On Thursday, August 7th, Senator
Cantwell (D-WA)
will hold a
press conference announcing the introduction of legislation to
designate approximately 20 miles of the Upper White Salmon River in the Gifford Pinchot National
Forest as part of the National Wild and Scenic River System. Maria Cantwell's
bill
will be the Senate companion piece of legislation complimenting Congressman
Brian Baird's (D-WA-3rd) introduction of similar
language in the House earlier this year.
The White Salmon river is located in South-Central Washington in Baird's district. Strong
constituent support is required if we want to see serious action on this legislation. Letters that
communicate your personal interest in the White Salmon and the Wild and Scenic River program would
still be very helpful in making this happen. If you have the opportunity, please be sure to thank
Senator Cantwell and Representative Baird for their hard work. If passed, this Wild and Scenic
legislative protection will be an
economic boon to the regional economy
and raise the standard of living in the district.
American Whitewater, American Rivers, Friends of the White Salmon, and many additional groups have
been working to
extend Wild and
Scenic status on the Upper White Salmon. Our hard work, and the work of volunteers like Tom
O'Keefe, is beginning to bear fruit. The introduction of Wild and Scenic language in the House and
Senate did not just happen; instead, this was the culmination of hundreds of hours of work by
dozens of people who care passionately about the White Salmon and the region it is in.
if passed, designation would include a total of 20 combined river miles on the main stem and
Cascade Creek, including:
The 1.6-mile segment of the main stem of the White Salmon River from the headwaters on Mount
Adams downstream to the Mount Adams wilderness boundary (WILD).
The 5.1-mile segment of Cascade Creek from its headwaters on Mount Adams downstream to the Mount
Adams Wilderness boundary shall be administered as a wild river (WILD).
The 1.5-mile segment of Cascade Creek from the Mount Adams Wilderness boundary downstream to its
confluence with the White Salmon River (SCENIC).
The 11.8-mile segment of the main stem of the White Salmon River from the Mount Adams Wilderness
boundary downstream to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest boundary (SCENIC).
If passed, the White Salmon River would be the first wild and scenic river to be
designated in the state of Washington since 1986. There are currently three other wild and scenic
rivers in the state: the
Lower White
Salmon River, the
Klickitat
River, and the
Skagit River.
Washington has relatively few miles of designated Wild and Scenic river considering the number and
quality of river resources in the state.
DATE: August 7, 2003
TIME: 1:30 pm - 3:00pm
LOCATION:
US Forest Service Building
10600 NE 51st Circle
Vancouver WA
CONTACT:
Roger Peterson, Deputy Press Officer, USFS 360-891-5007
ATTENDEES:
Dean Hostetter, Farm B&B in Trout Lake
Mark Zoller, Zoo Rafting Company
Phyllis Clausen, Friends of White Salmon
Pat Arnold, Friends of White Salmon
Troy Dinter, Lamiglass Fishing Rods
Joanie Thomson, Friends of the Gorge
Craig Pridemore, Clark County Commissioner
Jason Spadaro, SDS Lumber (invited)
Jim Moeller, State Representative
Janice Harte, Business Development Specialist WSU/Vancouver
Keith Jensen, Alder Creek Kayak and Canoe (and AW Regional Coordinator)
MORE INFORMATION:
Extending Wild and Scenic River
Status on the White Salmon River
White Salmon River (WA) BZ
Access
Lower White Salmon Wild and Scenic
River
Green Truss Bridge to BZ
Corners
National Wild and Scenic Rivers System
Gifford Pinchot National Forest
Warner Road Bridge to Green Truss
Bridge (AKA "Farmlands" Section)
