Columbia Fall Chinook Fishery Threatened

[Dave Vedder]

Dear NSIA Members and Friends,

Bonneville Power Administration is proposing that summer spill be eliminated as an "experiment." (How many experiments do we need before we can prove that fish actually do need water?). Spill over the tops of the dams is the safest way to get smolts to the ocean. Fall Chinook smolts that are spilled over dams survive at a rate that is about 17 times higher than those that are trucked or barged!

Believe it or not Rep. Peter Defazio is currently circulating a letter among the NW delegation that supports BPA's position on this!

BPA would rather use the water for hydro generation than provide the river conditions that fish need. By their own calculations they could eliminate summer spill, thereby saving themselves about 1.2% of their annual budget. In the process they claim only 24 Snake River Fall Chinook would be eliminated. Their plan is to take what is certain (Spill) and try to mitigate with other, less certain measures, one of which is harvest reduction! There are a couple of problems with this.

1) They are ignoring that by their own calculations, (which are in deep dispute) that no summer spill would eliminate 20,000 adults. The tribal biologists say it would be more like 50,000 fish.

2) The ENTIRE sportfishery in the fall only harvests on average about 100 of the returning Snake River Fall Chinook, while we are harvesting about 40,000 healthy fall chinook, and tens of thousands of Coho.
Eliminating 24 Snake River Wild Fall Chinook would cut our fishery on chinook by 25%! There will be 10,000 LESS healthy fish to access by the removal of the limiting stock.

That's right, those 24 fish will constrain access to 10,000 healthy fall chinook, plus Coho that are in at the same time from OUR sportfishery in 140 miles of river up to Bonneville Dam! Ten thousand fall chinook translate into about 40,000 anglers trips.

3) In 2001 where water supply and snow pack were low and Bonneville was in financial trouble, the fish took it in the shorts during outmigration, because BPA did not want to give any water to the fish, saving it instead for power generation. Now, it's 2004, there is lots of snowpack, and BPA's finances are more stable-and what-fish are supposed to pay again? Every time Bonneville make a bad decision, (WHPPS, or the Energy scandal of 2001) they go for the gills.

You have to ask yourself, where do fish fit in, if at all. It looks like no matter what, Bonneville wants the water for generation, not for healthy fish populations.

What can you DO?

E-mail Peter Defazio, and tell him you do not support elimination of summer spill, unless the mitigation is to increase flows. Then, contact Rep. Darlene Hooley and Rep. David Wu, and tell them not to sign on to Rep. Defazio's letter. Flow and spill measures are the core of the so-called aggressive non breach recovery plan. Water is essential for healthy salmon populations, and cannot be sutstituted for.

Send a quick e-mail today. Please have all your buddies who fish, or care about fish e-mail today!! We are about to lose what we need for healthy fish fisheries, and about 1/4 of our fall chinook fishing in the Columbia! Please blind copy NSIA your e-mails. Thanks.

Rep Peter Defazio, C/O David.dreher@mail.house.gov
Rep. Darlene Hooley C/O mark.dedrick@mail.House.gov
Rep. David Wu C/O Kelly.scannell@mail.house.gov

Yours in service,

Liz Hamilton, Executive Director
Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association
PO Box 4
Oregon City, OR 97045
NSIALIZ@AOL.COM
503 631 8859
503 631 3887 fax

[ 02-26-2004, 10:55 PM: Message edited by: Dave Vedder ]

UH..... Why don't they try rotenone and see if that helps the fish on their seaward migration

This is crazy Dave, thanks for posting it.

[fish-on]

face it people this STATE is screwed up [img]graemlins/berry.gif[/img]

[SalmonSeason]

I could not have said it better letters are being generated as fast as I can type [img]graemlins/program.gif[/img]

[River Ranger]

It seems like they will never learn.
R.R.

[David Johnson]

Actually Fish-On, it's not the state that's doing this, it's BPA and the Feds.

For all you who like fishing B-10 and the Columbia, you better start writing letters.....

[Ty]

Thanks Dave Vedder!!!! Nice Work!!! Keep it up!!
Fire these boys up and send them in the right direction!!

Dave Johnson and I where talking about hte whole Columbia River mess today as we where fishing.....

