Aquatic alliance launched in Metolius Basin

Last Monday, around 1 p.m. in the Camp Sherman home of retired OSU professor Frank Conte, a death and a birth took place. Witnessed by, and with the help of attorney David E. Atkin of the Center for Nonprofit Law, the Metolius Limnological Club (MLC) was dissolved, but from the ashes rose the MBAAF, aka Metolius Basin Aquatic Alliance.

According to Conte, "It is a group of volunteers dedicated to sustaining the health and nutritional values of the lakes and its tributaries for the benefit of living organisms inhabiting the Metolius River. These limnological benefits will help maintain the recreational activities enjoyed by the residents of the state of Oregon and all of the out-of-town visitors that come to this region for vacation."

Conte is president of the MBAAF board of directors.

With the help of dedicated volunteers, MBAAF will continue to:

• Create a network of survey sensors which monitor the atmospheric conditions residing above these aquatic environments and measure the chemical nutrients within these waters at various depths and locations.

• Create a network of partners and field volunteers who work toward aiding management agencies in restoring adult sockeye salmon into Suttle Lake, and still maintain the resident freshwater kokanee trout populations.

• Create a network of digital data-collecting computers that will provide fundamental information on algal growth and presence of blue-green algae.

• Construct a series of electromagnetic sensors that can be placed on the Metolius River tributaries to follow the movement of migratory smolts of kokanee and sockeye salmon

species.

The new MBAAF board voted to take on the following new projects:

• Establish workshops with OSU-Cascades Department of Biology for instructions on how to become basic limnology technicians performing and using aquatic monitoring devices in the field.

• Establish workshops with Hagerman Genetic Laboratory in Idaho to be conducted at MBAAF headquarters in Camp Sherman for the discussion of new genetic pathways being discovered in kokanee and sockeye fish gills and other important issues.

• Establish education programs for fisherman and their family members.

Conte, newly elected president of MBAAF, said, "The alliance foundation holds meetings for quarterly work parties of volunteers. We welcome individuals interested in our mission for public benefit to aquatic systems to either join MBAAF, or come to the spring welcoming party (at a date to be announced)."

Contact Conte at 541-595-0107.