Vol. 71 No 33
SANDY OREGON THURSDAY AUGUST 13
981
i I \I K
JU l I un i
Postal service
names Sandy
postm aster
Sandy has a new postmaster
Arnold Becker. 42. postmaster at
Cannon Beach since 1979. has been
appointed postmaster at Sandy He
w ill take over Aug 22
He replaces John MeLsger, who
retired in January, after serving 26
years as Sandy postmaster
Chuck Troppof the Gladstone post
office has served as interim postal
official while the search for Met
sger’s replacement was conducted
According to f ’ostmaster Ben
Luscher, who announced Becker’s
appointment, the new postmaster
began his career in the postal ser
vice as a city carrier in Portland in
1962
SUHS board
OKs vote on
new B ballot
by SCOTT NEWTON
As temperatures rose into the loo-degree range for fixe straight days, the rivers anil lakes in the Mt
Hood area became a popular magnet for people looking to escape the heat. Tuesday. Teresa Winter en-
The Sandy Union High School Board
voted Monday night to put a $255,846 03
B ballot before the public Sept 15
A $355,293 B ballot was defeated,
905-614, June 30
Library and art room renovations,
field renovations and plans to hire a
counselor have been cut from the first
ballot
bv l>AN D ILLO N
The Sept. 15 ballot includes $36,500 for
bus replacement, with the other
The string of loo plus temperatures
$219,346 03 having been approved by the ended Tuesday with the Sandy area
board at a public hearing Feb. 20
coming through the heat with mixed
“ This budget was not developed in an reviews.
easy manor,” Superintendent Jack
City officials were pleased with the
Peters pointed out Asked about the
performance of the c ity 's water
alternatives, he said, “ It means pro system the million gallon filter plant
gram deletion It means a renovation
performed admirably
of second semester ”
For persons who rely on the woods for
Asked if he has a contigency plan,
work and play, the news was less
Peters replied, “ I can tell you it takes
brightening
the insides right out of the budget
“ We’re sitting pretty good," said City
“ You'll find everything that we offer
Engineer John Lichtenheld Wednesday
here is a favorite area for a group of
people, because when you have 1,200
students, you'll have segments that
have success in everything we do."
“ Mr Chairman, it would appear to
me that it’s imperative that we go
ahead (with) this election,” said Paul
Tucker, board member
After discussing the fact that it would
probably cost more to purchase a bus by M IC H A E L I ’ JONES
next year, the board decided to add bus Post Correspondent
replacement to the ballot, and then ap
Since James Watt became Secretary
proved the ballot unanimously.
In other business, the minutes of the of the* Interior, environmentalists have
last meeting were approved after a be*en concerned that his proposal to
change was made to include The Sandy open National Fores, lands to energy
Post as a designated newspaper, along exploration might well lie the* end of the
with The Oregonian, to publish legal rugged lands that outdoor enthusiasts
now know
notices for the district.
In the Mt Hexxl area, these concerns
Deputy Clerk Joan Hay gave a budget
report, which showed a cash carry-over have been voiced by Zigzag Mountain
of $4,412.50 That’s “ sound fiscal ac hike*rs who saw a survey crew paying
particularly close attention to a water
countability," Peters said
The Carnation Company, ITT Con fall
According to John Geyer of the* super
tinental (Wonder Bread), Graybar
Electric of Portland and Bud’s Tire of visor’s office of the Mt Hexxl National
Gresham received bids for the coming Forest, there are 100 sites lx*ing studied
that are "technologically feasible for
school year
Decisions on bids for a tractor and small-scali hydro plants " In the* Zigzag
custodial supplies have been postponed District, Geyer said there are two such
projects being proposed
until the board’s Aug 24 meeting
John Smay, ranger in charge* ol the*
An increase in charges, from $30 to
$35, was approved for the behind-the- Zigzag District, confirme there is a pro
wheel drivers education program to jec, proposed by Douglas Pegar of
help the district absorb some cost in Gladstone on Devil’s Creek and Henry
Creek above Rhododendron on Zigzag
creases and put it in line with similar
Mountain Henry Creek, water source
programs in the area
for the community, is owned by the*
An electronic security system install
ed by Gresham Alarm at the bus facili Hhixhxiendron Summer Home Associa
ty and stadium area was praised by tion
Gordon Pearigen, Forest Service
Peters "It's a good system." he said
resource assistant, is concerned after
the* field reviews of the site
(< ontinued on pg. 5)
In a June* 9 letter to Pegar, Pearigen
cited a potential problen with the
stream's volume of water in the* sum
mer He said it could be* greatly
decreased by the* project’s diversion in
take
He noted that the effect would lx* par
ticularly visible from Enola Point
SECTION 1
Keeping Posted
overlook on Hoad S 27, where people*
2
Inside Business
stop to look at the falls
3
Senior Center News
He noted that the Fores, Service
5
Editorials, Letters
would have to evaluate* the impact and
6
Sports. Recreation
“ may require tha, a certain minimum
.7 8
flow must bypass your diversion intake
and flow down the natural channel and
SECTION II
falls
Area News
1
Hoodland Happenings
"Not only is the water flow important
.......1
Public Notices
to the visual quality," Pearigen wrote,
2
Around the County
"but maintaining some water flow will
.......3
The Doctor Says
help prevent a severe impact on
... 4
Home & Garden
downstream vegetation dependent
8 9
upon the water "
Classified Advertising
11-14
The small-scale project, located near
the wilderness boundary, would require
SECTION III
a bridge constructed across Devil's
Television Directory Inside Tab
Creek, raising questions of washouts,
design and sedimentation in the
v noc
joxed the cool t apids along the Salmon River as she floated an inner tube downstream.
