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Methow Valley
News July 22, 1999 Endangered Species Coverage NMFS bends deadline, this time for ditches By Lee Hicks Known to stretch its own self-imposed deadlines, this time the National Marine Fisheries Service has extended a hand on the "critical date" for assessing Methow basin stream flows for endangered fish. For the past few months, July 15 was viewed as the "drop dead" date for irrigators diverting water on Forest Service land. However, in a July 7 letter NMFS state director Bob Turner extended the date to July 29. Turner said unusually high water was the reason for the extra time. NMFS is continuing to work on final biological opinions for Skyline, Wolf Creek, Early Winters, Willis, Buttermilk and Eagle Creek diversions. For Skyline ditch users, Laurie Thorpe, Forest Service Methow District ranger, has authorized deployment of its temporary water tanks to about 12 homes to provide water to orchards, gardens and trees. The Forest Service fire engines, or local fire department personnel, will fill the tanks from the Chewuch River using screens on draft hoses to avoid harming fish, Thorpe said. Meanwhile, those ditches that need biological opinions in order to operate are reviewing drafts from NMFS, with a Thursday (July 22) deadline for returning comments to the Forest Service. Opinion | Sports |
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