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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 12, 1945)
Construction of Dams Along k Rogue River Seen Detriment To Major Recreational Area Latest statement of the Rogue River Basin committee of the Izaak Walton League of America in the committee's campaign to prevent further damning of the Rogue river was issued last week in the form of booklet given wide distribution among resi dents of the area affected. The league committee believes "that the present recreational scenic value of the beautiful Rogue river is being threatened with extinction." Declaring that surveys for sites for high dams on the Rogue river are being made by the fed eral government, the statement reads: "Because construction of any more dams in Rogue river will destroy a scenic and recrea tional asset that belong to all people of the state of Oregon that should be preserved for posterity, the Izaak Walton Lea gue is opposed to any and all such barriers being constructed and cites herein some of the many arguments in support of its confer, tion. "To prevent such destructive dam construction the Oregon State legislature, at its 1929 ses sion enacted, under section 116- 460 OCLA, a law prohibiting construction of any dams in Rogue River that would prevent the free passage up or down stream of migratory fish. "Under section 116-459 OCLA, a similar bill enacted by the leg islature prohibits the construc tion of any power dams what ever, on Rogue riyer. Further legislation would have to be en- s acted before any such dams could be built. It was to forestall the possibility of any further en croachment on the natural ad vantages of Rogue river that caused the legislature to endea vor thus to protect the future of the stream. "Any promise of the Bureau of Reclamation or the United States engineers that the devas tating effects on migratory fish caused by high dams can be eliminated by fish ladders, ele vators or transportation of fish for artificial propagation is per fectly refuted by the millions of dollars wasted In unsuccessful experiments by these agencies on the Columbia river where the industry of many millions of dol lars each year is admittedly threatened with complete de struction. The same experience is being had below Shasta Dam on the Sacramento river, "la opposing any further Rogue river dam construction the Izaak Walton League, and Ore gon's other conservation organi zations, emphasize lh.y are not opposed to tributary Irrigation promotion that do.s not interfere with the main str.am of Rogut river. They contend that other sources of water should be used for irrigation for the benefit of private Interests as opposed to the irreparable damage that would result to the river and to the entire State of Oregon by dam construction. "There are already in exist ence in the Rogue River Basin countless private water rights and divertions, and irrigation dams at Savage Rapids, Gold Hill and Emigrant Lake, Fish Lake and Four-mile Lake. There are nower dams at the Gold Hill Portland Cement Company and Gold Ray sites, and the sites near" V Prospect. The basin has the fol- lowing irrigation districts In op eration: Grants Pass Irrigation District; Gold Hill Irrigation Dis trict; Eagle Point Irrigation Dis trict; Rogue River Valley Irri gation District: Medford Irriga tion District and the Talent Irri gation District. "While it has been impossible to secure complete information or copies of projected plans of the United States Engineers and the United States Reclamation J Service, it Is known that dam sites in the Trail section and the Lewis Creek section of Rogue ri ver have been surveyed. The first mentioned dam is planned for approximately 50 feet in h.ighth and would inundate the area of present river frontage approximately a mile below Trail, and extending up river above Trail to Lewis Creek, a distance of approximately two miles. At Lewis Creek a dam, approximately 200 feet in heighth, would floor an area reaching approximately IS miles upttr.am. "These two dams, plus the re duced flow downstream to the projected power house at Reese Creel:, would destroy the pres ent stretch of river frontage for a total of approximately 33 miles; and total river frontage, as it exists in its present scenic grandeur, for that distance. The storage and diversion ponds above and below these dams would destroy a tremendous area of the finest migratory fish spawning grounds in the entire Rogue River and leave in the summer recreational season a mire banked pond behind the Lewis Creek dam as stored irri gation water was drained off. The banks of these drained off shore lines would soon become entirely sterile. For 16 miles downstream from the