Great support exists for Pend Oreille Basin

Recently, the Pend Oreille Basin Commission (often referred to as the “Lakes Commission”) held its largest meeting ever, with well over 150 people in total attendance. This is a great show of support for the Pend Oreille Basin, which includes the Clark Fork River, Lake Pend Oreille, the Pend Oreille River, Priest Lake, Upper Priest Lake, and the Priest River. Our commission is charged with advising the state of Idaho with regard to issues of water quality and water quantity, and those issues have been of particular concern to all of us who enjoy Lake Pend Oreille.

I would first like to thank Ralph Sletager and his board of directors for organizing the Lake Pend Oreille Alliance, which was well represented at the meeting. The existence of an advocacy group for all of the stakeholders in Lake Pend Oreille has been long overdue, and this representative body is an excellent vehicle for expressing the concerns, particularly with regard to any potential that would affect the use and enjoyment of Lake Pend Oreille.

Second, I would like to thank our executive director, Erin Mader, for organizing Tuesday’s meeting under very stressful circumstances, given the turnout.

Third, I would like to thank the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Bonneville Power Administration for taking the questions and comments of all those attending, and for agreeing to ensure that we will have the maximum recreational use of the lake during September.

Fourth, I would like to thank Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter, as well as his staff, and NWPCA members, Bill Booth and Jim Yost, for their efforts to insure that the Corps and BPA will commit to September recreational lake levels this year.

Finally, I thank all of those who attended, and hope that everyone who has an interest in maximizing the recreational potential of Lake Pend Oreille will continue to stay vigilant; attend our meetings; and make your voices heard on a regular basis. There will always be pressure from downstream interests in the future to try to utilize more of Lake Pend Oreille’s water in the summer and early fall, so the more citizen advocacy for the lake, the better.

• Ford Elsaesser is chairman of the Pend Oreille Basin Commission.