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A cooperative effort Photo by Jim Craven Ranchers, environmentalists agree on irrigation dam removal By PAUL FATTIG Applegate Valley rancher Jack Ducey was a little apprehensive when first approached a couple of years ago about the possibility of removing an irrigation dam on the Little Applegate River. After all, he relies on the dam to keep his pastures green and growing for his cattle and horses. "I was cautious, and that feeling would represent that of all the people,�� Ducey said, referring to area farmers and ranchers. "We were very concerned.�� But now Ducey and others have come together in a cooperative effort by diverse factions � from environmental groups to farmers and ranchers � to remove two old irrigation dams on the Little Applegate, replacing them with a series of pipes and pumps. "At issue is fish passage, water flow and water quality,�� said Jan Perttu, coordinator for the Applegate River Watershed Council. "But we wanted to make sure that all their concerns are covered as well as that of the natural resources,�� she said. "We�re going to accomplish that with this project.�� Work is expected to begin this summer, although the dams won�t be removed until next year after the pipes and pumps are in place. Fall chinook salmon, summer and winter steelhead and coho salmon are found in the picturesque stream along with non-migratory rainbow. Coho are listed as threatened under the Endangerd Species Act. Both dams are about five feet high, and together they block some 31 river miles for fish passage. The Farmers Ditch Association dam has a water right for diverting 11 cubic feet of water per second while the Buck and Jones Ditch Association dam has a water right for 3.5 cfs. The water rights go back to the 1850s. "Since their water rights are so old, they are allowed to essentially dewater the stream when we have years of low flow,�� said Perttu. Perttu cited the ditch associations for their willingness to work to improve fish habitat. She knows that generations of farmers and ranchers in the area have depended on the dams to provide water to keep their crops growing and their herds fed. "This is one of the most win-win conservation projects on the West Coast,�� said Dale Hile, who works for the World Wildlife Fund in Ashland. The fund has contributed about $100,000 to the project. "This collaboration is good for everyone," he added. "People are coming together on common issues, regardless of their differences. Everyone needs water, but fish are also very important.�� The project is estimated to cost about $1.5 million. More than $1 million in financial and in-kind contributions have been secured so far, Perttu said. The plan calls for water replacing that diverted from the Farmers Ditch Association dam to be piped about two miles from the main Applegate, tapping water stored from behind Applegate Dam. Irrigation pumps on the Little Applegate will replace water diverted by the Buck and Jones dam. "It�s going to be a much better system for the agriculture operators as well as for the fish,�� Perttu said. If the project goes according to plan, it will help the agricultural community, said Ducey, a member of the Ditch Association. The agricultural faction wanted to ensure they wouldn�t lose their water and that the project wouldn�t bankrupt them, he said. "It will make our operations more efficient,�� he said. "Flood irrigation is fine, but it stresses pastureland when you initially flood. By the time you are ready to irrigate again it has dried out quite a bit so you are stressing it on both ends. "If you can apply the water in a more even manner, it�s more beneficial,�� he added. "This will be a win-win for us all.�� But he noted that farmers and ranchers must have the ability to resort to water in the Little Applegate should stored water from Applegate reservoir not be available. Obituaries | Sports | Business | Classifieds | Tempo | Prime Times | So Oregon Sites | Outdoor Journal | Subscribe | Contact | Movies | Advertise | Real Estate Showcase | Archive | Editorials | Letters to the editor | Religion | Wake-up Call | NIE | Cyber Chef | Job Network | So Oregon Weather | WSJ Northwest | Forums | AP Wire | AP Money | F.A.Q. | Awards Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. The Community Newspaper Subsidiary of Dow Jones & Co, Inc Copyright �The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA