In a critical water year, power planners assume at least 60 million acre feet of water will flow past The Dalles dam between Jan. 1 and July 31. In 1977, the region's record low-water year, 53.8 million acre feet of water flowed past the dam. This year, the top volume forecast so far is only 58 million acre feet, and that's assuming normal rainfall after mid-March. The region's usually wettest months are gone. And snowpack, at a measly 55 percent of normal, won't be getting a boost this week.
Low water means a low fuel tank for the region's hydropower system.
If current weather conditions continue between now and August, the region will be 4,000 megawatts short of average generating capacity, a nearly one-third reduction, according to the Northwest Power Planning Council. Gov. Gary Locke is expected to convene a news conference today to reiterate a call to conserve electricity and water. Locke also will toast four utilities that have created 1,500 megawatts of new power generation, more than enough to light Seattle at any given time. Locke also is expected to announce successful negotiations with the federal Environmental Protection Agency to allow Avista power plant in Spokane and a BP refinery in Skagit County to fire up gas generators without the usual environmental review. The expedited permits are being granted in return for cash payments from both companies for low-income energy assistance and commitments to offset increased pollution down the road.