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Dam Debate by Eric Barker Moscow-Pullman Daily News, August 10, 2025

Snake River Flotilla planned Friday and Saturday;
Citizens for the Preservation of Fish and Dams'
third annual symposium is Saturday

People interested in Snake River salmon and the role dams play in their abundance can witness opposing visions on the issue next weekend.

Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment and other environmental groups will host the Snake River Flotilla on Friday and Saturday, an annual gathering of people who support breaching the four lower Snake River dams. The event, centered at Lewiston's Hells Gate State Park, features music, food, films and a float on the Snake River from Asotin to Lewiston.

Citizens for the Preservation of Fish and Dams will hold its third annual Pacific Northwest Salmon and Steelhead Symposium at Lewis-Clark State College on Saturday. The event features speakers, including fisheries scientists, who believe the dams are not responsible for declines in wild salmon and steelhead.

Marvin Dugger, a Lewiston resident and active member of Citizens for the Preservation of Fish and Dams, said the symposium will be held at the college's Silverthorne Theater from 8 a.m. to about noon.

"We are hoping to increase the public's knowledge of the issue and get the public informed on the issue," he said. "We believe a lot of the stuff they are hearing is wrong."

David Welch, a fisheries scientist from British Columbia, Canada, will be one of the featured speakers. Welch produced a study that pins the decline of Snake River Chinook salmon on deteriorated ocean conditions rather than dams. His work indicates poor ocean conditions have hammered salmon stocks up and down the West Coast of North America.

Julian Matthews of Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment said tribal leaders like Shannon Wheeler, chairperson of the Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee, and Don Sampson, a former leader of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation, are expected to speak prior to the float on the Snake River on Saturday morning.

The flotilla events begin at 7 p.m. at the park with live music and food. It will be followed by a screening of the film "The Grand Salmon" at 8 p.m.

On Saturday, flotilla participants will gather at the Asotin Boat Ramp at 9 a.m. for a light breakfast. At about 9:45, participants will launch in rafts, canoes, drift boats and other crafts for a rally and short float downriver to Hells Gate State Park. They plan to land at about 11:30, which will be followed by a blessing, lunch and then remarks by tribal leaders at 1 p.m.

The event typically attracts salmon advocates from around the Pacific Northwest.

Matthews said the event will serve to inspire people who were disheartened when President Donald Trump killed a deal between tribes, environmental groups and the Biden administration that was viewed as a step toward future breaching of the Snake River dams.

"We just have to keep the commitment and keep the push to breach the dams to save salmon regardless of who is in office and build more grassroot support," Matthews said.

More information on the flotilla is available at bit.ly/4frDag3.

More information about the salmon and steelhead symposium is available at cfpfd.org.

Related Sites:
Youtube Channel of Citizens for Preservation of Fish and Dams
Schedule of 2025 Symposium in Lewiston Idaho, August 6, 2025