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.