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City HallSunday, November 8

Salem and Marion County will appeal after a judge declines to stop the Detroit Lake drawdown

The Daily Salem teamFrom today’s edition · 1 min read · 4 sources

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A federal judge on Wed., Nov. 4 denied Salem's and Marion County's request to halt the Army Corps' deep drawdown of . Judge Mustafa Kasubhai wrote that "possibility" is not "likelihood," and that the law requires showing harm is likely. Marion County will appeal right away to the , and the county and city have announced their plans.

The Detroit Lake fight moved from lawsuits to an appeal

  1. MayMarion County sued the Army Corps.
  2. JulyThe City of Salem filed its own lawsuit.
  3. AugustMarion County filed its latest motion against the Corps' new policy.
  4. Oct. 6Lawyers for the city and council argued in U.S. District Court.
  5. Nov. 4A federal judge denied the request to stop the drawdown.
  6. Nov. 5Salem leaders said they would appeal the decision.
  7. Mid-Nov.The drawdown is set to begin.

Sources: KPTV, Courthouse News Service, USA TODAY

The two reports differ on the target. Courthouse News describes a plan to lower the lake to 1,395 feet, while USA Today says Corps officials are preparing for 1,425 feet, sometime between mid-November and the end of December. The Corps says it will host public information sessions, with dates and locations to be published, spokesperson Kerry Solan said.

  • Lake: 9 miles long, about 45 miles east of Salem
  • Salem's ask: stop the drawdown if hits 10 NTU
  • Drinking water usually measures under 1 NTU
  • Hold time: two weeks, unless a storm forces a refill

The Corps' reported targets sit below the 1,450-foot minimum pool

Sources: Courthouse News Service, USA TODAY

View as table
Value
Minimum conservation pool1,450 ft
Target, per USA Today1,425 ft
Proposed, per Courthouse News1,395 ft

Sources: KOIN.com, KPTV, Courthouse News Service, USA TODAY

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