Avian Influenza & Dam Repair Costs

To date sixteen states have reported cases of the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 virus including here in the northwest. Millions of birds have been euthanized and the big question has been, how will we get a handle on it. USDA Chief Veterinary Officer John Clifford spoke with reporters yesterday and had some good news.

CLIFFORD: As far as when it ends I think we will see when warm weather comes in consistently across the country I think we will stop seeing new cases. Now, again, we can't predict what may or may not happen in the fall but we need to be prepared for the fall and that's what we're doing.

That crack in Washington's Wanapum Dam came with a hefty price tag. $86.5 million dollars! The original estimate was only about $61 million. The Grant County Public Utilities District is having to foot the bill and says that it shouldn't affect already planned revenue increases. Grant County PUD spokesman Chuck Allen says the original estimate was made before the full extent of the crack was known. Repairs have been made and the pool behind the dam has been refilled. Irrigators should have plenty of water to use again this year for their operations.

That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network of the West.