Ecology will accept comments on proposal for more spring spill

Washington Department of Ecology is proposing to change the water quality standard for Total Dissolved Gas during the spring season to spill more water over the dams at crucial times to help juvenile salmon migration in the Snake and Columbia Rivers.

“Increased spill over the dams has the potential to be a win-win for salmon, orca, and power generation,” said Heather Bartlett, ecology’s water quality program manager. “We are at a critical time for our orca and salmon. This is a change we can make relatively quickly to help with the long-term recovery efforts.”

Taking action to allow more spill...