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DateNameCompanyComment
 Brian PosewitzWaterWatch of OregonThe applications should be denied because the reservoirs diminish downstream flows needed for fish and water quality and/or contribute to water quality problems by releasing warmed and/or polluted waters downstream. The watermaster comments note the reservoirs collect water that would otherwise flow to Cottonwood Creek, which flows into the North Fork of the John Day River, which flows into the the mainstem John Day River. The John Day River system provides important habitat to steelhead, salmon and other fish but is water quality limited primarily for temperature and subject to heat loading limits in at total maximum daily load. Thus, flows in the river should not be diminished, at least not during summer and early fall. The reservoirs would do that unless they are carefully managed to ensure no live flow is stored in the summer or early fall. However, because the reservoirs are in a stream channel, that could not be done without releasing water previously stored (to match outflow with inflow), which would be warmed and otherwise polluted. The reservoirs also prevent fish from using the stream when it flows. The reservoirs should therefore be dismanted to restore the free-flowing stream channel.