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Letters to the Editor

Restoring Glen Canyon: Achievable

In the April/May edition of Inside/Outside Southwest, Hank Hassell from Flagstaff outlined his reasons why he does not believe that Glen Canyon can or should be restored. The argument that Mr. Hassell outlines is that it would be too difficult due to (1) the Law of the River, (2) engineering and (3) the challenge of restoring Glen Canyon.

These arguments look at the short-term hurdles but not the long-term opportunity for a vision of restoration and one of the realities of the coming time for the Colorado River. The Law of the Colorado was formulated over many years of debates, discussions, compact developments, a treaty and multiple court cases. These documents provide a set of criteria for the seven Colorado River Basin States managing the river. Current discussions are focused on how to manage the river in time of drought. These criteria, while formidable, were made by men and can be changed by men.

Increased information regarding climate change, the extent of the drought, and the changing dynamics of water supply and demand require a complete and concise watershed evaluation that takes into account the elements of endangered species, Native American needs and recreation requirements. These new demands require integration into the way we manage Glen Canyon Dam. The good-old-boys network of river management needs to include the emerging needs of the broader society. Reoperating the Colorado River in a time of drought demands a new approach to managing the water and reducing the 1 million acre feet plus of evaporation that occurs each summer from lakes Powell and Mead.

The engineering challenges of getting water and sediment around Glen Canyon Dam are being helped along by Mother Nature. As the drought continues to draw down Lake Powell, the sediment deposits in the upstream ends of the Colorado and San Juan rivers are being eaten away and carried further downstream towards the dam. Yes, the dam is made of concrete. Concrete that is anchored in the soft sandstone. Engineers are trained at solving problems like Glen Canyon. Engineers in Japan and elsewhere have found ways to move sediment around dams. Challenging? Yes. Impossible? No.

For the price of a day of combat in Iraq we can solve this problem for the betterment of the Colorado River. Can Glen Canyon be Restored? It will never be returned to the environment that John Wesley Powell saw in 1869. Ongoing studies and photo documentation prove that the side canyons quickly flush out the accumulated sediment within a year or two. Once the sediment is flushed, springs and riparian areas quickly are reestablished and once again support amphibians, avifauna, plants, reptiles and mammals that once inhabited Glen Canyon. Yes, non-native exotic tamarisk and Russian olive will initially inhabit the exposed sediments. Once the natural flow of the river is reestablished, spring floods and summer monsoons will flush the sediments and exotic plants downstream.

Bottom line, restoring Glen Canyon is a challenge - a challenge for our generation to take on and achieve. The legacy we leave should be one of pride and hope, rather than one of lost opportunities. - Dave Wegner, Durango, Colorado

Keep Wolf Creek Pass Undeveloped

I am an avid snowboarder at Wolf Creek Ski Area, and I am opposed to the Village at Wolf Creek. One of the main reasons I chose to snowboard at Wolf Creek over Durango Mountain Resort is because it is less populated; not to mention the snow conditions are awesome. Ryan Demmy Bidwell was quoted in Marcia Darnell's article, "Village or Pillage? The Wolf Creek Wars," in Inside/Outside Southwest magazine [April/May 2007], as saying "Wolf Creek has no residential development, and no commercial development at its base, and many who value it appreciate the place for that." I am one of many who indeed appreciate the mountain for just that reason.

Do Bob Honts and Red McCombs really know what they are about to do to do to the land they are going to destroy? The scenic drive to Wolf Creek is reason enough to drive an hour and a half (from Durango) on snow-packed roads to snowboard at Wolf Creek. I love to look out the window and see a bighorn ram, a herd of deer or a bald eagle perched on a tree limb. Once Honts and McCombs begin their development on the land, the wildlife will begin to diminish. Also, the increase of people who will constantly be in the area will drive the wildlife out of their natural habitat.

I am opposed to this development and wish Wolf Creek would stay as it is now. People chose Wolf Creek simply to get away from the business of people. The dedicated skiers and snowboarders may find it harder to enjoy themselves on the mountain if they are surrounded by a massive amount of people.

I hope Honts and McCombs think long and hard about what they are doing to the beautiful land that surrounds Wolf Creek. - Hollee Hutchins, Durango, Colorado