Good article JJ&K,
The reservoir I saw outside of Boise (Arrowrock) is very low. As the
article pointed out the small reservoirs have some water but what
they don't point out is that there's no refilling if that water is
used now. The big generators want/need the water to meet their power
obligations. In a normal water year there would be an excess of water
during the spring runoff and it would be used to fill all of them
down the line, from the little privately owned irrigation
impoundments down to the big IPA and federally owned dams on the
Snake and Columbia.
Water.
The real issue is water. There just isn't enough this year. Everyone
wants it and plans to keep it for their specific use. I won't argue
about 'rights' or whether it's smart to grow whatever wherever. There
are good farmers and bad. My experience is that too many (be they
farmers, generators, state agencies, tribes etc. only think in the
confines of their on little world and not of the bigger picture.
Everyone seems to be myopic and unwilling to bend or compromise. When
the battle cry becomes: "it's our right!" I think the cause has been
lost. As Jere points out, the commercial fishermen did so and then
lost big time (not to include the big trawlers who operate in
international waters) The players involved in the present water war
are very diverse: irrigators, hydropower, transport (barging),
recreation and fish. The first three have traditionally been linked
together and co-dependent, especially when there was enough water to
satisfy all. The last two, beneficiaries of the other's excess (or
put another way, scraps that fall from the table) live and die based
on water the first three couldn't use, capture, store or sell. The
whole issue is a mess and in the meantime while the squabbling goes.
I don't envy the folks who have to sort the problems out. Nor do I
necessarily trust them. One thing for certain though, the fish will
bear the brunt of the actions and inactions. In my opinion, they have
lost, big time.
Tim
Moscow, Idaho
A couple of snipets from the 4/13 email newsletter from Idaho Rivers
United http://www.idahorivers.org
** Snowpacks for Idaho are in:
o Panhandle Region: 45 percent of average.
o Clearwater River Basin: 53 percent of average, the lowest since
1961. Inflow to Dworshak Reservoir is expected to be 52 percent of
average, and the reservoir probably won't refill this year.
o Salmon River Basin: Snowpack is 47 percent of average, the second
lowest since records started being kept in 1961. Salmon River
streamflows figure to reach 43 percent of average at Salmon and 51
percent of average at White Bird.
o Weiser, Payette and Boise river basins: Snowpack is 55 percent of
average. Boise and Payette reservoir systems are at 61 percent of
capacity and will not fill up.
o Wood and Lost river basins: Snowpack is 41 percent of average.
o Upper Snake River Basin: Snowpack is 54 percent of average for the
Snake River above American Falls Reservoir. Streamflow is expected to
be 60 percent of average near Heise and 61 percent of average for the
Henry's Fork. The reservoir system is expected to be depleted by
summer's end.
o Southside Snake River Basin: Snowpack in the Bruneau, Salmon Falls
and Oakley basins ranges from 50 percent to 55 percent of average.
** Farmers along the Columbia River and fish in the river's
tributaries will get an extra infusion of water to guard against a
drought that threatens both this summer, according to an agreement
announced yesterday by Washington Gov. Gary Locke (D).
The deal -- reached between the Bonneville Power Administration, the
Columbia and Snake River Irrigators Association, and state and
federal officials -- transfers some of BPA's upstream water to
downstream farmers who will fall short of their water rights this
summer due to low river flows. If they agree to accept the water,
those irrigators must pledge to reduce their water use this year and
develop plans to execute additional conservation over the next five years.
>On the subject of farmers and water. I know where they are coming from; we
>produce the nation's food and are underappreciated. We deserve water
>rights...BUT, and gov't subsidy enters into this....you see the situation as
>described in an earlier post. Idaho shouldn't be growing potatoes, but it
>is what we do and we have a right...not unlike the commercial fisherman.
>Anyway, frustrating if you are environmentally concerned.(Hope I
>have SOME of my info correct) Jere
