.” The first of the public meetings will be held this fall and continue into spring of 2016 with the dates still to be determined.