AASHTO Journal - USACE, Washington State Agree to River Basin Studies

Officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Washington State recently entered into agreements to conduct two separate studies regarding what recreation- and transportation-related services could be needed if, in the future, Congress were to authorize the breach of the four lower Snake River dams.

[Above photo by the USACE]

Those studies are part of agency’s broader commitments under the December 2023 Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement, which secured a long-term stay in litigation while supporting the restoration of healthy and abundant wild salmon, steelhead, and other native fish to the basin area.

Lt. Col. Katie Werback – USACE’s Walla Walla District commander – digitally signed two separate agreements using Planning Assistance to States or PAS authority with the Washington State Department of Transportation as well as the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office.

That permits USACE to use its comprehensive planning expertise to supplement and support state and tribal efforts and is provided by the Section 22 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1974.

“We recognize we have an important job to do, and we will continue meeting all authorized project purposes at the dams in the Columbia River System as we implement these agreements,” said Werback in a statement. “Although these studies are purely exploratory and not linked to any immediate federal decision on dam breaching, they are essential for evaluating potential impacts and ensuring the Pacific Northwest is fully prepared for a range of future scenarios.”

It is estimated that the recreation study – which will cost $1.2 million and should be completed by 2026 – will seek to identify the potential loss of existing recreation opportunities associated with the drawdown of reservoirs on the lower Snake River as well as necessary investments to accommodate potential future recreation opportunities under a dam breach scenario.

Meanwhile, the transportation study will add $750,000 to an existing $4 million Washington State study; expanding the limits of the study into Idaho and Oregon as it analyzes future transportation needs for the area, volume estimates of goods to be transported, and potential changes in infrastructure needed to shift away from river-based transportation methods. USACE expects that study to be completed in late 2026.

“It is important to recognize that these studies do not involve any implementation activities by the Corps of Engineers, but they do bring together experts from the Corps and our partners to provide data that can be critical to inform decision makers,” noted Tim Fleeger, Columbia River Basin Policy and Environmental Coordinator.

“Only Congress can authorize breach of these dams,” he stressed. “We will use all relevant data to inform our analyses, and we will continue engaging with our regional tribes, partners, stakeholders and the public as we undertake these important studies.”