Outpost Days BBigig OOwyheewyhee ggrouproup hheadseads fforor sstatetate rrodeo,odeo, PPageage 1144 draws LLionsions ddemoemo dderby,erby, PPageage 6 LLeroyeroy BBreshearsreshears ffishing,ishing, PPageage 1166 crowd Page 11 Drivers meeting on the horizon Hundreds flock to annual derby Established 1865 VOL. 24, NO. 23 75 CENTS HOMEDALE, OWYHEE COUNTY, IDAHO WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2009 Former deputy’s body found Lawmen mile upstream from the Blue Canoe seize pot Retired backcountry man Reed drowns restaurant outside Murphy. after car swept into Snake River Reed’s unoccupied Mustang was retrieved from the muddy Snake River valued in The body of a former Owyhee by water rushing over Idaho highway on Monday. Searchers discovered County backcountry deputy was 78 on Saturday night. Reed’s body Tuesday morning. recovered Tuesday morning after Reed, who retired Jan. 12 after millions Former Owyhee County Sheriff he went missing during Saturday’s 11½ years with the Owyhee County Gary Aman, who serves as the Reed Recreationalist fl ash fl ooding. Sheriff’s Offi ce, died after his red family spokesman, hired Reed to be According to witnesses, a car later Ford Mustang was slammed by a wall his backcountry deputy. reports grow near identifi ed as belonging to Jordan Valley of water rushing toward the Snake resident George Reed was swept away River from Scorpion Creek, about a –– See Reed, page 3 George Reed Juniper Mountain An unidentifi ed recreationalist’s report of a large, organized pot Worst fl ood grow near Juniper Mountain led to combined personnel of the Bureau of Land Management and the in generation Owyhee County Sheriff’s Offi ce pulling 12,545 seedling marijuana plants on Friday, BLM special agent-in-charge Loren Goode hits Murphy –– See Pot, page 5 Rabbit Creek waters wash out roads in county seat Nuisance Torrential rainfall Saturday night sent water rushing through several Owyhee County drainages, wiping out a ordinance road in Murphy and claiming the life of a former Owyhee County Sheriff’s deputy. Water over the road forced the closure of Idaho highway proposed 78 after 9 p.m., and torrents of “We had a real Public input water washed gully washer here.” out Pedracini to be sought Street in — Bill Shaw Murphy and Homedale resident As the Board of County left rocks and Commissioners and the mud strewn staying in Murphy prosecutor’s office continue to on nearby Con hash out a proposed nuisance Shea and Old Highway 45 roads. ordinance, a public hearing could Sudden rainfall sent Rabbit Creek through a portion of be on the horizon. Murphy, causing minor damage to homes and damaging Prosecuting Attorney Douglas a pump on the town’s water system. Sunday morning, a Emery and his deputy, Chuck wide swath of mud and debris — and asphalt remnants Saari, presented an ordinance of Pedracini Street — greeted residents. proposal dealing with barking Two longtime Murphy residents, both of whom declined dogs and property strewn with to be identifi ed, told The Owyhee Avalanche on Sunday junk vehicles to the BOCC again that the rain that triggered the washout of Pedracini Street Rabbit Creek ruins road during last week’s meeting. On Murphy’s Pedracini Street was destroyed Saturday when overfl owing Rabbit Monday, the commissioners –– See Flood, page 3 Creek rushed through town on its way to the Snake River. –– See Nuisance, page 5 Subscribe today Menus 6 Looking Back 17 IInsidenside Get the news source of the Owyhees delivered Calendar 7 Commentary 18-19 directly to you each Wednesday Eby leads IFL Only $31.80 in Owyhee County Peary Perry 7 Legals 20-21 in picks Call 337-4681 Sports 14-15 Classifieds 22-23 Page 14 Page 2 Wednesday, June 10, 2009 Water rights fi ght may be ahead for Initiative fl ows for the four highest years in Grant backed up the BLM angle, Gibson from the Owyhee Cattle- Wild and Scenic water stipulation a given 10-year span. saying that state director Tom Dyer men’s Association will serve as have board and state at odds The language concerns the Ini- won’t sign the water stipulation second vice-chair and treasurer tiative board because, according unless it is written in a way that is until an executive director is hired The Owyhee Initiative board of Appendix B of the Owyhee to Sedivy, the Idaho Department satisfactory to the Initiative Board to oversee fi nances with the help directors learned of a possible snag Initiative Agreement, which was of Water Resources has no way to of Directors. of a board subcommittee. in securing water rights during its signed by the Work Group in May end the diversion of water, which Grant created a water commit- Lou Lunte from the Nature organizational meeting last week. 2006, established a maximum basically puts anyone with a wa- tee