Sunday, January 18, 2004

Idaho

Price of rail upgrades compares to dam costs
Scientists think breaching dams will save Snake River salmon

Associated Press

BOISE -- Upgrading railroads and grain elevators to accommodate grain shipments if the four lower Snake River dams were breached could cost the same as one year of maintaining those dams, conservationists contend.

Many fish biologists believe removing the four dams is the most certain way to recover endangered salmon. Breaching them would restore 140 miles of free-flowing river, but end barge traffic on the lower Snake River.

All the retrofitting on the railroads and other facilities could cost as little as $43.8 million, report American Rivers, Idaho Rivers United and the National Wildlife Federation.

"Considered in context, the costs identified here are very modest," said Rob Masonis, regional director for American Rivers. "An updated rail system would offer farmers an affordable and effective way to ship grain to market, protect existing businesses in southeastern Washington, and improve the prospects for attracting new business."

The groups said river conditions have only worsened since the adoption of an "aggressive non-breach" salmon recovery plan in 2000. U.S. District Judge James Redden rejected that plan last May and told the federal government to develop a plan that complies with the law.

The groups commissioned transportation economists BST Associates to examine what infrastructure improvements would be necessary to provide a comparable transportation system for Northwest farmers shipping their goods to market in Portland.

The end of barging would result in about 1.2 extra 52-car trains headed up and down the Columbia River Gorge each day during the height of the grain shipping season, BST found.

Upgrading the rail system to accommodate that would likely require an investment of between $43.8 million and $420 million in rail improvements, grain elevator capacity upgrades, and possibly new railcars.

BST's low-cost scenario of $43.8 million is in the ball park of one year's federal spending on operating and maintaining the lower Snake River dams at $36.5 million.

First off, thanks Surecatch for the post . It's this kind of eye opening that we need more of. I am sure that there are a few in Lewiston that wouldn't like it though.
Secondly this report is lacking the cost of road repair that will be needed after the drawdown, both near and to the river. I was lucky to see the big study back in 90 or 91 where the river was lowered to the original flow. Quite the sight and learned a few things from it also. But back to the road thing. The Wawawaii road after the drawdown was almost impassable. It was like a rollercoaster ride. And While it was being filled back up you could hear and feel Mother nature. Needless to say I don't think she was very happy. Probably 17 years of a stress relief factor!
In my opinion the damns and Lewiston were developed from greed and are still beiing protected by that same greed.

Take them down! Let the fish have the river back. People will find another way to move themselves and their goods.

Thanks for the post.

Maybe if they remove lower monumental my grandparents could get all the land around Lyons ferry back for the price the goverment forced them to accept when they flooded their property . ....Von Warner

From other reading, these dams dont even provide 5% of the region's electricity.

Most/all of us would like to seem them go. Why is Washington DC so adamant about protecting them?

The "port' of Lewiston... what a joke. Those dams won't be going anywhere soon. All data says that they need to be removed... but It will never happen. They will study it, then study it somemore. After that they will do another study, and then follow up with another study... pretty lame but we we still be talking about this 10 years from now