Tacoma has a general schedule, always subject to change. They began the season with Riffe reservoir pretty full, and drafted even a little early. I like to fish for summer runs and sea runs in September but didn't much this year because the flows were higher. Tacoma is required to draft (lower) Riffe to make room for flood storage in the winter.
When the usual fall rains didn't happen, it appears that Tacoma began conserving water and reduced discharge to less than normal for Oct, Nov, and Dec. If winter rains don't come and snowpack (they're usually skiing at White Pass now, but only a few inches so far) doesn't materialize, Tacoma will likely continue with lower than normal flows on the Cowlitz this winter. Hydro management always requires betting on the odds of refilling the storage reservoirs with the spring snow melt. Failing to refill is considered very poor form, so there needs to be a good reason for it when it does occur.
I just swapped emails with the guy at Tacoma who is managing flow on the Nisqually, and they are conseving water there as well. This actually is good for fish. If the power companies released their usual higher autumn flows and salmon spawned at those flows, and then the reservoirs ran out of water due to draught, then the redds get left high and dry, resulting is extensive egg mortality. As a rule of thumb, it's preferable that incubation flows be at least 60% of the spawning flow so that eggs remain covered, receive oxygen, and have waste metabolites carried away. Two years ago, Nisqually nearly ran out of storage water several times, but it would rain just enough to maintain minimum flow for salmon egg incubation. The Baker River reservoirs did run out of water. So it can happen.
In a sense, CFM does have it right. It's about money, and gambling on whether it's cheaper to generate your own energy, conserve the water, or buy energy from someone else. Tacoma can probably afford to conseve water now because wholesale power prices are fairly low. But if they were to skyrocket like they did two years ago, then Tacoma would probably gamble on the come and draft Riffe heavily so they wouldn't have to power from other sources when prices are high.
Considering that it's hardly rained since the 4th of July except for a couple strong weeks in November, conserving water looks to be the best course of action. Just look how low the unregulated rivers are now and how many chinook and chum redds are high and dry. We need a little rain, folks.
Sincerely,
Salmo g.
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