This dam has been providing power for quite some time & was recently refurbished; though summer run-off from snow/rain are diminished when previous winters weren't enough, the larger concern is when a dam initially is built with thawing glaciers as long-term source of run-off. Most of the multiple-year snow/ice pack above present streams, rivers & lakes has melted back to rock. 
.
Had the Cooper Lake dam not been constructed, that lake wouldn't be anywhere as large now; I've seen the waters up to the intake for the penstalk many decades since 1961. The road up there was one of a few impacts to the area; this was a great salmon area prior to the dam.
.
Before we had the Beluga power plant with natural gas reserves, most electricity was from diesel or gasoline gen-sets; the relatively small Cooper Lake hydro was adequate awhile, & is not to be considered 'emergency' due to a fact: these things need to be run, to stay functional.
.
Snow River project jeopardizes Paradise Valley locality.