Cage 550 Guide to the Columbia River Conservation League Records 1957-1986 Columbia River Conservation League Records Finding aid prepared by Lisa Bassett Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections © 2012
Pullman, WA 99164-5610 USA (509) 335-6691 http://www.wsulibs.wsu.edu/masc/ mascref@wsu.edu
Finding aid encoded by Mark O'English 2003 Finding aid written in English. Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Pullman, WA 99164-5610 USA (509) 335-6691 http://www.wsulibs.wsu.edu/masc/ mascref@wsu.edu
Cage 550 Columbia River Conservation League Columbia River Conservation League Records 1957-1986 4 containers. 2 linear feet of shelf space. Chiefly correspondence of John Sheppard and Lowell Johnson. Also correspondence, miscellaneous documents and reports. All chiefly relative to efforts to preserve and regulate the free-flowing section of the Columbia River near Priest Rapids, Wash. Collection materials are in English

The CRCL acts as a research and coordinating group consisting of eight different organizations. The motivation for these groups were two proposals by the Corps of Engineers; Construction of the Ben Franklin Dam and the dredging of a channel north of the Priest River Dam in order to increase the transportation from Wenatchee.

Construction of the dam would substantially destroy the natural and historical values of this area in addition to the harmful effects that it would have on the spawning and nesting areas. The portion of the river that the Corps of Engineers desired to dam was the last free-flowing portion of the Columbia River. The location of the Ben Franklin Dam would be located in the Atomic Energy Commissions Hanford Reservation. This area has been restricted since 1943, with no access or development of the shoreline.

The Ben Franklin Dam was estimated to cost $14 million dollars, in addition to a staggering 4.58% interest rate. The proposal died in the House of Representatives in 1971. The efforts of all the CRCL organizations were successful in defeating the Corps of Engineers.

These records are organized into four series: Correspondence, Miscellanea, Organizations, and Reports. All papers are arranged chronologically within each series. The bulk of materials center on the correspondence of John Sheppard and Lowell Johnson.

The Correspondence series contains the letters of John Shepard and Lowell Johnson along with letters from politicians, and miscellaneous letters.

The Miscellanea series contains a general description, National Wild and Scenic Area information sheet, newspaper clippings and a survey of the Columbia River and a tour guide of the Ben Franklin Dam.

The Organization series contains various groups ranging from the Atomic Energy Commission, Audubon Society, Department of Army, Game and Interior, Interland Association, National Wildlife Federation, U.S. Congress and Water Resource council.

The Reports series includes studies on the goose population, reports from the Corps of Engineers, finances, and information on salmon spawning.

This collection is open for research use.

[Item Description]. Cage 550, Columbia River Conservation League Records . Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.

The records of the Columbia River Conservation League (CRCL) of Richland, Washington were donated by the CRCL to the Washington State University Archives.

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Sheppard, John Johnson, Lowell Columbia River Conservation League --Archives Columbia River--Regulation Public Works Washington (State)

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Series 1: Correspondence 1 1 Executive Office of the President 1969-1970 1 2 Legislative 1969-1972 1 3 Letters From Lowell Johnson 1968-1975 1 4 Letters To Lowell Johnson 1969-1972 1 5 Letters From John Sheppard 1968-1972 1 6 Letters To John Sheppard 1967-1972 1 7 Miscellanea 1957-1974 Series 2: Miscellanea 2 8 General Description undated 2 9 Miscellaneous Information 1963-1970 2 10 National Wild and Scenic Area 1970 2 11 Newspaper Clippings 1968-1980 2 12 Survey- Columbia River 1971 2 13 Tour- Ben Franklin Dam 1968 Series 3: Organizations 3 14 Atomic Energy Commission 1972-1974 3 15 Audubon Society 1968-1969 3 16 CRCL 1969-1974 3 17 Department of the Army 1967-1973 3 18 Department of Game 1958-1974 3 19 Department of the Interior 1966-1974 3 20 Inland Empire Waterways Assoc. 1969-1971 3 21 Interagency Committee for Outdoor Rec. 1972 3 22 National Wildlife Federation 1969-1970 3 23 NPSEN 1969-1972 3 24 U.S. Congress 1968-1973 3 25 U.S. Senate 1963-1972 3 26 Water Resource Council 1969 Series 4: Reports 3 27 Alan Carlin 1967-1969 3 28 Analysis of Columbia River & Tributaries 1968 3 29 College Paper 1972 3 30 Columbia River Goose Pop. 1950-1970 1971 4 31 Columbia River (Volume 2.) 1967 4 32 Columbia River (Volume 3.) 1967 4 33 Economic Evaluations of Game Ranges 1967 4 34 Environmental Statement on C.R. 1970 4 35 Finances 1966 4 36 Nitrogen Saturation Report 1972 4 37 Problem Areas of the Columbia 1972 4 38 Port of Chelan County 1968-1971 4 39 Reports-Miscellaneous 1957-1973 4 40 Salmon Spawning in Columbia River 1970 4 41 Upper Columbia Navigation Report 1971