Several years ago, the Dept. of Energy issued a report looking at the energy potential of the many non-powered dams in the US.  With hydropower being a non-carbon emitting source of clean energy, it only makes sense to look at what we already have and improve upon it. 

Many companies have seen this as an opportunity to acquire some of the more than 80,000 non-powered dams and take them through the licensing process only to find that other obstacles sometimes arise.  One of these comes from an unexpected source:  the requirement for fish passage.  The requirement to add a fish ladder or similar system can add millions to the cost of a project, often then moving that clean-power project out of the category of econo...

Frequently, in the Pacific Northwest, there are media reports regarding the continued decline in the numbers of local salmon species. As an engineering company that pursues scientific validation of our processes and products, we can’t help but ask questions and look to what can be done to achieve a viable solution. Initial finger pointing typically focuses on global warming, commercial fishing, hatchery production, nuisance predators, fish passage at dams and the big blue (something(s) not altogether known impacting the ocean ecosystem). Salmon are a valued commodity and to some extent have been attributed a majestic quality. Driven by a primal, instinctive motivation to successfully reproduce, they migrate from rivers to oceans and back t...

The Seattle Times Editorial Board had it right with their May 25, 2018 piece entitled, “Congress must act – again – to save salmon from hungry sea lions,” so that these returning mature salmon are not prevented from completing the circle of life’s last stage. However, to address the root cause of the problem Congress must enable faster fish passage deployment and more ways for fish to avoid predation caused by delayed passage below ladders.

Time is of the essence and dithering by federal officials will set back recovery by generations while enabling one protected species to devour another, to the detriment of our vital salmon and steelhead runs. Congress should look inward at the government agencies they regulate and enable them to deplo...