Environmental Lawsuit Muddies Oregon Waters, Kills Thousands of Fish
Compliance with a court order intended to save endangered salmon has choked state rivers with silt and degraded municipal water supplies.
The biggest drawdown of water levels in the history of Lookout Point and Green Peter reservoirs washed 60 years of sediment into the South Santiam, which mixes with the clean, clear North Santiam at its confluence. Photo taken Nov 12, 2023.Courtesy of Brian Stone Photography
When the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) enforced a court-ordered drawdown of the water levels at two Willamette Valley reservoirs in October, it got more than it expected.
As water was released from Green Peter and Lookout Point Reservoir, it returned to its lowest levels since the dams were built nearly 70 years ago.
Scottie Barnes
Freelance reporter
Scottie Barnes writes breaking news and investigative pieces for The Epoch Times from the Pacific Northwest. She has a background in researching the implications of public policy and emerging technologies on areas ranging from homeland security and national defense to forestry and urban planning.
