Concern abides over Kalispel river agreement

DOVER — September releases of Lake Pend Oreille’s water appear to have the ability to influence temperatures in the Pend Oreille River, according to modeling conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The modeling shows that altering flows can cool the river between 0.2 and 0.5 degrees Celsius, said Amy Reese, chief of the corps’ water management section in Seattle. That equates to 0.36 and 0.9 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively, Reese said.

The modeling was based on river and weather data gathered by the corps in September 2013.

“It is indicating that some flow increases during warm-weather events in September 2013 may have affected water temperatures,” Reese told the Idaho Lakes Commission on Tuesday.

Moreover, those temperature changes were achieved by keeping the lake’s elevation at 2,060.5 feet above sea level through the end of September.

The significance of the modeling results and whether such releases will be conducted in future years have yet to be decided.

“There’s no plans in the current action plan at this time to make any change from the water-control plan,” Reese said.

The modeling was done in conjunction with an agreement between the corps, the Bonneville Power Administration and the Kalispel Tribe of Indians. The research is being done to determine whether the releases would be beneficial to bull trout habitat below Albeni Falls Dam.

Bull trout were listed as a threatened species in 1998. The releases could also provide an ancillary benefit to other native fish species such as westslope cutthroat trout.

The releases are being mulled as a temporary measure to aid bull trout in lieu of a fish passage structure at the dam.

“Ultimately, this should end up as fish-passage issue because none of us want to see the lake drawn down early,” said commission Vice Chairwoman Linda Mitchell.

Mitchell added that such a slight change in temperature might not make a meaningful difference for bull trout and noted that the corps is carefully stating the releases “may” influence river temperatures.

The Kalispel memorandum of agreement has heightened concerns and uncertainty about lake levels. It coincides with a BPA plan to fluctuate winter lake levels and an Idaho Department of Fish & Game determination that higher winter pools are not beneficial to kokanee spawning.

Corps officials emphasized that the Kalispel agreement will have no effect on lake levels this summer and fall.

But that appeared to do little to allay concerns from waterfront landowners and business owners who depend on the recreational economy in Bonner County.

Dover City Hall filled to overflowing during the commission meeting, with the crowd topping a hundred. Those who couldn’t safely fit inside gathered under canopies outside and listened through loudspeakers.

A recurring theme among those who addressed the commission was the need for residents or the Lakes Commission have a part in the decision-making process when lake levels are set.

“I demand they have a seat at your table,” said Tom Suttmeier, a waterfront landowner and former county commissioner.

There was also insistence on an economic impact study to gauge the toll on the community when the lake is drawn down.

Ralph Sletager of the Lake Pend Oreille Alliance pointed out that the Kalispel are being paid more than $40 million in mitigation funding as part of the agreement.

“Why wouldn’t we be entitled to mitigation money on this side of the dam to do the studies that we need to do to protect our interests?” he asked.

Bill Maslin, BPA’s director of BPA’s fish and wildlife program, said the mitigation funding can’t be used for anything but fish and wildlife mitigation and enhancement.

“We do not use those funds, nor do we have the authority to use those funds, for economic mitigation,” said Maslin.

Lakes Commissioner Brent Baker, however, noted that the board is authorized to receive and direct mitigation funding that comes into the state.

Baker admitted that he doesn’t know what BPA’s gross annual revenues are, but suspects the cost of an economic study to the agency would be relatively little.

“It’s small, very small,” he said. “And, certainly, it’s due.”