Dave's thread about a log jam on the Green motivated me to mention this. The Corps of Engineers, as part of a comprehensive habitat improvement program on the Green River, has constructed 2 ELJs on the river. I find it interesting that two groups of river users, some allegedly from Trout Unlimited and kayakers from the Mountaineers, are opposed to these projects because they make river navigation more hazardous. I agree that it does, but it still strikes me as laughable. Does anyone really expect river navigation in the PNW to not be potentially hazardous?

The Green River would have many more log jams but for Howard Hanson Dam, which blocks the passage of large woody debris (LWD) from moving from the upper river basin to the lower. We all know that LWD adds complexity to rivers, increasing its productivity and capacity for fish. Comes now the Corps to right some of its environmental wrongs and we get opposition from fishermen who usually claim to want better fish habitat, when it appears what they really want is convenient navigation.

If you have to choose between convenient, safe, navigation and higher quality river habitat, which is your choice?

And I'm really stymied by the kayakers. I thought they're daredevils who'd relish the challenge of less predictable navigation conditions. Obviously I'm biased, but I think if they don't want complex river channels, complete with logjams, they ought to paddle on Green Lake instead of the Green River. Wusses.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.