ROGUE RIVER, Ore. \u2013 The wild and scenic Rogue River has become even wilder with the demolition of a dam that had hindered passage of salmon and steelhead to their spawning grounds for 88 years.

A flotilla of some 80 people in rafts, driftboats and kayaks celebrated the breaching of the Savage Rapids Dam on Saturday by floating through the remains of the concrete structure in southwest Oregon.

Among them was Jim Martin, rowing his own driftboat. His first job as a young fisheries biologist for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife was monitoring how many salmon and steelhead were killed each year by the irrigation dam.

"Forty-one years ago I stood on that dam as a young biologist fresh out of school watching the fish die, and thinking how this dam had to come out for the health of this river," said Martin, who rose to be chief of fisheries for the department and now is conservation director of Pure Fishing. "People said, `Jim, be realistic, it will never happen.' And it's happening."

1921, the logging and mining that once sustained Southern Oregon have faded. Farms that the Grants Pass Irrigation District once served have sprouted homes that tap the water for lawns and gardens. And the salmon and steelhead have struggled, with an estimated 58,000 adult salmon and steelhead blocked from spawning grounds each year.

The battles to restore the waterway started in 1988, when the conservation group WaterWatch, which organized the celebration, Rogue Fly Fishers and the American Fisheries Society filed a protest to stop the irrigation district from drawing more water from the Rogue.

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation took a look and decided the cheapest and best solution to provide water efficiently without harming fish was to remove the dam and replace it with pumps.

The irrigation district initially went along, but later flip-flopped and fought to save the dam. Lawsuits were filed. Battles flared in the state Capitol. The Rogue's coho salmon were declared a threatened species, and more lawsuits were filed.

By 2001, after losing every lawsuit and spending more than $1 million on legal fees, the

district agreed to remove the dam. The next year the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board pledged $3 million, and a year later Congress started approving funding that would eventually cover the rest of the $39.3 million cost.

"One reason this project took so long is people had to adjust their notions of what progress was," said John DeVoe of Portland, executive director of WaterWatch. "There was a lot of opposition to removing the dam because it was viewed as a symbol of progress."

The good feelings were marred by the death of a local man running a jetboat through the remains of the dam on Friday, who hit a rock downstream and flipped. Three others in the boat survived.

The Rogue, one of the original rivers to get federal wild and scenic protection in 1968, has given up its steelhead to such names as Western writer Zane Grey and movie star Ginger Rogers. This section is miles above the wild section of the Rogue, where people come from around the world to float the whitewater, camp and fish. Here the river is hemmed in on all sides by houses \u2014 some with docks no longer reaching the water \u2014 Interstate 5 and U.S. Highway 97.

That didn't stop Roger Funk, a carpenter from Talent, from joining the celebration. He recalled sitting on the banks of the river as a child and watching for hours as the salmon moved upstream. But over the years, the numbers of fish steadily dwindled. He joined the flotilla with his 15-year-old son, and a neighbor, nursing student Maddy Morse.

"I have been rafting the Rogue for 35 years," Funk said. "Taking the dam down to have a freeflowing river is exhilarating."

Another old diversion dam, Gold Ray near the city of Gold Hill, is likely to join Savage Rapids soon. The NOAA has offered federal stimulus money to help with the cost. Another small diversion dam at Gold Hill has already come out. And a half-built dam on a major tributary, Elk Creek, has been notched.

"This is the greatest number of significant dam removals in the country," said WaterWatch spokesman Jim McCarthy.

Martin recalls seeing adult spring chinook salmon throwing themselves against the dam because they couldn't find the poorly designed fish ladders, and those that did jumping out of the ladders and dying on the rocks.

The more insidious harm from Savage Rapids and other dams on the river was caused by slowing the river in reservoirs, allowing the sun to raise average temperatures 1 degree, to the point that fish die from warm water many years.

"Those things aren't a big deal when the river is plenty cold," Martin said. "But when the river is starting to get marginally too warm as it is with more development and climate change, those things can be crucial."

Construction crews built a coffer dam and started jackhammering half of the dam to pieces last April, and on Friday removed the piles of rock and gravel holding the river back, allowing the river to flow freely. The rest of the dam is to be removed by December.

The river quickly cut down through the huge accumulation of sand, gravel and rocks that had built up behind the dam the past 88 years.

"What this really represents today is our culture being capable of backing up a little bit and doing something differently," Martin said as he pushed off from the bank and rowed his driftboat down the newly freed section of river.

Mocking that President Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize for "awesomeness," GOP chief Michael Steele sent a fundraising letter out shortly after Friday's announcement. Steele said "truly patriotic Americans" should donate to prevent world domination.(NEWSCOM)

President Obama wins the Nobel Peace Prize and Republican National Committee chief Michael Steele is trying to make money off of it.

No, he\u2019s not going to go all \u201ccommando\u201d on the White House and try to wrest it away from the president in hopes of putting it up on Ebay or anything.

Instead, he found it so ridiculous that Obama was awarded the honor that he\u2019s using it as a fundraising tool. Steele sent out an email late last night not only lampooning the award but asking \u201ctruly patriotic Americans\u201d to ante up to fight the forces of world domination.

