Groups Pool Resources For Input On Future Of Snake River

Water-skiers, farmers, food processors, anglers and city governments will work together to decide the future of the Snake River.

A local group, the Walcott Watershed Advisory Group, will help the state Division of Environmental Quality decide how much pollution the Snake River can handle from Milner Dam to American Falls.

Similar groups are forming throughout the state after the Legislature called for them to fulfill a federal court order to clean up Idaho’s rivers.

The trick will be in balancing the wide variety of river interests, said Reed Findlay, an extension agent for the University of Idaho in Burley who is helping to establish the local advisory group. Each interest has its own idea of water quality, whether it be conducive to fish habitat, water skiing or irrigation.

This requires all interests to work together, said Mike McMasters, a Division of Environmental Quality water quality science officer, and large industries and local governments should not be construed as having an advantage.