Melting Snowpack Brings Increase in Hydroelectric Generation on Lower Snake and Columbia Rivers

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas--The North American snowpack melt this spring has created quite a dilemma for the U.S Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) (Portland, Oregon). Because of the rising runoff, the Lower Snake and Columbia rivers have been inundated with increased water capacity, as the USACE tries to regulate the water level in the reservoirs upstream to protect the water quality and fish in Oregon and Washington.

As the snowpack continues to melt, the USACE has been forced to increase the water output from the northern reservoirs to maintain a safe level. This, in turn, has affected the rivers downstream and has caused an excessive amount of electricity to be generated from the downstream hydroelectric power plants.

BPA has had to reassess its options toward grid stability and safety, as the excessive temporary oversupply of electricity is being introduced into the Northwest Power Pool grid system. BPA has ordered limited generation of natural gas, coal and other thermal generating facilities to minimum production levels until the situation can be corrected.

BPA has also restricted the amount of wind power generation being produced and supplied to the grid. BPA's actions are necessary to maintain the reliability and stability of the grid, while the action taken by the USACE is necessary to maintain safe upstream reservoir levels and to protect the aquatic life. The USACE and BPA are working together and have been working together to provide the community with safe and reliable electricity and safe reservoir levels, both upstream and downstream on the Lower Snake and Columbia rivers.

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