lower dam. if water is diverted at Lewis Creek for power, the river-flow will be cut down to about one half of its normal summer flow in the dry months. "Thirty-three miles of one of the finest river front areas in America for summer homes, cameing, resorts and recreational advantages for generations of American families would be de stroyed forever for such use. These uses can not be replaced by water frontage on storane re servoirs that draw off large quantities of water in the sum mer time. "The construction of these dams would necessitate the re routing of the Crater Lake High way, taking the traveler through a dry unattractive area away from the river. The new Tiller Trail highway recently com pleted would also have to be re routed, the two road changes entailing a cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpay ers' money. "The scenery along Rogue river on the Crater Lake High way is the most beautiful on the entire route to Crater Lake. The necessary re-routing of the high way as contemplated would de prive the traveler to Crater Lake of ever seeing the river until it was crossed about 25 miles above the present point of view, where only a momentary view would be afforded. I "The dam construction would ; destroy one of the state's most beautiful public parks just below j the mouth of Big Butte Creek as , well as miles of the indescrib ably beautiful Big Butte Creek, noted for unexcelled tisning ana recreational advantages. "The Oregon State Game Com mission's egg taking stations would be destroyed and the suc cessful propagation of Rogue river migratory fish would be an impossibility in the future. "Rogue river is one of the world's most famous streams for sports fishing for Chinook sal mon hnd fly fishing for Steel head trout and other migratory ocean going fish. For many years anglers have traveled from all parts of the world to enjoy this great sporting attraction. The destruction of the many miles of the river s best spawn ing grounds by these dams would make the necessary artificial re production ef these species of nth entirely impracticable. "The dam impoundment would tend to greatly Increase the tem perature of the water in the sum mer season, a threat to all sal monoid fish. Present river diver sions have accounted for yater Temperatures in the summer sea son that are dangerously close to the maximum under which these fish can exist. ' 'The impounding of water be hind the dams, plus the diver sion of waters from the surface of the irrigation reservoir with the resulting percolation of wa ter from irrigated lands back to the river, coupled with the reduc tion ot river flow in the hot weather months below the lower dam, will cause river tempera tures lo pass considerably above this maximum point. "The storage of winter flood waters behind the higher dam would establish an even flow of water below the dam thus caus ing the stream to become a slimy, mossy, algea infested flow for lack of winter flood waters to scour out a clean beautiful stream as it presently exists. "Government engineers advise that ihe fall and course of Rogue river is such that any large ex penditure for flood control would be economically unsound. "No demand or need for addi tional power developments exists in the Rogue River Basin. "The Oregon State Game Com mission's recent survey of the commercial advantages of Rogue river as a recreational stream, fbased on 1940 figures), declares the direct income to the Rogue river basin area to be more than $1,000,000.00 per year. This does not include indirect income to southern Oregon cities in their various lines of business. The Game Commission officially op poses any further dam construc tion in Rogue river and cites its many reasons for its opposition in a report as of April 30. 1945. "Rogue river furnishes the major stream recreational ad vantages for all people in Jack son. Josephine and Curry coun ties in southwestern Oregon and for hundreds of thousands of peo ple from other parts of the Uni ted States. Close to the centers of population of southwestern Oregon counties, the river af fords camping, fishing and bath ing facilities to the majority of these people who are unable to afford long and expensive vaca tions to distant resorts where similar advantages are available. To destroy the many miles ot present river frontage by the proposed damming of the river for storage impoundment would be a loss to the communities in the Rogue River Basin and to the entire State of Oregon that never could be replaced. "Admitting the right of any commercially activated group to extend its operations for its own profit or even for fantastic schemes for real estate promo tion, the Izaak Walton League takes the stand that