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Crapo Wants Feds to Pay for Losses at Dworshak by Staff The Idaho Statesman, July 3, 2003

OROFINO -- U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo wants the federal government to compensate Clearwater County businesses for draining Dworshak Reservoir during the heart of boating season, causing up to $1.3 million in losses.

“For the sake of basic fairness we need to start looking at economic mitigation for the community,” Crapo said in a letter to officials at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bonneville Power Administration and Northwest Power Planning Council.

The government draws down the reservoir about 80 feet from late June to August to help flush migrating salmon to the ocean. Crapo wants the agencies to meet with local civic and business leaders and look for ways to help them.

The loss of recreation dollars in Orofino and the surrounding area comes at a time the timber industry, once the backbone of the local economy, is in a steep slide.

The county already is reeling from the Jaype plywood mill closure last year and general industry slowdown. The county had a jobless rate of 11.2 percent in May, state data show..