KWSO News 8/14/19

The Oregon Health Authority is reminding the public that a precautionary recreational use health advisory for the 2019 cyanobacterial bloom season remains in effect for Lake Billy Chinook due to harmful algae that routinely develop in the lake. Oregon Health Authority says it is not aware of any in the lake but that they can develop throughout the season and in areas that are not visually monitored by Jefferson County, Oregon State Parks or the U.S. Forest Service. Tests done at Lake Billy Chinook since 2015 have shown that blooms in the lake consistently produce cyanotoxins over recreational use health guidelines for people and pets. Certain conditions can help people identify a bloom. People and their pets should avoid areas where the water is foamy, scummy, thick like paint, pea-green, blue-green or brownish red in color, a thick mat is present, or when bright green cells can be seen suspended in the water column, making the water a brighter shade of green

Columbia River commercial gillnet fisheries for all of zone six have been set for August 26-28 and September 2-5. Contact Warm Springs Fisheries if you have any questions about regulations.

There is a youth 3 on 3 basketball tournament August 29-30 at Elmer Quinn Park. It is open to all youth. The first eight teams to pay in full will get a spot – it is $60 per team. It will be round robin bracket play and the top two teams will go head to head for the championship. It’s a co-ed tourney and the age divisions are 13-15 & 16-18. For more information contact Mallory Smith at the Warm Springs Community Action Team office.

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. (AP) — Removing four hydroelectric dams along the lower Klamath River in Southern Oregon and Northern California is expected to cost just under $434 million and could happen by 2022, according to a new filing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The Capital Press reports the nonprofit Klamath River Renewal Corp. submitted plans with FERC in 2018 to decommission and demolish J.C. Boyle, Copco Nos. 1 and 2 and Iron Gate dams, which block about 400 miles of upstream habitat for migratory salmon and steelhead. Regulators are now considering whether to transfer the dams’ operating license from PacifiCorp to KRRC before the project can move forward. A general contractor, Kiewit Infrastructure West Co. of Fairfield, Calif., is already on board and working on a plan for razing the dams. But first, KRRC must answer questions from a six-member independent board of consultants appointed by the feds to prove they have the money, insurance and contingency for such a large proposal.