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WAKM SPRINGS, OKKGON 97761
April 24, 1987 lap
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Ethno-botonht Richard Helliwell studies plants growing on the Warm
Springs reservation which relate to the Indian culture.
Cultural plants inventoried
"The root issue is just as impor
tant as the salmon issue and we
need to address it."
Increased land development has
made the preservation of plant
food areas a pressing issue and of
importance now. "Since develop
ment has geared up so much,"
explains Culture and Heritage depart
ment director Nina Rowe, "little
consideration has been given to
plants that occur in areas that are
being sprayed, used for homesites,
grazing, water development, fenc
ing projects, logging and other acti
vities. The existence of these plants in
areas scheduled for development
have been ignored. These areas
have been- used traditionally by
Indiata Jpfopl and ecmtintie to be '
used, as traditional people, asserts
Rowe, "we need to start realizing
that our natural resource are impor
tant especially for our children's
future."
Because of the seeming disre
gard given to areas where cultural
plants grow, Rowe decided it was
time to start gathering hard facts to
show tribal land developers where
these cultural areas are located.
Many times culture and heritage
representatives have voiced their
concerns without information to
back it up. All other departments
are able to lay down facts and
figures.
The Culture and Heritage com
mittee allocated funds to hire an
ethno-botonist to do just that.
Richard Helliwell is making a tra
ditional food inventory and gather
ing density and impact informa
tion. "Now, we're mapping and
documenting these areas," Rowe
adds.
Corp plan
A coalition of seven state and
federal fish agencies and 13 Indian
tribes are criticizing a U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers plan for pro
tecting juvenile fish in the Colum
bia River this spring and summer.
The coalition, called the Columbia
Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority,
is concerned that too little spill will
be provided for downstream migra
ting fish during this year's antici
pated low water conditions. Spil
ling water at dams reduces the
number of juvenile fish, or smolts,
killed by passing through generat
ing turbines
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Upon the completion of the new tribal freezer, the Confederated Tribes will be able to store more fish and other
game meats for ceremonial meals. The new building is located in the industrial Park.
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Beginning this spring Helliwell
has begun to gather plant informa
tion. He will be working for three
years from March through September
to collect data. Currently he is
involved in a preliminary survey,
viewing aerial maps to determine
location for particular plants. "The
reservation is extremely varied in
soil types," says Helliwell, "For
each type of plant you must look
for something different." Concen
tration is being given to predomi
nant food plants such as "coush,"
"luksch" and "Pe ah ke." Some
minor plants are also being identi
fied at this point.
Time has been spent with root
diggers discussing plants and their
locations. Helliwell is also working
with tribal linguist Hank Morrison
to equate Indian names with scien
tific names.
The second step, the plant inven
tory, says Helliwell, involves mak
ing ground plots and counting the
number of plants in each area.
Topographic features associated with
plant locations will be include in
the summary.
"Root grounds have been pretty
stable,"explains Helliwell. The same
is still made of these sites. "People,
1 ,000 years ago were after the same
resources."
Preserving cultural areas in the
midst of reservation development
requires good documentation. With
the information being collected,
the Culture and Heritage depart
ment hopes to prevent develop
ment of traditionally utilized plant
digging areas. The people's con
cern for these areas, emphasizes
Rowe, is something "leadership needs
to be aware of."
fails fish
"It's a minimalist plan," is how
Rollie Schmitten, chairman of the
Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife
Authority, characterized the Corps'
proposal. "The Corps is only wil
ling to provide the minimum amount
of water required by the Northwest
Power Planning Council even though
that amount will result in fish losses
even though the Corps could pro
vide more water without effecting
firm power demand," Schmitten
said. Firm power demand consists
of the basic residential, commer-
Continued on page 8
Environmental assessments
Two environmental assessments
for proposed action on the Warm
Springs reservation are now sub
ject for public review.
Understory burning in ponde
rosa pine is planned with annual
treatment from 500-1000 acres, based
on need. Old Daniel Springs timber
and Mistletoe Flat timber sale on
Tenino Road are scheduled for
burning this year.
According to the assessment dense
stands of shrubs have prevented
ponderosa pine from successfully
restocking the site. Prescribed-fire
would change plant succession and
"encourage natural generation of
ponderosa pine," as stated in the
report.
For cost reasons prescribed fire
is the preferred method of treat
ment. Environmental consequences
with this method would include
short term intrusion by smoke which
would degrade air quality; water
quality of some intermittant streams
could be lowered because of
increased runoff and nutrient leach
ing; There will be some tree mortal
ity from fire intensity; wildlife would
be temporarily displaced. This alter
native, according to the report would
not cause significant impact.
Public response is requested to
the environmental assessment and
to the proposed understory burn
ing by April 30. A copy of the EA
may be obtained at Forestry trailer
1 across from the Community
Center.
Bunch and grass control and
seedling release is the topic of a
second environmental assessment.
