Bonners Ferry Local Guide including all of Boundary County Idaho

Army Corps to use strict VARQ on Kootenai

Friday, January 19, 2007; BFH

(VARQ stands for variable discharge or variable "Q") Last Friday Boundary County Commissioners, Ron Smith, Dan Dinning and Walt Kirby, Bonners Ferry Mayor Darrell Kerby, Moyie Mayor Joe Messinbrink and members of the Kootenai Tribe participated in a meeting with members of the Army Corps of Engineers who plan to use strict VARQ to operate Libby Dam. "We had about nine or 10 people here from the Army Corps to discuss the current flood levels on the Kootenai River," Smith explained. "Those present included General Greg Martin from the Northwest District and Col. Michael McCormick from the Seattle District, Karen Duram-Aguilera, Director of Programming for the Northwest Division. It is my understanding that Karen Duram-Aguilera is the highest ranking civilian in that organization, so she carries a lot of weight." Smith explained that a few weeks ago, the Commissioners met with local farmers to discuss the damages from the flooding in the summer of 2006. - Full Story