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Feds Drop Reservoir Level to Cool River for Salmon by Associated Press Idaho Statesman - July 7, 2001

State and tribes opposed timing for Dworshak lowering

AHSAHKA -- Dworshak Dam is ramping up to full powerhouse capacity today, despite opposition from the state and the Nez Perce Tribe in what has become an annual effort to cool the lower Snake River for migrating salmon.

The purpose is to help threatened juvenile fall chinook salmon reach the Pacific Ocean by releasing 48-degree water.

Releases began at 5,000 cubic feet per second Monday and increased to 7,000 cfs on Thursday.

Today, the Army Corps of Engineers plans to increase the flows to about 9,700 cfs, said Rudd Turner, a biologist at the agency's Reservoir Control Center in Portland.

Rudd said the flow likely would remain near 10,000 cfs through August.

The tribe wanted the corps to wait until Monday to begin the drawdown so young fall chinook in the Clearwater River would have more time to feed and grow in the warmer, more productive water.

The state wanted the reservoir to remain full through the Fourth of July so boaters and anglers would not face dropping water levels and muddy banks. Both the state and tribe want some water saved for release in September to help adult steelhead migrate quickly upriver.

The state, tribe and Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission protested the beginning date of the drawdowns last week but were countered by Oregon and Washington and overruled by officials from several federal agencies.

The National Marine Fisheries Service said the earlier start was justified by rising water temperatures at Lower Granite Dam.

"The Snake heated up to 73 degrees a few days ago and now it's cooled off," said Paul Wagner, a biologist with the National Marine Fisheries Service in Portland.

Temperatures above 68 degrees are considered harmful to salmon and steelhead. Low water flows and seasonally high temperatures are expected to hurt juvenile and adult salmon and steelhead passing through the Snake River this year.

Under a biological opinion on salmon recovery issued last year, Dworshak Reservoir is supposed to be lowered 80 feet each summer to cool the river and hurry the fish on their journey to the sea.

Federal officials have discussed the possibility of lowering Dworshak Reservoir more than 80 feet, but a decision was delayed pending consultation with the state and the Nez Perce Tribe.