Bonneville dam web camera on the Columbia River.

[fredaevans]

Bonneville Lock and Dam

[mcnerney]

Fred: That was a pretty cool video. I think it said the dam was built in 1934, so that begs the question, why don't they build other dams with fish ladders?

Larry

[fredaevans]

That is a very fair question especially if you pull up a map and look at all the dams there are on the Columbia, Snake, etc., Eastern Washington/Western Idaho is littered with them. Here's a link to all the dams in the system; if you 'click' on the dam site it will give you data, including if it has a fish ladder(s). http://www.nwcouncil.org/library/200...-1/default.htm

I would appear that the further upstream you get the less likely they built fish ladders.

fae

[fysh]

Aren't there some dams throughout the Columbia/Snake River drainage that are supposed to be removed within the next 10 yrs or so? Seems like I read an article last year about one that already had.

[fredaevans]

Can't speak to that directly Larry, but this link has some pretty darned accurate info vis a vis what's under consideration.

Dam removal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dam removal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dam removal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[fysh]

It may have been the Savage Rapids dam that was removed in 2009 that I had heard of. Nice little tid bits of knowledge there, thanks for posting it. Hopefully more dam removal to follow.

[mcnerney]

Fred: Thanks for the link, that was interesting reading, but a little confusing in that it says most of those dams that used fish ladders were largely ineffective, but earlier they say the Bonneville Dan fish ladders work fine. the link reminded me of a TV show I watched recently, it might have been Trout Unlimited where they did a segment on the Elwha Ecosystem Restoration Project.

Larry

[Hardyreels]

Nice one Fred.

[fredaevans]

I think that what we 'have to think through' is what did 'they' know then vs. what we know know. Quite a time spread and how do you go back (and at what cost?) 'un-do' what seemed like a heck of a good idea 30-50 years ago?

And there in hangs the tale? Assuming you want to hit a light switch and have the bulb turn bright here in the PNW and much of southern Kalifornia during the late summer (that's where the extra power generation ends up) pull the power generators and replace them with what?

I have no idea what the 'right answer' may be.


fae

[fysh]

Are the power producers on more of the bigger water or smaller trib's? In todays world I hope it's possible to find a happy medium.