of Owyhee Cattlemen’s Asso- Conservancy and Shoshone-Paiute The board of directors also re- withdrawal from watersheds of the ter right in the Wild and Scenic ciation rep Chad Gibson, Sedivy, Tribes cultural resources director viewed proposed bylaws, elected designated rivers at 10 percent of watershed on an honors system. Owyhee County representative Ted Howard also will serve on an executive board and created the mean monthly cubic-feet-per- If the irrigator doesn’t stop after Frank Bachman and conservation- the executive committee with the committees to oversee the creation second fl ows as measured from his allotment is met, there’s little ist Will Whalen. That panel will three offi cers. of different elements of the law March to June. recourse to preserve needed Wild work with the attorney general’s signed by President Obama in But during Wednesday’s board and Scenic fl ows, Initiative execu- offi ce, the IDWR and the BLM on Committees formed March. meeting in Nampa, Sedivy report- tive board chair Fred Kelly Grant working out the water issue. Grant also announced chairs for Layne Bangerter, a representa- ed that the state deputy attorney said. “The position of the board committees dealing with specifi c tive from the state offi ce of Sen. general in charge of the Natural Sedivy also told the board, should be exceedence is not part aspects of the Initiative: Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), reported Resources Division — Clive after a Grant question, that the of the agreement because it’s not in Gibson will chair the Science that the appropriations needed to Strong — has said that Idaho state rule could lead to “enhanced (the Initiative agreement),” Grant Review committee; John Robi- institute the law have been sub- water law prohibits language in monitoring and metering” of water told the board. son from the Idaho Conservation mitted. the negative, specifi cally the Ini- usage. That’s something that the League will head up the Wilder- But a progress report from tiative’s language limiting water Appendix B was trying to avoid, Executive offi cers tabbed ness and Wild and Scenic commit- board member Bill Sedivy from withdrawal. Grant has said. In addition to electing Grant tee; Jordan Valley rancher Dennis Idaho Rivers United left in limbo Instead, Sedivy said the state has But Grant and Sedivy both the chair of the executive board Stanford is chair for the Conserva- the water rights stipulation for the inserted language that “expands seemed confi dent that the desired — which could be considered a tion Research Center panel; Grant Snake River Basin Adjudication the scope of what the Work Group outcome will be reached. continuation of his role as Work Simonds of the Idaho Outfi tters that would fi nalize Wild and Sce- agreed to.” “The (Bureau of Land Manage- Group chair — the board of direc- and Guides Association will over- nic Rivers designation. The state’s language calls for a ment) wants to work with us on tors elected other offi cers. see two committees that will act The water rights stipulation must “40 percent exceedence” — mean- this and to get it done the way the Craig Gehrke from The Wil- as one, in essence: Recreation and be fi led with the SRBA because it ing future withdrawals from the Work Group wants it,” Sedivy derness Society was elected fi rst Travel Management Planning. was taken out of the legislation that Wild and Scenic rivers can total up said. vice-chair and secretary. Chad — JPB became law, Sedivy said. to 10 percent of the mean monthly Homedale pool opens with uncertain future The Homedale city swimming the shape it’s in. business for the pool was brisk (a desperate need of costly repairs. Council president Dave Dow- pool opened last month, and hours City public works supervisor total of $357 was brought in), but “We might have a problem and num asked Bauer to get estimates later the city council heard about Larry Bauer said the fi rst day of he also warned that the facility is in lose it,” he said. and put the item on the agenda for Calling it a great asset to offer the June 10 council meeting. the citizenry, Bauer also reported Meanwhile, the city released its that the city lost $6,500 while op- fees for the summer at the pool. Homedale Lions Club erating the pool last summer. It costs $2 a day to swim, but th There are many overdue repair there are season pass options: $45 Annual 4 of July projects, he said, including the per person, $65 for a family of two, deteriorating cement deck around $80 for three, $100 for four and the nearly 50-year-old pool. The $120 for families of fi ve or more. condition of the deck plus the Lessons are $5 per session, and uneven cement leads to swimmers the pool can be rented for private stubbing their toes, he said.