An Absence of Logic: How Lewiston’s Public Works Director Approaches Infrastructure and Community Impact
Dustin Johnson is a man of facts and logic. Site maps, water systems, maintenance plans—the way infrastructure fits together like puzzle pieces is music to his ears. And in the City of Lewiston, he’s found both his place and his people.
“The practicality of the Lewiston people is amazing,” said Johnson, the City’s Public Works Director. “From cars to houses to lawnmowers, this community appreciates quality and getting their worth out of something. They also know when an investment makes sense.”
That mindset was on full display in 2019, when Lewiston residents—known for their budget-conscious decisions—overwhelmingly approved $71 million in bonds for water and wastewater system upgrades. The vote passed by a 9-to-1 margin, recognizing the need to modernize infrastructure that dated back nearly a century.
“To serve the residents of this community the best way I can, I look at the basics,” said Johnson, who has lived in the Lewis-Clark Valley since 2015 and joined the City in 2020. “Are fundamental needs being met? Do our residents have water? Effective sewer facilities?”
With both major projects expected to wrap up by the end of 2023, the answer is yes—hopefully for the next 20 to 40 years. But that optimism comes with a caveat: the ongoing debate over removing the Lower Snake River Dams.
If the dams were breached, the City’s water and wastewater systems would need to be completely redesigned and rebuilt—an undertaking Johnson describes as “astronomical and incalculable” in cost.
“This goes against the very nature of this town,” he said. “I’m respectful of facts, and the real ramifications of actions that will have life-altering impacts on this Valley.”
The primary concern is water levels. Both systems rely on current levels maintained by the dams. Without them, water levels could drop by an estimated 100 feet. That drop sets off a domino effect, making it nearly impossible to estimate the cost—or feasibility—of redesign.
“We are hemmed in by land in both locations. Where would we be able to expand?” Johnson asked. “Relocation brings even more issues—water rights, new permitting, skyrocketing construction costs, staff retraining, new piping… It’s endless.”
The concern extends beyond treatment. Water sources themselves are at risk. The aquifers supplying more than 65,000 residents across the Lewis-Clark Valley rely on the Clearwater and Snake Rivers for recharge. Lower river levels and increasing demand could result in serious shortages. The Lewiston Orchards Irrigation District is already exploring alternatives after facing drilling challenges near Mann Lake.
“I’m a pragmatic engineer when I look at the dams,” Johnson said. “Any infrastructure has maintenance costs. But how do we plan for dam removal? I don’t know.”
Stormwater management presents another challenge. Currently handled through levees and treatment ponds, the entire system would require reinvestment and redesign. A 1992 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers experiment—lowering water levels—led to levee buckling and scour holes near the Southway Bridge that threatened its structural integrity.
“It’s really death by a thousand cuts,” Johnson said. “Without hydrostatic pressure, the system will collapse.”
As a self-described “infrastructure nerd,” Johnson simply can’t find the logic behind removing a series of dams that are not only well-maintained, but still have decades of useful life left.
“Why would you remove them when they’re barely teenagers?”
For Johnson, the issue isn’t politics—it’s practicality. He’s committed to serving the people of the Valley he calls home, alongside his wife Courtney and their two daughters.
“I’m passionate about infrastructure and serving my community,” he said. “This isn’t about politics. I just want to be at the table to make sure everyone understands the real-world consequences.”