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Taking Down Dams Would Be Beneficial by Bert Bowler Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, May 14, 2012

The Union-Bulletin Editorial Board needs to update its boilerplate responses about resultant impacts of removing the dams in the lower Snake. This is a common occurrence in other Northwest newspapers.

Flooding, irrigation, navigation and economic devastation are common retorts that are repetitive.

The four dams provide no system flood control. In fact Lower Granite sets up a potential flood problem for Lewiston that can top the protective levees as sediments accumulate at the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers.

Pumping water from river level rather (than) reservoir level does not have to result in a loss of irrigation water in the Pasco area. Idahoans stand to gain by not having to release water for salmon migration.

Navigation can be replaced with rail and truck -- the modes of transportation before the dams. Navigation - heavily subsidized - is facing increased user fees because of aging infrastructure and federal deficits.

The Northwest economy is not dependent on the lower Snake dams. Costs exceed benefits when considering the myriad of externalities associated with converting 140 miles of river to reservoir.

Judge Redden's actions have not wasted ratepayer dollars when it comes to helping salmon. Forcing the federal government to spill water over the dams has been very beneficial to wild and hatchery salmon.

This is not to suggest removing dams will be simple. Challenges will be numerous but in the end, future generations will be grateful for restoring the lower Snake.

Related Pages:
Judge Finally Comes Clean on Dam Breaching Walla Walla Union Bulletin, 4/30/12

Posted by walla99362 at 05/14/12
Bert, Take care of your own issues in Boise and leave us alone in this area! You are obviously very uninformed regarding the dams and what they do. Let me guess, the power we get from these same dams you refer to can be replaced by wind machines too....??? Ya right!