1978-03-15 Char-Koosta News

              BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID ST. IGNATIUS, MONTANA PERMIT NO. 1 59865
Big SKY Country'
VOLUME 7    NUMBER 22
FULL MOON OF THE GOOSE FLIGHT MARCH 15, 1978
SOIL AND CONSERVATION MEASURE  SNOW AND WATER DEPTH
Snow depth and water content measurements were made on the Flathead Irrigation Project Snow Courses near March 1. The measurements were made in cooperation with the Soil Conservation Service. All snow courses measured were above normal in water content for this time of year. Water contents of snow courses adjacent to the Mission and Jocko Valleys are 113% of normal while courses adjacent to the Camas Division are 116.5% of normal. The periods of record used to determine the normal water content are 1958 through 1972. The Big Creek (Hellroaring) Course, located at the top of the Mission Range East of Poison, was measured February 28th and found to have 126.6 inches of snow with 45.5 inches of water. The water content is 109% of normal.
The North Fork of the Jocko Snow Course, located Southeast of Grey Wolf Peak, was measured on March 1st and found to have 133.3 inches of snow with 49.7 inches of water. The water content is 117% of normal. The Griffin Creek Divide Snow Course, located above Little Bitterroot Lake near Marion, was measured on February 28th and found to have 41.9 inches of snow with 13.2 inches of water. The water content is 114% of normal.
Bassoo Peak Snow Course, located Northwest of Lonepine, was measured March 1st and found to have 40.7 inches of snow with 12.5 inches of water. The water content is 119% of normal.
Snow courses at lower elevations also showed higher than normal water contents. Fatty Creek Snow Course (El. 5,500 ft.), located West of the Goat Creek Ranger Station, showed 133% of normal water content. Coyote Hill Snow Course (el. 4,200 ft.), located near the Swan-Clearwater Divide, showed 120% of normal water content.
Storage in the Mission Valley Reservoirs as of March 1st was 41,000 acre feet which is 55% above normal. Storage in the Camas Reservoirs was 3,400
acre feet which is only 14% of normal. As of March 1st the water supply for the lands of the Flathead Irrigation Project is rated good. Weather and precipitation conditions for the next 30-60 days, however, will have a great effect on the final supply of irrigation water. Low precipitation during March and April could completely reverse the present optimistic outlook. Snow Surveys will again be conducted near April 1st on all snow courses.
George L. Moon Project Engineer
BPA  Transmission   Lines  Discussed
Bonneville Power Administration and the Tribal Water and Power Committee met at the Tribal Council chambers in Pablo on March 6th to discuss two 500 Kilovolt transmission lines between Evaro and Hot Springs.
Director Sterling Munro from BPA, explained that the two 500- Kilovolt lines could be built on a 230 - Kilovolt corridor that has been leased from the Tribe since the 1950's. The Water and Power Committee opposed the two 500 - Kilovolt lines, declaring that the lines would result in an illegal use within the lease agreement. The lines would connect with the proposed Col-strip 3 and 4 at Hot Springs.
According to Joseph McElwain, President of Montana Power Co., the district court decision disallowing the state construction permit for M.P.C. may result in the cancelation of the proposed project.
The proposed Montana Power Co's Colstrip 3 and 4 project has been
strongly opposed, not only by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe, but by state-wide organizations, environmental groups, other Tribal governments and private citizens within the state. The power consortiums who have ownership in the Colstrip project are Montana Power Co. with 30%; Oregon's Portland General Electric with 20%; Washington's Puget Sound Power and Light Co. with 25%; Washington Water Power with 15% and Washington's Pacific Power and Light with 10%.
Alternative measures have been discussed. Coal mined in Montana could be shipped to the west coast and burned in coal fired gasification plants. It has been the general contention that residents of Montana should not have to suffer the environmental impact that would be created by electrical power sold and transported to densely populated areas on the west coast.