• Introduction (on this page, below)



• FCRPS Information Kiosk
  (photos and project-specific information for 31 hydro projects)



• Current Hydrological Information
  (links to specific pages on the Northwest River Forecast Center web site)



• Fish Funding 2002-2006 (updated July 10, 1998)
  (information on costs and revenue impacts of different funding scenarios)



• FCRPS Definitions
   

The US Army Corps of Engineers (COE) and the Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) are the owners and operators of the 31 federally owned hydro projects on the Columbia and Snake Rivers. Bonneville Power Administration markets and distributes the power generated from these federal dams and from Columbia Generating Station. BPA also owns and operates about 75% of the Northwest's transmission system. The dams and the electrical system are known as the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS). Revenues collected through power rates cover the operation of these projects and the transmission system, the debt service required to repay the initial investment in the system, and contributes to other costs associated with these projects, such as the region's efforts to protect and rebuild fish and wildlife populations in the Columbia River Basin.

To take advantage of the water going through the project to produce electricity, units must be running and available for power generation as much of the time as possible, while allowing some down time for maintenance. Unexpected outages or unit failures compromise the ability of the project to use the available water flow, which is, for the most part, unpredictable.

The purpose of the web pages is to inform you about the federal system. We appreciate comments, and please direct them to Philip Thor at (503) 230-4235.