Bureau recommends no drawdown for Banks Lake
Banks Lake serves as a big tourist draw for Coulee City. Local officials feared a drawdown of the water would cut into tourist revenue to the town and the county.
Local officials laud decision
The federal Bureau of Reclamation has recommended to keep Banks Lake at its same water level.
The bureau recently released a final environmental impact statement, saying the proposed 10-foot drawdown would create "adverse impacts" to recreation, resident fish, vegetation, cultural resources and the local economy around the lake.
The drawdown proposal stemmed from a December 2000 biological opinion from the National Marine Fisheries (now known as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).
NOAA scientists hoped the drawdown from a level of 1,570 feet to 1,560 feet would improve the Columbia River flow at McNary Dam to enhance the Snake River fall chinook salmon now on the Endangered Species list.
Jim Ruff, branch chief for the federal Columbia River system for the agency, told the Herald in February 2003 that the drawdown would bring an additional 130,000 acre feet of water to the Columbia River during August and September, which the agency thinks would help salmon swimming to the
ocean.
The drawdown was one of several the measures the agency was considering to improve salmon runs, Ruff told the Herald.
The drawdown would have taken place every August, with the water level returning to normal by Sept. 22 each year.
Jim Blanchard, special project officer with the Bureau of Reclamation, said he received an "awful lot" of comments from the public — including county commissioners, irrigation districts and local business owners — that the drawdown would make the lake a less appealing place to enjoy for
tourists.
"If you have an adverse effect on recreation, you have an adverse effect on the economy," Blanchard said.
In two public hearings held in Moses Lake and Coulee City in early 2003, business and government leaders from cities around the lake criticized the drawdown proposal, saying the loss of water would hurt local tourism and agriculture.
Otto Jensen, the mayor of Coulee City, where many people travel to fish and boat at Banks Lake, said he supported the bureau's recommendation.
"We're pleased they have considered the economic impacts to the communities," Jensen said.
Grant County Commissioner Tim Snead said the drawdown would have left Banks Lake with only one boat launch during the month of August because the other 11 would be dried up.
"We're very happy that their approach was that the best alternative was no action," he said.
Snead added that when the lake saw a drawdown in 1994 during August, the town of Coulee City saw a decrease of 20 percent in revenue, which was matched by the county. It was five years before the county recovered from the loss of tourism, he said.
The Bureau of Reclamation's recommendation, called a preferred alternative, will now be forwarded to Regional Director Bill MacDonald, Blanchard said, who will make the final decision.
The preferred alternative is usually accepted by the regional director, Blanchard said, adding that the earliest he could decide is June 28.
Once MacDonald rules, the federal government will have made its decision, Blanchard said, though it will be open to lawsuits, as is the case with many environmental impact statements.
It's this possibility that tells Jensen to belay the thought the struggle is over.
"Until it's put away for good, I'm not going to rest easy," he said.
But Snead said he sees bigger fish to fry for those interested in protecting salmon runs.
"I don't see a lawsuit down the road on this issue," he said.