Bighorn River Alert -Wyoming Interests working to ruin river

I wanted to pass along this note regarding the Bighorn River water flows. This note is being passed along from the Magic City Fly Fishers(www.mcffonline.org).

There will be a local informational meeting, hosted by FWP, at 7pm on October 2nd, and the Region 5 headquarters (Lake Elmo) in Billings. Speakers, among others. will include Ken Frazer, the fisheries biologist for the Bighorn. The purpose of the meeting is to bring the local fly shops, anglers, guides, outfitters and other interested parties up to date on this issue, and to advise them of the consequences should the folks in Lovell succeed in getting flows below Yellowtail reduced below the recommend minimums to maintain a decent fishery.

Please plan on attending this meeting if you are interested in protecting the Bighorn. IM or email me or post here if you have questions, or require further information, but keep in mind I won't reply to anonymous individuals. See you on the 2nd!

I'm going to include some links regarding the potential problem.

[url=http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2006/09/12/news/wyoming/30-lake.txt:75724]http://www.billingsgazette.net...e.txt[/url:75724]
[url=http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2006/08/27/features/outdoors/25-outdoors.txt:75724]http://www.billingsgazette.net...s.txt[/url:75724]
[url=http://forums.rockymtnfly.com/index.php?showtopic=1274:75724]http://forums.rockymtnfly.com/...=1274[/url:75724]

Wyoming officials requested the flows to be dropped way below the recommended minimum.

http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles ... 5-flow.txt


Montana Senator Max Bacus had the following response:


-For Immediate Release-
Contact Barrett Kaiser (406) 670-0541/ Sara Kuban (202) 224-4362 or 309-2790

September 27, 2006

BAUCUS BLASTS MOVE TO DEWATER BIGHORN RIVER
Senator Comes Out Swinging Against Wyoming Request To Drop Flows Out Of Yellowtail Dam

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) ?? Montana Senator Max Baucus came out swinging today against a proposal by Wyoming advocates to drastically reduce water flows in the Bighorn River, saying reducing flows would devastate one of Montana?s most prized trout streams and level a blow to jobs and the economy in the area.

In a strongly worded letter to Bureau of Reclamation Montana director Dan Jewell, Baucus blasted a suggestion by Wyoming advocates to immediately cut flows coming out of Yellowtail Dam to 1,000 cubic feet per second. He said that flow level would cause fish numbers in the river to drop sharply.

?Dropping flows even further ? especially to the dangerous level of 1,000cfs -- would threaten one of Montana?s world-class trout streams and I adamantly oppose it,? Baucus wrote. ?You can rest assured you will be met with steadfast opposition should you move to reduce flows on the Bighorn River. And you can also assume that I?ll do anything within my power to put the brakes on this unfair proposal.?

Instead of dropping in-stream flows on the Bighorn, Baucus urged Jewell to work with interested parties to develop a common-sense plan that helps recreation in both states. He said investing in new low-water boat ramps and silt-abatement dikes at the south end of the lake are worth considering.

?The Bighorn River means too much to too many to choke it off,? Baucus said. ?It is a tribal resource and a source of great economic strength and pride. It?s part of our recreational heritage.?

Baucus said maintaining adequate flows in the Bighorn River ?speaks to the soul and pads the wallet,? noting fishing on the river generates more than $30 million in economic activity every year.

?Montana is an outdoors state. We hunt. We fish. We take our kids hiking and camping,? Baucus wrote. ?Protecting our outdoor heritage preserves the soul of our State. It also keeps our economy strong.?

Baucus said although the Bighorn is known across the world as a premiere fishing destination, consecutive years of drought have caused fish numbers in the river to drop sharply -- from an all-time high of 11,000 fish per mile. He said in 1998 the river sustained more than 8,000 brown trout per mile, but as of 2003 that number had dropped to about 500.

Thanks for this bulletin Paul M! I live and work here in Fort Smith, MT and I am trying to get the word out to all the fisherman I contact. Let your voices be heard on this subject folks! This will not go away any time soon.

