LEGISLATURE
Nestucca protection debated
By Martina Jofte
for ire Oregon OrUy fmtvitkl
SALEM — A bill in I ho Oregon Legislature
would remove portions of the Nestucca River from
the Oregon Scenic Waterway System
The river, south of coastal Tillamook, was added
to the scenic waterway program by n statewide bal
lot initiative in 19HH
Those for and against the hill say they want to
protect the river's environment, though each has
different strategies for that protection One side's
protection of the river and its ecosystem includes
the construction of n dam on a creek on the upper
Nestucca.
Solly Cross, of the Oregon Natural Resources
Council, and other environmental groups see hills
like this ns a danger to the way in which state and
federally protected species and habitat are kept
protected
The portion of the river that would In* affected if
the bill passes is n 15.3-mile segment from Ginger
Creek to the Rocky Bend compound on the upper
Nestucca A portion of the river that would be
affix ted contains a wetland called Meadow Lake,
which is habitat for a federally endangered plant,
the Nelson's < heckermnllow
According to Ralph Friedman's 10H7 book. Orv
go/l for the Curious, "many fishermen consider the
Nestucca River, near lleho. the finest fishing
stream in the state."
The river is also exalted by n Seattle adventure
group called the Mountaineers. Their i atuxt routes
guidebook desi rilxis the Nestucca as a "beautiful
stream that drains the Coast Range south of
Tillamook
But everybody wants different tilings from the
river
McMinnville Power and Light wants to build a
dam for a rnunii ipal water supply on the upper
Nestucca's Walker Crtx*k
Cross, who opposes the hill, said the Nestucca
was a popular recreation site in need of continued
and genuine protection She said significant
salmon runs existed on the river and said if the
scenic waterway designation were revoked, the
river's ecosystem would he seriously degraded
lxes Melgusen. who initialed the bill, is a prop
erty owner along the river Melgusen formed
Friends of the Nestucca. a public-benefit corpora
tion that represents land owners who live along
the Nestucca
Friends of the Nestucca supports some develop
ment of the river, including a proposed dam, and
property owners' rights more than national envi
ronmental laws. Melgusen said the Nestucca had
been protes ted "without a study with a scientific
twists,"
llelgusen, a botanist and professional resources
consultant, said few fish in the river would be
effected by either the dam or by revoking the wild
and scenic river status of the Nestuoe.
Melgusen said there were wild salmon on the
river hut that "a second dam could improve
things.'
lack Nicholls of McMinnville Power and Light
Supports the bill and has lanm proposing a dam on
the river for several years
Nicholls said McMinnville is exceeding popula
lion projections for its water supply and the utili
ty company would need more water for the city
soon. .
In testimony Indore the House Natural Resources
Committee April 1.1. Nicholls grumbled repeated
ly about botanists, kayakers and other nature
lovers who trespass on private lands, destroy plant
life and generally disrespect private property.
Melgusen said some of the support for the lull
comes from property owners who want to keep
wild and si enic river tourists off of their land
Both Nicholls and Melgusen said urban ouldoor
enthusiasts seeking wilderness experiences
thoughtlessly trample plant life, such as the
endangered checkermallow, leave trash and tres
pass on residents' private property.
Nicholls and Melgusen said the river would lx*
lietter cared for by property owners and by putting
in the proposed dam, than it would be with its cur
rent Oregon wild and scenic protection.
However, Cross said, "they want to stop the |h*o
pie who kayak. To blame the scenic waterway sys
tem is to blame the wrong culprit."
Higher ed considers credit crackdown
By Chris Penttila
fat trie Oregon Defy I me/ak)
University senior Mike Kskel
dnii plans to return for a fifth
year and expects to graduate in
June 1904.
Eskeldson, 21. is just one of
many college students statewide
who needs a fifth year of school
ing to earn a bachelor's degree.
"It just takes some students
longer." he said.
But some state officials have
dec ided that enough is enough.
The board of higher edmotion
is now considering a recommen
dation that would require all
resident undergraduate students
attending Oregon's state collies
or universities to pay out-of
state tuition if they exceed a pro
posed credit limit.
The recommendation, called
the Credit Hour Threshold Poli
cy. would charge students non
resident tuition rates when they
take mare course* than they
need to graduate. It wuuld apply
to all undergraduates with Ore
gon residency who have accu
mulated at least 48 credit hours
beyond their specific baccalau
reate degree requirements.
Graduate and out-of-state stu
dents would not be affected by
the change. If the board
approves the proposal in July, it
would take affect no later than
Tum to CREDIT, Page 7
Tagging proposed
to protect wild fish
By Martina Jofft
for th» Origan {My BrrtmUd
SAI-EM — There are several bills in the Oregon legislature
that are meant to to protect wild fish stocks in Oregon.
Wild fish, as opposed to agriculturally raised hatchery fish,
contain genes that make them resilient to disease and more
capable of surviving through environmental extremes, such as
weather variations and increases in predation.
Hatchery fish are of similar genetic lineage and brad using
the same agricultural methods as might be used on domestic
cows or com.
It is because of wild fish's highly adaptive nature and
resilience to disease that groups such as Oregon Trout, Oregon
South Coast Fishermen and even some power companies are
supporting House Joint Resolution 11.
Power companies have been criticized for the declining fish
population by not protecting fish from turbines, which grind
up the fish as they travel up and down rivers.
Jim Myron of Oregon Trout, a group devoted to protection of
wild Fish, said HO percent of fish are killed on their way down
stream, many in the turbines of hydroelectric dams. Myron
and University conservation biologists said that of the fish that
survive the voyage downstream, only half will return to
spawn.
It is not known what percentage of the remaining trout and
salmon are domestically raised hatchery fish and how many
are indigenous wild fish.
Dr. Fred Aliendorf, a conservation biologist from the Uni
versity of Montana, said when the pionoers first came West,
the wild salmon population was estimated at more than 12
million fish. The current number is down to about half of a
million.
Salmon are extinct in many rivers, notably the Snake River
Sockeye salmon. Last year. Fish and Wildlife biologists saw
one lone male return to the river to spawn.
Myron said the scientists were saddened when no female
came to join him. Myron said the lone male Sockeye's sperm
was frozen by biologists until the time exists when it is safe for
his genes to be passed on to a new generation. Fish and
Wildlife biologists and other biologists are stockpiling wild
salmon sperm because of the fear that all wild salmon will go
extinct.
One of the wild fish bills. House Joint Measure 11, would
create an agreement requiring Alaska, California. Idaho.
British Columbia and Oregon to join in the effort to mark all
hatchery fish by clipping the adiposo fin, a small fin on the
fish's underside. The National Marine Fisheries Service and
the Pacific States Marine Fisheries would work together on the
project.
The agreement might be a precursor to an international
agreement that would protect migratory wild fish.
By clipping the adipose fin, fishermen and scientists will be
able to distinguish between hatchery fish and wild fish, which
look the same. Fishermen would be required by law to throw
back wild fish.
"Wild stocks are almost non-existent on the coast.” Myron
said.
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