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Re: NFC: Snake River dam removal proposal



Without knowing for sure, Jake, I assume the idea that met with resistance 
was the 'predator control'.  It's interesting that the obvious solutions to 
many of our problems (ecological and other) are often passed by because they 
are now politically unacceptable - not that I'm egomaniacal enough to insist 
that my proposals for resolving any problem are necessarily the best!

It just seems to me that if the goal is to protect salmon and the population 
is waning, that protection of the spawning runs from all threats natural or 
man-made should be explored.

We have a somewhat similar problem in Arizona (where I now live).  Feral 
burros are decimating the natural habitat, eating the native desert bighorn 
sheep and mule deer out of house and home.  Yet any real attempt to control 
the numbers of these beasts is met with extreme opposition from the animal 
rights people.  They are noisy enough, and I guess numerous enough that they 
are effective in stopping control of the burros - much to the detriment of 
native species.

I could cite a number of similar situations - mountain lions in California, 
wolf re-introduction to the lower 48, etc.

It's too bad, but it seems that a lot of people love 'nature' without 
bothering to understand it.  I guess it comes down to this:  Are we going to 
do all we can to save the salmon runs?  I'm afraid the answer to that is 
probably not.

Instead of doing things that will obviously help the fish to survive, we opt 
for ineffective, but politically acceptable cures.  For a couple of years 
(this may still be occuring) they were actually netting smolts, then barging 
or trucking them down the Columbia, past all the dams before releasing them 
back into the river.  The results were less than spectacular, as you might 
imagine, and the effort was very costly.

Well, enough on this.  Sorry if I've rubbed anyone the wrong way!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all list members!

Scott

>From: jake levi <jlevi_us at yahoo_com>
>Reply-To: nfc at actwin_com
>To: nfc at actwin_com
>Subject: Re: NFC: Snake River dam removal proposal
>Date: Sat, 23 Dec 2000 04:24:23 -0800 (PST)
>
>I would like to see the discussion if emotions can be
>controlled.
>
>I mentioned one of his ideas on another list and it
>was
>put down by several. The idea of the stream bypasses
>is one being considered by many and has been offered
>as a possible solution to a bad problem. As Scott
>mentions, the abrupt breaching of these dams will
>cause incredible siltification of the downstream areas
>which could itself wipeout the threatened populations
>there.
>
>In hindsight it appears the dams were/are a bad idea.
>Replacing them with a worse idea is to be avoided.
>
>Some of the bypasses have been estimated to be doable
>for 5 to ten million, wheras complete removal of some
>of the dams could be in the billions.
>
>Lets look at these suggestions of Scotts.
>jake
>--- BR0630 at aol_com wrote:
> > In a message dated Thu, 21 Dec 2000 11:04:01 PM
> > Eastern Standard Time,
> > robertrice at juno_com writes:
> >
> > << Might I reccomend this forum for a polite
> > discussion of the issues. it
> > will be a real education for all of us on the
> > matters at hand and the
> > science model.
> >
> >
> > I agree with Robert.  Much of what Scott suggests
> > squares with other first
> > hand accounts I have heard.
> >
> > Bruce Scott
> > Meridian, Idaho
>
>
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