The Auburn Dam, offering more hydro and more water for recreation, will be of great help to conditions in the American River Watershed; not to mention the 500 year level of flood protection it will offer to Sacramento.
Editorial: High stakes in Sierra
SMUD, agencies must settle hydro dispute
- Published 12:00 am PST Wednesday, November 15, 2006
The series of Sierra dams, tunnels and turbines in El Dorado County known as the "Stairway of Power" is the jewel of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District system. This system, which provides about a fourth of SMUD's electricity, is licensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and that license needs renewal.
SMUD has never gone through this renewal process before, and likely won't do it again for another 50 years. With so much at stake, this wasn't going to be easy. But it is somewhat unexpected, and unfortunate, that SMUD and some important state and federal agencies find themselves so far apart on so many issues with so few days left for a peaceful way to resolve this process.
A long, adversarial and bitter battle before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission would be a sad chapter in SMUD's proud history. All sides have plenty of motivation to find common ground.
A hydro system only works by removing water from a river and sending it through a turbine.
There is an inevitable tradeoff -- electricity gained, water for the river lost. In this case, the water is important for wildlife, for whitewater rafting and for campers who enjoy reservoirs in what is known as the Crystal Basin.