Fisherman need to UNITE!!! IF that could be accomplished.... we would truelly have some power.....

[BUGLEMAN]

It is time to pull the plug. :grin:

[SalmonSeason]

There are so many fishing groups NSIA,NW Steelheaders,etc...We need to get together
David and I were at the compact meeting and we the fishermen got smoked by the amount of gill netters there.
This board should drum up tons of support. Don't sit down and take it any longer send those letters as Vedder suggests [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/program.gif[/img]
If you don't I don't want to hear complaining when we haven't done enough to get what we want

[Beefcake]

Bugleman- You mean George Washington Hayduke style? Hayduke Lives! :grin:

(By the way, this is a reference to a character in an Edward Abbey book that blows up dams on the Colorado River for any of you that are too old or too young to have read "The Monkey Wrench Gang". I'm not condoning it though....)

[Pete]

This is indeed a dire issue. There have been countless threads about gillnets and the hundreds of fish they kill. We are talking about killing tens or hundreds of thousands of fish ... and NOBODY gets the benefit of them ... there just won't be any! 15 years ago, the NWPPC was talking about restoring the Columbia runs to at least 2 million fish a year. Now the power industry is talking about decimating the runs.

This is an issue I think would be at the top of everyone's list.

[Quasimodo the fish killer]

I wonder what kind of effort it would take to start a group that would take on issues that impact fishermen in the north west. advertisment in a few key fishing magazines like STS and fishing and hunting news would reach a lot of people. if it were set up so people contributed a membership fee someone could be paid from them to lobby in our behalf to protect our way of life.

with this topic on the board and the gillnets it seems like it might be time for fishermen to unite and do something to protect a way of life that goes back to biblical times.

Quasi

.

[Straydog]

Originally posted by David Johnson:
Actually Fish-On, it's not the state that's doing this, it's BPA and the Feds.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">This is an excellent point and one we need to keep in focus as we go into the election this fall.

Now write a letter!!

[ 02-27-2004, 09:22 AM: Message edited by: Straydog ]

[Hottamale1]

Hello...

David Wu was an active member of the Tom McCall Chapter of the Northwset Steelheaders prior to him becoming a politician..

If anyone understands and appreciates how important the fisheries are to the overall economy, you'd like to think HE does.

Make sure that you mention the Steelheaders when you draft your letters to him.

Scott

[Hoosier Daddy]

This is nothing new from BPA. They try to squeeze every dime wherever they can, and always have. This is status quo for BPA.

[ 02-27-2004, 11:51 AM: Message edited by: Hoosier Daddy ]

[Straydog]

Write a letter!!

[ 02-27-2004, 09:21 AM: Message edited by: Straydog ]

[Hawg Caller]

Hey guys,and gals... Im really passionate about this and will send some letters, but I have 0 talent for writing letters, of this type, could some one put out a form type letter that we could use. or something we could forword to them ? thanks.

[Bill Monroe]

That's actually a pretty good point...throughout the Reagan years, the budgeting MO was to cancel out the Mitchell hatchery funding then let congressmen oil the squeaky wheels to get it back in...that seems to be a tactic back on the table every year...It's no skin off the administration's back and if something falls through the cracks, voila! They've made a little.

In that environment, it's far easier for BPA to brushoff the fish...especially if it's "only" a bunch of sport fishermen...Another reason for the continued importance of both the tribes and (yup) non-tribal commercial fishing both in the river and up the coast to Canada and Alaska...

That's the other voice that needs some unity in addition to the congressional delegation.

(How are you, Dave?)

[Hoosier Daddy]

SD

Bill, good point about the tribes. As much as some sportfishers like to gripe about tribal gillnets and commercial harvests, they do have the biggest hammer (treaties) to beat BPA over the head with. We would be in a lot worse shape right now without that hammer, IMO.

[ 02-27-2004, 11:51 AM: Message edited by: Hoosier Daddy ]

[Straydog]

Make a phone call, write a letter, send a fax!!

[ 02-27-2004, 09:23 AM: Message edited by: Straydog ]

[Jimmy Carl Black]

Yeah this is great philosophy. I guess the object of the game is if they're not endangered yet, let's see if we can make 'em that way.

