Image provided by: Upper Left Edge; Cannon Beach, OR
About The upper left edge. (Cannon Beach, Or.) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 1993)
Setting a new nignwater mark for idiocy in journalism, the state s largest daily offered recent editorial thougnts on the effects of dams on Columbia Basin salmon runs The piece, entitled le t Science Save Salmon (it's done such a great job so far), cautioned against listening to those (including the Governor of Idaho) who a<Jvocate increasing river flow by drawing down reservoirs 'Drawing down the reservoirs would speed the flow of water in the Snake River, supposedly aiding young salmon on their long and perilous swim to the ocean' Supposedly? ‘ The theory driving the drawdown strategy is that if you can accelerate the velocity of the water, then the fish are less exposed to predators and other problems ’ Theory? Another theory holds that the extra water is needed to get these ancient species from their streams of origin to the ocean in a certain period of tim e ' Theory? 'Some biologists believe that if that m igration is extended too much, not only w ill the juveniles be exposed to predators and disease-causing warmer water, but they also may have trouble making the biological adjustment of going from fresh to s a lt " Believe? "Biologists have been consulted far and wide on the issue, but The Oregonian s t ill cannot get a de finitive answer that would support Idaho s aggressive drawdown strategy as the solution the region ought to persue" Especially since the salmon are thriving “ Indeed, there is no convincing evidence to show that drawdowns would do more good than harm We just don t know ' Forget that salmon are indissolubly linked to the river system Forget that their evolution did not include genetic instructions on how to leap ten story concrete w alls Or evade turbines Or reason w ith n itw it humans who happen to own printing presses and do lunch w ith u tility executives The editorial fin a lly gets to the meat 'The Army Corps of Engineers this summer issued a report to the Northwest Power Planning Council (the folks who d love to sell hydro-electric power to Southern California), estim ating cost of from $, 3 b illio n to $49 b illio n to modify the dams so that reservoirs could be lowered each spring to aid salmon m ig ra tio n ' This is the same Army Corps of Engineers who promised new homes for Indians drowned out by construction of Bonneville Dam f if t y years ago Maybe they deal straignter now Before the region sets course on permanent m odification of dams--a construction process that would take 14 to 17 years and result in annual e le c tric ity rate increases of 5 percent to 10 percent after construction--the drawdown theory should a least be tested to see if it w o rks' That should take a decade or so Whether drawdowns should be part of the region's salmon recover plan remains debatable ' To who? Certainly not the salmon 'However, looking at the science, which provides mere snapshots of salmon m igration behavior, it appears that Idaho exaggerates the value of drawdowns, especially compared to the cost of doing them ' Business is business Tick. tick, tick & I SPR E SSO FEATURING STARBUCKS COFFEE WIDE SELECTION OF MAGAZINES HEALTHFUL SNACKS HOURS EVERYDAY 8:00-4:00 368-7450 P O BOX 698 MANZANITA. OK 971 500 LANEDA AVI < <11111011 lte<ich l e a t h e r A Ib M * I « - .i l I K t < U ( l l M 1 , ( l «¡»Ml 4 ( I t ‘S U < M'S Tofovana cjaïlery M aine U lio lt Sandra l < SOI» 4U I • .—.... - - - -...... - - P O Bo« 1,6 238 N HemiocX Cannon Baach OA 97, ,0 Ward (503)436 0208 Organized Christianity has probably done more to retard the ideals that were ts founders than any other agency in the world Richard 1 e (ìa llien n e —t------ nbv A NEHALEM BAY VIDEO In M jn/anaa, Wheeler & Nehalem 368-5538 Noon to 8 p m , Sunday through Thursday Noon to 9 p m . Friday and Saturday I »WW h « l £ in WURMT Manny got the word from a union memo A new labor contract allowed his employer, HumungaMegaResorts, to begin random urine testing for, among other things, certain (ahem) herbal substances Horror stories abounded They could detect any indulgence for up to th irty days after' A single poppy seed m uffin could bust you for opium' EEEK' This is not to imply that Manny is a heavy duty doper, far from it However, he does play in a band called Unclean Acts on weekends He imagined the band standing out back in the alley during a break The pipe is making its rounds It comes to him "No thanks guys, none for m e" He imagines the shocked pause, the sudden, premature expulsions of precious fumes What's this? They d be thinking, Manny, a known pipe sucker, refusing a toke? Small suspicions would emerge They remembered people who. busted, agreed to inform on friends to save their rumps from ja il Relations would grow cold, he might be dropped from the band They d hire that foxy chick bass player from up in the h ills There d be a record contract Manny would s t ill be counting beans for HMR while his erstw hile friends were on world tour trashing hotel suites there would be groupies (sob) Maybe they d autograph an album for him if he bought one Something had to be done Then Manny had a thought Sweet One, his girlfriend, never, never put illic it substances into the temple that was her body Hmmmm It took some rnnv,ncing but a few days later Manny began carrying to work a small ziploc bag (Dave Barry is not making this up) containing a perfectly pristine sample He was called on to donate in the fir s t round of testing Time passed The personnel manager wanted to see him There was a sealed note attached to his clean b ill of of (?) Manny opened and read Dear M r________ , Congratulations on your negative drug test Our system here at incrediprof it Labs automatically tests a ll samples for the fu ll spectra of conditions that may be revealed in urinalysis Thus, may I suggest you see your personal physician and consider calling a press conference? You appear to be pregnant Philip Thompson ■ Z«a<y 5m is U m , ’ archi,«, boíanZ a rc h ite c tu re A e n v iro n m e n ta l p la n n in g 25925N.W. SI. Helens Rd , Scapfx mu* < *9 7 0 5 6 (5(H) 541-2000 FOR QUALITY VIDEO SELECTION & SERVICE! WE RE TRADING MORE MOVIES SO CHECK OUT OUR INVENTORIES! LICENSED BO N D E D INSURED AB CHILDRESS BUILDER NEW CONSTRUCTION REMODELING FOUNDATIONS F LA TWO RK HAYSTACK VIDEO In Cannon Beach 436-0436 Noon to 9 p m Daily BB »371 «700 Phon« A Ä2400 » 0 Bo. 3, Cannon Baach. OR 9 7 ,,0 urrtu itrr dm ikmnii m3 5