Many residents say publicly they support maintaining hydropower at Willamette River dams

The trade-offs between hydropower dams and endangered salmon in the Willamette Valley have been on full display in public feedback in a series of meetings hosted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The public meetings took place as an operational change at two dams meant to help fish is deluging rivers with mud. Willamette Valley residents and conservationists weighed in on the future of eight hydropower dams operated by the corps and the future of endangered salmon in three public comment sessions on Monday and Tuesday. The meetings coincide with preparation of a corps’ report to Congress on whether hydropower production should be removed at some or all eight of the power-producing dams in its Willamette Valley project.