1977-04-15 Char-Koosta News

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VOLUME 6  NUMBER 24
NEW MOON OF THE YELLOW BELLS
APRIL 15, 1977
"  DAM STUDIES " SUBJECT OF PUBLIC MEETINGS
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has received a go ahead by the Tribal Council to do a million dollar detailed dam feasibility study. It includes five potential dam sites along the Flathead River on the reservation. The study was authorized by Congress in 1964. It would also include a dam on the Clark Fork, off the reservation. Since the five Flathead dams would overlap each other, not all could be built.
Those sites and the national need for them were discussed March 29 at a hearing in Poison. The Corps also explained that there would be two more local public meetings on the matter. One this Spring or Summer would discuss the most feasible alternatives. The meeting scheduled for this Fall would discuss the actual proposed plan for dams.
Current preliminary plans are considering five earth fill dams here with concrete spillways and powerhouses. A Buffalo Rapids 2 dam, 12 miles below Kerr would back water to the dam. It would be an unregulated, run of the river dam. A Sloans Bridge dam would also back water to the dam. It would be a fluctuating storage unit. Buffalo Rapids 4, 36 miles below Kerr, could back water to the dam as a storage unit, or it could be built as an unregulated dam which would back water up to Buffalo Rapids 2. A high dam at Buffalo Rapids 4 would require a re-regulating dam at Moeise, 43 miles below Kerr. A 265 foot high Knowles dam at the reservation boundary would back water to Kerr Dam and flood out Dixon. This dam has been defeated through intense tribal and local opposition in the past.
At the Poison meeting, Helen Stephens, of Paradise, received confirmation by the Corps that artesian water had been struck along the river in their test. She questioned the possibility of a Teton Dam type disaster. Douglas Beatty, a Dixon farmer,
protested that a Knowles dam would flood irrigated land. Dave Harriman, a fish hatchery owner near St. Ignatius, noted that run of the river dams could raise water temperatures and thus eliminate an excellent trout fishery. The Corps conceded this may be a possible problem.
Many people at the meeting questioned the need far a study, but Col. Poteat of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers later told the Missoulian he had no authority to stop the study and would follow his "marching orders." Those questioning the need for a dam noted that there were already about 200 dams in the Columbia River Basin. They claimed that one dam would only meet six months growth in energy needs. Col. Poteat admitted that the projected peak for all hydroelectric power development in the U.S. would only supply 4.8% of the nation's energy needs.
Commenting on the matter, Tribal Councilman and Vice-Chairman, Vic Stinger said, "I don't see why" people are opposed to the study.  He remarked that this was the only  way to get any hard information on the matter.  Councilman E.W. Morigeau felt that the main matter of concern was proper payment to the Tribes.
The way is still open for negotiation by the Tribes as to who builds the dams. Col. Poteat told tribal member Louis Dupuis at the Poison meeting that the Corps does not have exclusive jurisdiction on the matter yet.
When asked about Tribal ownership of the river and water at the Poison meeting, Col. Poteat said that this was a complex question with a long history. He said the matter would have to be researched.
The Flathead Indian Girl's Basketball team from St. Ignatius, is shown here with Coach Rusty Cordier, displaying the tropheys given at the recent basketball tournament held in St. Ignatius. Teams from all over the Northwest competed for three days . Winning team was the Confederated Colville Tribes, 2nd place was the sponsoring team, Flathead Indian Girls, 3rd place went to the Lapwai Hopperettes, and 4th place tropheys awarded to the Yakima Nation team.