LIGHT READING INLAND POWER AND LIGHT inlandpower.com
F E B R UA RY 2 0 1 8
Modernizing the Columbia River Treaty
The United States and Canada will begin negotiations to modernize the landmark Columbia River Treaty in early 2018 the Department of State announced in December. Certain provisions of the treaty are set to expire in 2024.
include ecosystem goals, such as the timing of stream flows and the quantity and quality of water flows to meet salmon restoration efforts. Significant efforts to address ecosystem concerns began in the 1980s, and Inland Power ratepayers, have invested millions of dollars to achieve ecosystem mitigation and improvements along the Columbia River. These efforts will continue, and likely increase, in the future and need to be addressed within the treaty.
The Columbia River Treaty is a 1964 agreement between Canada and the United States on the development and operation of dams in the upper Columbia River basin for power generation and flood control benefits in both countries. Four dams were constructed under this treaty: All the downstream benefits three in British Columbia (Duncan Dam, Mica Dam, Keenleyside Dam) and one in should be accounted for and Montana (Libby Dam).
There is also an increasing awareness that an imbalance has developed in equitable sharing of the downstream power benefits resulting from the treaty. the value shared equally among Based on the present formula, BPA and The Columbia River’s drainage basin the Corps of Engineers also ask that is roughly the size of France and Canada and the U.S. Canada reconsider the $250 to $350 includes parts of Washington, Oregon, million a year worth of electric power Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming and that the U.S. sends to Canada, which is more than anticipated British Columbia. The Columbia River Treaty’s flood risk and in the 1964 agreement. hydropower operations have provided substantial benefits to millions of people on both sides of the border for 60 years. Other important elements of a modernized treaty are current The treaty has also facilitated additional benefits such as and future water supply to help meet regional needs for supporting the river’s ecosystem, irrigation, municipal water irrigation, municipal and industrial use, in-stream flows, use, industrial use, navigation and recreation. navigation and recreation. BPA and the Corps of Engineers also recommend that future implications of climate change be The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and the U.S. Army factored into the treaty to ensure flood risk management. Corps of Engineers developed a regional recommendation calling for the U.S. government to renegotiate the treaty. The formal negotiations will begin early this year and there will be a formal interagency review overseen by the Department of The recommendation calls for an expanded focus to go further State. BPA and the Corps of Engineers will be heavily involved than its previous 1960’s focus of power generation and flood in the treaty review process and will represent the Pacific control. They recommend the modern version should also Northwest’s opinion on behalf of all its ratepayers, you!
inland powe r is my coop e r at ive