The Truth About PGE's Stakeholder Process
Portland General Electric’s recent stakeholder process accomplished one thing: it confirmed that the Deschutes River Alliance is the only NGO fighting for the lower Deschutes River and changes in Selective Water Withdrawal Tower operations. DRA was the lone voice in the room asking PGE to give the river immediate relief by releasing colder water year-round from the bottom of the reservoir behind Round Butte Dam.
The stakeholder process began nearly two years ago when an email was sent inviting stakeholders to participate in a process to “to identify cold water release scenarios that could be modeled for the lower river.” Stakeholders included NGOs, state agencies and a few individuals. Read our recent blog posts to understand why a sole focus on temperature is a misguided approach.
The acquiescence to the status quo on the part of some NGOs is destructive to the lower Deschutes. These actions include:
Continuing to support current operations of the Selective Water Withdrawal Tower despite the regular violations of the standards set by the state of Oregon.
Claiming all is well with the lower Deschutes when a report issued by Portland General Electric four years ago demonstrates the opposite.
Supporting the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality willfully ignoring water quality requirements for operation of the SWW Tower.
Making false claims, such as warmer water in the spring and summer benefits aquatic life.
On our blog, you will learn about elevated pH levels and why that matters. We also discuss excessive nutrients and the role that plays in river health. We demonstrate how the current temperature regime the operators are attempting to meet is far from the natural conditions PGE claims to mimics. We debunk claims that they will run out of cold water in late summer and fall if they release more bottom water through the winter and spring. Even with using their own formula and rules, the operators are failing to meet the temperature standards for the lower Deschutes River.
In other words, the DRA’s position is backed by solid science and facts.
After several meetings, and a refusal to address issues with the SWW Tower, the group landed on three actions, none of which will reduce harmful temperatures or nutrient loads in the lower Deschutes.
Stream and Riparian Restoration. The focus of this work will be on two tributaries, Trout Creek and the Crooked River. While riparian restoration can benefit small streams in specific reaches, the likelihood of such restoration improving conditions in over 100 miles of the lower Deschutes–while current Tower operations continue–is less than winning the lottery. If and when conditions improve in the tributaries, juvenile salmon and steelhead leaving these tributaries will still be subjected to the predators, parasites, and poor water quality in the lower Deschutes.
Creating a lower Deschutes Data Repository. The idea is to create a “one stop shopping” location for all data, past and present, collected from the Deschutes River Basin. Creating such a database would cost money, time, and personnel to create and maintain it. Worse, it just isn’t necessary. All agency data is publicly available. The DRA openly encourages the public to access its data and reports. When scientific data delivers bad news–as it has done on the lower Deschutes–the urgent priority ought to be action to fix the problem, not a bigger warehouse for the bad news.
Purchasing Instream Water Rights. PGE is looking at dedicating a small amount of funding towards leasing or buying water from landowners who hold water rights with their property. The amount of water is usually small—enough to make a difference if fish are present. But making small improvements in the tributaries when the mainstem Deschutes isn’t healthy is like being given a picture of a swimming pool when you are dying of thirst. Again, it does not address the real problem facing the lower Deschutes.
Not a single one of these proposed actions will result in any meaningful improvement in water quality (lower temperatures and reduction in excess nutrients) in the lower Deschutes River. But there is one action that could: releasing more bottom water from Lake Billy Chinook through the Tower can provide immediate relief. The Deschutes River Alliance will continue to fight for changes that will actually result in significant benefits to the lower Deschutes River.