Batt Against Spilling Water For Salmon Runs

Gov. Phil Batt has parted ways with the Northwest Power Planning Council members he selected when it comes to their blueprint for helping the state’s salmon runs.

One week after Todd Maddock and Mike Field called for a one-year program to help the “Class of 95” salmon migrate, Batt on Friday notified them he still is not convinced Idaho must give up additional river flows to boost their journey.

The two members suggested target flows of 100,000 cubic feet per second at Lower Granite Dam downstream from Lewiston from April 20 to May 31.

Dworshak Reservoir on the Clearwater River would give up 690,000 acre-feet, but remain at 40 feet below full until after Labor Day for summer recreation.

They also called for 427,000 acrefeet from the upper Snake River during the summer, either in U.S. Bureau of Reclamation storage or water purchased from willing sellers.

“Simply stated, I do not support a flow-based strategy for salmon recovery,” Batt wrote. “Idaho can ill afford to squander its precious water on unconfirmed theories.”

Batt said Maddock and Field do not request any more water than the National Marine Fisheries Service wants, but scientific evidence does not back up its biological opinion.

The governor said he has directed Attorney General Al Lance to prepare legal strategies to protect Idaho water.

“Residents near Orofino remain convinced that their tourism industry and economy will be decimated,” he said of Dworshak. “That is not acceptable to me.”