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Siskiyou Daily News is going pro-environmental

by Dr  Richard Gierak 11/21/10
 

I find it difficult to continue seeing articles on the front page of the Siskiyou Daily News as being pro-environmental whereby statements are taken out of context and presented as facts.

The first note of interest in this article http://www.siskiyoudaily.com/features/x794472265/What-will-happen-to-flows-in-the-Klamath-River-if-the-dams-are-removed is indicating that Art Sasse of Pacific Coprs believes that the dams were not constructed for flood control. Pacific Corps did not own the dams at the time of the construction of Iron Gate, it was owned by the California Oregon power company. The following article was published prior to the construction of Iron Gate and it is clear there were four primary reasons for building Iron Gate Dam.
One was for flood control giving residents downriver up to a 90 minute warning of an inundating flood
Two was power production as it is clearly the most environmentally friendly technique
Three was to sustain fisheries by having reservoir water to maintain adequate flows in dry years
Four was to reduce danger to human life below the Copco dams.

The following link will take you to the Del Norte Triplicate article published in March of 1960 and below I have printed the article published on March 19, 2010 in the The Daily Triplicate. http://www.triplicate.com/Opinion/Pages-of-History/Pages-of-History-State-board-okays-a-dam-on-Klamath

Pages of History: State board okays a dam on Klamath
From the pages of the Del Norte Triplicate, March 1960.

The State Water Rights Board has granted a water rights permit on the Klamath River to the California Oregon Power Company for its proposed Iron Gate Dam.
The move was hailed by local citizens as a boon to the county. The dam will serve for both power and flood control, thus lessening flood danger in the Klamath area. Sportsmen too have cause to celebrate, since terms of the permit require measures for protection of the river wildlife. Under the permit granted by the water rights board, COPCO will maintain minimum stream flows sufficient to sustain fish life as recommended by the Department of Fish and Game.
The department was instrumental in getting the federal power commission to order the company to build the dam to regulate the stream, which has fluctuated in such a manner as to cause frequent fish kills and endanger human life on the Klamath below the existing COPCO dam. '

I would hope that the editor of the Siskiyou Daily News will consider more research into pro-environmental articles prior to printing them for the public to question their knowledge and beliefs.
 

Thank you
 

Dr. Richard Gierak