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About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 26, 2018)
A16 OUTDOORS Wallowa County Chieftain Wednesday, December 26, 2018 ‘Flexible spills’ could STEELHEAD SEASON OFF TO SLOW START help salmon survive Dams on Columbia, Snake rivers will be affected Oregon Public Broadcasting Steelhead fi shing Steelhead fi shing slow on area rivers Bag limits have been reduced, but dedi- cated steelhead anglers are fi nding limited success on Northeast Oregon rivers such as the Grande Ronde. Steelhead fi shing has been diffi cult this year due to the low numbers of returning fi sh and low fl ows, according to the Ore- gon Department of Fish & Wildlife. The few anglers that have recently been on the Grande Ronde are fi nding some success and respectable catch rates. The warmer weather and rain has caused the river to thaw and will be fi shable over the holidays. Fishing has been slow on the Imnaha River, and a few steelhead have been caught in the Wallowa, though ODFW says success rates will be low until fi sh have more time to move into the system. Anglers are reminded that through Dec. 31, the daily bag limit is one hatch- ery steelhead in the following creeks and rivers: Grande Ronde River upstream to Meadow Creek; Imnaha River down- stream of Big Sheep Creek; Wallowa River from the mouth upstream to Trout Creek; Big Sheep Creek downstream of Little Sheep Creek; Wenaha River down- stream of Crooked Creek and Catherine Creek from the mouth to the Hwy 203 bridge above Catherine Creek State Park. Bag limits were reduced to protect lim- ited numbers of wild fi sh returning to the Snake River Basin and to ensure hatchery programs meet production goals. Fishing on Wallowa Lake typically slows during the fall and winter. However, for the angler that is willing to tough it out, some large fi sh can be available. Stocked fi sh have now been in the lake long enough that they have keyed in on natural foods. Try fi shing live worms, grubs, or fl ies that imitate midges, mayfl ies and crawdads. Kokanee fi shing has improved recently and large fi sh are being caught. A reduc- tion in the population size has allowed for fi sh to grow larger and anglers are catch- ing fi sh up to 20-inches with the average around 13-inches. Ice fi shing on Kinney lake should be good once the surface is frozen solid, and anglers should consider Marr Pond, which has been stocked with legal and trophy trout and where repairs have been completed. A new agreement aims to help more young salmon make their way past dams along the Columbia and Snake rivers. The agreement, released Tuesday, spells out new strategies for spilling more water over the dams — and sending less water through power-generating turbines — each spring. It signals a reprieve to the yearslong legal skirmishes that have been playing out in federal courts over how best to save salmon and steelhead from extinction. The fi sh face a num- ber of challenges because of the hydroelectric dams built on the two rivers throughout the 20th cen- tury. Those threats include miles of slackwater behind dams, forcing juvenile fi sh to swim down rivers where currents previously carried them along. Dams also have created more opportunities for predators like sea lions and cormorants to prey on young salmon. And getting past the dams and their tur- bine blades presents dan- gers of its own. Government and tribal leaders announced the new agreement, describing it as a way to strike a balance between fi sh survival and continued hydropower gen- eration from eight dams on the lower Columbia and Snake rivers. Spilling water has been ordered by the courts in the past, as recently as last spring. But those orders have created friction between salmon recovery advocates and groups that say curb- ing the fl ow of water means less electricity — and that means higher rates for customers. This latest approach calls for “fl exible spill,” accord- ing to a joint statement released by the agreement’s parties. In other words, dam operators would control the volume of water that gets released to help move fi sh downriver; more water when electricity demand is lower, less water when there’s high demand for electricity. During those high-demand periods, more ‘WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE UNPRECEDENTED AND SCIENTIFICALLY UNPROVEN LEVELS OF NEW SPILL BEING CONTEMPLATED BY THE AGREEMENT.’ Jim Litchfi eld, executive director of Northwest RiverPartners water would be sent through power-generating turbines. These new strategies for spilling water past the dams would be in place for three years on eight dams on the lower Columbia and Snake rivers. The agreement “avoids litigation” during that three-year period. “I don’t think this piece would be the solution, but it might be the start of a move toward a solution, and that’s what I think we’re all hope- ful for,” said Jim Litchfi eld, executive director of North- west RiverPartners, a group that has opposed increased spill in the past. “At the same time, we are concerned about the unprecedented and scien- tifi cally unproven levels of new spill being contem- plated by the agreement,” said Litchfi eld, whose group represents utilities, ports, farms and other oper- ations that support dams. Fishing and environmen- tal advocacy groups char- acterized the agreement an important incremental step in the right direction. “The urgency for strong action remains, while Columbia Basin salmon remain on life support,” said Glen Spain, North- west regional director of the Pacifi c Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations. The parties that agreed to the new spill strategy include the Washington, Oregon and the Nez Perce Tribe in Idaho. Other par- ties include the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation, which operate the dams, and the Bonneville Power Administration, which mar- kets hydropower to utilities and other customers. Bonneville Power Administration spokesman Dave Wilson said the plan could keep everyone out of court for the next three years. “The new approach is collaboration rather than litigation, working together the states, tribes, federal agencies,” he said. “We’re going to try to do it all.” Some, including the fed- eral judge who previously presided over the case, and more recently, Washing- ton Gov. Jay Inslee, have called for research or con- sideration for the removal of dams on the lower Snake River. It’s an idea that’s been discussed as way to save salmon and ensure they are plentiful enough for orca survival in the Northwest — especially if more incremental steps don’t work. Happy Holidays * Acupuncture gift certificates * * 20 minute cupping sessions * * CBD oil and salve * * Herbal lozenges for cold season * * Herbs and supplements * * Herbal patches for sore muscles * And more! 119 E Main St Enterprise, OR 97828 (971)-806-1758 eaglecapwellness@gmail.com Located inside and upstairs from the Belle Salon Office: 541-426-4071 Fax: 541-426-6385 admin@wellensfarwell.com P.O. BOX 658 ENTERPRISE, OR 97828 Retail store will be closed January 1st H app r a e y Ne w Y To run an ad in the Wallowa County Chieftain, Contact Jennifer Cooney today jcooney@wallowa.com 541-805-9630 Happy NewYear! All Christmas Decorations 75 (in stock) % off regular retail While supplies last. 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