Hydropower is one of the most widely publicized “foes” of salmon. The Pacific Northwest has the largest hydroelectric system in the world with about 30 federal dams and 26 major non-federal projects on the Columbia River and its tributaries. Most were built in the 1950s or 1960s, but some are more than 50 years old. Many hydroelectric facilities span rivers to harness the force of flowing water to turn turbine blades and generate electricity. But they also obstruct and alter the salmon’s natural habitat — not to mention the spinning turbine blades that may stun salmon swimming through the facilities, making them vulnerable to natural predators.

In contrast, our Jackson Hydroelectric Project in the Sultan Basin is widely recognized as an example of fish-friendly design and management. It was designed and constructed in an era that considered, and responded to, environmental impacts. Its Culmback Dam is a storage dam (as opposed to a run-of-river project), so water flow can be regulated to help protect fish habitat, and the powerhouse is sited next to the Sultan River, not across it.

The ESA listing covers all rivers or streams that have chinook population present and flow into the Puget Sound or the Columbia River. That includes the Sultan River where the Jackson Project is sited. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is the federal agency that grants the license to operate the Project’s powerhouse. “FERC bears the responsibility of working with NMFS to determine the Jackson Project’s impact upon the Puget Sound chinook,” said Bruce Meaker, PUD senior manager of regulatory affairs. “We, however, are participating in the process by providing a biological assessment of the Project’s operations to FERC for its discussions.”

The main focus of our biological assessment is on fish populations in the Sultan River. Since the Jackson Project went online in 1984, we have voluntarily maintained intensive fish population monitoring studies that go well beyond FERC-mandated requirements.

“Jackson Project operations have enhanced fish populations in the Sultan River,” according to Binckley. “In fact, since the Jackson Project began operating, both the Fall Chinook and Pink Salmon populations in the Sultan River have increased, compared to population numbers before the Project began.”

We have always been sensitive to fish issues in operations at the Project. Because of the listings, we have become even more careful in our procedures to help ensure that the facility remains “fish-friendly.” For example, the way we respond to generating electricity due to increased power demands is tailored so that it has less impact on the fish populations in the river. We are also reviewing our policy for maintaining water levels in Spada Lake, which impacts water flows in the Sultan River. And we continue our annual fish population studies to track the progress of the various species that call this area of the river home.