Effects of Dam Construction on Temperatures of Columbia River

Abstract

Since 1958, the Richland Operations Office of the USAEC, with the cooperation of other federal agencies, has sponsored an annual program to reduce the temperature of the Columbia River during late summer in order to minimize the impact of plant operations. To evaluate the results of this program, a system of data collection points was installed, with particular emphasis on measurement accuracy. The resulting temperature data was used to develop an environmental model capable of predicting temperature and associated water quality variables to a high degree of accuracy.