Idaho Capital Sun. (2023, June 7). Idaho Power prepares for the next 50 years with hydroelectricity from Hells Canyon dams. Retrieved on January 30th, from
Idaho is attempting to renew the leases so that its hydroelectric sources can be used for the next 50 years. The Brownlee, Oxbow, and Hells Canyon dams are some of the biggest and most powerful dams in Idaho. The company Idaho Power is not trying to work with the native tribes and agencies to gain a license that allows them to operate for another 50 years. It will be estimated to cost them over 1 billion dollars over the next 50 years. Under these new licenses, they will focus on the quality of the water as well as the fish. They will make sure that both of these are healthy and can stay healthy. They will also make sure that the fish will be able to get through the dam and won’t die or get trapped in the process. On top of this, they have to decrease the amount of methylmercury in the river. Some improvements of this will be to increase energy and water across the area. This new lakeside is meant to keep the energy and water flowing as well as being able to keep the fish healthy and the water clean so that people have access to all these things.
This article talks about how important it seems that these dams can be to populations that live around them. It relates to environmental science because we have talked about both the benefits and negative effects that these dams can have. This article can explain both the positives and negatives of the dams and how they can affect people, wildlife, and the environment. It also explains how many people have to agree to it due to the different groups that it can and will impact like the state as a whole, the tribes, the wildlife, and especially all the people that live somewhat near it because it’s their source of water and energy.
It seems like there must be a way to create dams that also don’t negatively impact the environment locally too much. That’s a huge challenge, just imagine trying to build a dam that also lets the fish go through, that seems like a difficult thing to do.