Curry County commissioners express “no confidence” in Army Corps fish hatcheries

CURRY COUNTY, Ore — Curry County commissioners said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is breaking its promise to southern Oregon.

At a meeting with Jackson County commissioners, Curry County leaders encouraged Jackson County to sign a letter of “no confidence” in the Army Corps.

They say the federal agency, which operates dams along the Rogue River, has neglected salmon hatcheries.

The commissioners said less than half-a-percent of Spring Chinook salmon are returning to their spawning grounds at Cole Rivers Hatchery.

“Every year the numbers continue to go down and the economic loss for the counties as well as the loss of the fish in the river is decimating our counties,” said Curry County Commissioner Christopher Paasch.

Curry County estimates over $10 million is lost every year due to salmon shortfalls.

Jackson County Commissioners didn’t agree to sign the declaration but will discuss it in the future.

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Matt Jordan is the Chief Meteorologist for KOBI-TV NBC5. Matt joined the NBC5 weather team in 2014 after a year as a reporter and anchor in Alexandria, Louisiana. His experience with the severe weather of the Deep South and a love of the Pacific Northwest led him to pursue a certification with Mississippi State University as a Broadcast Meteorologist. You can find Matt working in the evenings of NBC5 News at 5, 6 and 11 as well as online. Matt also has a degree in Journalism from the University of Oregon. In addition to being passionate about news and weather, Matt is a BIG Oregon Ducks fan. When not rooting for the Ducks or tracking down the next storm over the Pacific, Matt can be found outdoors in the Oregon wilderness with his wife, his daughter and their dogs Stanley and Gordi.
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