The early 2000s weren’t good years to be a fish — or a ratepayer — in the Columbia River Basin.
That’s because in 2001, the Columbia River’s famed spring runoff sputtered, sending tremors through the ecosystems and infrastructures that depend upon it rolling on.
A predicted 68% decrease in spring runoff throughout the Basin sent rates skyrocketing, a particularly disturbing development for a region of the United States that’s traditionally enjoyed low power rates thanks to an extensive network of hydroelectric projects and government subsidies.
Federal and state officials scrambled to deal with the crisis, which was caused in part by the near-record low runoff and in part by a decade-long slowdown of non-hydro power construction.
To address the squeeze, at least in the short term, dam managers decided to sacrifice the quietest, least vocal constituents:…
Should dams be used as giant batteries?
