9/23/18, letter to KBC News from Rex Cozzalio, Hornbrook rancher, regarding  the Cold Creek Project to be carried out by Trout Unlimited:

"I wrote this for the good people involved ready to defend someone potentially under attack.  However, in this case the people have agreed to the project and just want to see it finished.  I am neither for nor against it.  I personally don't like any of the funded 'projects' I have seen as they have always come with required relinquished future diminished property/resource 'agreement'.  That is something they are concerned about but, as often happens, they just want to get past the fight. 

In this particular instance, while tied with the 2013 BiOp, the project itself is one the owners want to see completed after 10 years of fighting with the agencies involved.  They of course are concerned about future additional demands but believe this will potentially reduce a lot of pressure off them and perhaps may even be more efficient in the end.  They have had a long fight and do not want to see it delayed even longer.

 

My personal concern is the blowback they (and everyone else) will get in the destruction of the dams as at this point the 'definite plan' calls for 'keeping' the hatchery at Iron Gate and reactivating the Fall Creek ponds.  Without deep lake cold water, they will confiscate Bogus Creek (particularly its Cold Creek tributary) water historically too little and too warm for high volume consistent hatchery production (which is why it wasn't relied on for dam provided cold water IN THE FIRST PLACE even though the hatchery SITS on Bogus Creek) and CERTAINLY NOT at the 6 million chinook alone year current levels, not to mention coho and steelhead.  Then they plan to 'rear' them at Fall Creek, ALSO historically known inadequate in quantity and temperature for large scale production.  That Fall Creek KNOWN limited capacity is why Iron Gate was considered necessary and acknowledged by ALL (INCLUDING Fish and Game) a HUGE improvement at the time and for DECADES after.  I'm certain that is ALSO why the 'Definite Plan' does NOT mention the numbers of fish they intend to produce AFTER the dams are destroyed, at which time the legal order for PacifiCorp REQUIRING 6 million smolts per year 'disappears'.  However, ALL of the wishlist costs for the multiple hatchery rebuilds and environmentally limited production will be paid for 100% by RATEPAYERS for 8 YEARS AFTER the dams are destroyed (including further appropriation of Bogus Creek and Fall Creek water?)!"