Water controversies are a hard issue

With the third spate of letters in as many weeks concerning our recent coverage of Grays River water management, it's easy to see that this is a controversial issue.

Several writers object to our analogy to war. Perhaps the term "under seige" wasn't most accurate for a headline, for the agencies sponsoring projects don't feel they're invading the Grays River Valley and attacking the residents.

However, I'm comfortable with the war analogy for the point of view of a large number of Valley residents: For a variety of reasons, they seem to be rejecting any and all proposals and plans for habitat enhancement projects, even to the point that the term "insurgency" might come to mind.

And as our nation's experience in Vietnam showed us, you can't win the war without winning the hearts and minds of the people.

There doesn't seem to be much middle ground. A year ago, Valley residents came to a community meeting and told the Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board they didn't want any of a myriad of possible enhancement projects which engineers had identified. After months of talks around that issue, Valley residents haven't relented, and, according to Commissioner Blair Brady, the Fish Recovery Board is backing off.

Still, there is room for interested, willing landowners to find cooperation and funds for enhancement projects. And the county board of commissioners is convening meetings of various parties to a working understanding on enhancement and/or flood control projects.

This effort and some good examples of successful projects, such as the Gorley Springs channel restoration project, may help restore trust and form some middle ground. It will just take time.