Sl'ILYAY TYMOO
Warm Springs, Oregon
July 28, 1989 PAGE 5
Proposed Mt. Hood development may impact natural, cultural resources
fisheries and wildlife biologists
from slate and federal agencies
along with the Warm Sprinus Tribe
arc questioning the proposal to
develop Mt. Hood Meadows ski
area. 1 he development could impact
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ALTERNATIVE 10:
PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE
MT. HOOD MCADOWS SKI ARFA
MASTER PLAN EIS
CCXjAN SlIARI'E COCjAN
Dffterrf 1998
sensitive wetlands, fisheries and
wildlife populations.
1 he Ml. Hood Meadows Corpor
ation has asked the U.S. forest
Service, supervisory agency for the
Jublic landholding, to approve a
0-ycar master plun to build and
expand the resort area in phases of
250 units at a lime. "I he result
would be 1.320 units of overnight
housing, 12 to 13 lifts, a Nordic day
lodge, a handicapped skier's center,
an environmental learning center
and summer facilities for camping
and picnicking.
With this expansion the Mt.
Hood Meadows ski area could
potentially accomodate 10.000 to
12.500 skiers per dt-y within the
permit area, and 15.000 to 17.500
skiers within the expanded permit
area. Current facilities accomodate
7.575 skiers per day.
Eleven alternatives are offered in
the Draft Environmental Impact
Statement prepared by the U.S.
Forest Service. Mt. Hood National
Forest. Alternatives range from no
change lo a full-season resort with
expansion of 96 areas at Hood
River Meadows and 1 ,000 acres in
the White River drainage in which
the White River is designated a
Wild and Scenic River.
Most alternatives include dev
elopment of Hood River Meadows
and Stringer Meadows which
present a major objection from
the involved agencies. The wetlands
contained in Stringer Meadows are
fragile habitats. The area is an
important deer and elk summer
range where calf rearing occurs.
Hood River Meadows is also a
critical wetlands area.
Because of the high elevation of
the Mt. Hood Meadows area, dam
age to any part of it is slow to repair
itself. It has a short growing season
and fragile soils. Development may
take a heavy toll.
Increasing the number of skiers
that will be accomodated at Mt.
Hood Meadows will also increase
trallic on Highway 26. Irallic
congestion currently exceeds ac
ceptable levels at peak weekend
limes. I he Oicgon Department l
I ranspoiaiion and the DSI S have
agreed that additional ski area dev
elopment is contingent upon the
ability ol the transportation system
will result in the loss of productive
elk and deer forage and rearing
areas as well as wetland habitat.
I he resort center "will also block
movemcnlsof elk and deer between
forage and cover aieas. and elim
inate old growth habitat which will
adversely allcct big game cover
and old growth dependent wildlilc
species, according lo comments
to accommodate trallic generated by the Oregon Department of I ish
Deschutes "is not a commodity
by development
The four separate permit area
boundary expansions included in
the proposed alternatives will pro
duce some impacts, I he proposed
expansion ol V6 acres in conjuction
with expansion of the center fac
ililiesat Hood River Mcadowsand
expansion into the White River
Canyon adversely impacts both
forest and wildlife and includes
displacement of wildlife popula
tions, loss of old growth forest, loss
of wildlife habitat, loss to segment
base at the Timbcrlinc Trail, in
creased noise, scenic intrusions,
vegetation and wetlands distur
bance. Positive impacts listed in
clude increased recreational op
portunities and increased revenues.
The DEIS prepared for the dev elop
ment fails to address several issues
including the impact of the propos
ed resort community on anadro
mous fisheries of the East Fork of
the Hood River. Neither docs it
speak to the protection of forest
habitat necessary for water quality.
Warm Springs tribal fisheries
biologist Mark Fritsch stated in a
letter regarding the development.
"The proposed cxpansion...will neg
atively impact and result in long-
term consequences to the hydrology
and acquatic resources of Hood
and White Rivers. The headwater
and wetlands of the two rivers are
very limited, and are critical com
ponents to the viability of their
acquatic ecosystems."
Wildlife too may be impacted.
Development of Stringer Meadows
and Wildhle.
Also forgotten in the Dl IS for
development ol Mt. Hood Meadows
is the Native American use of the
land. A letter Irom Warm Springs
tribal secretary-treasurer Ken Smith
states. "It is apparent that a
complete cultural resource assess
ment of the area has not been
conducted, making it not possible
to determine the impacts of those
resources," No mention has been
made of the importance of the area
resources in religions, economies
and traditions.
I he tribal letter also questions
the need lo build overnight ac
comodations on public land when
private land is available nearby.
Other unknowns brought out by
review agencies include overall
cumulative impacts on the area due
to development, the effect of col
lected pollutants from parking areas
on water quality, the use of drain
fields for sewage treatment, the
impact of sediment loading on water
quality in impacted watersheds,
mitigation for disruption of plant
and animal communities and mig
ration patterns and seeming con
tradiction of the entire develop
ment scheme to land use planning.
