Subject: Sand Island(OR) and the Army Corps of Engineers
Date: Apr 5 07:05:04 1995
From: Mike Patterson - mpatters at ednet1.osl.or.gov





Following time honoured Army Corps of Engineer practices, the USACE has
planted European Beach Grass to stablized the sands on Sand Island in
the Columbia River. Most of you may already know that these dredge spoil
islands are the principle breeding site for Caspian Terns on the Lower
Columbia. We had been looking into plans to survey the sites for possible
Snowy Plover nest sites as well.

I'm not sure if there is anything to be done at this point. The Corps has
a history of making management decisions then asking if it was a good idea
after the damage is done. It is possible that the beach grass will not be
able to survive the rough and tumble of Columbia River winters. It might
be nice to find some way to enter into the decision making process before
they introduce goats to these islands to aid shipwreck survivors.




--
********************************
* Mike Patterson, Astoria, OR * "Time flies like an arrow;
* mpatters at ednet1.osl.or.gov * fruit flies like a banana."
******************************** - Groucho Marx