[Pete]

The point of this IS NOT to lay blame. The point is that WE need to get involved NOW to prevent serious damage to our fishery. It doesn't much matter who got us here if we don't do something to address what we face NOW!

[Straydog]

Originally posted by Hawg Caller:
Hey guys,and gals... Im really passionate about this and will send some letters, but I have 0 talent for writing letters, of this type, could some one put out a form type letter that we could use. or something we could forword to them ? thanks.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Honorable Representative DeFazio,

As a voting citizen of the Northwest that is deeply concerned about the health of our Columbia River Salmon fisheries, I am writing to ask that you not the support the Bonneville Power Administrations goal of eliminating spill on the Columbia River.

Our heritage, our culture and our economy in the Northwest depend on the health of our Columbia River Salmon fisheries and by the BPA's own admission, the elimination of summer spill will indeed be detrimental to our Northwest icon and all that it represents. At a time when our Oregon economy is suffering, this lethal experimentation by the BPA simply makes no sense.

It is with great urgency that I ask that you reverse your support of the BPA's experiment with our fish.

Sincerely,

Joe Wanna Fish
Fish Need Water Way
Our Economy Depends On It, Oregon. 12345

[Straydog]

Originally posted by Straydog:

I am willing to be listen to an opinion as to why we should re-elect the head of an administration that "has created an environment that makes it easier for BPA to pull this kind of crap,". Please enlighten me.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">EDIT. HD, let's talk about this via email if you want to proceed. My apologies to you and others for taking this thread off topic. My passion and frustration gets in the way at times. Pete is right ........ get involved in the here and now and do what you can do!

[ 02-27-2004, 09:20 AM: Message edited by: Straydog ]

[Jimmy Carl Black]

I just sent emails to all three. I don't think they were quite as diplomatic as SD's though :shocked: . They weren't real hostile or anything, just passionate and a little demanding.

How about everyone post here when they send an e-mail so that everyone can see how much the initiative takes off. Did I say initiative?

[freespool]

Looking back over the past 25yrs., one might come to the conclusion that BPA is by far the largest single entity working against salmon recovery. Over the past two decades they have shunted millions away from salmon recovery. And their number one trick is to spend millions on studies,then turn around and spend millions more on new studies. And the bang for our buck is what? The bird feeders below Bonneville dam,********* bounty,producing power instead of releasing water in drought years and list goes on and on. They seem to be accountable to no one,which in my mind is wrong.We need to control this giant before they kill the last salmon.


salmon hugger

[Dave Vedder]

The previous letter posted as an example was excellent. Here is what I wrote. Feel free to use any part of this you wish.

Please do not support reduced spills on the Columbia River dams. We have spent millions to protect the very fish the reduced spills will wipe outl. This is insane. If you have any concern for wild salmon or getting our moneys worth on all the millions we have spent to enhance Columbia River runs, please do not support reduced spills.

Reduced spills may save some money in the short run but it will destroy a hugely valuable sport and commercial fishery, and desimate the last vestiges of Snake River fall chinook. Please vote your conscience on this, and do the right thing!

Sincerely,

Dave Vedder

[Blue Tip Spinner]

anyone have david wu's email address?????

[Hoosier Daddy]

SD, no sweat. Hopefully you didn't catch my last 10 minutes of escalation behavior and then attempts to clean it all up after I realized you had already done the same!!

Suffice to say, I've edited my response to the stuff you have since removed, so we should be all square and back on topic. :smile:

cya

[ 02-27-2004, 11:57 AM: Message edited by: Hoosier Daddy ]

[Hawg Caller]

Thanks for the sample letters...e-mails are on the way and letters are being written.!to just to make sure.

[Bobby Ray]

More letters to write, what ever it takes. I wish I could do more about it.

[img]graemlins/berry.gif[/img]

[Jignfloat]

THis Defazio puke should also get some e-mails of a more personal note from some irrate registered voters.......these phony politicians need to be mucked out.....


Russ

[willametteriveroutlaw]

The funny thing is that BPA loves it when we fight with the commercials and indians because then they can continue to screw up the salmon runs right under our noses without us raising a fuss.

