Colfax chamber hears report on dam statistics

Colfax Chamber of Commerce members and guests learned the ins and outs of the Lower Granite Dam at a presentation Feb. 15. Sara White, Environmental Compliance Coordinator, spoke to about a dozen people in the Whitman Hospital cafeteria.

Sara White points to a slide of a fish ladder at the Lower Granite Dam.

Through an hour-long power point presentation, the audience heard statistics on the power generated by the facility and its environmental impact. White also spoke about the flow of endangered fish through the dam.

Judy Liddle, secretary of the chamber, said the chamber invites speakers in once a month to learn about the area.

“The whole intent is just to open up people’s vision to different things going on in Whitman County. We like to have different speakers so it appeals to different people,” Liddle said.

White spoke about the amount of hydropower produced by Lower Granite Dam, pointing out the environmental benefits of hydropower over coal.

The dam produces 810 to 900 megawatts of power per second. If a single unit of the dam broke, the resulting loss of power would be the equivalent of the power used for all of Eastern Washington, excluding the metropolitan area of Spokane, in the same time frame.

One barge of cargo carries roughly the same amount of cargo as 134 semi-trucks, according to one slide in White’s presentation.

White detailed the measures the corps takes to provide for fish. The survival rate for fish making it through the dam is roughly 97 percent, she said.

She pointed out the remote location of Lower Granite means the facility has given several of its employees first responder training.

“We have a high risk environment down there,” she said.

Dam employees frequently give emergency assistance to their fellow employees.

Closest emergency medical services are the ambulance service in Colfax and Whitman Hospital.