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NFC: Fw: [currents] RiverCurrents Online -- Week of May 30, 1999





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========


River News for the Week of May 30, 1999

DAMS: The move to save the 150 year old Waubeka dam in the Milwaukee
River
watershed has been joined by another citizen’s group, called the Waubeka
Dam
Preservation Committee. As reports the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (5/22),
the group is planning to hire a consulting engineer to determine whether
the
dam is indeed on the verge of collapse. The state Department of Natural
Resources announced last February that the structure would likely be
removed
in 2000. The department is planning to study the effects removal would
have
on the Milwaukee River watershed. The citizen’s group claims the dam
helps
to give the community its identify and is a source of water for the local
fire department. It is also concerned that removing the dam would mean
more
flooding downstream and that the contaminated sediment released by
removal
would pollute the river and harm fish spawning beds.  The River Alliance
of
Wisconsin, the major group in favor of dam removal, says there is no
evidence of contamination in the sediment, and that the dam is in a
serious
state of disrepair.

In the Northwest, Portland General Electric is expected to announce its
plans to “remove two aging dams as part of a complex deal that would help
guarantee city water supplies and open up habitat for threatened salmon
and
steelhead trout,” reports the Portland Oregonian (5/26).  The dams
targeted,
Little Sandy Dam on the Little Sandy River and Marmot Dam on the Sandy
River, produce 22 megawatts of electric power. Removing them would open
22
miles of the two rivers to spawning fish and would increase Portland’s
water
supply. Removal could start within 12 months, and needs approval by the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Also in the Northwest, a new report presented by a consultant to the US
Army
Corps of Engineers states that the federal government must breach four
dams
on the lower Snake River to honor treaty obligations to Northwest tribes.
As
reports the Portland Oregonian (5/27), “breaching the dams would reverse
an
almost century-and-one-half trend to cumulatively strip the tribes of
their
valued and treaty-protected rights.” The study showed that breaching the
dams would result in an increase of tribal harvest levels by 29 percent.
Currently, tribal harvests are between 1 percent and 10 percent of their
historic levels.

In the Southeast, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) will begin next
month
to remove the Columbia dam on the Tennessee River. Marking the first time
that the agency has removed one of its dams, the agency will transfer
about
12,000 acres of land to the state which the agency had acquired for the
$83
million dam project. Construction of the dam began in 1973, but was
stopped
sometime in the 1980s. The dam never went into operation.

Finally, in Maine, Gov. Angus King is considering keeping carp out of a
Kennebec River tributary by building a dam.  Wildlife officials fear the
move will endanger other fish by reducing water quality. Edwards Dam on
the
lower Kennebec River will be breached in the summer of 1999, opening the
river and its tributaries to several fish species. While most are
considered
beneficial, carp are considered a threat. The proposed dam, at a cost of
$145,00, would cut off Sevenmile Brook, Threemile Pond and Webber Pond
from
the Kennebec. It will also contain a “sorting device” that will identify
the
 species of fish jumping the barrier. The removal of Edward dam marks the
first time the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has refused to
relicense
a dam at the request of the owners.

     *     *     *

CEDAR RIVER: Seattle Mayor Schell this week announced changes in the
Cedar
River Habitat Conservation Plan (“HCP”) being conveyed to the City
Council
for action. The plan is designed to protect the City from lawsuits under
the
Endangered Species Act for a number of federally listed species,
including
chinook salmon.  American Rivers designated the Cedar River among the 10
Most Endangered Rivers in North America this year because the City’s plan
allows further withdrawals of Cedar River water to fuel Seattle suburbs
over
the next 50 years, the term of this HCP.  American Rivers has applauded
the
Mayor’s efforts to preserve the remaining old growth forest high in the
watershed, eradicate a third of the logging roads in the watershed, and
advance the debate on Cedar River streamflows.  The right thing,
Katherine
Ransel, Director of American Rivers’ Northwest office,  says, is a
temporary
cap on more Cedar River water withdrawals until a flow regime is designed
that takes the needs of chinook salmon fully into account, and which
County,
Corps of Engineers, and Muckleshoot tribal biologists agree will move us
toward recovery of Cedar River chinook salmon. American Rivers also
insists
that Seattle’s suburban customers should be subject to water conservation
plans that are at least as conservative as those imposed on City
residents.

