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

Judge Delays Ruling On Corps Drawdowns

From Staff And Wire Reports

U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge won’t rule until next week at the earliest on a bid from Orofino groups to get an order forbidding the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from making big drawdowns from Dworshak Reservoir.

Orofino residents and groups asked Lodge in court hearings on Thursday to keep the Corps of Engineers from taking a lot of water from the reservoir to enhance Snake River flows for salmon. They said last year’s drawdown, which lowered the reservoir 110 feet below full, practically destroyed recreation on the reservoir.

Drawdowns started Monday, and Orofino representatives said the reservoir was falling about a foot a day. They said the Corps plans to lower the reservoir level by 80 feet.

Lodge’s office said after Thursday’s hearing, he asked the attorneys to file response briefs by Monday morning.

The Orofino groups want an immediate injunction to stop further drawdowns. But a federal attorney argued Orofino has no right to any particular water level in the reservoir and operational decisions on releasing water do not require an environmental impact study.