Batt Plan Backs Barging Salmon

Saying he wants to reaffirm his commitment to restore Idaho’s salmon and steelhead runs, Gov. Phil Batt has released a state policy to help fish migration in the Snake River this spring.

The policy will be presented to the National Marine Fisheries Service as a proposal for Columbia and Snake river operations during the upcoming salmon migration season, which runs April through mid-June.

It calls for the release of water from Dworshak Reservoir near Orofino, without draining the popular recreation site during the summer months.

It also calls for release of 427,000 acre feet of Snake River water, in accordance with Idaho law; and for a “spread the risk” tactic of putting half of the migrating smolts in barges to get them safely around hydropower dams. The rest would remain in the river, where many scientists say they have a better chance at surviving to return as adults.

Idaho Sen. Larry Craig endorsed Batt’s plan as “balanced.” Fellow Republican Rep. Helen Chenoweth criticized it, however, saying it relies too heavily on the release of Idaho water.

, DataTimes