Analyzing the Future of the Lower Snake River Dams under the US Army Corps of Engineers

This talk is one of three graduate student presentations (~10-15 minutes each) to be delivered during this week's speaker series. 

Though the Lower Snake River Dams (LSRD) have been embroiled in controversy since their inception, this conflict has intensified in recent years. Amid critics’ increasing calls to remove the LSRD (citing ecological concerns), supporters defend the dams for their economic benefits and reliable power infrastructure. While separate literature exists on the US Army Corps of Engineers and issues surrounding the LSRD, there is little overlapping research on Corps' direct management of the dams. Through my research, I investigate this gap through analyzing the  LSRD Master Plans, as well as the 2020 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Ultimately, I explore how the Corps' management of the LSRD has evolved over the decades, and how this history contextualizes with the Corps' stance on dam breaching in the Snake River. 

A large dam on a river.

About the Speaker

A headshot of the speaker in a grey blazer and white collared shirt.
Gabrielle Lund
Environmental Studies Graduate Student, Western Washington University

Gabrielle Lund is a second-year graduate student in the Environmental Studies department at Western Washington University. Having graduated with dual degrees in Environmental Science and Political Science from Washington State University (WSU) Pullman in 2023, Gabrielle is fascinated by the intersection of human-environment issues in policymaking. Inspired by her proximity to the Lower Snake River Dams (LSRD) while attending WSU, Gabrielle has dedicated her graduate research to analyzing the US Army Corps of Engineers’ management of the LSRD to better understand the potential future of the dams, as well as the controversy surrounding dam removal on the Snake River. Outside of her research, Gabrielle serves as a Director for LEAD (an environmental restoration program at WWU) and as a Graduate Assistant in the Kitto Graduate Student Hub.

Environmental Speaker Series

The Environmental Speaker Series is hosted by the College of the Environment at Western Washington University.

The Series is free and open to the public. Talks are held each Thursday at 4:30 pm in Academic Instructional Center West room 204 - AW-204. Talks will also be streamed via Zoom. Register with The Foundation for WWU & Alumni for the zoom link. Parking is available in lot C.

Learn more about the Environmental Speaker Series

Email Alumni@wwu.edu to be added to a mailing list to hear about upcoming events.