Study the tradeoffs before removing dams    

Klamath Falls Herald and News Letter

May 19, 2008

   Regarding the May 11 editorial, “PacifiCorp and Dam Removal:” 

   It stated that the timber, agricultural, and fishing industry comprised a $2.5 billion annual industry, which dwarfed the one-time cost of dam removal. 

   Look at this from a purely economic view. The timber industry isn’t impacted by the flow or lack thereof of the Klamath River and once the water in the river passes the Keno Dam it is lost to the Klamath Irrigation District. 

   That leaves only the fishing industry (salmon), which is on the order of $10 million to $20 million. The question: Let the water run into the ocean and hope it will revive the salmon industry, or generate $40-plus million worth of power annually and come up with improvements to help the salmon runs? To me the second alternative is much more appealing. 

   Remember the lessons we learned with the decline of the salmon along the coast. There is a good chance that the marine environment may no longer be capable of supporting historic salmon runs without help. 

   A second point: Why require removal of all the dams below Keno Dam as one consideration. All the dams have various points to consider. For example the J. C. Boyle Dam generates half the power on the Klamath River and has a working fish ladder. The reservoir behind the dam provides a scenic area supporting much wildlife and recreation. 

   As for the other dams, the people in California along the river have stood up against dam removal, so I will not make any comments about a situation they know better than I. 

   Where are the trade-off studies for each dam indicating the best options for each? What about the environmental impact studies? These are just a few of the questions that need to be answered before dam removal is considered. 

   John Turner
    Klamath Falls  

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