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

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

Sep 05, 2022 263 likes •429 views

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

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SLIDE 1

Dam Decommissioning:

The Klamath Project

Meghan Mallouk, Adam Rifaat, and Ileana Sevilla

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SLIDE 2

NatRes331 Policy Brief by 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

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SLIDE 3

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

  • rder to restore the river to its natural condition.
  • rder to restore the river to its natural condition.
  • Levels of decommissioning:

Levels of decommissioning:

  • Dismantling

Dismantling

  • Decommissioning

Decommissioning

  • Modification

Modification

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SLIDE 4

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

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SLIDE 5

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

Background Background Con Con’ ’t t

  • 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

  • bligations (contract renewed in 1956)
  • bligations (contract renewed in 1956)
  • Purpose of the dams:

Purpose of the dams:

  • Provide electricity

Provide electricity

  • Water for irrigation

Water for irrigation

http://www.nexusenergy.com/images/PacifiCorp-Logo.gif

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SLIDE 6

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

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SLIDE 7

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

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SLIDE 8

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

Current Situation in the Klamath Current Situation in the Klamath Basin Basin

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SLIDE 9

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

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SLIDE 10

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)

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SLIDE 11

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

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SLIDE 12

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)

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SLIDE 13

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 the groundwork: decision-

  • making power (Klamath

making power (Klamath 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 power in the decision-

  • making process

making process

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SLIDE 14

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?

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SLIDE 15

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

Questions? Questions?