[Pete]

WRO, that's an important point. Thanks for reminding us. And it's not just BPA ... the Corps and others do, too. Fighting of the allocation of the 2% really is little stuff. What do you suppose the allocation of ESA impact is for agriculture and the hydro system?

[garyk]

OK, got my messages out to everyone.

Man, this is just the latest in a very, very long series of BPA injustices.

First BPA tries to bury the salmon with paper. Study after study, and then studies to study the already completed study. And all that paper sits on the shelf while the wheels of salmon destruction grind on.

Then they turn off the tap when salmon need the water most. Last year below Portland we had Columbia water temps of 73f, and it stayed warmer than normal until well into September.

You'd almost think the BPA was trying to get rid of our salmon. :whazzup:

[fortywinks]

Messages sent.

WRO - I agree. It is time to stop polarizing these issues, and find some common ground. I'd rather have 60% of something than 100% of nothing.

[Dave Vedder]

Blue Tip: The e mail addys of the key players are all listed on the original post.

[skein]

You might also want to mention that this year there should be sufficient run-off due to the heavy, and lasting, snowfalls we got this winter. There's lots of snow in the hills, so there is much less of a drought factor than we've had the last three years.

Good letter, Straydog.

Skein

[boater]

does anyone know how much money this 1.2 percent is ??

[boater]

NEW COALITION OF BPA CUSTOMERS FIGHTS FOR CUT IN SUMMER SPILL

With federal agency executives slated to make a decision about summer spill by the end of March, a pair of coalitions are staking out their own patches of policy turf.

Earlier this month, an umbrella group of 54 Northwest tribes, known as the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, passed a proclamation opposing any reduction in summer spill at federal dams.

But a group of Bonneville Power Administration customers, known as the Coalition for Smart Salmon Recovery, formed this month to promote reducing spill, which it says could save the power marketing agency up to $77 million a year.

On Feb. 19, the industry group sent a letter to the four Northwest governors, asking for support in eliminating or reducing the expensive program that costs the region more than $3 million for each ESA-listed fish.

"Summer spill was begun with good intentions, but has not proven as effective as first hoped," the coalition said. "Rather than blindly continue a costly and ineffective strategy, we are urging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, BPA, and NOAA Fisheries to eliminate or reduce summer spill in those cases where science shows that more effective alternatives exist."

The coalition is made up of industry and agriculture-related groups, including the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association, the Pacific Northwest Generating Cooperative, the Public Power Council, and the Pacific Northwest Utilities Conference Committee.

Using BPA's own numbers, the coalition says $2 million could pay for programs that could add another 50,000 salmon a year to fall runs.

However, environmental groups, including Earthjustice, announced a week ago that they planned to sue BPA, the Corps and the Bureau of Reclamation, an action that could torpedo any reduced spill scenario before next summer.

Earthjustice's latest "notice to sue" letter is an amended version of its original May 9, 2003 missive that only targeted NOAA Fisheries. The updated notice alleges that the action agencies charged with implementing the hydro BiOp--namely BPA, Bureau of Reclamation, and the Corps--have failed to comply with the ESA, as well as with the prohibition on "take" of listed species.

Earthjustice attorneys have already tried to get the BiOp thrown out after the process went into remand, but last June federal judge James Redden ordered the BiOp to remain in place while it was being rewritten.

The new letter says the action agencies have consistently failed to implement all the measures of the RPA (i.e. the Reasonable, Prudent Alternative), including Bureau and Corps decisions to "significantly curtail spill and flow measures."

The letter came a day after the BiOp steering committee discussed getting a temporary restraining order to keep summer spill from being reduced.

"We disagree fundamentally with the premise of the letter," said Scott Corwin, spokesman for the Pacific Northwest Generating Cooperative. "The action agencies are implementing the BiOp, and the large fish returns from ocean conditions are enhanced further from actions in the hydro system. We've come a long way in the last few years."

The "notice to sue" letter says that without offsite mitigation in place for dam operations to avoid jeopardizing ESA-listed fish runs, current operations do jeopardize the species. Unless action agencies "cure the violations" within 60 days, the groups said they will go to court to seek preliminary or injunctive relief to protect the listed species.