     *     *     *

CARMEL RIVER: The Carmel River in California is the major source of water
for the Monterey Peninsula, but was named one of the nation's 10
most-endangered rivers of 1999 by American Rivers, “after years of being
sucked dry almost every summer.”  The river is expected to be dry again
this
year by July 1. As reports the San Francisco Chronicle (5/27), the river
is
threatened by “unrelenting” population growth, a trend many rivers are
facing across the nation. “Sprawl” was cited by American Rivers as the
greatest threat facing rivers today. California- American Water Co., a
major
water supplier in the area, has proposed building a dam and reservoir
that
would collect the water in winter rather than letting it run out into the
Pacific Ocean. At a probable cost of $107 million, the money would come
from
customers’ water bills – roughly $19 a month for 30 years. Margaret
Bowman,
Senior Director of dam programs for American Rivers, says that “a new dam
would flood a vast area of valuable habitat, make it harder for fish to
swim
upstream and possibly alter microclimates essential to the local
viticulture
as water evaporates off the reservoir.” Other alternatives include a
“small
desalination plant in combination with more conservation measures,
injection
of winter water into aquifers and possibly even building a small dam up
in a
canyon away from the river.”

     *     *     *

HATCHERY VERSUS WILD-FISH RUNS: Columbia River tribes are attempting to
push
through House Bill 3609 that would keep Oregon's wild-fish management
policy
from applying to rivers and streams above Bonneville Dam. As reports the
Portland Oregonian (5/26), the tribes claim the Oregon Department of Fish
and Wildlife is “fighting what the tribes describe as promising efforts
to
help restore natural fish runs by supplementing them with hatchery fish
bred
from wild stocks.” State and federal biologists fear the hatchery program
poses a threat to the genetic diversity of native runs. Gov. John
Kitzhaber
is likely to veto the bill if it reaches him in fear that it could hurt
the
state's salmon recovery plans. The bill has passed the Joint Committee on
Stream Restoration and Species Recovery and should be on the House floor
this week.

     *     *     *

SALMON: Efforts to remove Caspian terns from the Rice Island (about 20
miles
upstream from the Columbia River’s mouth in Washington state) are not
going
well. The colony of birds, which has been blamed for eating as many as 25
million migrating salmon annually, is the largest in North American and
perhaps the world. As reports the Associated Press (5/25), “the birds are
aggravating the imperiled situation of Idaho salmon and steelhead trout.”
The government has been sued by sportsmen for “dragging its feet” in
dealing
with the birds. Biologists hope that by moving the birds to another
island
downstream, they will switch from salmon smolts to more
saltwater-oriented
species such as herring.

     *     *     *

NEBRASKA CONSERVATION PROJECTS: Three independent organizations in
Nebraska
have received nearly $600,000 from the Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund.
As
reports the Omaha World-Herald (5/22), the Platte River Whooping Crane
Habitat Maintenance Trust and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have been
given
$345,000 for habitat maintenance, which will be used to buy sandbar and
riverbank clearing equipment to assist roosting migratory birds. The
third
organization, Central Waste Disposal and Recycling, will use its $225,000
for recycling equipment.

     *     *     *

ARKANSAS RIVER WATER: Colorado’s natural resources director says that
Colorado and Kansas “could be spending many more years in court unless
they
can resolve a longstanding squabble over Arkansas River water,” reports
the
Omaha World-Herald (5/22). The states have been in court for nearly 15
years, in debate about the Arkansas River Compact, which Kansas won
(based
on the decision that Colorado denied Kansas about 420,000 acre-feet of
water
over a 45- year Period). The amount of damages, however, is still in
dispute – Kansas is asking for about $79 million in cash to be paid to
farmers. Colorado would like to repay with water, rather than cash. The
states will return to court in November, and will spend three months
defending their positions.

     *     *     *

BALLAST WATER RULE SET: The release of ship ballast water in US waters is
believed to have introduced a number of foreign and destructive species
to
US waters, including the zebra mussel and the sea lamprey. However,
thanks
to efforts by Senator John Glenn, a rule will go into affect on July 1
that
requires ships to change ballast water at sea, rather than in US ports.
As
reports the Dayton Daily News (5/24), “billions of dollars have been
spent
trying to contain the inedible, fast-multiplying zebra mussels and
prevent
infestation from the Great Lakes into connected waters.”