Forest plantations for treatment in
1 987 total approximately 425 acres.
"This treatment is deemed neces
Agreement increases fish
Federal agencies and Oregon Trout
took the first step today in a new,
coordinated effort to increase fish
habitat in the state of Oregon.
In a special ceremony held at the
Regional Office of the Pacific North
west Region of the Forest Service,
Regional Forester Jim Torrence,
Bureau of Land Management State
Director Bill Luscher, and Oregon
Trout Executive Director Bill Blake
signed a memorandum of under
standing that will "serve as a guide
for fishery management coordina
tion and public understanding of
1 fishery resources on Federal Land
in Oregons," according to the docu
ment. "We predict that our agencies,
working together with Oregon Trout,
can bring additional dollars into
Oregon's $390 million sport and
commercial fishing industry through
increasing the harvest of resident
and anadromous fish by 25 per
cent," stated Regional Forester
Torrence.
"We will use this agreement to
promote a cooperative spirit for
enhancing fisheries habitat,"
explained State Director Luscher.
The memorandum of understand
ing is the first in the State. It fol
lows an agreement between federal
agencies, state agencies, and citizen
groups signed in March to coordi
nate volunteers for improving ripa
rian habitat, which is land adjacent
to streams and river, and in flood
plains and wetlands. The earlier
agreement covers volunteer projects
such as fencing, stabilizing banks,
and planting willows.
The new memorandum of under
standing extends beyond volunteers
and beyond riparian habitat pro
jects to include all projects related
to fish habitat improvement. Though
the actual projects are not yet
planned, they could range from
riparian habitat improvement to
adding structures to coastal streams
to enhance rearing habitat for sal
mon and steelhead, to adding small
reservoirs to aid the development
of resident fish.
Approximately 31,000 miles of
streams in Oregon sustain resident
and anadromous salmonid fisher
ies. Over half of these miles are on
National Forests and land admin-
sary by the Branch of Forestry to
prepare sites for regeneration of
timber species or to release existing
seedlings from competing broad
leaf brush,"according to the report.
The proposed action calls for spray
ing 2-4-D on pine plantations and
aerial application of atra.ine and
simazine for grass control.
This treatment is preferred over
mechanical and hand removal of
brush and grass for cost reasons.
Fish pitted against power
The Confederated Tribes of the
Warm Springs and Umatilla, the
National Wildlife Federation, the
State of Idaho, the Washington
Departments of Fisheries and Game,
the Northwest Resource Informa
tion Center, the Salmon River Val
ley Chamber of Commerce and
others filed their opening briefs last
week in a lawsuit that pits Pacific
Northwest salmon and steelhead
interests against a Bonneville Power
Administration (BPA) proposal to
increase power marketing to southern
California.
The lawsuit is the most recent
round in a series of conflicts over
the allocation of the Columbia and
Snake rivers' waters between power
and fish.
"Although many people have
seen the adult fish ladders for sal
mon and adult fish ladders for sal
mon and steelhead at Bonneville
Dam, fewer people appreciate the
obstacles the dams present to young
salmon and steelhead (smolts) mov
ing downriver to the ocean," said
Tim Wapato, executive director of
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istered by the BLM. In addition,
385,000 acres of lakd and reservoir
habitat provide high quality recrea
tional resident trout and warm
water fisheries.
Deschutes
A study of recreational use of the
lower 100 miles of the Deschutes
River has found it to be impacted
environmentally in many areas and
overcrowded.
Commissioned in 1985 by the
Oregon State legislature, recreatio
nal specialist Bo Shelby from Oregon
State University studied four sec
tions of the lower Deschutes.
Increasing recreation use in the
late 1 970 's after the river was selected
as a Scenic Waterway led to con
cern about the river. In 1980 a 17
member Governor's Task Force
reviewed issues and public input
and made recommendations for
management. Subsequent manage
ment included greater cooperation
among agencies, data collection,
user education, land acquisition,
law enforcement and development
maintenance of facilities.
Some interest groups were still
concerned in 1985 about overuse
which led to the decision by the
Oregon legislature to commission
an independent study.
Recreational opportunities on the
river are diverse and include angling,
camping and floating. Particular
river segments receive more use.
Several areas of ecological con
cern have been identified by inter
est groups and resource managers.
These concerns include: degrada
tion or loss of riparian vegetation,
increasing rates of riverbank ero
sion and sediment input, mainte
nance of the trout and steelhead
fishery, decline on wildlife, frequency
of wildfire, and the aesthetic appea
rance of recreation sites. Recrea
tion impacts were viewed as eco
logical problems in heavily-used
sites.
An assessment of current ecolog
ical conditions suggests that ripar
ian vegetation is below its maxi
mum potential in many areas. Long
stretches of the riparian zone and
riverbank have been managed by
grazing, railroad and road construc
tion. Riparian zones and riverbank
have been locally damaged by heavy
recreational use in some areas. The
loss of riparian vegetation and
increased sediment loads may be
having a detrimental effect on the
trout and salmon fisheries, accord
ing to Shelby's report. Protection
of the riparian zone is important,
Shelby states.
