[MtnGoat]

The solution is quite clear. Since it's argued that dams damage the character of lakes in wilderness, and the dams predate wilderness, the decision to include them in the wilderness was a mistake. Redraw the boundaries and exclude the lakes from wilderness, return them to general National Forest status so the work can be done at the least possible cost and without offending supporters of wilderness who think the dams shouldn't be in wilderness areas. Where I see a minimal intrusion in wilderness character and a compromise for protection of the lakes vs their vital use in supporting agriculture in the Wenatchee drainage, dam opponents see non wilderness character and intrusion. Great. The way to solve this for the benefit of both interests is to remove them from wilderness, thus ending the problem of offending wilderness purists, and retaining them for their designed use, and likely a huge cost reduction in maintenance. . Win win.

[MtnGoat]

[NacMacFeegle]

[MtnGoat]

The changes are not long overdue, they're not due in the first place. The valley is a fantastic place for agriculture when water supply is properly managed. As for the 'blight', your preferred practices are an excellent way to increase housing prices.

[NacMacFeegle]

[MtnGoat]

I'm not sure why farming practices yielding such incredible gains over the last decades 'need' to be changed, other than in places perhaps where water is in truly short supply. The Wenatchee drainage is not such a place. As noted in the article, all that's required is capture and storage which has occurred just fine for many decades. You tell us it's 'currently not the case', yet other than repairs to a very basic dam, the system has been working quite well and the yields and growth attest to this. "Gaps" don't produce price increases, changes in demand and supply do. Your preferred policies make prices higher than they otherwise would be. It's interesting to proclaim concern for folks with fewer resources while championing measures which produce upwards price pressure, in this case, arguments aimed at restricting supply. There's always someone around to argue that there are too many of...someone *else*.

[treeswarper]

[treeswarper]

[NacMacFeegle]

[Stefan]

This would not be an issue or even discussed if there was low human population.

[Schroder]

These dams were not built for irrigation purposes. They were built to provide water at the correct temperature in the Spring for the Leavenworth fish hatchery. This is a photo of the Eightmile Lake dam:

[HitTheTrail]

Here are some in late fall at low tide. I was amazed at the exposed low water shoreline. It was covered with crayfish shells. No wonder the Mackinaw get so big in there.

October low water

Gate valve

Spillway

Spillway2

high water wall

low water inlet

[Randito]

[NacMacFeegle]

[treeswarper]