There are a lot of nuances to hydropower. As the world looks for cleaner and more sustainable energy solutions, our abundance of hydropower has gained considerable attention and interest. Whether you’re new to the subject, need a quick refresh, or are exploring these facts before taking a deep dive, our hydropower fast facts are a great resource. Please spend some time here and explore some key facts about hydro, including how it works, what it provides, and its impact on clean energy, the environment, and our local economy.

  • Northwest hydropower produces no carbon emissions, thereby significantly reducing the total carbon footprint of the region’s energy production.
  • As a result of our climate and the use of run-of-the-river dams, the hydro system on the Columbia and Snake does not produce measurable amounts of methane gas.
  • The federal dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers are operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation. Bonneville Power Administration markets the power produced by the dams to Northwest utilities and beyond.
  • There are many privately owned dams in addition to the federal hydroelectric dams. They are operated by private and customer-owned utilities. These facilities vary widely from those we primarily advocate on behalf of.
  • The Columbia River is the largest in the Pacific Northwest, and its largest tributary is the Snake River. Combined, they stretch across the United States and Canada, from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean.
  • Hydroelectric dams offer billions of dollars in economic opportunity for the Northwest.
  • The low cost of hydropower is crucial for lower-income families and individuals.
  • Hydropower helps meet our carbon-free energy goals by producing thousands of Megawatts in several ways, from generation and storage to transportation via our rivers.
  • Hydropower generates half of our energy each year and the majority of our carbon-free energy.
  • Solar and wind are growing but they require backup because their output fluctuates minute-to-minute. Hydroelectric dams help balance the fluctuations of solar and wind by acting as a giant clean battery, using the water behind them as stored energy. Hydropower Essentials page.
  • The pairing of hydro with solar and wind has allowed us to add more renewables in our region in a low-cost, carbon-free way.
  • Electric vehicle owners benefit greatly from carbon-free, low-cost hydro by reducing the carbon footprint and price tag associated with every charge.
  • Some have said hydroelectricity is the first form of solar power. Sunlight evaporates water in the ocean which produces the weather that provides rain and snow. That runoff fills our rivers as gravity draws it back towards the ocean. Hydroelectric turbines use the kinetic energy of that moving water to spin them, generating massive amounts of clean, renewable power.
  • New fish protections have been put into place at all 8 Lower Columbia and Lower Snake River dams. Examples of protections include fish bypass systems that keep fish from entering the turbines, and cooling systems for fish ladders.
  • Major upgrades to the lower Columbia and Snake River dams have led to a survival rate past each dam of 93 to 99%, depending on the fish species. 2009 Map of the Columbia River Basin (PDF).
  • Through the Columbia Basin Fish Accords, which provide approximately $100 million a year to Northwest states and tribal nations. Nearly 1 million acres of habitat have been protected, treated, or maintained, with more projects always underway.
  • Some of the largest tech and manufacturing companies in the world have located facilities in the Northwest due to the availability of carbon-free, low-cost power from hydroelectricity.
  • Irrigation from dam reservoirs allows for millions of acres of rich farmland that provides thousands of jobs to seasonal workers and an important economic base for rural communities.
  • Barging and riverboat tourism, enabled by the dams, support the least carbon-intensive means of transporting goods and providing people of all ages a great way to experience the river.
  • Each year, as much as 31.2 billion or more in goods are transported using the Columbia-Snake River system as a water highway. BPA Snake Dams Fact Sheet 2016 (PDF).