The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1962-11-23
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danger of downstream floods, such
as the disastrous Columbia Basir
flood of 1948. Of Knowles total esti
mated cost, it's Importance in reduc.
ing the flooding danger is so great
that better than 20 per cent, OF
100000 of it's total 1888 million
cost will be charged up to flood con-
troll, leaving 1902 million REIN
bursible cost to the treasury via pow
er sale revenues.
The dam, amortized on minimum
life of 100 years, will pay the 1902
million, all operating and mainte-
nance costs, interest on the invest
ment, and return a profit to the
treasury. from power revenue.
Upstream dams, firm-power wise,
are also of major value. BY stream
regulation, it is possible to sharply
reduce flow during heavy run-off
periods thereby making it possible to
maintain higher stream flow,
thus boosting firm power production
at each downstream dam substantial
ly.
AS an example, Hungry Horse
at-site power production, if oper-
ated the year-round, amounts to
only 10000 kilowatts. However,
by operating its power turbines
only three months of the year, and
using it primarily for storage, the
balance of time, Hungry Horse is
responsible for increasing firm
power production throughout the
Bonneville system by about 6OO,-
600 kws per year.
OVER 100000 KWs
MORE FIRM POWER
Knowles, he pointed out, is of
similar value. The dam, with height
of 266 feet, would have an initial at
site power potential of 256,00O kws.
and facilities available for addition
of 256,000 kws more of at-site power.
1t would represent complete develop
ment of the water resource of the
Flathead from Kerr Dam practically
TO the junction of that river with
the Clarks Fork of the Columbia. Be-
cause it is upstream it would make
possible the development of more
than 100000 kws of firm power
throughout the system. 1t would also
provide five million acre feet of stor-
age, three million of which would
be disable.
The Knowles project, which has
been approved by the Secretary of
the Interior, the Secretary of the
Army, by majority of the governors
in the northwest states, by the Blu
reau of the Budget, the U. S. Sen
ate, and by major wildlife and con-
groups, is defined part
Of President Kennedy's resource de-
program. Kennedy, it will
be recalled, specifically called for
the construction of Knowles in Sep
tember 1860 at Billings. At that time
ne pledged that if elected President, |
there would not be another Hells
Canyon" in the Paradise-Knowles |
reach of the Columbia.
Taking brief note of the emotion
stirring arguments of the power COM
,any regarding "mudflats" and the
Bison range, Metcalf pointed out:
1. There would be mudflats, but
they would occur only in the nom
recreation winter months when
Knowles storage would be utilized
to firm-up downstream power pro-
duction;
2. Bison range lands inundated
(2,192 acres), would be compen-
stated for by purchase of an addi-
tional 10000 acres of land for the
range. This land is so located that
it would provide feeding ground
much more viewable to the motor
ing and visiting public than the
present range.
POSTAGE STAMP POWER
Knowles power, because it would
70 fed into BPA's system and the
northwest public-private power pool,
would make available BPA's 2-mill
postage stamp" rate to industries
tanning to locate in Montana be-
ause of availability of cheap power
nd the at-site power reservation
vhich will be legislated following
Regarding the latter,