40 Organizations Oppose New Dams, Diversions in Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area

May 13, 2016

News Release
May 12, 2016

Contact:
Karl Forsgaard, 206-330-8966
Rachael Paschal Osborn, 509-954-5641

Water conservation is better option for water scarcityColchuck Lake, Alpine Lakes Wilderness (USDA)

On Wednesday, May 11, 40 conservation and outdoor recreation organizations submitted comments on a controversial proposal to build dams and divert water from seven lakes in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.

This 400,000-acre federal wilderness area, located near population centers in Puget Sound, is among the most popular and beloved wilderness areas in the United States. After spending more than three years and nearly $1 million in tax dollars, Washington State Department of Ecology (“Ecology”) and Chelan County released a scoping proposal for public review and comment. Photo: Colchuck Lake, Alpine Lakes Wilderness (USDA)

“Thousands of people have worked for decades to protect the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in the federal wilderness system,” said Karl Forsgaard, president of the Alpine Lakes Protection Society. “Rather than dam and drain wilderness lakes, the State Department of Ecology should pursue water conservation first, not as an afterthought.”

Chelan County and Ecology convened the Icicle Work Group in December 2012 to come up with a plan to address various water supply and other resource issues. Included among the issues is obtaining more water for the City of Leavenworth and other municipalities in the Wenatchee Valley. The Icicle Work Group (IWG) proposal, referred to as the “Icicle Strategy,” proposes to rebuild a collapsed dam at Eightmile Lake and manipulate water levels at other lakes in the Wilderness Area.

The multi-group comment letter asks the IWG to consider different alternatives, including a “Wilderness Protection” alternative that would not intrude on the wilderness. The groups also asked for consideration of “Water Conservation” alternative that looks to aggressive water conservation measures as a mechanism to provide for future water supplies in the Wenatchee Valley.

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