Both the paid and unpaid experts were ignored. Independent scientists who reviewed the Risk Analysis declared that it was fatally flawed. So did NMFS' scientists in Seattle. One of the problems with the Risk Assessment was that it did not contain any quantitative assessment of effects on adults. Dr. Ebel advised us that dams were constructed to operate with limited spill, and were finely tuned over decades to attract as many fish as possible to the fish ladders.
Excessive spill generates currents that confuse the adults searching for the fish ladders.
The adult salmon also tend to swim about laterally in the tailrace area where gas concentrations are highest before ascending the fish ladders. This could have a strong negative effect on the population, since the death of adults about to spawn can be devastating for a weak population. 24 Dr. Ebel also tipped us off to a fundamental computational error in the state and tribal calculation of Fish Passage Efficiency. Studies at other projects have shown similar numbers. This would cost less, and cause less gas supersaturation.