06/10/05 Increase summer spill - yes or no?

Last week, U.S. District Court Judge James Redden issued his ruling on the most recent modification of the Columbia-Lower Snake River biological opinion for endangered and threatened fish species recovery. LOHN: The Judge has determined that the opinion we rendered giving the Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation, Bonneville Power Administration, authorization to operate the dams&that that opinion is not valid. While, with all due respect, we disagree with the Judge, we also have to respect his conclusion. And therefore, we need to look to him to determine what can be done. So the Judge will have before him the question of how the system should be operated to benefit fish which could affect other uses of the river such as power generation. What N.O.A.A. Fisheries Regional Administrator Bob Lohn is talking about is a motion filed by environmentalists and others calling for a ten per cent increase in summer spill over some federal dams on the Columbia-Lower Snake River. That injunction relief is under Judge Redden's consideration today, and he could issue a ruling as early as today. And it has gained significance in the battle over how the rivers are controlled since Judge Redden's rejection of the bio-op. The fear of landowners, irrigators, and recreational and tourism operators is that any sizeable drawdown would have devastating economic impacts on their livelihoods, especially with this already being a low water year. But then again, those in the commercial fishing industry and tribal nations with fishing rights argue their livelihoods are impacted if fish survival is not guaranteed. Lohn said one key to finding a resolution over the matter of summer spill is increased dialogue among stakeholders. LOHN: The hopeful note is since January, we've been working with the Northwest states to determine what they think should be done to operate the river for fish, and to meet the other needs such as irrigation and transportation and power generation. Those discussions have been very fruitful. We've been having more or less non stop negotiations since the opinion came out. We're hopeful that we'll be able to present something constructive to the Judge that represents at least how the four states and the federal agencies believe the uses of the river should be balanced. And those discussions have also included tribal and fishing interests, landowners, and irrigators. It may be a growing sense that finally all parties recognize the others have a stake in the interest of the Columbia Snake River system that could lead to solutions from a grass roots, not top down, approach. More on those in future programs.