The preliminary report looks only at the National Economic Development direct economic effects, but a review of the Regional Economic Development impacts is in progress. The RED study will show the impact of dam breaching and other options on people who live in the area and who would be directly affected by federal actions. It is not additive with NED, it s just an added level of detail. The Water Supply Analysis looks at the effects of breaching the four dams on Snake River water users, such as irrigators, municipal and industrial pump operators and private well users. The other two options which leave the dams in place result in no effects to water users.
Irrigation is the largest use of water in the area and so receives the heaviest impact.
Initially the DREW workgroup that studied water supply impacts considered modifying current pumps to pump directly out of the naturally flowing river. However, estimated costs skyrocketed and it became apparent that local farmers would not be able to afford the irrigation system modifications, according to Wagner. The most acceptable option may simply be to take farmland out of irrigated production. From a social standpoint, the impact on jobs could be the most costly. Wagner said the social analysis report by Foster Wheeler Environmental Corp. says that within the first 10 years employment would actually increase by about 7,800 to 14,500 jobs as construction workers remove the earthen portions of the dams, shore up local infrastructure, such as roads, bridges and boat ramps, expand rail lines and highways to accommodate transporting commodities by rail or truck, and build new power plants to replace the 1,231 average megawatts lost when the dams are removed.