\u201cThe Democrats and their international leftist allies want America made subservient to the agenda of global redistribution and control,\u201d Steele wrote. \u201cAnd truly patriotic Americans like you and our Republican Party are the only thing standing in their way.\u201d

Steele seemed to disagree with the Nobel Peace Prize committee\u2019s reasoning for awarding him the honor. The committee said Obama deserved

the award because of his \u201cextraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.\u201d

Steele, on the other hand, opined that Obama won the award for \u201cawesomeness\u201d \u2014 before trashing the whole affair.

\u201cIt\u2019s a stunning, if not truly surprising, indication of just how meaningless a once honorable and respected award has become,\u201d Steele wrote.

Steele is not alone in his surprise. As we told you earlier today, many people \u2014 supporters and opponents \u2014 don\u2019t quite understand it. In fact, it\u2019s made some strange bedfellows. Rush Limbaugh and the Taliban, for example, are united in their consternation.

It\u2019s not as though the talk show host and the Taliban released a joint statement expressing their thoughts. But Limbaugh noted that they were aligned.

\u201cFolks, do you realize something has happened here that we all agree with the Taliban and Iran about and that is he doesn\u2019t deserve the award,\u201d he said. \u201cNow that\u2019s hilarious, that I\u2019m on the same side of something with the Taliban, and that we all are on the same side as the Taliban.\u201d

The Taliban, on the other hand, didn\u2019t mention Limbaugh in their remarks \u2014 although that would have made their comments more interesting. Instead, a spokesman (incidentally from an undisclosed location), said Obama\u2019s actions in Afghanistan should disqualify him.

strategy for peace. He has done nothing for peace in Afghanistan,\u201d a Taliban spokesman told the AFP. \u201cWe condemn the award of the Nobel Peace Prize for Obama.\u201d

If you\u2019d like to watch Obama\u2019s speech yesterday discussing the honor, click here. Or you can watch a more emotional acceptance speech from the Oscars below.

Hey, we\u2019ll never condemn you for winning any prize! Unless it\u2019s one that we should have received. So follow us on Twitter!| Main

\u201cFolks, do you realize something has happened here that we all agree with the Taliban and Iran about and that is he doesn\u2019t deserve the award,\u201d he said. \u201cNow that\u2019s hilarious, that I\u2019m on the same side of something with the Taliban, and that we all are on the same side as the Taliban\u201d

Is Obama the first Kenyan to win the Nobel? 3. blablabla| 10.10.09

Leave it to those fool Republicans trying to make money he dishonest way. 5. Tom| 10.10.09

I like Michael Steele, alot. His views and attitude. 6. romeo unix| 10.10.09

I would say the RNC chairman has nothing better to carry on about. Our country needs to come together. Both political parties are tearing this country apart. Is this what we want to teach our kids?

Why can\u2019t you just be happy for the President. Does everything need to be so complex.

Next thing you know the President will be blamed for all the economic woes the country got into and the Republicans who ran this country for the last 8 years did a tremendous job.

Sad to see what some of you are there are becoming - Polarized 7. Susan| 10.10.09

There are good Republicans. And there are nasty ones. Why do the latter fail to learn the lesson, \u201cwhen you\u2019re in a hole, stop digging\u201d? 8. julescator| 10.10.09

Michael Steele is a waste of human flesh. He is sooooo jealous of Obama that he is making a fool of himself. Leave it to the Right to not only* * * * off most of America (the voting public) but most of the world with their insane arguments and stupid Obama wannabe heading their organization. If this made had a brain he would collect money for a brain transplant - immediately. Keep working against America and OUR President and America will continue to kick you to the curb at the polls. Keep it up. 9. Donna| 10.10.09

You don\u2019t have anything better than that? Just playground name- calling? 10. luke bohannon| 10.10.09

This is what has become of us. Our president wins a nobel prize and immediately the other side of the aisle comes out and mocks it. This is so sad, so maddening, but then so numbing also. If this passes without a firestorm of anger from the decent folk of the GOP, this country is screwed. Our

partisanship and cynicism will destroy all effort, all hard work and all that is good about a democracy. When will we remember that even if we are on different sides of the aisle, we are on the same team. 11. julescator| 10.10.09

The RNC ran out to get their very own Obama. What they got was Kanye West on Steroids. Open mouth, Steele, and insert foot over and over again. This President is working hard FOR this country. Michael Steele and his party are working Against America. 12. julescator| 10.10.09

When in the company of the hateful Right I behave in kind! 13. Oy| 10.10.09

It\u2019s not Obama\u2019s fault. He probably wishes it hadn\u2019t happened. Having said that, the fact that his policies are liked by those fruitcakes sends off red flags in my mind. 14. Karl Kemerait| 10.10.09

You know, I don\u2019t quite understand why President Obama won the award myself, and I am an admirerer of the man. That aside, it seems that maybe some of his detractors might take a lesson from family politics. I might disagree with my wife about something, and we might debate about it for days, but we stand united to the outside world and set our differences aside. I have to wonder about the common sense of most of the GOP and some liberals as well who, while they have a right to disagree and to voice that disagreement, seem to have no

problem being disrespectful to the man and critical of him to the rest of world. 15. Paul Stewart| 10.10.09

