Work on Winchester Lake Dam will result in water level drop
WINCHESTER — Safety modifications to the Winchester Lake Dam will result in a 3-foot drop in the water level for the foreseeable future.
According to an Idaho Department of Fish and Game news release, breakaway walls on the dam’s spillway were removed recently. The walls that capture spring runoff held the lake level about 3 feet above the spillway. They were designed to fail and protect the dam’s integrity in the event that water overtopped the spillway. However, if they failed, the resulting surge of water could cause downstream flooding.
Without the walls, less water will be captured each spring. According to the news release, the lower lake level will minimally affect the lake’s fishery but some of its docks will now sit in shallower water.
The department plans to upgrade the dam and spillway in the future in the next five years.
Bighorn sheep survey planned this week along Joseph Creek, Grande Ronde River
HELLER BAR — Biologists from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will use helicopters to survey bighorn sheep herds along Joseph Creek and the lower Grande Ronde River on Thursday and Friday.
During the effort, a helicopter will fly at low elevations over the canyons carved by the river and creek. The routine surveys help the agency monitor the health of the Black Butte and Mountain View herds.
According to a news release from the agency, bighorns are highly susceptible to pneumonia spread by the Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae bacteria, or Movi for short. Herds throughout the greater Hells Canyon area have battled the illness. Over the past several years, a test-and-remove program has reduced the prevalence of the disease. However, it has not been eliminated.
“Bighorn herds in southeast Washington were impacted by a pneumonia outbreak in late 2023, which has spread among the herds along the Snake and Grande Ronde rivers, and more recently Movi was detected in Asotin Creek,” said WDFW Acting District Wildlife Biologist Mark Vekasy. “These surveys provide an opportunity to get a look at the bighorns in this area and determine the magnitude of the die-off compared to population estimates from last year.”
Officers seeking information about deer shot in parking lot of Orofino school
OROFINO — Idaho Fish and Game Conservation officers are seeking information about the shooting of a whitetail deer in the parking lot of the Orofino Elementary School on the evening of Nov. 26.
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to call Conservation Officer Luke Guasco at (208) 921-7541 or the Citizens Against Poaching hotline at (800) 632-5999. Callers can remain anonymous and a reward is available for information that leads to a citation.
Bird count planned on the Palouse next weekend
PULLMAN — The Palouse Audubon Society will conduct its annual Moscow-Pullman Christmas Bird Count on Saturday.
The count is conducted in two parts, one in Idaho and one in Washington. Birders interested in participating on the Idaho side may contact Kas Dumroese at kas.birder@gmail.com. Birders interested in participating on the Washington side may contact Marie Dymkoski at Marie-Dymkoski@msn.com or Casey Lowder at casey.lowder@me.com.
A post-count social will be held at The Lumberyard Food Hall in Pullman.
Fly caster to speak at Moscow meeting this week
MOSCOW — Trisha Campbell, a certified fly casting instructor and Washington State Fly Fisher of the year in 2022, will be the guest speaker at the Clearwater Fly Casters meeting Wednesday.
Campbell will present “Baby and Juvenile Tarpon Fishing in Isla Arena, Mexico” to the group.
The meeting, held at the Best Western Plus University Inn, starts with a 5:30 p.m. social hour followed by a $24 buffet dinner at 6:30 and Campbell’s presentation at 7.
Kelly Creek Flycasters to gather at Lewiston
Members of the Kelly Creek Flycasters will show slides and tell stories about their fishing trips and travels at the group’s meeting at the Hells Canyon Grand Hotel in Lewiston on Thursday.
The meeting starts with a social hour at 5:30 p.m. followed by a no-host dinner at 6 and the program at about 7. Visitors are encouraged to attend.
