Once completed, the studies should tell us whether the level of improvement at the dams, called for by the TMDL, can be reached.

I should probably mention that the Clean Water Act also says that if a beneficial use is not attained due to the presence of dams then adjusting the water quality standards may be an option. But that is the case only if it's not feasible to restore the river to its original condition, or to operate the dam system in a way that would allow for the beneficial use.

To revisit the standards, a Use Attainability Analysis (UAA) would be initiated. A UAA is generally done when the standard can not be met all the time. The analysis will help determine if species such as myself can have our needs met when this situation occurs and, if not, what to do.