Owyhee River author passionate for protection

OUTTHERE – The rugged, wild Owyhee River canyonlands of southern Oregon are remote and easy to put out of mind.

That’s why “The Owyhee River Journals” author Bonnie Olin will present a free program on the need to preserve this magnificent landscape at 7 p.m. on Thursday at Mountain Gear Corporate Headquarters, 6021 E. Mansfield Ave. in Spokane Valley. The program will feature photography by Mike Quigley.

Olin has explored the region for 24 years. She’s learned the region is one of the largest intact sagebrush environments in the country. The geology is stunning. The river is among the wildest in the region and also one of the quietest, save for along the river where whitewater rafters venture through the rapids on multiday trips.

One of the biggest threats to the Owyhee is unregulated expansion of motorized use on backroads and the pioneering of new, unauthorized routes, she said.

The call for protecting the Owyhee canyons as wilderness or a national monument is nothing new.

Approximately 1 million – 48 percent – of the 2.1 million acres proposed for wilderness is already designated as wilderness study areas, and the remaining 900,000 acres has been identified with wilderness characteristics that qualify for permanent protection.

“The issue is that wilderness study areas expire after a period of years,” Olin said. “Designating the area as wilderness would make what we already know to be true, permanent.”

Spokane citizens have a stake in the decision, she said.

“The land is currently managed by the BLM in Oregon and belongs to the public,” Olin said. “The people in Washington state have just as much at stake in deciding how this landscape should be managed as the local rancher or a citizen of New York state. No private property is being taken or involved. The Owyhee needs the citizens of Washington to speak up.”

Rock Lake launch improvements on hold

FISHING – Why doesn’t the state improve the public boat launch at Rock Lake, a popular trout and bass fishing lake in Whitman County?

That’s the question several boaters asked after the Washington Fish and Wildlife closed the site for two days recently for improvements to the parking area.

“They didn’t do anything to the boat launch, which has no ramp and is is terribly rough,” said one angler who called in amazement that the state wouldn’t make it better.

The reason is simple, officials say: The state doesn’t own the site.

“The land around Rock Lake, including the public access site, is privately owned,” said Madonna Luers. “State rules prevent us from doing any major development without a long-term lease or ownership. The way it is, we manage the public access on a year-to-year agreement with landowner.”

The recent improvements were made with an offer from the landowner to do some grading if the agency would provide gravel, she said.

“We would love to own it and put in good ramp, but we don’t own it,” she said.