Salmon and steelhead populations once numbered between 10 and 16 million in the Columbia Basin alone. But livestock grazing is, in fact, one of the leading causes of the destruction of salmon and steelhead habitat in the Northwest. Meanwhile, in the John Day Basin's uplands, livestock facilitate the rapid spread of invasive weeds. Most raft floats on the John Day are extended trips that involve washing dishes with river water, and many visitors come into direct contact with the river through boating, angling, and swimming. Continued grazing here could lead to serious public health problems.
Damage caused by livestock is difficult to justify alongside any river.
But along a Wild and Scenic River, like the John Day, such damage is also illegal.