Waatch River Running Dry, Endangering Makah Water Supply

peninsuladailynews.com - by VANESSA RENEE CASAVANT

"Wednesday afternoon, the Makah Tribal Council met with representatives of several state agencies to devise a ``worst case scenario'' contingency plan in case it doesn't rain, Tribal Chairman Ben Johnson said. Part of the plan includes having tankers of water standing by in the event of a fire, he said. Without the tankers, one fire could wipe out the tribe's entire water supply, said Charles White, the tribe's general manager. The state is also working with the tribe to line up tankers to ship drinking water to Neah Bay if the supply dips too low, White said. In the meantime, engineers from the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs are on their way to Neah Bay to check on the situation, Johnson said."