Scenario- Rebuilding a hydroelectric dam on the Elwha River:
You live in Boomtown(fictional) which is located next to the Olympic Mountains and the Strait of Juan de Fuca in Washington State. Most of the town’s income is from commercial fishermen, sports fishermen, and summer vacationers. A lumber manufacturing company has expressed interest in building a new mill near the town that would offer employment opportunities to local residents. Your electricity is supplied by a municipal coal fired electrical plant 100 miles away. However the plant cannot produce the electricity the lumber mill needs to operate or the expansion of new residential homes and small businesses. Because of the contour of the land around Boomtown and the location of the Elwha River, a proposal has been made to generate more electricity by rebuilding a dam and hydropower plant on the river. There is a rebuilding salmon population in the Elwha River and the river has undergone some course changes in the past 10 years since the prior dam removal.
Elwha River
Strait of Juan de Fuca
Boomtown
Where to build a DAM and why?
Elwha River
Strait of Juan de Fuca
Task:
You and your partner will have been assigned to represent a stakeholder in this scenario. Your assignment is to research and develop a persuasive presentation supporting your position. You will make a 5 minute presentation to the City Council (class) and be expected to defend your position. Use the ‘Issue Organizer’ slide to organize the information for your presentation and the scoring rubric to ensure that you have addressed all elements of the presentation.
Partners, numbering, & prioritizing your choices (Google Classroom)
STAKEHOLDER ROLES:
-Local Energy Company Representative: Wants to build the dam and provide economical electricity.
-Fixed Income Residential Consumer: Needs a reliable source of economical electricity and also new job opportunities.
-Sports Fisherman: Wants fish population to remain high downstream from the dam.
-Environmental Biologist: Wants to protect the river ecosystem.
-Environmental Activist: Wants the river kept in its natural state.
-River Property Owner: Wants to make sure his property is protected and property values are maintained.
-Real Estate Developer: Wants to develop waterfront homes on the newly created reservoir from the proposed dam.
-Current Property Owner: Wants to make sure his property is properly compensated for if the reservoir permanently floods his land.
-Hydro Developer: Wants to install new hydropower technologies at the proposed dam site.
-Local Indian Tribe Representative: Wants to protect sacred land above the dam and fishing rights in the ocean and river.
-Commercial Fisherman’s Union Representative: Wants to protect the fish population.
-Marine Biologist: Wants to protect the local marine environment.
-Wave Energy Investment Group: Has a federal grant to build wave harnessing devices on the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
STAKEHOLDER ROLES:
None-Local Energy Company Representative
Parker/Kimber -Fixed Income Residential Consumer
Jackson/Ethan-Sports Fisherman
Israel/Greyson-Environmental Biologist
Melanie/Tori-Environmental Activist
Zoe/Leyla-River Property Owner
Sofie/Mason--Real Estate Developer
Eva/Callie-Current Property Owner
Myles/Javier-Hydro Developer
Brock/Claire-Local Indian Tribe Representative
John/NaKaiya-Commercial Fishermen's Union Representative
Arianna/Ember-Marine Biologist
Deryl-Rose/Lucy-Wave Energy Investment Group
Today:
You and your stakeholder partner will get up to 5 minutes to give a persuasive presentation supporting your position to the Boomtown City Council (class). Be ready to defend your position when asked questions.
City Council members will use the scoring rubric to ensure that you have addressed all elements of the presentation.
Boomtown City Council meeting, March 29th, 2023
Location: Cottonwood Elementary, room 204
Names and associations of speakers
Boomtown City Council meeting, March 29th, 2023
Location: Cottonwood Elementary, room 204
Final deliberations
Voting on the proposition: Should Boomtown rebuild a hydroelectric dam on the Elwha River?
Checking your knowledge of facts about hydropower!
Complete ‘hydropower pre/post test’