Columbia River System Operations, Pacific Northwest

Under contracts for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bonneville Power Administration, IEc developed socioeconomic impact analyses for the large-scale EIS that analyzed impacts of potential changes to the Columbia River System Operations (CRSO), which consists of 14 federal dams on the Columbia and Snake Rivers in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. Various operational alternatives were considered, including the removal of four large hydroelectric dams on the Lower Snake River. We assessed the national economic development, regional economic development, and other social effects of changes on recreation, navigation, and flood control, among other impacts.

IEc developed surveys, corresponding analysis methodologies, and survey implementation plans for both the recreation and navigation analyses that assessed changes in impacts associated with various CRSO management alternatives. We developed the Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences sections of the draft and final EIS for recreation, navigation, and flood control. IEc also conducted regional economic impact analyses, assisted with responding to agency peer review, and supported the management of over 95,000 public comments received on the document.