The initial downstream passage facilities at Cowlitz Falls Dam didn't work as anticipated by engineers and biologists alike. Because Cowlitz Falls Dam is similar in design to Wells Dam on the mid Columbia, most thought that downstream migrating juvenile fish would be attracted to surface flows at the center spillways of about 10% of the flow going to the turbines. It didn't work, demonstrating again that just about every project is unique and that a different approach is necessary.

The reason downstream passage hasn't worked after the initial design trials is because the responsible parties, BPA, LCPUD, and TP, have tried to tweak a flawed design concept by investing what amounts to pocket change (in fish passage terms) when the situation is screaming out for a major investment, measured in millions of dollars, in fishway re-design. An unfortunate truth in fish passage is that least cost alternatives have never been successful.

Fish passage at the Cowlitz seems plagued by the perpetual problem of utilities trying to skate by on the cheap. TP is not meeting the performance standard requirements of its license. I think they're still trying to get by with a sub-standard facility, when their license requires them to do whatever is necessary to satisfy the standards.

The juvenile passage requirements are unlikely to ever be met with a sole facility at Cowlitz Falls Dam. TP is going to need one in Riffe also. The need makes that a reasonable cost of doing business by using the Cowlitz River to produce energy for Tacoma. Tell TP that it's past due, and you want it now. Tell NMFS that it's past due, and you want it now. Tell FERC that it's past due, and you want it now.

Restoration hasn't worked for the above reasons. It hasn't had the chance.

However, that doesn't mean TP is not otherwise meeting its fish mitigation requirements. TP is required to meet numeric goals, whether they are naturally produced fish or hatchery produced fish. From what I've seen that's been happening. Some of the highest Cowlitz coho and summer steelhead returns on record have occurred since the new Cowlitz FERC license has been in effect. Funny that fishermen aren't complaining about that. Saying summer steelhead have been sacrificed for failed restoration is plain wrong when you consider that TP has no mitigation requirement for a summer steelhead run that didn't exist when Tacoma built its Cowlitz dams. You can complain all you want, but your credibility will be enhanced if your concerns are well grounded in fact and applicable law.

Production of early winter steelhead has been reduced so that late winter steelhead production could be increased. The late winters are being used for steelhead restoration in the upper basin. If you don't like that, try persuading the WDFW and NMFS biologists that Chambers Creek steelhead, known for not being able to successfully reproduce naturally, are better suited to ESA restoration than the later winters. Good luck; you'll need it.

I'll be salmon fishing Saturday with a fanatic who will probably keep me on the water until 7. If I get home early enough I'll meet you there.

Sg