Laserfiche WebLink
<br />001538 <br /> <br />Summary of Economic Impacts <br /> <br />Economic impacts stem from reductions in energy generated at Lower <br />Region hydroelectric powerplants, reductions in agricultural-related <br />income, and salinity impacts due to increased costs associateq with <br />using higher salt content water. These impacts are summarized in <br />table 5. <br /> <br />Environmental Impacts <br /> <br />Impacts Due to Changes in Streamflow <br /> <br /> <br />This analysis is based on Alternative III, High Water Depletion with <br />Accelerated EET Development minus High Water Depletion and No EET <br />Development. This alternative would have the greatest environmental <br />impact of all the alternatives; therefore, it was selected for <br />analysis. Even using this alternative, it is difficult to predict <br />impacts with much accuracy. For one thing, streamflows during the <br />high depletion scenarios do not appear much less than streamflows <br />today. For another thing, impacts of an environmental nature are <br />more dependent upon operation criteria than they are on the small <br />changes in quantity of water in the stream. Reduced streamflows <br />could have an impact if they occur for an extended period of time <br />because this would tend to dry up the ground water which supports <br />riparian vegetation, Also, if reduced streamflows occurred at <br />critical times, such as spawning season, this could have impacts on <br /> <br />22 <br />