A' f
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33
The preferred alternative for Mt. Hood Meadows development would
accommodate up to 17,500 recreationalists.
The Deschutes River Manage
ment Committee is continuing work
to develop a plan for Central
Oregon's Deschutes River but with
a new Warm Springs tribal re
presentative. Warm Springs tribal fisheries
technician Louis Pitt, Jr. has ac
cepted the nomination by Tribal
Council to act as tribal representa
tive in efforts to protect and pre
serve the treaty rights in the Des
chutes River basin and formulate a
management plan as a participant
in theDRMC.
A change in the role of the Tribe
in the creation of management pol
icy for the river has recently occurred
with the designation of the Des
chutes River as a Federal Scenic
Waterway. The Tribe "is a major
player now," says Pitt, rather than
merely a land owner. It now has
approval power.
Both state and federal laws cur
rently apply on the Dechutes River
as a result of the federal designa
tion. Involved federal agencies are
in the process of writing an Envir
onmental Impact Statement for
use in managing the river area. The
state DRMC will be used as "a
major part of the process," says
Pitt.
The Deschutes River, says the
new committee member, is primar
ily "a recreation type river." Many
people on the DRMC discuss the
social aspects of developing the
river but "I speak for the resource."
We have to protect the river first,"
says Pitt. "It is not a commodity, it
is a living, dynamic system." It can
be used to its maximum potential,
Pitt adds, "but with limits." It is
"something needing protection."
The Tribe wants the Deschutes
River to be thought of as more
than just a commodity. It is valua
ble for more than economic and
social reasons. "It is the blood of
the land," emphasizes Pitt.
Pesticides
TheTribe is concerned about the
number of users on the river. In
creased use decreases tranquility
and peace of mind for those visit
ing the river. With increased use,
too, the Tribe has experienced in
creased fire danger, increased tres
pass violations, littering and envir
onmental degradation.
In manaoins the river, those form
ulating the management policy for
the river must consider the ques
tion, "What is a good experience
on the river?" A limited number of
users may be one answer.
As part of the DRMC, Pitt relates
that "Council cares"about the river.
They want this river to be pro
tected and "it's an honor to assist in
that."
Study begins on unique stock
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"The Congress finds and declares
the following: The stocks of
salmon and steelhead... contri
bute to the food supply and
economic health of the Pacific
1 Northwest and the Nation as a
whole, provide valuable recrea
tional experiences for thousands
of citizens from various parts of
the United States, and represent
a central element of the cultures
and economies of Indian tribes
and the citizens of the Pacific
Northwest."
Public law 96-561
A person can almost set his clock
by the return of the Fall and Sum
mer chinook to the Deschutes River.
But in the last two years chinook
salmon are returning that don't
seem to fit the characteristics of the
standard runs of fish.
Coincidently, the discovery of
this "different" stock of fish coin
cides with the signing of the U.S.
Canada I'acmc .almon Intercep
tion Treaty. The treaty, signed in
1986 is designed to prevent over
fishing and provide lor optimum
production of migrating salmon.
Efforts behind the treaty are aimed
at rebuilding chinook stocks and
promoting the conservation of
Northwest coho. It also stresses the
cooperative research of the U.S.
and Canada on stocks important
to both countries.
The treaty acknowledges that
salmon which originate in the riv
ers of Oregon and Washington
migrate northward and are inter
cepted by Canadian and Alaskan
fisherman. Until the treaty, salmon
management has been uncoordi
nated, competetive and destructive.
Salmon have been overharvested
and many chinook and coho stocks
have been pushed to the edge of
extinction. The treaty ensures inter
national management of the stocks
through the waters of both nations.
Consistent with the treaty's em
phasis on research, data is cur
rently being collected lor the unus
ual stock of chinook returnina to ;
the Deschutes. Funding for a
three-year study and tagging pro
cess originates from treaty appro
priations distributed through the :
Columbia River Intertribal Fish :;
Commission.
Warm Springs fisheries biologist .;
Mark Fritsch has already started
radio-tagging these special fish. Ten ;
tags will be inserted in July and ten :
between September I and October
15. With the tags placed, biologists
will be able to follow these chinook
to spawning grounds and record
their habits, looking to see if they
differ from fall and summer runs.
Besides learning more about what :
could be a unique stock of fish, '.
biologists may be able to "deter- :
mine if the treaty is producing;,
more fish to the area," says tribal '.
biologist Terry Luther. He enthu- :
siastically adds, "This is the type of
information we're really looking
for.. .It'll mean big things for the
treaty."
Fish, aquatic life part of forest
Warm Springs fisheries technician Louis Pitt, Jr. has joined the
Deschutes River Management Committee as the tribal representative.
