“I don`t think this article would be the solution, but it could be the beginning of a step toward a solution, and I think that`s what we`re all hoping for,” said Jim Litchfield, executive director of Northwest RiverPartners, a group that has spoken out against increasing spills in the past. As a result of the innovative spill, juvenile fish passed through dams faster than usual, fish survival in the system was higher than usual, and fewer fish were transported downstream in barges. In addition, fewer fish passed through the dams through the turbine pits, reducing the “likelihood of encountering the power plant,” an important measure of fish survival. The second year of an innovative two-year agreement to dump water at the lower Snake and Columbia River dams has been a success in terms of fish passage and downstream survival, as well as selling hydropower, representatives of the agencies and tribes that negotiated the deal at the council at its December meeting said. It will not be known whether flexible spill operations have improved fish survival in terms of producing more adult fish for at least two years, when the fish return from the ocean. The 2019-2021 Flexible Spills Agreement provided for an increase in spills to support the passage of youth when electricity prices are low and a reduction in leaks to allow for additional electricity generation when prices are higher. In general, spills were reduced for 16 hours of the day and increased for eight hours. The magnitude of the rise and fall depended on the conditions of the river. In 2020, a year of average water in the Columbia River system, the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, which operates the dams, managed spills under the dissolved gas residue limit agreement, with a few exceptions. Parties that have agreed on the new burial strategy include Washington, Oregon and the Nez Perce tribe in Idaho. The other parties include the United States. The Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation, which operate the dams, and the Bonneville Power Administration, which markets hydroelectricity to utilities and other customers. The flexible discharge regime increased the Bonneville Power Administration`s hydroelectric revenues by approximately $4.7 million. A problem that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which operates the dams, will continue to investigate whether the increase in spillage caused damage to the tail area under each dam. These new strategies for dumping water beyond dams would be in place for three years at eight dams in the lower Columbia and Snake Rivers. The agreement “avoids litigation” during this three-year period. The 2019-2021 Flexible Spills Agreement provided for an increase in spills to facilitate the passage of juvenile fish when electricity prices are low and a reduction in leaks to allow for additional electricity generation when prices are higher. In general, the spill was reduced by 16 hours per day and increased by eight hours, depending on river conditions.
It will not be known whether the flexible operations have produced more adult fish for at least two years, when the fish return from the sea. A new agreement is designed to help more young salmon find their way along dams along the Columbia and Snake rivers. The agreement was signed in December 2018 by representatives from the states of Oregon and Washington, the Nez Perce Tribe, Bonneville, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Bureau of Reclamation. The agreement and the specific commitment to flexible exploitation of the spills contained in the agreement were completed in 2020. However, the preferred alternative in the 2020 Columbia River System Environmental Impact Statement and noaa Fisheries 2020 Biological Study of River Operations to Protect ESA-Listed Salmon and Rainbow Trout included flexible spill operation as a base operation in 2021, which will be managed adaptively in the coming years. “At the same time, we are concerned about the unprecedented and scientifically unproven scale of the new burials envisaged in the agreement,” said Litchfield, whose group represents utilities, ports, farms and other operations that support the dams. Guy Norman, a council member in Washington, called the Spill Agreement “revolutionary in terms of cooperation, work on technical challenges and political issues.” Oregon Council member Ted Ferrioli praised the collaborative spirit of the agreement, which brought together groups and agencies that had opposed each other in previous trials. “If I were to look at how adaptive management is supposed to work in something as complicated as the Columbia River system, it would be a great presentation that shows how adaptive management can work,” he said.
Todd True is an attorney with EarthJustice, who has represented environmental groups in lawsuits over dams and salmon. He said it would be great if the government could find a long-term solution to protect salmon and killer whales after the three-year term of the new agreement expires. The latter approach requires a “flexible burial,” according to a joint statement by the parties. In other words, dam operators would control the amount of water released to move fish downstream. more water if the demand for electricity is lower, less water if there is a high demand for electricity. During these periods of high demand, more water would pass through the energy-generating turbines. Due to the innovative burial, juveniles passed through dams faster than usual, fish survival in the system was higher than usual, fewer fish were transported downstream in barges, and fewer fish passed through the dams through turbine pits, reducing the “likelihood of encountering the power plant,” an important measure of fish survival. The turbulent water and high pressure of turbine pits can injure or kill tiny fish. With respect to hydroelectricity, the flexible discharge regime increased Bonneville`s revenues by approximately $4.7 million.
One question the Corps will study further is whether the increase in burials caused damage to the tail area under each dam. The government and tribal leaders announced the new deal, describing it as a way to strike a balance between fish survival and the continued production of hydropower from eight dams on the lower Columbia and Snake Rivers. Fisheries and environmental associations described the agreement as an important step in the right direction. Although no lawsuits have been filed against the exploitation of the river during the two years of the agreement, a coalition of environmental and fishing groups, the State of Oregon, the Spokane Tribe and the Coeur d`Alene strain have sent all notices to federal agencies announcing their intention to file a legal dispute over the 2020 Biological Report and Environmental Impact Statement, including flexible spill operations. The environment and fisheries groups, as well as the Spokane and Coeur d`Alene tribes, then filed applications for review with the Ninth District, denying their challenges to the Bonneville Power Administration for judicial review. No dispute has yet been filed with the Federal District Court. The second year of a two-year agreement to dump water into the lower Snake and Columbia River dams has been a success in terms of fish passage, downstream survival and hydro sales, representatives of the agencies and tribes that negotiated the deal told the Northwest Power and Conservation Council last month. Asked why Oregon sent the 60-day termination letter even though it is a party to the agreement, Ed Bowles of the Oregon Department of Fisheries and Wildlife said the agreement was considered preliminary as federal agencies worked on the EIA and the new biological advisory, and that the State considers that the resulting documents cannot achieve the objectives of the Fish Survival Council. He said Oregon would continue to work with others to address its concerns about EIA and biological advice, including through a four-state cooperative process convened by governors to improve salmon survival.
The agreement, released Tuesday, sets out new strategies to dump more water on dams each spring — and send less water through electricity-generating turbines. This marks a respite for years of legal skirmishes that have taken place in federal courts over how best to save salmon and rainbow trout from extinction. Ben Zelinsky, senior policy advisor, Bonneville Power Administration, said the operations meet the agreement`s objectives for fish benefits, energy and operational feasibility. Implementation of the agreement also avoided litigation, while federal agencies issued an environmental impact assessment and biological advisory on the operation of the Columbia and Snake River dams, a provision of the agreement. The water spill has been ordered by the courts in the past, as recently as last spring. Some, including the federal judge who previously presided over the case, and more recently the governor of Washington. Jay Inslee, called for research or consideration for the removal of dams on the lower Snake River. .