Paul, please keep us posted on the outcome. It would be a tragedy, not only to the fish, if they reduce the water flow any more to the river.

A new site has been started to keep everyone informed of all the current info.

[url=http://www.bighornriver.org:48006]Friends of the Bighorn River[/url:48006]

If anyone has any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. I went to the meeting on Monday and the situation is indeed real. The folks in Wyoming are committed to getting the flows reduced. They also have strong support from the Governor and Senator Cubin on this issue.

If any FAOL members reside in or near Billings, please be aware of the Bureau of Reclamation meeting on October 12th. It is very important that all parties interested in preserving the flows on the Bighorn attend.

From the site:

The Bureau of Reclamation has scheduled a meeting to discuss water supply conditions above Bighorn Lake and the agency?s proposed fall/winter operating plans for Yellowtail Dam. The meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 12, 2006, in room Broadway 3A at the Montana State University - Downtown Billings Building, located at 2804 3rd Avenue North, Billings, Montana.

http://www.usbr.gov/gp/index.cfm

From Doug - Senator Baucus continues to do his best to protect the Bighorn. The BuRec yesterday buckled under to political pressure from Wyoming and decided to leave flows at 1,500 until June... well through both the brown and rainbow spawns. Even worse, flows could be dropped futher if flow predication don't pan out, or raised slightly if they exceed predictions.

October 26, 2006

BAUCUS BLASTS BUREAU OF RECLAMATION OVER BIGHORN

Senator Says Plan Could Devastate Economy, Ruin Prized Trout Steam

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) ?? Senator Max Baucus came out swinging today against the Bureau of Reclamations? 2006-2007 proposed plan for the Bighorn River flows, saying the plan could devastate the river.

Baucus said that the plan included several unacceptable provisions, including one that would allow river flows to be dropped below the dangerous levels of 1,500cfs in drought years.

?This is completely unacceptable, we have been good neighbors to Wyoming, but lowering the river to these levels would not only ruin the fishing, but the economies who rely on the dollars the river brings in,? Baucus said.

Baucus also blasted the plans provision that would stop the annual spring release. In drought years, the Bureau of Reclamation has proposed stopping the spring release which would devastate the fisheries on the river.

?We are an outdoor state, we hunt, we fish, we take our kids hiking. If these atrocious plans go through, then one of our greatest outdoor areas will be destroyed, and I will fight tooth and nail to make sure this doesn?t happen? Baucus said.

Baucus has taken the lead on defending the Bighorn River. In September he wrote a strongly worded letter to Dan Jewell, the Bureau of Reclamation?s Montana Director urging him to oppose the lower flows. Baucus is introducing legislation that will keep river flows at least 1500cfs.

Baucus said although the Bighorn is known across the world as a premiere fishing destination, consecutive years of drought have caused fish numbers in the river to drop sharply -- from an all-time high of 11,000 fish per mile. He said in 1998 the river sustained more than 8,000 brown trout per mile, but as of 2003 that number had dropped to about 500.

[url=http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2006/10/27/news/state/30-water_x.txt:6d489]BuRec announces Yellowtail Dam compromise[/url:6d489]

Bighorn River flows through Yellowtail Dam will remain at 1,500 cubic feet per second throughout the winter under a plan released by the Montana Area Office of the Bureau of Reclamation Thursday.

It's a compromise not likely to make Montana or Wyoming interests very happy in the ongoing Bighorn water war.

The initial proposal had flows on the Bighorn River at Fort Smith running at 1,500 cfs until April when they would be boosted to 2,000 and then to 2,500 in June.

More Good News - Montana's Governor Brian Schweitzer has come out against the proposed Yellowtail Operating Plan. You can read all about it [url=http://www.bighornriver.org/mtgovyellowtail.pdf:df288]here.[/url:df288]


I appreciate everyone, from this forum, who has shown or voiced support of this issue. We came to this dance a little late, but have been working hard to preserve this great trout fishery.