|
 |
OmahaRiverFront.com
- RIVER NEWS
Changing river flow would be costly
|
|
 |
Nancy Neurohr
OmahaRiverFront.com
published: 4/1/2002 |
| EDITOR'S
NOTE: The following was originally printed in the MIDLANDS
VOICES section of the Omaha World-Herald and is written by
Wayne Boyd who is Chairman of the Nebraska Public Power
District Board. |
|
|
|
The
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' proposed changes to the operation of
the Missouri River may have far-reaching impacts on Nebraska. The
corps has been working for more than a decade to decide whether
changes need to be made to the operating regime for the Missouri
River system.
Missouri River flows affect municipal water supplies, municipal
wastewater operations, industrial water supply, hydropower,
electrical-generation cooling, farming and agribusiness activities,
the barge industry, marina operations and many other recreational
opportunities - and, last but not least, flood control. Obviously
these issues affect us all.
The corps' decisions on future use of Missouri River water will
directly affect a large number of people in many ways, including
the future costs of your electric power. Contrary to a March 12
Midland Voices commentary from the Iowa Sierra Club and the Iowa
Wildlife Federation, changes in flows would adversely affect
electricity costs. Nebraska receives a significant amount of its
power from generating plants located in this state and cooled by
the Missouri River. In addition, most municipal utilities, public
power districts and cooperatives in Nebraska and many municipal and
cooperative utilities in Iowa receive electricity from
hydropower-generating facilities located along the Missouri River
reservoirs through contracts with the Western Area Power
Administration.
Changes in Missouri River operations would significantly affect
future power bills because the changes call for reduced generation
from the hydro generating units at Missouri River facilities during
high-demand periods in summer and shifting some of the generation
to the spring and fall. Also, proposals for reduced river flow in
summer from Gavins Point Dam would threaten the ability of power
plants downstream to meet temperature requirements for water
discharged to the river during the summer.
These changes could have a significant impact on regional power
costs. WAPA would be generating less power during the summer at the
same time generation would be reduced from power plants along the
Missouri River. The total reduced generation would have a
significant impact on electric rates in Nebraska.
Nebraska Public Power District's analysis of new flow
recommendations shows a potential adverse impact to NPPD-owned
generation on the Missouri River of $6 million to $32 million per
year. If one considers the 11,000 megawatts of generation on the
entire Missouri River below Gavins Point Dam, the impact could
reach an estimated $200 million per year, affecting customers in
Nebraska, Iowa and downstream.
We encourage the corps to ensure that its operational changes do
not result in these adverse economic impacts to customers in these
states. If the corps does make changes that harm electric
customers, then mitigation for these impacts should be incorporated
into its plan.
Regarding wildlife benefits, any water-release changes intended to
increase habitat should be based on sound science. However, the
Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement indicates few, if any,
benefits for least terns and piping plovers from the proposed
alternatives. Nearly one-half of the adult plovers on the Missouri
River nest on three upstream reservoirs, yet the impacts on those
habitats have not been addressed.
During the past decade, NPPD has learned a lot about least tern and
piping plover habitat along the Platte River. As part of our
federal hydropower license, we have managed three islands and three
sandpits. Sandpits have produced seven times as many birds for
one-half the cost of islands in the river.
We urge the corps to consider alternative methods of assisting the
endangered and threatened species. Habitats for these species can
be recovered without changing the flows. Nesting opportunities and
success for the terns and plovers may be greater on the beaches of
the mainstream reservoirs than in the Missouri River. Let's not
arbitrarily manipulate the river when other wildlife-enhancement
options provide better results and are less expensive.
In summary, we urge that flows necessary for the continued full
operation of the power plants along the lower Missouri River and
the summer-based generation plan for the upstream hydro generating
facilities be protected. |
| |
 |
|
|
Comments
from Readers |
In
reference to article "Changing river flow would be
costly"...What about us fellow boaters? A decrease in the
water level will be sudden death to those who slip in the local
marinas. I was just down at the Bellevue Marina last week and
the water level in the slips was only 3 feet deep. I hope the
level comes up enough to get my boat launched this year - 2DaMax
The article "Changing
river flow would be costly" points out the affects this
change could have on power generation. I would like to know why
the marina operators and the people who keep their boats at the
marinas and all the other river boaters out there have not made
their voices heard. I know I have but I'm only one boater. - Ken
Cratty |
|
| |
 |
|
|
