newspaper articles involving the Columbia institute
Black Rock benefit? A $2.4 billion question
By David Lester
Yakima Herald-Republic, January 9, 2007
A potentially flawed figure for the value of power generated at the proposed Black Rock reservoir could drive the benefits of the project down by nearly 40 percent, dam opponents argued Monday.
The possible miscalculation came up Monday as Black Rock backers unveiled more details about major resort and residential developments the huge reservoir may attract.
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State placing $200 million bet on dam building
Expensive push to explore water storage in Eastern Washington
By Robert McClure
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, March 8, 2006
As dams nationwide are being dismantled at a rapid clip, the Washington Legislature is about to spend $200 million on what amounts to a big-ticket bet that the federal government will launch its most expensive dam-building campaign in decades.
To slake Eastern Washington's thirst, water would be siphoned off the West's largest river, the Columbia, and stored behind dams in massive lakes -- although no one is sure yet whether such water would even be available.
Until now, the prospect of Eastern Washington dam-building has gotten little attention in the Seattle area. But, "That's all right -- you'll end up paying for it," predicted Spokane water lawyer Rachael Paschal Osborn.