Some old truths

The effort to breach the Snake River dams is once again gaining momentum.

This issue, although a very serious one, is like a whack-a-mole game.

Hit one and another pops up elsewhere.

The idea apparently has a life of its own.

The revival of the idea cannot be because of the fish runs. The fish runs are healthier than they have been in years. Millions of dollars have been spent on protecting the fish, and the effort is working.

It cannot be because all the wind farms are generating so much electricity. The power from these does not compare with that of the dams, and it is more expensive than that of the plentiful hydropower in the area.

Maybe it is because cheap hydropower is simply not stylish. And that may be because stupidly it is not considered renewable.

South of us, areas are suffering from prolonged droughts. In California, the state has issued mandatory cuts in water usage of 25 percent. There, reservoirs are dry and aquifers are being sucked down at alarming rates.

The continued availability of an abundance of water in the northwest may also be in question. Long range predictions indicate that the northwest may suffer from extended droughts. That would make the storage of water behind the dams vastly more important than it already is.

The arguments that the dams play a vital role in the success of the region’s economy are well known. As tired as they may seem by now, they are still true. The system of Snake River dams is essential to transportation, recreation, agriculture and plentiful, cheap power.

These are all old arguments for keeping the dam system in place.

More than old arguments, they are old truths.

Gordon Forgey

Publisher