Tom Stuart of Stanley, a board member of Idaho Rivers United, said he wanted to see details of Crapo's spending plan before commenting on the specifics. He's exercising leadership in the majority party for the fish. The centerpiece of Crapo's Idaho funding would be habitat, water quality and migration improvements in the upper Salmon River watershed. The Upper Salmon Basin Watershed Project, based in Salmon, has been working to improve conditions in the river since before the fish were listed as endangered in 1992. Often, ranchers and farmers have volunteered their own time and equipment to build fences, reconnect tributaries and plant trees to lower water temperatures in spawning streams.
Funding is crucial.
Crapo met with Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber on Wednesday to discuss the proposal. Kitzhaber, a Democrat, has criticized federal officials for not doing enough for salmon this year. Crapo's bill would not support programs that encourage breaching or the use of Idaho water to boost flows to help fish. But Crapo believes all of his proposals are important. Screening irrigation diversions Flood-management studies to help fish Funding for fish transportation to eliminate trucking fish Compensation for farmers and ranchers who improve habitat and reduce pollution.