City water system handles heat wave
morning “ The springs can keep us go
ing through most of the year, but during
the hot weather, we’ve got the new
fille r plant."
The city relies on Brownell Springs
and Alder Creek for its water source
However, with the increased demand
during peak temperature days, the
million gallon tank kicks in and helps
out
There were some minor problems,
Lichtenheld said, but those were not
heat related
In the forests around the Sandy area,
the picture was not so bright But with
humidity returning to the area by the
end ot the week, the situation is improv
ing.
"We've got all logging shut down
right now," Bob Gulvin, forester with
the Clackamas Marion District ol the
state fo re stry Department in Sandy,
said Wednesday. “ The last three days,
we’ve had a complete shutdown ’’
The shutdown means loggers are not
able to use chainsaws or cable yarding
As the humidity returns and the air
cools, the tinderdry forests w ill be re
opened
“ We re on a humidity and moisture
recovery pattern right now,” Gulvin
said "Supposedly, it’s going to get bet
ter tomorrow."
For campers, restrictions limited
campfires to improved campgrounds
only Smoking is not permitted while
walking or working in the woods, accor
ding to Gulvin
The humidity hit a low of 18 percent
Monday, when the temperature reach
ed 100 degrees. With that burning index,
the* woods became unsafe for work
Prior to the* total shutdown, loggers
hail been asked to leave the* woods by 1
p m e*ach day, Gulvin said
For persons who simply wanted to en
joy the outdoors, there were some
hangups
The Gresham Community Hospita
reported a land officebusiness, break
ing its one-day emergency room treat
ment record Sunday According ti
Steve Kent, public relations director
the hospital treated 56 people in the
emergency room that day, breaking the
record of 53 set last summer.
In a normal 24 hour period, the
hospital treats about 30 emergencies,
Kent said
Variety of hydro projects spring up
Index
stream
“ These concerns," according to
Pearigen, “ can lx* deal, with through
pro,x*r design and construction prac
tice*.*’
According to Pegar, the design of the
hydr<x*lec,ric plant would have little en
vironmental impact because of its size
He said there would lx* no dam which
would cut off the water supply, but
there w ill lx* some diversion
He added tha, since the Forest Ser
vice field studies, he has imxlified the
design of his project to accommodate
their concerns He indicated tha, a
pipeline would lx* underground and the
hydro plant wouldn't lx* visible, “ even
if you were 10 feet away.”
