Title: Dam Those Salmon: An Economic Analysis of Dam Breaching on the Lower Snake River

Author: Aaron Lien

Abstract: Dam breaching has become a hot topic in the Pacific Northwest. Since the listing of several salmon species under the endangered species act, dam breaching has been considered as one possible way to recover salmon populations. While the possibility of breaching has been tabled until 2005 in favor of less extreme measures, it is still a potential solution if current mitigation measures fail.

The dams on the lower Snake River provide many important economic benefits to the region including irrigation, transportation for commodities, power, and recreation value. If the dams were breached these benefits in most cases would be lost. Because of this, many dam proponents claim that the economic cost of removing the dams would simply be too high. The regions economy would suffer significant set backs it may not recover from. Groups in favor of dam breaching contest these claims, saying they are overblown and there are in fact benefits to removing the dams that outweigh the costs.

In this paper I seek to analyze the data to determine if the economic impacts are indeed too high to reasonably consider dam breaching as an option. To do this I analyze the Environmental Impact Statement on salmon passage in the lower Snake River and reports generated by groups in favor of breaching. Ultimately, I also consider the social implications of breaching the dams.

Key References:

Final Lower Snake River Juvenile Salmon Migration Feasibility Report/Environmental Impact Statement. (2002). Walla Walla, WA: Walla Walla District, Army Corps of Engineers.

An Economic Strategy for the Lower Snake River. (1999). Eugene, OR: ECONorthwest.

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Date: May 2002
Student: alien@willamette.edu
ENVR 327: Water Resources
Instructor: Dr. Karen Arabas
http://www.willamette.edu/~karabas/courses/envr327w