BPA says a no-spill option in July and August would likely reduce the numbers of ESA-listed fall chinook by only two dozen fish or less, but the smart money is betting that the execs will approve a proposal to evaluate the costs and benefits of a reduced spill regime.

One option under consideration--BiOp spill at four dams in July, but none during August--could save ratepayers $42 million a year, and is estimated to reduce future adult numbers of all stocks by only 6,000 fish. Only six listed fish were expected to be lost, using a smolt-to-adult return rate of 2 percent.

After input from regional fish managers, BPA lowered some of the expected benefits from its potential offset actions. Initial smolt benefits are expected to be about half of last month's estimate from increasing the pikeminnow bounty program enough to reduce its population by 2 percent. But the benefits are similar to the ultimate improvement eight years out that was pegged in January (7,000-56,000 more adults annually).

The benefits from reducing juvenile stranding in the Hanford Reach may be less than estimated, as well. BPA said the strategy could add another 30 million fry in 2004, the equivalent of about 50,000 adults.

But comments sent from Grant County PUD biologist Joe Lukas to BPA may get the power agency to reduce those expected benefits. Lukas said using more realistic density data and SARs (0.2 percent to 1 percent) than BPA used in its analysis (0.5 percent to 4 percent SARs) could add 2,000 to 10,000 more adults to runs, instead of BPA's more optimistic 16,000 to 124,000 fish from the 2004 outmigration.

But using those same "more realistic" SARs from Lukas would reduce adverse impacts calculated from reduced spill as well. With a 1 percent SAR, impacts from no summer spill would reduce the adult numbers of all affected stocks by about 9,000 fish. Calculating the estimated losses from an option more likely to be approved by agency execs (BiOp spill July, no August spill) would result in losses in the 3,000-fish range.

But the message from the tribes was shrill. In their press releases last week, they trumpeted potential losses up to 50,000 adults a year. Calls to the Columbia Inter-Tribal Fish Commission were not returned.

Regardless how the numbers play out, some, like Washington Power Council member Larry Cassidy, just aren't impressed with BPA's offset analysis. "We should have direct mitigation for those fish being lost," Cassidy said at last week's meeting of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council.

Later, Cassidy told NW Fishletter that he was especially concerned about stocks that originated below McNary Dam that couldn't benefit from barging, and the Hanford and Okanogan runs from his state.

He didn't think improving the pikeminnow program would help that much, either. As for the reduced juvenile stranding at Hanford by minimizing river fluctuations, he said BPA shouldn't get double credit for it, since the power agency was going to sign an agreement to do it, anyway. -Bill Rudolph

[boater]

smartsalmon recovery, click on that link and see who is on this salmon recovery commitee

[boater]

we need to form a coalition and call it "the coalition of fisherman that will sue you if you screw with our fish"

[Mojo]

Boater,
Lawsuits get people's, (and more specifically Government Agencies') attention. Maybe we (ifisherfolks) should start filing class action lawsuits every time some entity tries to decimate all the work on restoration that has been accomplished since the Army Corps of Salmon Grinders built the dams.

The big backlash of the awesome ocean conditions we have had for the last few years is that the money grubbers are starting to claim the salmon situation is "cured". "Look, there are more salmon now than when we put the dams in..." We all know this is bunk, but the headlines like "Record Spring Salmon Run Expected" do add credence to their point. Now they are jumping to add to their profit margin at the cost of our salmon runs. I don't think this is a national conspiracy, just the BPA trying to increase the bottom line at an opportune time.

We need to act now!

[ 02-29-2004, 09:53 AM: Message edited by: Mojo ]

[boater]

Originally posted by Mojo:
I don't think this is a national conspiracy, just the BPA trying to increase the bottom line at an opportune time.

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">i realy dont think this is an effort for the bpa to save money, it`s an effort to get water for the people who belong to the Coalition for Smart Salmon Recovery, why else would a potato grower join this coalition ?, july and august are usualy hot months that need water for irrigation and i`d bet money that when they dump water over the dams to save the salmon there is a shortage of water for irrigation.

[Pete]

On Friday, a coalition of groups ranging from gillnetters to sports fishers to recreation-based businesses filed notice of intent to sue over the proposal to end summer spill on the Columbia. The groups are listed in the linked article ... it's notable who is not included in the action.

