Idaho Steelhead and Salmon Unlimited (ISSU) was formed in 1984 by a diverse group of businessmen, guides, conservationists, sport fishermen, and concerned citizens from throughout the region to protect, restore, and preserve The Snake River's anadromous resource.
The Snake River was once one of the worlds largest producers of spring chinook, summer chinook, and steelhead, as well as large numbers of sockeye, coho, and fall chinook salmon. Snake River salmon contributed to economies as far north as Alaska, and to the south as far as California, as well as 900 miles inland to Stanley, Idaho.
Members of ISSU claim they can remember in the late 1960s and early 1970s when small communities along the Salmon River -- such as Clayton, Idaho near Challis -- would sell about 2000 gallons of gasoline a day to salmon fishermen...and about that many gallons of beer.
In 1978 -- only 3 years after the completion of the four lower Snake River dams -- salmon fishing closed on the world famous Salmon River of Idaho, and has never re-opened.Fishing businesses from Alaska to Stanley were devastated by the completion of those four dams. Sport, tribal, and commercial fishermen were the first victims as a result of damming the lower Snake. Because those dams were so lethal to wild salmon and steelhead Congress acted immediately to protect remaining wild populations by creating the Frank Church River of No Return and the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness areas to protect and enhance spawning and rearing for the few remaining wild runs. These two wilderness areas comprise the largest contiguous wilderness area in the lower 40 eight States. However this added to more victims as logging, mining, and ranching was eliminated in these areas. All because the dams kill so many fish that no other mortality can occur. The same trend continues to this day. The four lower Snake River dams continue to kill so many fish that no other human caused mortality is acceptable. Sport, tribal and commercial harvest are a mere fraction of what they were before the dams were built. Habitat such as Bear Valley Creek, Marsh Creek, and Beaver Creek along the Salmon River -- to name a few -- are in better shape today than they have ever been.
Yet the Federal Bi-Op wants to continue to punish the victims. It is laden with habitat, harvest and hatchery, measures. More of the same stuff that has been done in this basin for the last 20 years.
Currently steelhead fishing in Idaho is a $90 million a year industry. It employs approximately 3000 Idahoans. In rural Idaho -- such as Riggins, Challis, and Orofino -- it is an important natural resource. One that has far more economic importance than simply restoring them because of the Endangered Species Act. Don Reading -- of Ben Johnson and Associates -- estimates that a restored salmon fishery in Idaho would double that number. I know in my own business steelhead and salmon fishing means $310,000 or 9.5 percent of my total business. When you look at a business such as mine, and we try to hit a goal of 3 percent as a total net return, the loss of this revenue would equate to three full time and two part time jobs. I can not even speculate to the amount of non-fishing items these customers relate to -- possibly it could mean the loss of my business in whole. You factor that in State wide and the effect would be enormous.
Sport fishing in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington according to a study by the American Sport Fishing Association showed that $2,993,298,116 was spent in 1996 by sport fishermen. Nearly $3 billion in one year, or about the same amount that has been squandered in the region by the Northwest Power Planning Council on salmon recovery. Bear in mind this figure does not represent tribal or commercial fisheries and was compiled at a time when salmon and steelhead runs were at all time lows. Saving salmon is not a cost it is a benefit.
ISSU has no agenda to breach dams. ISSU has an agenda to save salmon even if it means breaching the four Lower Snake River dams. We are willing to support any plan that can pass State, tribal, and legal muster to restore our salmon and steelhead resources. We have yet to see one that does not involve breaching the four Lower Snake dams, nor do we believe we ever will.
I have included some economic attachments prepared by the Save our Wild Salmon Coalition. The figures in these documents were derived directly from the Army Corps of Engineers Drawdown Economic Work Group (DREW) documents.
You will see there are many more economic benefits from dam bypass. One is a $123 million recreation benefit in the 140 mile section of restored natural river in the lower Snake. A natural river in the Lower Snake River would reveal 34,000 acres of inundated riparian land and approximately 13,000 acres of river surface area, increasing big-mass in the Lower Snake by 70 percent. Another is the savings of what the Bureau of Reclamation estimates to be $180 million a year in flow augmentation, adding water to the dammed river from upstream reservoirs, disrupting hundreds of thousands of acres of irrigated land. Compliance with the Clean water Act could cost $460 million or more if the dams stay in place. I urge you to look these document over closely. I think you will find that salmon recovery, and dam removal is a winning proposition for all of us.
Thank you Chairman Crapo for allowing Idaho's sportsman and related businesses an opportunity to be here today. I will try and answer any questions you or the Committee may have.