The Elk Creek Dam in Oregon provides a perfect example of an environmentally destructive and economically unnecessary water project. After constructing two dams in this flood control project, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said that a third dam and Elk Creek was no longer necessary to control flooding. The nonpartisan General Accounting Office estimated that it would deliver only 20 cents worth of benefits for every dollar spent. The project contained no provision for local cost-sharing. It would dramatically reduce Chinook salmon which spawn on the Rogue River, and would pollute parts of this beautiful river, including sections supposedly protected by the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act.

The vote was on the Weaver (D-OR) Amendment to deauthorize the Elk Creek Dam. Amendment rejected 200-220; November 6, 1985. YES is the pro-environmental vote. (Weaver Amendment to H.R. 6, Water Resources Development Act.) The Reagan Administration supported the amendment. Although the omnibus water projects bill signed into law on November 17, 1986 deauthorized 300 projects, the Elk Creek Dam was not one of them.