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Methow Valley News July 8, 1999 Endangered Species Coverage Fish out of water? Dear Editor, The current flap over "fish" water in the Methow Valley is one that I have been following with some chagrin. I have seen our valley studied, charted and given grants to do more studies for 20 years. However, I have not seen much in the way of definitive progress as a result of all those studies. With regard to the fish and water issues: If we had taken the money use to "study" the alleged fish and water problems and given it to commercial fishermen to pay them not to fish for a couple of years, I think we would have much better scientific data on the number of fish that could actually make it up the Columbia from the ocean. We could even have paid the Indians to eliminate their netting on the Columbia during the same time period and really given the salmon a fighting chance. The federal and state agencies intent on proving that the water we use in the Methow Valley is vital to saving these endangered fish are not using solid scientific data to prove their theory. The Methow Valley has an underground river, not a lake, so you either use the water or you lose the water. Putting the water into ditches simply holds it on the surface a little longer and allows it to percolate down to the Columbia a little slower. If the farmers and ranchers don’t take this water, where do you think it will go? The impacts of the ditches and residential use on river flow is so minuscule when you look at the total flow of the river, that to spend so much time and energy trying to regulate ditch/residential water use is ridiculous. Last, but not least, if these fish are so endangered, why is it that you can buy them by the pound at your local grocery store. How many endangered or threatened species can you say that about? If the state/feds want to save the salmon, they are starting at the wrong end of the Columbia. Chrystal Perrow Winthrop Opinion | Sports |
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