Newhouse wrong about dams

Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Washington, misleads the public in urging the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations to require “no appropriations” be used to remove any federal dam. Newhouse references the four lower Snake River (LSR) dams, then declares “hydropower dams are not adversely impacting endangered fish populations, with fish passage success rates near ninety-nine percent.” He adds, “Many of these dams are essential components for flood control, strategic water storage and life-sustaining irrigation …”

Newhouse wants you to believe his claims about the benefits of “many” federal dams apply to the LSR dams, which is untrue.

Every federal agency involved with the LSR dams and three federal judges have acknowledged these dams adversely impact endangered fish. Juvenile fish survival through the eight Columbia-Snake dams and reservoirs is about fifty percent and has not improved since 1999 despite more than a billion dollars (so far) spent “fixing” them. The LSR dams provide no flood control but instead create flood risk. As run-of-the-river dams, they store no water. Only one LSR reservoir provides irrigation.

Congressman Newhouse identifies as “fiscally conservative” but is unwilling to look honestly at the enormous costs and meager benefits of the LSR dams.

Linwood Laughy

Kooskia, Idaho