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Look at the facts of Klamath dams
Herald and News letter to the editor, by
Corrine Edwards, Klamath Falls 9/28/08
Sometimes we get so involved with legal and
political issues we forget to look at the facts on
the ground. This water debate sure seems to fit this
profile. Here are some real facts:
The dams on the Klamath River:
Store a lot of water.
Provide a lot of green power at low cost.
Allow flood control and management of water in general.
With fish ladders installed, would allow for fish runs and habitat. So why would we blow these up?
The only advantage I can see for this expensive procedure would be to enhance fish runs, but in fact, if the money is spent on fish ladders, we can have the fish anyway. Why not have it all?
It seems to be that too much say is given over to Indian tribes and not enough to the general public’s welfare. Perhaps this is due to a lot of cash sloshing around from casinos or perhaps it is due to legal maneuvers and tactics, but the facts on the ground are for keeping the dams, not blowing them up. Electric rates will zoom if these dams are removed.
Take the money that would be used for demolition and for building the next bunch of coal-burning power plants (very un-green) and use it instead for fish ladders.
Also the money spent so far on lawyers’ fees and legal hassles would have probably paid for the fish ladders.
The dams on the Klamath River:
Store a lot of water.
Provide a lot of green power at low cost.
Allow flood control and management of water in general.
With fish ladders installed, would allow for fish runs and habitat. So why would we blow these up?
The only advantage I can see for this expensive procedure would be to enhance fish runs, but in fact, if the money is spent on fish ladders, we can have the fish anyway. Why not have it all?
It seems to be that too much say is given over to Indian tribes and not enough to the general public’s welfare. Perhaps this is due to a lot of cash sloshing around from casinos or perhaps it is due to legal maneuvers and tactics, but the facts on the ground are for keeping the dams, not blowing them up. Electric rates will zoom if these dams are removed.
Take the money that would be used for demolition and for building the next bunch of coal-burning power plants (very un-green) and use it instead for fish ladders.
Also the money spent so far on lawyers’ fees and legal hassles would have probably paid for the fish ladders.