     *     *     *

PLATTE RIVER AND LOGGING: A lawsuit that would have resulted in increased
logging in a national forest to benefit endangered species in the Platte
River has been dismissed. As reports the Omaha World-Herald (5/23), the
Coalition for Sustainable Resources, a group that includes ranchers,
farmers
and water users, claimed that the increased water runoff that would
result
from clear-cutting 50% of the harvestable trees in the Medicine Bow-Routt
National Forest would benefit such endangered species as the whooping
crane,
pallid sturgeon, piping plover and least tern. These particular species
require high water flows, and are threatened by increased agricultural
water
needs. The judge however believed that the suit was a “sham” driven by
the
coalition’s goal to sell water. He also stated that an extensive study on
Platte River endangered species being undertaken by the federal
government
in partnership with Colorado, Nebraska and Wyoming should be allowed to
progress before other actions are taken.

On the Lower Platte River, new rules have put flood-control dams and
other
projects on hold until the state can determine how much water the pallid
sturgeon, an endangered fish, needs to survive. As reports the Omaha
World-Herald (5/26), the “Nebraska Department of Water Resources and the
Nebraska Natural Resources Commission are working to draft a policy that
would allow water users to take their share while the agencies study the
fish and its needs.” At this point, almost anyone who exceeds their water
allocation from the river must either return the water to the river or
pay
cash to provide endangered species with habitat.

In a related story, the group Nebraskans First is insisting the
Department
of Interior stop work on the three-state Platte River agreement until it
meets all the provisions of the Endangered Species Act. As reports the
Omaha
World-Herald (5/26), the group complains that the department failed to
notify a number of Nebraska counties when it designated part of the
Platte
as critical habitat for endangered whooping cranes, invalidating the
agreement.

     *     *     *

KENNEBEC RIVER STURGEON: State and federal biologists will be studying
the
state of the shortnose sturgeon in the Kennebec River in Maine to
determine
if the fish should remain on the endangered species list. Recent studies
suggest that the fish is on the rebound. As reports the Bangor Daily News
(5/27), the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Maine Outdoor
Heritage
Fund have put forth more than $60,000 for the study, which should take
three
years to complete. 25 river systems will be targeted, from the Saint
Johns
River in Florida to the Saint John River in New Brunswick. In Maine, the
Sheepscot and Androscoggin rivers in addition to the Kennebec will be
included.


     *     *     *
WABASH RIVER: State wildlife biologists will complete their first
comprehensive survey of the 466 mile-long Wabash river in Indiana this
July.
The Wabash River watershed drains 66 percent of Indiana’s surface, and
the
number of fish species in the river have diminished as a result of the
polluted runoff. As reports the Evansville Courier & Press (5/26), “the
goal
is to assess the river's improved health since the Clean Water Act of
1974
forced businesses and municipalities to clean up their wastewater
ischarges.” About 20 fish species are found in the river, and over the
years, another half dozen have become extinct, including the huge lake
sturgeon and a number of species of darters.

     *     *     *

IDAHO’s DAMS: In the next 20 years, 20 of the hydroelectric dams that
produce more than half of Idaho's electricity must get new licenses from
federal regulators, reports the Idaho Statesman (5/27). In anticipation,
U.S. Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho is working to pass legislation that would
make it more difficult for federal fish and wildlife agencies to “place
burdensome conditions on the new licenses.” The US Fish and Wildlife
Service
can now require hydropower utilities to provide for fish passage through
their facilities without explanation or consideration of cost. Craig’s
bill
would require federal agencies to consider the economics, air quality,
irrigation, navigation, flood control, power output and drinking water
supplies before requiring additional conditions. If utility companies are
indeed required to add passage for salmon, costs to the company could
increase by hundreds of millions, which would be reflected in consumer’s
bills.

