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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Reservoir Predictions Don’t Ease Anger

Associated Press

News that a wetter winter will keep Dworshak Reservoir full later this year does not soothe Orofino-area residents angered by its drafting for salmon.

Ed Kim, Army Corps of Engineers reservoir section chief, on Thursday said predictions call for Dworshak to remain full through the July 4 holiday. It left an audience of about 70 at Orofino Junior High School still indignant about lowering the Clearwater River reservoir.

Dworshak’s level will begin to fall in early July and bottom out by mid-August or so, Kim said.

The use of Dworshak water to flush migrating endangered salmon toward the ocean struck many in Orofino as an exercise in futility.

Rep. Charles Cuddy, D-Orofino, maintained his town and Montana communities affected by similar moves are “sacrificial lambs for something that isn’t working except to make somebody feel good. “

Chris Ross of the National Marine Fisheries Service argued the Dworshak water does make a difference. His agency wants the water to swell the Snake River to 85,000 cubic feet per second at Lower Granite Dam.

“Above 85,000 cfs, we see both good and bad adult returns,” Ross said. “Below 85,000 we never see good returns.”

The crowd reacted angrily when Ross noted his agency has no control over natural conditions in the ocean that can affect the fish.

Matt Laws, corps Walla Walla District planning division chief, released the preliminary results of a Clearwater County business survey his agency conducted.

The survey mailed to 315 businesses drew a response from 134, a return rate of 48 percent, he said.

It found that about one-third of the county’s 4,200 jobs are in trades and services.

Most businesses felt their successes would be hurt by Dworshak’s falling reservoir level again this year, estimating declines of as much as 40 percent and future losses totaling $15 million, Laws said.