Yesterday the Deschutes River Alliance made a post titled “The Truth About PGE’s Stakeholder Process“. I really hesitated to write about this, from my perspective it’s a tired topic, but they made some claims that I simply cannot ignore. I was a member of the stakeholder process and have a very different perspective of what occurred. To state that the DRA is “the only NGO fighting for the lower Deschutes River” is simply ridiculous.

Portland General Electric voluntarily created the Lower Deschutes River Pilot Stakeholder Working Group in order to collaboratively explore potential solutions to complaints about the operation of the Selective Water Withdrawal tower within the context of their Federal Energy Regulatory Commission license. It is critical to acknowledge this license which specifies the parameters under which the Pelton Round Butte hydroelectric facility must operate. It is a complex license with many requirements, one of which is to release water to meet specific temperature targets. That is non-negotiable, whether we like it or not. If the DRA has an issue with this license they should take it up with FERC.

There were many groups and individuals invited to be part of the stakeholders group including state and federal agencies like ODFW, DEQ, BLM, US Forest Service (BLM and USFS have fish biologists), fishing guides, anglers familiar with the river such as myself, and NGOs including the DRA, Native Fish Society, Trout Unlimited, The Conservation Angler, and The Fresh Water Trust.

The process was to review the terms of the FERC license, the operation of the SWW, the best available science on the health of the river, understand complaints about impacts from the operation of the SWW, and attempt to collaboratively explore solutions within the limits of the FERC license. Needless to day, the DRA does not like the outcome of this process. To claim that other NGOs involved in the stakeholder group do not care about the Lower Deschutes, however, is simply disingenuous. In fact, NFS, TU, The Fresh Water Trust, and others, have committed to continue to explore ways to improve the health of the river. The DRA may not like this outcome, but they did not propose any viable alternatives within the terms of the FERC license.

From a purely personal perspective, I am simply tired hearing about pH levels or changes in macroinvertebrate hatch timing in the Lower D. I don’t fish for pH or aquatic insects. Like all anglers I know, I target fish. The best available science shows that there has been no negative impact on fish abundance or condition factors due to the operation of the SWW.

My personal experience is that the fishing on the Lower D remains excellent. This year I have fished times between Trout Creek and Harpham Flats with more than acceptable results. Last Saturday was my least productive outing of the year and even then I landed 7 trout, up to 18″, and had many more on. My 5 day trip below Macks last month was ruined by the White River dumping tons of mud, but anglers I have spoken to gave me good reports of that section as well.

Personal anecdotes like this are largely meaningless, some guides continue to complain about the fishing. I just don’t get it. I’m having another great year and I assure you that I am not a super angler. I can only say that I trust the annual fish sampling conducted by ODFW which continues to show that the fishery remains robust. Seriously, who cares about anything else?