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--> --> Smith: No immediate relief for Detroit Lake DETROIT (AP) - U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith says it's too late to provide immediate relief for arid Detroit Lake, but he has promised to work to prevent future droughts in rural areas. Speaking to residents in a gymnasium on Saturday, the Oregon Republican denounced environmental laws that "don't take the human species into account." A lack of rainfall and snowpack has dropped water levels in Detroit Lake far below normal, and the federal government has used much of that water to aid fish in the Willamette River. That has left boat docks dry in the lake. Recreation officials estimated that campsite and motel reservations are down more than 20 percent from last year. Save Our Lake committee member Mike Lamont said the Detroit business community has lost $1.75 million this year because of the drop in tourism. At Saturday's "town hall" meeting, Smith was presented with a petition containing 9,000 signatures in support of the state Senate's memorial urging Congress to designate Detroit Lake a recreational lake. If Congress approves legislation stemming from the memorial, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would be required to maintain a water level that would permit recreational use of the lake from April 1 to Sept. 30. Smith said he supported such legislation, calling the drought a "government catastrophe." While nothing can be done to remedy the situation this year, Smith pledged to propose legislation that would secure emergency funds for victims of future droughts. "It's not easy to come here without immediate relief, Smith said. "However, my commitment to you today is to find new forms of revenue streams to make sure this doesn't happen again next year. I can't prevent what's happened this year, but I hope you realize that by coming here today I'm showing that I care." Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing