Low flows to greet Silver Creek fishermen
Dayna Gross, Silver Creek Preserve manager, left, leads a canoe tour at the nature preserve near Picabo. Silver Creek Preserve will celebrate opening day of fishing season on Saturday with a barbecue serving free hot dogs, hamburgers and drinks. However, The Nature Conservancy reports that the creek is experiencing record-low flows this spring—less than two-thirds of what is normal at this time of the year. Many farmers in the lower Bellevue Triangle have had artesian wells dry up or have seen reduced flows from their wells. Surrounding Silver Creek, several springs are dry or barely flowing. The organization reports that the culprit is most likely a combination of things—several consecutive dry winters, fast spring runoff resulting in less recharge to the aquifer and increased consumptive water use upstream. Express photo by Roland Lane |