Federal dam operators have been ordered to pay heed to the state of
Montana’s water release formulas in a court decision finding that the Bureau
of Reclamation and the Corps of Engineers have violated the Northwest Power
Act.
U.S. Magistrate Bart Erickson ruled that the agencies violated the Northwest
Power Act by disregarding Montana’s Integrated Rule Curve formulas in managing
Hungry Horse and Libby dams during the high-water years of 1996 and 1997.
Tim Hall, a state attorney …