Pegar, representing Douglas Water
Company, said his company has been
doing preliminary studies of the stream
for about two years The company is
also working on a project a, Canyon
Creek in the C lackam as R iv e r
drainage
He said the plan, could generate
enough power, after construction, to
serve “ roughly 750 homes ” The power
would lx* sold to Portland General Elec
tric Co
Ranger Smay stressed that the
Fores, Service is not yet ready to ap
prove or deny the project He said an
inter disciplinary team, composed of a
geologist, a hydrologist and soils scien
list, is still studying the project in
respects to "p ro te c tin g n atu ra l
resources at the site "
He added the team "really hadn't
done an environmental impact state
ment in relation to the two Rhododen
dron sites, bu, emphasized the projects
are "speculative at this tim e" and
“ there is no need to get p<*ople riled
up "
Another hydroelectric project, cur
rently being studied on Camp Creek in
the Yocum Falls area, does have some
uncertainties
Smay confirmed that the project has
some engineering problems tha, have
to be overcome firs, before it can be
considered compatible with the area
Jay Massey, fish biologist with the
state Department of Fish and Wildlife,
said he is no, aware of any projects be
ing proposed for the Zigzag Ranger
District, but added that his office woulc
probably survey the stream sites tc
evaluate the diversion structures’ im
pact on fisheries
He indicated that the Camp Creek
plant could have difficulties because of
the stream’s important fish runs
Massey did reveal two other sites for
mini hydroelectric projects tha, are no,
on Fores, Service land
He said he l<x>ked at a sighe on the
Salmon River, proposed by Don Swift of
Welches, and one on Clear Creek, pro
posed by Wes Post of Zigzag
Massey said both would have “ fish
hurdles' to overcome if they are to
become environmentally feasible He
said Coho Salmon were observed last
spring a, Swift’s site
Clackamas River feels effects o f hydro
by M IC H A E L P. JONES
Post Correspondent
Along the Clackamas River
drainage, Portland General Electric
currently operates four dams
at
River Mill, Faraday, and on the Dak
Grove and North forks of the river
But, with an increasing demand
for power and the availability of
federal loan monies, there could be
an additional nine dams in operation
in the near future All would be con
structed on rivers and streams
under U.S Forest Service jurisdic
tion
According to Jay Massey, a fish
biologist with the stale Department
of Fish and Wildlife, his office has
been busy in the Clackamas River
drainage, assessing potential im
pact of small scale hydroelectric
plants on the area's fisheries
Massey said for those streams
which "do no, have andromous fish
(steelhead and salmon which spawn
in fresh water, then return to the
ocean), evaluating those waters for
small hydro is easy But," he added,
"if they do have steelhead or
salmon, then we’ve got another
story altogether ’’
The projects on the Clackamas
River and its tributaries being ex
amined by the Fish and Game Com
mission range from a three-foot
diversion structure to a 450-foo, dam
proposed by the city of Portland for
the Collowash River.
Ed Whitmore, Estacada ranger,
said his office has discussed projects
on Canyon, Whale and Cripple
creeks by Douglas Pegar of
Gladstone's Douglas Power Com
pany
Maurice Baker of Portland has ex
plored sites on both the South and
North forks of the Clackamas River,
w h ic h
one
source
c la im s
"represents a large financial invest
ment that reaches into the m illions."
Whitmore also said there are two
separate proposals for exactly the
same project on the Roaring River
by two different applicants - Raker
and Hydro Development Inc of Ix>s
Angeles
Whitmore said Baker had a lem
porary permit for the project, but
apparently overlooked filing with
the Federal Regulatory Commis
sion
As a result, the California based
company filed and was granted a
permit. Now both applicants are
reportedly studying the river
Three projects are proposed in the
Clackamas Ranger District One
large dam on the Collowash River
and another on Three Links Creek,
proposed by Gale Marshall of
Portland
Baker has also designed a project
which would diver, two streams into
a diversion structure, the Oak Grove
Fork and Shellrock Creek
Massey said there are a number of
problems associated with the impact
on the fisheries with the Roaring
River dam that have to be over
come, before it becomes feasible
from an ecological standpoint Tha,
structure's cos, has been estimated
at $9 million.
All the other sites, excluding the
Canyon Creek site, w ill have to ad
dress fish runs and may have to in
clude fish passage systems and
screening protection, in order to
maintain the fish populations at ex
isting levels
Critics of these projects say other
problems have no, ye, been address
ed by any applicants These include
the aesthetics of streams and water
falls after their waters are diverted.
their effects on water loving vegeta
tion and the impact on wildlife.
Massey agrees and stresses that
when streams are diverted, bypass
ing w a te rfa lls , w a te rfa lls are
aesthetically affected and “ certain
types of plants and ferns that are
found only around waterfalls that
depend on the spray zone" are im
pacted
By eliminating the amount of
flows in streams, Massey said,
vegetation along the streambanks
are affected and could add to erosion
problems which w ill already be a
factor because of dam construction.
According to an employee of the
Fish and Wildlife's information of
fice. the elimination of vegetation
has no, yet been addressed in re,a
tion to hydroelectric projects, but
doubts they would be a determining
factor in the environmental assess
ment
Massey said the dam site on Three
Links Creek has a 113 foo) waterfall
and the 60 foot falls at Whale Creek
near Indian Henry Campground
"raises some of these concerns "
but, he added, "the Forest Service
w ill have the last word since it’s
their land '*