Dam Decommissioning: The Klamath Project Meghan Mallouk, Adam - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Dam Decommissioning: The Klamath Project Meghan Mallouk, Adam Rifaat, and Ileana Sevilla

Overview Overview � What Is Dam Removal What Is Dam Removal � � Background on Klamath Project Background on Klamath Project � � Stakeholders Stakeholders � � Resources at Stake Resources at Stake � � Current Situation in the Klamath Basin Current Situation in the Klamath Basin � � Connections Connections � � Further Discussion Further Discussion � NatRes331 Policy Brief by Meghan Mallouk, Adam Rifaat, and Ileana Sevilla

What Is Dam Decommissioning? What Is Dam Decommissioning? � The removal of a dam or a part of a dam in The removal of a dam or a part of a dam in � order to restore the river to its natural condition. order to restore the river to its natural condition. � Levels of decommissioning: Levels of decommissioning: � � Dismantling Dismantling � � Decommissioning Decommissioning � � Modification Modification � NatRes331 Policy Brief by Meghan Mallouk, Adam Rifaat, and Ileana Sevilla

Background on Klamath Project Background on Klamath Project � Location: southern Oregon Location: southern Oregon � and northern California and northern California � Klamath Project Part of US Klamath Project Part of US � Bureau of Reclamation Mid- - Bureau of Reclamation Mid Pacific Project irrigating Pacific Project irrigating western states. western states. http://www.usbr.gov NatRes331 Policy Brief by Meghan Mallouk, Adam Rifaat, and Ileana Sevilla

Background Con Con’ ’t t Background � Built by California Oregon Power Company (known Built by California Oregon Power Company (known � today as PacifiCorp) between 1905 and 1921 today as PacifiCorp) between 1905 and 1921 � PacifiCorp transferred ownership to the Bureau of PacifiCorp transferred ownership to the Bureau of � Reclamation in 1917, but retained operational Reclamation in 1917, but retained operational obligations (contract renewed in 1956) obligations (contract renewed in 1956) � Purpose of the dams: Purpose of the dams: � http://www.nexusenergy.com/images/PacifiCorp-Logo.gif � Provide electricity Provide electricity � � Water for irrigation Water for irrigation � NatRes331 Policy Brief by Meghan Mallouk, Adam Rifaat, and Ileana Sevilla

Stakeholders Stakeholders � PacifiCorp PacifiCorp � � PacifiCorp Customers PacifiCorp Customers � � Farmers Farmers � � Fishermen Fishermen � � Native American Tribes: Native American Tribes: � � Hoopa Valley Tribe Hoopa Valley Tribe � � Yurok Tribe Yurok Tribe � � Karuk Tribe Karuk Tribe � � Klamath Tribes Klamath Tribes � NatRes331 Policy Brief by Meghan Mallouk, Adam Rifaat, and Ileana Sevilla

Resources at Stake Resources at Stake � Cheap electricity Cheap electricity � � Irrigation water Irrigation water � � Fish Fish � � Recreation Recreation � � Flood prevention Flood prevention � NatRes331 Policy Brief by Meghan Mallouk, Adam Rifaat, and Ileana Sevilla

Current Situation in the Klamath Current Situation in the Klamath Basin Basin NatRes331 Policy Brief by Meghan Mallouk, Adam Rifaat, and Ileana Sevilla

Ecological Considerations Ecological Considerations � Two threatened/endangered species of fish: Two threatened/endangered species of fish: � � Coho salmon Coho salmon � � Chinook salmon Chinook salmon � � Spawning runs Spawning runs � � Sedimentation down river after dam removal Sedimentation down river after dam removal � � Flooding Flooding � Chinook Salmon http://www.usbr.ogov NatRes331 Policy Brief by Meghan Mallouk, Adam Rifaat, and Ileana Sevilla

Economic Considerations Economic Considerations � Cost of fish ladders: $300 million Cost of fish ladders: $300 million � � Cost to PacifiCorp to Restore the Dams: Cost to PacifiCorp to Restore the Dams: � $223 million to $415 million $223 million to $415 million � Decommissioning the dams is less costly to Decommissioning the dams is less costly to � energy customers: saving $285 million energy customers: saving $285 million � Cost of Energy Subsidy: $9.95 million annually Cost of Energy Subsidy: $9.95 million annually � (paid by the public) (paid by the public) � Upper Klamath River Basin: $0.007/kWh Upper Klamath River Basin: $0.007/kWh � � Others: $0.055/kWh (8 times more) Others: $0.055/kWh (8 times more) � NatRes331 Policy Brief by Meghan Mallouk, Adam Rifaat, and Ileana Sevilla

Institutional Arrangements Institutional Arrangements � Creation of Civil Society and Social Capital: Creation of Civil Society and Social Capital: � � Klamath Water Users Association Klamath Water Users Association � � Klamath basin Rangeland Trust Klamath basin Rangeland Trust � � Klamath Basin Water Crisis Klamath Basin Water Crisis � � Friends of the River Friends of the River � � California Trout California Trout � � Klamath Inter Klamath Inter- -Tribal Fish and Water Commission Tribal Fish and Water Commission � NatRes331 Policy Brief by Meghan Mallouk, Adam Rifaat, and Ileana Sevilla

Institutional Arrangements Institutional Arrangements � Government: Government: � � Bureau of Reclamation Bureau of Reclamation � � Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) � � State Governments State Governments � � Irrigation Districts Irrigation Districts � � Other Legislation: Other Legislation: � � Clean Water Act Clean Water Act � � Endangered Species Act Endangered Species Act � � National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) � NatRes331 Policy Brief by Meghan Mallouk, Adam Rifaat, and Ileana Sevilla

Interactions among Actors Interactions among Actors � Who has power? It Who has power? It’ ’s a Closed Door System s a Closed Door System � � State governments and Bureau of Reclamation set State governments and Bureau of Reclamation set � the groundwork: decision- -making power (Klamath making power (Klamath the groundwork: decision River Basin Compact) River Basin Compact) � PacifiCorp: bargaining power PacifiCorp: bargaining power � � Influence? Influence? � � Klamath Water Users Association Klamath Water Users Association � � Other groups are more advocacy groups; with little Other groups are more advocacy groups; with little � power in the decision- -making process making process power in the decision NatRes331 Policy Brief by Meghan Mallouk, Adam Rifaat, and Ileana Sevilla

Conclusion Conclusion � Root of the problem: ecological impacts of dams Root of the problem: ecological impacts of dams � � Mainly on salmon Mainly on salmon � � Alternative ways to save fish other than dam Alternative ways to save fish other than dam � decommissioning decommissioning � Current water rights arrangements don Current water rights arrangements don’ ’t charge users for the t charge users for the � quantity of water they take/use from the river quantity of water they take/use from the river � People extracting too much water People extracting too much water � � River water temperatures rise correlated with recent fish kill River water temperatures rise correlated with recent fish kill � � What about regulating water extraction and use instead of What about regulating water extraction and use instead of � decommissioning the dams? decommissioning the dams? NatRes331 Policy Brief by Meghan Mallouk, Adam Rifaat, and Ileana Sevilla

Questions? Questions? NatRes331 Policy Brief by Meghan Mallouk, Adam Rifaat, and Ileana Sevilla