50 



Question 4; What can be done to facilitate water conservation and other changes in regional 

 water management to provide increased flows for power production and salmon 

 recovery? 



Answer: Since 1980, a number of changes in regional water management have occurred for 



the specific purpose of enhancing salmon survival. These actions can be broadly 

 classified as either flow measures or spill. Conceptually, the flow measures have 

 been provided by reducing reservoir storage releases during the winter to conserve 

 water for spring/summer release. This, in turn, has the effect of reducing winter 

 power generation when power demand is greatest and then increasing both 

 spring/summer flows and power generation capability during a period when demand 

 is less. 



The first flow measure, created as a result of the Northwest Power Planning 

 Council's original Fish and Wildlife Program published in 1982, was the Water 

 Budget. The Water Budget was first implemented operationally in 1985 and is 

 comprised of 3.45 million acre feet (MAF) from the mid-Columbia River and 0.6 

 MAF from the Snake River. The annual regional firm load capability foregone as a 

 result of the water budget is about 3000 megawatt months. This energy loss is the 

 result of reduced winter firm energy capability and the lack of a market for the 

 added springtime firm power generation. This is offset, to a limited degree, by 

 increased nonfirm. 



The spill Memorandum of Agreement was signed and first implemented in 1989. 

 Signatories were BPA, five fishery agencies, five tribes and the Department of 

 Interior. The Agreement called for increased spill at Lower Monumental, Ice 

 Harbor, John Day and .The Dalles dams for the purpose of enhancing fish passage 

 survival, since these dams did not have juvenile bypass facilities The Agreement 