     *     *     *

MINING: An insurance company that promised to provide the bonds for
cleanup
at the former Pegasus' mines in Montana has “made good,” reports the
Billings Gazette (5/26). The state of Montana has now received more than
$10
million to complete cleanup of the Beal Mountain Mine near Anaconda and
the
Basin Creek Mine near Boulder. Had the insurance company not come
through,
tax-payers would have had to assume the cost. Pegasus Gold Corporation
filed
for bankruptcy last year and reorganized into a new company, liquidating
both mines.

     *     *     *

RESTOCKING ENDANGERED FISH: Conservation Fisheries, the only private
facility in the United States devoted to the captive propagation and
restoration of rare nongame fish, last week made their annual release of
yellowfin madtom, Smoky madtom, duskytail darter and spotfin chub in
Abrams
Creek in Tennessee. As reports the News-Sentinel (5/23), in 1957
biologists
deliberately killed all fish between Abrams Falls and the mouth of the
creek
with a toxic chemical in an effort to improve trout fishing in Great
Smoky
Mountains National Park. Almost half of the 63 species have since
repopulated the stream, though the four listed above have not.
Reintroducing
these species has been a “flagship” project of the group for the last 10
years, and has been funded by Endangered Species funds. The Tellico
River,
lower French Broad and the Holston River above Knoxville might be among
future restocking targets of the group.

     *     *     *

CHATAHOOCHEE RIVER: A “technical glitch” is the latest threat to a
potential
settlement of a 10 year old water war between Georgia, Florida and
Alabama
to share water from the Chatahoochee river and other area waterways that
pass through the three states. As reports the Atlanta
Journal-Constitution
(5/24), the headwaters for all the rivers the states share are in
Georgia,
giving that state the responsibility of regulating the flow of water from
four federal dams to keep the water in Alabama and Florida above a
certain
minimum during droughts. But Florida and Alabama fear that they cannot
ensure that Georgia will send the amount of water promised. The states
might
not reach the October settlement deadline.

     *     *     *

PINEY RUN: Carroll County in Maryland is violating the federal Clean
Water
Act at the Hampstead wastewater treatment plant by allowing treated
effluent
from the plant to flow into the Piney Run stream at too high a
temperature.
The County might have to pay as much as $4.5 million in fines. As reports
the Baltimore Sun (5/26), Carroll County violated the Act “on 183 days by
releasing hot effluent from the plant into the headwaters of the Piney
Run.”
A judge ruled in favor of a group of Baltimore County residents who are
working to protect trout and drinking water in the stream that originates
in
Hampstead.

     *     *     *

LOGGING: California’s logging regulations are “inadequate and result in
slides, damaged water supplies and endangered wildlife habitats,”
according
to a new study by US Forest Service scientist, Leslie Reid. The study,
which
was released Tuesday, suggests that the California Department of Forestry
has not been enforcing fully the Forest Practices Act, which governs tree
harvesting. Leid recommends that officials shift authority for logging
from
the forestry department to the cabinet-level Resources Agency. Current
California laws have failed to sufficiently protect California streams,
and
Timber Harvest Plans “do not adequately examine the long-term impact of
human activity, namely logging,” according to the report.

     *     *     *

PFIESTERIA: The first of six public hearings scheduled by the Maryland
state
Department of Agriculture on proposed regulations to control the outbreak
of
the toxic microbe Pfiesteria have resulted in resentment from farmers who
feel they are being unfairly blamed. As reports the Baltimore Sun (5/27),
“many farmers are still bitter over what they perceive as a rush to
judgment
by politicians and environmentalists in Annapolis in establishing
regulations designed to limit nutrient runoff from their land.” Proposed
regulations would require mandatory control on farm nutrient runoff by
2002,
with fines up to $2,000 a year for farmers who do not comply.
Additionally,
farmers have until the end of 2001 to develop a nutrient-management plan
if
they apply animal manure to their fields, and those spreading commercial
fertilizers would need to implement a plan by 2002.

     *     *     *

SHEBOYGAN RIVER: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a
cleanup plan to combat the contaminated sediment and soil at the
Sheboygan
River and Harbor Superfund site in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. As
reports
the PR Newswire (5/26), the agency is dividing the plan into five
different
projects: Upper River Sediment, Middle River Sediment, Lower River and
Inner
Harbor Sediment, Floodplain Soil, and Ground Water. A 60-day public
comment
period runs from June 1 to July 30.

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