SRP called. They are shutting off the flow of the lower Salt River by reducing the output of the Stewart Mountain Dam to 8 CFS this week.

This is always a very sad time of the year for us and leaves one wondering why SRP management does not take the needs of nature and the environment into account at all. While last month we had an opening of the dam at 40,000 CFS, and a flood of unprecedented proportions, during which at least one Salt River wild horse died, the river will now be reduced to just a trickle at 8 CFS for the rest of the winter.

All of the precious river eelgrass will dry up and make for one big stinky rotten mess. We have had meetings and have asked for 100 CFS minimum during the wintertime, but we never heard back. Anyway, don’t get us started.

Instead, let’s look back on a tough but beautiful summer of 2019 and appreciate that the Salt River wild horses are still wild and free where they belong. Let’s hope that SRP develops a conscience for nature one day. Enjoy this beautiful video by SRWHMG volunteers Drew and Shannon Hastings.