Snake Reservoir Drawdown ? A Brief Progress Report

by John J. Pizzimenti, Harza Northwest, Inc, Portland, United States,
Kevin Malone, Harza Northwest, Inc, Portland, United States,
Paul Tappel, Harza Northwest, Inc, Portland, United States,
Brian Sadden, Harza Northwest, Inc, Portland, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Water Management in the '90s: A Time for Innovation

Abstract:

The Northwest Power Planning Council has directed the region to employ the use of 'Drawdown' as tool to help threatened and endangered salmon stocks in Snake and Columbia rivers unless it is economically unfeasible or biologically imprudent. Harza is providing third-party review of the feasibility studies and biological evidence on Drawdown. It is hypothesized that Drawdown will expedite smolt migration and survival to the estuary. Various options are being studied, from a 33-foot Drawdown of four Snake River reservoirs to complete (100-foot) Drawdown of four Snake River reservoirs plus partial Drawdown of John Day. Cost estimates range from two to five billion dollars, and schedules span up to seventeen years to complete the project. Harza offers specific suggestions to reduce both costs and schedule of the designs. We also have reviewed the biological literature which indicates that although Drawdown could help salmon, there are numerous causes of mortality that must also be addressed in all stages of the life cycle if we expect to increase the number of adult fish returning.

Subject Headings: Drawdown (hydrology) | Rivers and streams | Reservoirs | Fish and fishery management | Hydro power | Power plants | Economic factors

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