\u201cFolks, do you realize something has happened here that we all agree with the Taliban and Iran about and that is he doesn\u2019t deserve the award,\u201d he said. \u201cNow that\u2019s hilarious, that I\u2019m on the same side of something with the Taliban, and that we all are on the same side as the Taliban.\u201d

Indeed, it is no surprise, it seems you are made of the same stuff. Inciting Americans against their own President\u2019s success and against the efforts of world leaders to gain a greater level of peace and civility. I am starting to think the likes of Limbaugh and the Taliban and the bottom fishing Republicans are maybe cut from the same cloth\u2026.. The only difference is that they wear western clothes and business suits\u2026.. 16. maurice johnson| 10.10.09

Don\u2019t you think the republicans just wish micheal steele (the puppet) would only speak for himself and stop embarassing the party with his ridiculous comments. Maybe he should have rush limbaugh\u2019s job. 17. Rhianna| 10.10.09

Michael Steele is doing his job as RNC Chairman. I have a lot of respect for the man and little respect for people who don\u2019t make allowances for differing opinions. Julescator\u2026. speaking of working against the president\u2026 I suppose GWB had your full support while in office,

I am no longer a Republican because of the likes of Michael Steele. He is ruining the party and making them look so silly. It is a shame that his party cannot even support the President for at least the first year, but no, the party is so sore in losing the last election. By his actions the Republican party has not where to go except down. 19. Kie| 10.10.09

The GOP is going to whine and cry over anything positive accomplished by the Democrats. Just shows how immature they are. 20. Michaela| 10.10.09

Over and over again it is shocking how truly ignorant or sadly underexposed so many Americans seem to be: how on this earth - yes, I mean This Earth and not just the United States - could any human being react like Michael Steele ?? Like a small, pittiful, jealous, pathetic, uneducated fool that cannot see beyond his own nose! Get over it, GOP, you lost the last elections because of specific reasons. If you want to win again some day, you may have to change! Really, it is sickening for us \u2018commoners\u2019 to have to watch you, our leaders, behave like egotistical little children. The moment one of you gets elected, you seem to forget that you are supposed to work for US and not the other way round. You are supposed to do what is best for this country and not just rigidly adhere to a completely outdated point of view or serve some lobbyists! Because Barack Obama still seems to be holding

on to the thought of hope and that good will outlast evil, you react stubbornly. You know he has a brilliant mind - and you don\u2019t. 21. Conservative Crusader| 10.10.09

The demoliberals are nothing more than whining saps. Obama did absolutely nothing to win the Nobel Peace \u201cPrize\u201d (and I use that term loosely). The nominations for this year\u2019s winner were closed on February 1, 2009. Obama was the President all of 11 days when the nominations closed. What could he possibly have done to earn this \u201chonor\u201d in 11 days? He was still learning where the bathroom was in the White House. It\u2019s a fix and it cheapens the value of the prize. 22. Brian| 10.10.09

Good job Steele, you just made an *** of yourself. I can see now why Democrats are in control of the country again. 23. Greg| 10.10.09

So basically he\u2019s saying that \u201ctruly patriotic Americans\u201d are hard-headed, uneducated bigots that don\u2019t support our president under any circumstances? He\u2019s won the Nobel prize for a reason, and it seems that some of us remember all the work he\u2019s been doing to rid of nukes in Iran and take wars where they belong. But I guess we\u2019re not patriotic since we like our president and we\u2019re glad that he\u2019s won this award and we\u2019re thrilled that the world seems to like us again. I\u2019m afraid of where we\u2019re going socially as a country where you\u2019re only a patriotic American if you hate your leader and don\u2019t care what

\u201cHis diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world\u2019s population,\u201d the committee said of Obama.

Bush and Cheney were certainly disconnected from the American people and the world at large (Cheney was in fact proud of it.) 26. kay b| 10.10.09

I\u2019m sick that the Republicans seem to have lost their middle; even the chair is sinking to the lows previously set by G Beck and Limbaugh. The thing that makes me feel the sickest, however, is that this tactic seems to work on the people they\u2019re talking to. 27. Duende| 10.10.09

It\u2019s like Jon Stewart said recently, \u201cconservatives hate Obama more than they love America.\u201d 28. aleXander| 10.10.09

We need a new second, maybe third and fourth, party - because Republicans are becoming more and more inconsequential by the day - becoming nothing more than a loud voicebox for the least informed and the most easily scared and manipulated.

The clowns of Fox (how does the FCC allow that to be called \u201cnews\u201d?) Sarah Palin, Michael Steele. . . indeed the blind leading the blinded. The era of their greed

powered ignorance is ending - and they are going down crying and screeching.

As these folks present it, the Republican party has nothing to stand on - their only platform is being negatively reactionary to the (much needed) changes that are happening to a country that was allowed to nearly sink in the last 8 years under the worst, greediest, administration EVER. 29. carmen| 10.10.09

Poor Michael Steele crying like a little baby, cause President Obama won again!!!!! Trackbacks/Pingbacks Leave a Comment

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