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Abstract
Global climate change is one of the most debated environmental issues of the 21st century.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the principal contributor to climate change. Higher levels of CO2
concentrations are primarily the result of burning of fossil fuels such as petroleum, coal and
natural gas. Simultaneously, salmon populations are now being threatened and endangered. One
technique to restore the salmon is the potential drawdown of the Snake River in Washington
State. But, a paradox arises because this effort may increase the CO2 production by trucks and
rail as barge transportation is stopped on the river.
This paper uses wheat and barley transportation, the largest user of barge, to examine the
impact on energy consumption and associated CO2 production if the river is breached and barge
transportation ceases. A GIS-GAMS transportation model examines the pre and post breaching
least cost wheat flows for the producer. Significant increases in rail movements are seen, with
some increases in truck in a feeder role to the rail. The relative modal energy intensity
coefficients affect the energy consumed. Overall results indicate that the paradox continues with
breaching causing some increase in CO2 levels, especially for the barley movements (41%) and
overall (1.61%), while offering the possibility of some perceived benefit to the endangered
salmon stocks.