Klamath dam report raises hope of removals

A study released by federal regulators Friday confirms that removing four dams on the Klamath River would be far cheaper than fitting them with fish ladders, boosting hopes among Indian tribes, fishermen and environmentalists that the dams are doomed.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission released the final environmental impact study as part of its process to relicense the dams near the Oregon border, owned by Portland-based PacifiCorp. The report does not recommend dam removal, but its findings may make that more likely.

The Klamath River was once home to the third-largest salmon run on the Pacific Coast, after the ones on the Columbia and Sacramento. But dam construction, water diversions and the poor water quality that followed have played a role in endangering those runs.

The dams, built between 1917 and 1962, are relatively small power producers, serving about 70,000 customers. The dams do not yield water supplies or provide significant flood control.

Only one has any sort of fish ladder – the uppermost dam, which offers no help to salmon returning from the ocean.

Federal law requires dams to adopt adequate fish passage when relicensed. But that would be an expensive proposition for the Klamath dams; because the Klamath's canyons are narrow and confined, constructing fish ladders along the river is a complex undertaking.

When removing all four dams was evaluated against building the fish ladders and other measures required by NOAA Fisheries and other federal agencies, removing the dams came out $7 million a year cheaper – a net power production loss of $13.2 million a year compared with $20.2 million.

PacifiCorp would have to get approval to pass the greater cost of fish ladders along to ratepayers. Craig Tucker, Klamath campaign coordinator for the Karuk Tribe, said that may be a tough sell with utilities regulators.

"We're arguing, based on the fact that it's cheaper to remove the dams, they should not be able to recover the cost of dam relicensing from ratepayers," said Tucker.

Rather than build fish ladders, PacifiCorp has asked FERC to approve a "trap and haul" program, in which migrating salmon would be collected and trucked around the dams.

This proposal is estimated to have an economic benefit for ratepayers. It is also the approach favored by FERC staff, with some modifications.

"Our main concern is that the outcome must be good for our customers, good for the environment and good for the region," said PacifiCorp spokeswoman Jan Mitchell.

However, federal law requires commissioners to impose fish passage as prescribed by federal wildlife agencies. Those agencies are on record in 2006 demanding fish ladders.

The FERC report acknowledges that dam removal is the only option that provides a full slate of environmental benefits, including colder, cleaner water and better spawning habitat.

The California Energy Commission raised the stakes on Oct. 29 with a letter to public utilities commissions in California, Oregon and Washington, the three primary markets served by PacifiCorp. The commission's Executive Director B.B. Blevins urged utility officials to support cost recovery for PacifiCorp only for dam removal, not for fish ladders.

About the writer:

• Call The Bee's Matt Weiser, (916) 321-1264. The Associated Press contributed to this report.