GROUPS GIVE NOTICE OF INTENT TO SUE OVER REDUCED BIOP SPILL

[freespool]

I didn't see any representation for Native American interests. Seems this pending action would negetivly impact their fishing concerns.


salmon hugger

[straightweave]

Sent off my letters tonight. Let's stay on 'em until all of us are heard from.

Thanks for keeping us posted, Dave.

[garyk]

ttt

[Straydog]

TTT

[Straydog]

Keep it on the front page!

[boater]

heres a LINK to the potato growers page, check out the news releases, a few about salmon :smile:

[Pete]

The hearing yesterday distressed me intensely.

BPA, big customers call dam spill too costly

The power folks based their estimates on the SIMPASS model which estimates how many smolts will make it downstream past the dams. The model was not designed to predict adult returns, according to NOAA fisheries, which developed the model. The model doesn't account for other factors, such as de-watering protective habitat, increases in water temperature or reduced flow below Bonneville. The Industry instead believes that some of the money saved would go to increase the PikeMinnow bounty, which they assert could return greater benefits than sustaining the flow which propels the fish down the river. The industry was unwilling or unable to report who would benefit from the additional revenue and refused to commit that rate payers or mitigation programs would benefit. It appeared to me that any additional revenue would be directed at BPA debts.

[garyk]

Pete, thanks for taking the time and submitting yourself to the stress of yesterday's hearing, and for providing the update.

I was wondering who was behind this deliberate attack on our fisheries. So I went to their website.

The first sentance quoted below indicates that this is only their first blow. Below is the rogues gallery of coalition members that we and the fish are up against:

“The first issue being addressed by the Coalition is the need to eliminate “summer spill”.”

COALITION MEMBERS:

Industrial Customers of Northwest Utilities. ICNU members are among the region’s largest
employers. ICNU represents its members’ electric energy interests before the Bonneville Power
Administration (BPA), the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, with individual utilities
and in other forums.

Northwest Food Processors Association. NWFPA is an advocate and resource for the
Northwest food processing industry. http://www.nwfpa.org/

Pacific Northwest Generating Cooperative. PNGC Power is an electric power service
cooperative owned by 15 Northwest electric distribution utilities with service territory in six western states. http://www.pngc@pngc.com/

Pacific Northwest Utilities Conference Committee. The Pacific Northwest Utilities Conference
Committee (PNUCC) represents all Pacific Northwest public and private electric utilities and direct service industries. It is a forum for sharing information and views on national, regional and local power industry issues. http://www.pnucc.org/

Pacific Northwest Waterways Association. Founded in 1934, PNWA works for federal policy
that supports regional economic development. The association represents a variety of public and
private-sector industries, including public ports, navigation, transportation, international trade, agriculture, forest products, energy and local government interests in Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. http://www.pnwa.net/

Public Power Council. Founded in 1966, the Public Power Council (PPC) represents the
common interests of consumer-owned electric utilities in the Pacific Northwest. PPC acts as a
forum to identify, discuss and build consensus about energy and utility issues of importance to
public power. http://www.ppcpdx.org/

Snohomish PUD. Snohomish PUD is the second largest public utility in the PacificNorthwest,
serving over 276,000 customers. The PUD is headquartered in Everett, Washington.
http://www.snopud.com/

Washington Potato & Onion Association. WP&OA is dedicated to promoting the general
welfare of the shippers and growers of Washington potatoes.

Washington State Potato Commission. WSPC is headquartered in Moses Lake, Washington. It
acts to the benefit of all Washington potato growers. http://www.potatoes.com/

Weyerhaeuser. Weyerhaeuser is a forest products company that grows and harvests trees;
manufactures, distributes and sells building products; pulp and paper; and packaging.
http://www.weyerhaeuser.com/

[fortywinks]

I must say I am rather miffed at the lack of response to this thread.

The Oregonian is doing its share by burying a small piece on this hearing on the obituary page in today's paper.

[Straydog]

Don't let this one get away......

I too am suprised there is not response to something this important.

[slabhunter]

This backroom stuff really chaps my hide!!! I've e-mailed and called my senator.

