Flood’s dark side

Regarding Bob Edwards’ column, “When floods bring unexpected riches,” (April 1) my story is not as witty and charming — it is the dark side of the flood.

My parents have lived and worked in Snoqualmie for over 20 years. This is not their first flood, but this is the worst. This one destroyed their home, their memories, their lives.

Everyone knows my dad, Bob Verity. He’s the funny guy, the plumber, always happy, always willing to help anyone, anytime. He isn’t smiling anymore.

Take a ride down their street, stop to say hi. Oh, don’t go to the door of the house, though. Stop at the RV in the yard — that’s where they are, that is all that’s left.

See, my dad is not a quitter. He may be living in an RV with his wife and my youngest brother, but he is determined to fix the house. FEMA turned him down for any help. If anyone knows how to fix the heater in an RV, that would help.

It’s funny, the beautiful water that they love, that kept them rebuilding every time just to stay in this beautiful area, would be the one thing to bring so much pain.

So it’s not somebody’s teapot just floating into your yard, it’s somebody’s lifetime of work, dreams, hope, family. Take a look around where you live. Take in the beauty, but don’t forget, it can all be gone in minutes.

Barbara Mooney

Havre, Mont.

Build a dam,

save more fish

The Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River above the falls is a unique opportunity to provide desperately needed cold, clear water in late summer and fall, by releasing the ice- cold water that settles in lakes and behind dams.

Water is most dense at 4 degrees Celsius, and sinks to the lowest levels, enabling it to be drawn off and used to dramatically lower the river temperature.

As hot summer temperatures raise river temperaturs, the water cannot hold enough oxygen for the fish.

By capturing the cold spring runoff behind the needed dam, it can be used to significantly increase stream flows and lower the overall water temperature. Since there are no migratory fish above the falls, no fish runs are jeopardized by a dam.

Other added benefits are flood control and power generation for the North Bend power grid, bringing needed revenue to the community.

Yearly flooding also destroys salmon spawning beds below the falls, and wreaks havoc with the few fish above the falls. The lake behind the dam will provide much larger and more abundant fish, and recreational boating for many more people than the few that are able to hike the land now.

Art Reid

North Bend