589 



felt, strongly felt feelings about it. But you know, we are all trying 

 to work our way through this whole issue. 



Joe, this is not necessarily a follow-up, but I was going to ask 

 you a question anyway, I might as well. Can you direct me to the 

 document or the source of the 4^2 months drawdown for a test? 

 You said in your testimony, "Plans are now being formulated for 

 an additional test drawdown for Granite pool lasting 4V2 months 

 and costing $40 million." 



Mr. Stegner. I can for the record. 



Mr. LaRocco. Okay. 



Mr. Stegner. I will get you that. 



Mr. LaRocco. Okay, because I want to follow up on that. 



And then, Mr. Chapman, as you stated in yoxir testimony, Idaho 

 Power has been a positive force in the effort to restore salmon 

 through changes in operation of their hydroelectric system. Let me 

 just say I beUeve if all the players in the salmon debate dem- 

 onstrated, you laiow, that type of spirit of cooperation that Idaho 

 Power has demonstrated, I think we would be further down the 

 road here. I just want to make that statement, because I think they 

 have really done a good job. 



If you could please, describe the general amount of precipitation 

 in Idaho, specifically southern Idaho, in the last 6 years. What I 

 am getting at is what you know about water — ^has this year been 

 above average precipitation and what kind of chances do you think 

 we have of meeting the 1993 flow targets, given our historical pre- 

 cipitation levels? 



Mr. Chapman. Congressman LaRocco, this year of course has 

 been much, much better for us and a much better water year than 

 we had over the last 6 years. Idaho, as much of the rest of the 

 Northwest, has imdergone one of the most severe droughts of 

 record over the last 6 years, and we have had some very severe and 

 difficult times trying to meet the water demands in our state. We 

 were fortunate that we had reservoirs on our system because they 

 kept us aUve for an additional 3 years that otherwise we would 

 have seen the agricultural economy of our State decimated. 



With regard to meeting the flow targets this year, I think that 

 the flow targets are very close to being met. I am not sure we will 

 meet them exactly, but we will be much closer to meeting the 

 85,000 and the 55,000 that have been discussed in the biological 

 opinion. However, there is absolutely no guarantee we will be able 

 to do that next year. The ciunulative effect is one that is often ig- 

 nored in looMng at water supply for target flows or velocities, re- 

 gardless of what level they are. And when you look at the last 6 

 years, we would not have been able to meet those target flows, I 

 do not think, any of those 6 years. 



So the problem that we have is that when the fish need water 

 and velocity the most is when we have the least amoimt of water 

 and we have the least capability of providing that water no matter 

 what kind of programs we have in place. And so we need to look 

 at a combination of mechanisms to keep the salmon population via- 

 ble through those periods. 



Mr. LaRocco. Mr. Pedde, there has been some talk today about 

 increased storage. That sounds like dams to me. Where are those 

 sites? Do we have sites? 