[Pete]

The e-mails are hitting the mark ... let's keep them going! It appears they have been successful to date in stopping some of our Federal Representatives from helping Bonneville further constrain our fisheries. At the hearing on Monday the fish people were scarce and the Utiity reps were out in force. The most outrageous thing was the BPA saying that summer spill costs BPA money. NO ONE WRITES A CHECK! Because they leave water for fish that are migrating, they are trying to say it costs them money. Anyway, keep the notes going to DeFazio, Hooley and Wu.

Please take a moment to thank Director Ball for the great work he did at the hearing on Summer Spill, and the work his staff is doing to keep us fishing! Lindsay.A.Ball@state.or.us

Here's a recap of the situation:

Bonneville Power Administration is proposing that summer spill be eliminated as an "experiment." Spill over the tops of the dams is the safest way to get smolts to the ocean.

Rep. Peter Defazio is circulating a letter among the NW delegation that supports BPA's position on this!

BPA would rather use the water for hydro generation than provide the river conditions that fish need. By their calculations they could eliminate summer spill, thereby saving themselves about 1.2% of their annual budget. In the process they claim only 24 Snake River Fall Chinook would be eliminated. Their plan is to take what is certain (spill) and try to mitigate with other, less certain measures, including harvest reduction and expanding the pike minnow bounty! There are a couple of problems with this.

1) They are ignoring that by their own calculations, (which are in deep dispute) that no summer spill would eliminate 20,000 adults. The tribal biologists say it would be more like 50,000 fish.

2) The ENTIRE sportfishery in the fall only harvests on average about 100 of the returning Snake River Fall Chinook, while we are harvesting about 40,000 healthy fall chinook, and tens of thousands of Coho.

Eliminating 24 Snake River Wild Fall Chinook would cut the sport chinook fishery by 25%! There will be 10,000 LESS healthy fish to access by the removal of the limiting stock.

That's right, those 24 fish will constrain access to 10,000 healthy fall chinook, plus Coho that are in at the same time from OUR sportfishery in 140 miles of river up to Bonneville Dam! Ten thousand fall chinook translate into about 40,000 anglers trips.

3) In 2001 where water supply and snow pack were low and Bonneville was in financial trouble, the fish were hurt badly during outmigration, because BPA did not want to give any water to the fish, saving it instead for power generation. Now, it's 2004, there is lots of snowpack, and BPA's finances are more stable they plan to make fish pay again. Every time Bonneville makes a bad decision, (WHPPS, or the Energy scandal of 2001) they go for the gills.

You have to ask yourself, where do fish fit in, if at all. It looks like no matter what, Bonneville wants the water for generation, not for healthy fish populations.

What can you DO?

E-mail Peter Defazio, and tell him you do not support elimination of summer spill, unless the mitigation is to increase flows. Then, contact Rep. Darlene Hooley and Rep. David Wu, and tell them not to sign on to Rep. Defazio's letter. Flow and spill measures are the core of the so-called aggressive non-breach recovery plan. Water is essential for healthy salmon populations and cannot be sutstituted for.

Send a quick e-mail today. Please have all your buddies who fish, or care about fish e-mail today!! We are about to lose what we need for healthy fish fisheries, and about 1/4 of our fall chinook fishing in the Columbia!

Rep Peter Defazio, Defazio mail form
Rep. Darlene Hooley Hooley mail form
Rep. David Wu Wu mail form

[ 03-03-2004, 08:30 PM: Message edited by: Pete ]

[garyk]

I've sent the emails. However, written letters do have more impact, so now I'll sit down and pound out a few of them, including some pictures of us with fall chinook to help illustrate the fishery they're willing to sacrifice.

Say, do you suppose to "save" money they'll also consider stopping the water "spill" they do into the navigation locks everytime a barge or boat wants passage? By their way of figuring that ought to cost us plenty too!

[garyk]

Pete, I'll also add a 4th potential problem to your list; perhaps someone knowing more can expound on it?

Basically, reducing spill and thereby slackening the current strength makes the Columbia more favorable to predators of smolts like the pike minnow.

Once again, BPA and the agriculture interests are putting all the risk on the fish.

[Freakwater]

Sent all three emails.

[ 03-03-2004, 10:40 PM: Message edited by: Freakwater ]