the invasion of the general public's rivers and outdoor recreational benefits for such purposes Is selfish in prin ciple and confiscatory in its very nature. "These are some of the reasons why the Izaak Walton League throu?hout the United States, in cooperation with the Oregon State Chapter of the league and the other wild life conservation organizations throughout the state of Oregon are supporting the Oregon State Game commis sion in opposition to any further dam construction on Rogue river." Valley Sailors Are Pals Aboard Noted Warship Missouri James Doe, FIVc, and Robert Dale Kenney, F2 c, were serving on the USS Missouri at the time official news of the Japanese surrender was received. Doe, whose mother, Mrs. Z. M. Doe, resides at 146 South Holly street, and Kenney, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Kenney, Jacksonville, have been on the Missouri for some time and are pals aboard ship. Both have been on the famous battlewagon for about nine months. The boys' parents recently re ceived a printed form letter is sued by the crew of the Missouri in which they told some of their experiences aboard ship and of their celebration when peace was declared. Mrs. Kenney said she heard her son speak on a radio broad cast from the Missouri at the time of the signing of peace documents. OF A group of Medford youths have taken advantage of the navy's new enlistment plan and joined the regular navy in Port land Sept. 8 according to Chief Stewart, recruiter in charge of the Medford recruiting station. Enlisting were Robert Lee Wobbe, son or Mr. and Mrs. Hen ry C. Wobbe, 906 West Eleventh street; Byron Richard Ellis, son of Mr. and Mrs. Byron N. Ellis. Route 4, Box 7, Medford; Rich ard Dean Kennedy, son of Mr. and Mrs. James C. Kennedy, 503 Haven street, and Louis E. Greenwell, Jr., son of Mrs. Adrienne E. Haymon, Cargill Court, Medford. Navy recruiting stations throughout the nation are initi ating an all-out drive for volun tary enlistments, particularly In the regular navy, among men in the age group of 17 to 30 inclu sive since President Truman's order lifting the ban against vol untary enlistments indraft ages, a navy release states. The drive is designed to speed demobiliza tion of men with long war ser vice, to reduce the navy's calls through selective service and at the same time to enable the navy to fulfill its extensive responsi bilities through the transition period and beyond. The term of enlistment in the regular navy has been reduced from six year to four and physical standards have been lowered. In addition, men between the ages of 17 and SO1 may now enlist in the naval reserve without further refer ence to selective service or other wartime controls. THE GRANGE Eagle Point Grange Master G. E. Ousterhout pre sided at regular meeting of Eagle Point Grange Sept. 4. Mrs. Hum phreys read an article on Noah's Ark. Lecture hour was taken over by H.E.C. Mrs. Mathews, the president, announced the follow ing numbers: Songs with accordion accomp animent, by Bill Holmen; read ings, Mrs. Clave, Mrs. Wertz, Mrs. Davies; old time tunes on the violin, by Ed Cowden; play, "Ladies Choice," by the Mrs. Chamberlain, H u b b e 1 and Beebe; saxophone solo, by Rich ard McCorkle. Mr. and Mrs. John Clarke and son William took 1st and 2nd de grees. H.E-C. will meet at Mr. and Mrs. Wertz' home Sept. 19 all day. The men are invited. The hostess will furnish meat and dessert. Please bring what you Piano Studio Margaret Osenbrugge 711 E. Main Phone 4256 Wednesday. Sept. 1J. 1945 MEDFORD MATL-THIBUNE FIVE wish and be at the Grange Hall at 10 a. m. Serving committee for next Grange will be Mr. and Mrs. Ed Russell and Mr. and Mrs. Carl Beebe. TIMOR JAPS SIGN Sydney, Sept. 12 (U.R) The Japanese surrender of Dutch Timor was signed at noon today on the quarterdeck of the Australian Warship Moresby in Koepang Harbor. Timor, in the Malay Archipelago, la the largest and most important of the lesser Sunda islands. Have Your Montag Furnace and Oil Burner Checked Now by Leonard Electric Co. Ph. 4427 309 E. Mala EARN EXTRA MONEY For Fall and the Holidays! STENOGRAPHERS-CLERKS -TYPISTS NEEDED NOW! We've several good Jobs open at once good salaries, pleasant working conditions a coffee room In our plant for your con venience. You'll like, working with the Blue Goose family! Apply in Person Today! AMERICAN FRUIT GROWERS, Inc. 213 So. Fir St. INEW Use Mall Tribune Want Adi A COW Is an Animal with big dreamy eyes She uses her long tail to switch the f iies She gives her quota of milk each day But her life is dull She has little urge to play. You could brighten up her days without much fuss. Come on and sell her cream to us! 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