4003 AMH .... H2242.1

HJM 4003 - H AMD 000205 ADOPTED 03-15-93

By Representatives Mastin, Grant, Schoesler and Sheahan

    On page 2, after line 8, strike all material through line 24 and insert the following:

    "WHEREAS, There is continued uncertainty regarding the extent of biological benefits to salmon of some proposed solutions, including increased stream velocity; and

    WHEREAS, Drawdowns below minimum operating pool on the Snake River, demonstrated by the test drawdowns conducted in March 1992 for the limited purpose of evaluating impacts to physical structures and facilities, provided limited migration benefits for the salmon, caused the loss of as many as thirty thousand resident fish, disrupted navigation, and caused substantial physical property damage to public and private facilities; and

    WHEREAS, Maintaining reservoir levels at minimum operating pool and, in the absence of modifications to existing irrigation pump stations, at minimum irrigation pool on the John Day reservoir, enables the river system to support critical economic activity;

    NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that any future drawdowns on the Columbia-Snake River system be limited to minimum operating pool on the Snake River projects or minimum operating pool coupled with irrigation pump modification on the John Day reservoir unless, based on and supported by the best available scientific knowledge, further drawdowns are determined to be a biologically prudent alternative and, where equally effective alternative means of achieving the same sound biological objective exist, are the alternative with the minimum economic cost; and"

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