Couple key issues:

Quoting the article:

"Irrigators argued that the Forest Service did not have the right under the Endangered Species Act to deny long-standing water rights to farmers. They claimed the state, and not the federal government, had the authority to set in-stream flow requirements for fish."

And

"Whaley ruled that flow rates are set so the Forest Service complies with the Endangered Species Act, which is carried out by the National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. His decision was upheld by the 9th Circuit."

If the current plan to lump wild and hatchery together passes, and salmon/steelhead are no longer considered as ESA listed.....

Well...there goes the protection. Fish lose.

At least that is the way I understand things to be going. Hope I'm wrong.

Mike

Off to Canada till Fri.

Y'all have fun..

Mike