Damned Dams! Policy and Administration re: Dams in the Western

Damned Dams! is a 2 credit MPA elective that meets Tuesday evenings online during weeks 1-5. We will look at the historic sociopolitical conditions of  how dams became a viable solution for a variety of ‘problems’ in the Pacific Northwest.  We then move to learning of the local and regional authorities that have come to be administrators of different dams from local water authorities for drinking water and irrigation to regional behemoths such as Bonneville Power Administration. After engaging with contemporary challenges to our [damned?] Dam Regime, we will consider alternative infrastructures and practices to mitigate harms and potentially amplify benefits of dams in the Pacific Northwest. There will be weekly readings and writing reflections.  For the final, each student will select a dam of interest to them and provide analysis and recommendations regarding associated historical and/or contemporary issues.