Idaho Wilderness Hearings

Statement:

Mr. Bibee. My name is Ken Bibee. I've lived in Boundary County for 10 years. And I favor leaving Long Canyon wilderness. From a water fisheries watershed standpoint, Canyon Creek is—well, the Selkirk Crest is unique in the northern region, Montana-Idaho in that it was the only geologic formation that was formed by chondrite and renitent bedrock. And so to maintain it as a monitoring tool for the whole Selkirk Crest, we should leave Long Canyon roadless so that we can tell overall what its impact on multiple use is having on, say, fisheries, spawning beds, et cetera. Canyon Creek or Long Canyon is an excellent monitoring tool in that it is—its length and in the elevation, you've got steep slopes. And down toward the bottom of the creek, you've got more of a U-shape. Parker Creek is mostly just steep. And Myrtle Creek has more of a U-shape so you get the overall view. And the Forest Service says in monitoring the water quality in Canyon Creek already as opposed to Smith Creek, which is just north of the drainage, just to see the water quality and the comparisons. So it's already being used as a monitoring tool. And I would urge you to consider that. Thank you