For Immediate Release: March 05th, 2003

For More Information Contact:
Bob Hunter, WaterWatch of Oregon - (541) 772-6116
Steve Pedery, WaterWatch of Oregon - (503) 295-4039 ext. 26
Peter Raabe, American Rivers - (202) 347-7550 ext. 3006
Wendell Wood, Oregon Natural Resources Council - (503) 283-6343
Glen Spain, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations - (541) 689-2000
Bill Rittenhouse, Rogue Flyfishers - (541) 858-5981
Steve Rowe, Ashland Outdoor Store - (541) 488-1202

Commercial and Recreational Fishing Groups, Conservation Organizations Blast New Elk Creek Dam Scheme

Groups charge passage of Rep. Walden's rider continues both waste of American tax dollars and Rogue River salmon

Medford, OR - Conservationists today expressed dismay, but resolved to continue their struggle, to provide free flowing fish passage through southern Oregon's infamous Elk Creek Dam. The proclamation came following an announcement by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that a "rider" on an Omnibus Bill Appropriations Bill has become law, with the intention of ultimately establishing a permanent artificial mechanism to trap salmon and then drive them in trucks around southern Oregon's never completed Elk Creek Dam.

The non-germane Elk Creek Dam language was attached to a House Energy and Water Appropriations Bill late last year by Rep. Greg Walden, (R- OR.). Despite conservationists' and fishermen pleas to Senator Gordon Smith (R- OR) and other members of Congress, the provision emerged from House-Senate Conference Committee intact, and was signed by President Bush into law on February 20, 2003.

Additionally, a provision in the report accompanying the law contains specific language directing the Corps of Engineers to not "notch" the dam as the Corps of Engineers and fish and wildlife agencies had proposed. The report directs that the agencies' failing fish trucking plan be expanded instead of funding the less expensive alternative of cutting a notch in the unfinished dam which would allow fish to freely swim past. The creation of natural salmon passage by notching the dam is also favored by NOAA-Fisheries (formerly the National Marine Fisheries Service). They announced in January 2001 in a formal biological opinion that any other alternative would still "jeopardize" the survival of a major portion of the Rogue River's threatened, wild coho salmon populations.

"Although construction of the dam on Elk Creek, a key salmon spawning tributary of the Rogue River, was abandoned in 1987, the new trap-and-haul scheme has been supported by Representative Walden and other Rogue Valley developmental interests in an unrealistic hope of one day completing construction of this fish killing dam," said Wendell Wood, Southern Oregon Field Representative for the Oregon Natural Resources Council. Noting it was fortunate that the reservoir's oak and mixed evergreen woodland basin was never cleared during dam construction. "Conservationists ultimately want to see the dam totally removed, and the area's publicly owned land to be designated a National Wildlife Refuge to best sustain the basin's salmon, steelhead and wild elk herds," Wood said.
Last fall, 50 conservation, commercial and recreational fishing organizations sent a letter to Oregon Senator Gordon Smith, which opposed Congress forcing US taxpayers to fund a permanent "salmon trucking" scheme at Elk Creek Dam. The letter asked Senator Smith to not support Rep. Walden's rider on the Senate side. "We had urged Senator Smith to restore the Rogue and its endangered salmon by putting a stop to this boondoggle," Wood said.
Presently, the Corps of Engineers estimates that the Congressionally adopted "trap and haul" plan will require at least two more Congressional appropriations before it could be completed for operation near the end of 2005. According to the Corps of Engineers, the $500,000 appropriated in 2003 will be spent just to begin the initial stages of the fish trap-and-haul development plan. These funds will not come near the amount needed for construction and long term management of the project.

"Millions of tax dollars have already been squandered on the failed Elk Creek Dam project," said Peter Raabe with the conservation group American Rivers. "It is too bad that in these tight budget times Congress is willing to spend these dollars on such a wasteful and environmentally hazardous project."

"Congress needs to do the right thing for US taxpayers, and give any future appropriations for this 'salmon trucking' scheme the thumbs down," said Glen Spain of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations--the west coast's largest organization of commercial fishing families. "NOAA-Fisheries, the federal agency in charge of protecting America's threatened salmon runs, has said the "salmon trucking" scheme will likely violate the law, which means it could end up generating more conflict and lawsuits. According to the agency, the only possible way to bring Elk Creek Dam into compliance with the law is to notch it," Spain said.

"My business, and the businesses of thousands of other Rogue valley residents, depends on healthy runs of salmon and steelhead," said Steve Rowe, owner of the Ashland Outdoor Store. "It is unfortunate that our tax dollars could continue to be spent on a program that may make matters worse for these fish."

The "salmon trucking" proposal is only the latest chapter in the troubled history of the Elk Creek Dam project. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opposed its construction because the dam doesn't make economic sense. The Corps has pointed out that if they were required to complete it, they would not operate the dam to store water because they have no customers who need it. The dam was never designed to generate any electricity, and the Rogue River valley has gotten along quite well without the marginal flood damage reduction it might provide. Worse, American taxpayers have nothing to show for the tens of millions of dollars that have already been squandered on the dam. According to a report by the United States General Accounting Office, the benefits of the project were overstated from the start, and it would only return about twenty cents for every dollar spent.
"Money has now been deverted away from notching to a biologically and financially unsound fish trucking scheme. This scheme will continue to harm fish and the tax payers will be left to support this in perpetuity," said Bob Hunter with WaterWatch of Oregon.
"Down here on the river, Rogue fishermen have long joked that Elk Creek Dam's only purpose is to kill fish," said Bill Rittenhouse of Rogue Flyfishers. "Measures to secure permanent truck rides for fish is no more than a giant sinkhole for American tax dollars."

For background information, photos, and a copies of prior letter sent by 50 Commercial and Recreational Fishing Groups, Conservation Organizations letter see ONRC's Elk Creek Dam page. 

 

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