The Shelby study used observa
tion and questionaires to arrive at
its conclusion. The river was divided
in to four sections and each was
analyzed.
Section one from Warm Springs
to Dutchman Flat is typically used
for overnight trips. Local impact to
recreation sites has increased in
recent years. River environment
and fishing are rated most impor
tant. Crowded conditions are per
ceived by users in campsites and on
the river.
River users favored small-scale
development with increased educa
tion and law enforcement. They
favored jet boat limits.
Whitewater, good weather and
social interaction are rated impor
open for review
I'i..;jscd treatment areas are
ocaled in northwest, northeast and
southern portions of the reserva
tion with individual units ranging
from 5-50 acres in size.
Some environmental consequences
with the treatment include: Site
quality could be minimally impa
ceted through surface runoff and
wind erosion caused by foilage
removal; Soil temperatures will fluc
tuate with higher temperatures pos
Fish Commission.
Unless diverted away from the
dams' turbines, juvenile salmon and
steelhead many suffer extremely
high mortalities (in the range of 70
to 90 percent) after passing eight
dams.
The lawsuit was filed due to con
cerns over the availability of water
to be spilled at the dams.
"Spilling water is about the only
way to keep fish out of the turbines
at dams, such as Lower Monumen
tal and Prist Rapids, without juve
nile fish bypass systems," said
Thatcher, the Wildlife Federation
attorney.
BPA's proposal would expand
the capacity of transmission lines
Houses approve scenic status
A bill to designate 70 miles of
upper Deschutes River as a scenic
river passed both the House and
Senate. The scenic river designa
tion protects the river from devel-
opment between wickiup Reser,
vo,r an(J LaRc Bly Cnmoofc in
Central Oregon. Hydroelectric pro
jects on the river are prohi
bited. The bill received support
from many Central Oregon citi
zens who felt further development
of the river would destroy the uni
que recreational experience of the
study shows impacts
tant in section two from Dutchman
flat to Shcrar's Falls. It is also rated
the most crowded of the sections
studied. Impacts in camping areas
and impact as a result of grazing
are prevalent. Users favor small
scale development, education and
law enforcement programs.- "
The least used section is three,
from Buck Hollow to Mack's
Canyon. Steelhead fishing and river
aesthetics are the most important
reasons for use of this section.
Impact problems are overcrowd
ing. Persons surveyed in this sec
tion favored small scale develop
ment and increased education and
law enforcement.
Conditions in section four are
declining in heavily used areas but
not as badly as in section one.
There is generally poor conditions
in riparian zones. This section is
perceived as being very crowded.
In 1984 the Oregon State legisla
ture authorized a study of the lower
100 miles of the Deschutes Kiver.
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Lon er Deschutes scenic waterway.
sibly damaging seedlings; Air qual-
ity could be minimally impacted in
- areas being treated; Wildlife would
be minimally impacted by removal
of hiding cover on these small
areas; The risk to workers is min
imal if safety precautions are
followed.
A public meeting to discuss the
spraying will be held April 23 at
7:00 p.m. in the fire management
trailer in the Industrial Park.
to the Los Angclos area by about
1100 megawatts. (This is roughly
comparable to baseload require
ments of the city of Seattle.)
The lawsuit challenges BPA's
decision to proceed with the trans
mission expansion without prepar
ing an environmental impact state
ment. "BPA is an agressive market
expansion program, due to present
electrical power surpluses and the
market they are targeting and the
reason for the transmission line
is in California, Arizona and
southern Nevada," said Thatcher.
"Fewer than ten years ago, how
ever, BPA was forecasting power
shortages."
river along with fish and wildlife
habitat.
Help wanted
Wanted: Janitor on the Deschutes
River. Person or firm to clean rest
rooms on the Deschutes River start
ing at the Warm Springs Bridge.
One to two miles per week from
May 1 through October 30. Must
have river boat, supplies will be
furnished. For more information
call (206) 824-3269.
The study by recreational resource
specialist Bo Shelby of Oregon
State University concluded that
the river in many portions was
impacted environmentally and over
crowded. Based on the study Warm Springs
Confederated Tribes sponsored a
bill to limit entry on the river. Tri
bal representative Rudy Clements
stated, "the river has come into
deterioration. . .We feel practices
of everyone on that river is causing
this problem. . .We believe there
has to be a standard established for
limited entry."
A bill was also introduced spon
sored by Northwest Rafters Asso
ciation which called for an con
tinued open access with additional
development to accomodate
increased numbers of rivers users.
The Warm Springs Senate Bill 945
opposes House Bill 3019.
Both introduced bills are cur
rently being discussed in legislative
committees,
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