Fish, and other aquatic life are
another component of the jigsaw
puzle that makes up the forest
ecosystem. They, like other pieces
previously discussed, are separate
entities. But, without the rest of the
puzzle, put together in proper order,
they will not survive. They are one
of the most sensitive indicators of
the ecosystem's health.
The Deschutes River basin once
supported a much larger popula
tion of anadromous and resident
fish than exist today. This reduc
tion was initially due to increased
fishing pressure and dams. Water
shed degradation has also contrib
uted greatly to this reduced fish
resource.
Spring and fall Chinook sal
mon, coho salmon, sockeye sal
mon, summer steelhead, rainbow
trout, bull trout, brook trout, and
mountain whitefish are salmonids
that inhabit the lower 100 miles of
the Deschutes River and its tribu
taries. Other species present are
Pacific lamprey, northern squaw
fish, chiselmouth, suckers, sculpins,
dace and redside shiner.
The Metolius River and its trib
utaries, and Lake Billy Chinook
provide critical habitat for Koka
nee (landlocked sockeye), chinook
salmon (land locked bull trout,
rainbow trout, brown trout, moun
tain whitefish, suckers, squawfish,
chiselmouths. sculpin and dace).
The high lakes support popula
tions of rainbow and brook trout
and also supply streamflow to many
reservation streams.
Many of the reservation's water
Continued on page 7
A Growing Danger
Riparian areas sensitive to use, abuse
It's been more than 25- years
since scientists in the country dis
covered that pesticides are contam
inating ground water supplies. As
yet, neither Congress nor the fed
eral Environmental Protection Agen
cy (EPA) have developed programs
addressing the issue despite the
risks to wildlife and, even worse,
human health.
Evidence that the problem is not
going away by itself has continued
to grow. EPA released a study last
year that found 1 7 pesticides in the
ground water of 23 states.
In California, more thorough
monitoring indicates a far greater
problem: 57 pesticides have been
detected in more than 200 wells
there. In addition, a 1982 study by
the California Department of Health
Services found a direct association
between Fresno drinking water sup
plies contaminated with the DBCP
and an increase in the number of
deaths from stomach cancer end
lymphoid leukemia between 1970
and 1979.
DBCP is known to damage the
human kidneys, lungs and liver
and cause cancer, genetic muta
tions and male sterility.
The problem is not limited to
misused pesticides. Studies indicate
that some pesticides are leaching
into ground water supplies from
normal, routine use. Because of the
potential for long-term and wides
pread public exposure to such pes
ticides, says George R. Hallberg
from the Iowa department of Nat
ural Resources, there is genuine
concern about ground water pol
luted even with low concentrations
of pesticides.
Given the growing amount of
evidence, the issue is no longer
going unnoticed in Congress. Leg
islation separate from bills to reform
the Federal Insecticide. Fungicide
and Rodenticide Act (FIFR A) has
been introduced by Rep. James
Overstarr. D-Minn., in the House
(H.R. 3174) and Senator Dave
Continued on page 7
Riparian areas are important and
valuable in many ways. These areas
which border streams and exist in
wetlands provide space, shelter and
food for plant and animal com
munities.
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The riparian zone also serves as R?Zyr'? " --l
a buffer between the uplands and $rw 7" I Wf if- . ,'' flJW'V c d ,
the water, cleaning flows before iMJtt'p l-jP&'X'. ''Jf 'V
they enter the stream. The riparian t,V'2E" . ' ' C 4 ' - -
area stores water during periods of t IvV ' V " TK "V,, t '
high flow and releases this water v4.P ' J 7&f" '-.-' ,' ' i
into the stream during low-flow "t '7 . i . 4 ' "
periods. Riparian vegetation helps 'V ?- ' ' .v t fr , , . V
to stabilize stream channels. rlTS. ' - v ?, .n T w MCl
Many areas on tne warm springs Jr J:f .V V.r. ' I Wji jr .1 ' 1 :
on are being tenced to t - f' , ,VU, t j;: f. , ' .-i V--.
riparian areas from de- k f-VV . A.tOSV VV. '-r V lv V
Uion. Livestock can be par- f . ir-'V V f I .i?? iV i
detrimental to these sen- j ,Xr,; , : ' M t b'SrJ -n J :
areas by compacting soil and ' 'i f - uV . v.f'.-' ' ' Vsir'' -Z ' :- ;
ng streamside vegetation. H; . . l' ' , . A - V- ':
though the reservation has an I TTm-i T L,.'.'"y . 7.' ? V. ,
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reservati
protect
gradi
ticularly
sitive
destroyi
Even
open grazing policy the importance
of streams for many species of
wildlife and humans alike make
fencing and the concern of citizens
a valuable contribution to streams.
The riparian area where these cows are grazing is still in good condition. H owever, many ureas both on and off
the reservation have been severly degraded by livestock. Riparian areas are sensitive with a special significance
for the acquatic ecosystem.