the film forum library tutorial contact

Opportunity for Consensus Approach to Removed Dams by Judy Hinrichs Daily Record, May 27, 2021

The goal in dam removal is to restore 140 miles of free flowing water
in the Snake River and regain 14,000 acres of land.

There is an item of potential Congressional action which impacts all of us in Washington state and has the support of many Republicans, Democrats, fishermen farmers, environmentalists, native tribes, and just plain concerned citizens. That is the removal of the four dams on the Snake River in eastern Washington which were built 50 years ago, largely to provide transportation of goods from some Idaho cities to the sea.

They produce little electricity and are not needed for irrigation or flood control. A lot of the area transportation has since gone to rail. Citizens and legislators have been working to get the dams removed and restore the river and its salmon runs for the last 30 years. With infrastructure funding to improve rail transportation in the country and the commitment of our legislators, something can happen now.

A Republican congressman from Idaho, Congressman Mike Simpson, has been working on a proposal to accomplish that and Washington State Governor Jay Inslee and Democratic Congresswoman Patty Murray also recently published a position paper calling for a regional process to address this crisis.

Fishing stock plummeted two years after the dams were built. We are now facing the “bottom of the bathtub” where the salmon are near extinction levels with three different judges having ruled that efforts to save them have been inadequate.

The goal in dam removal is to restore 140 miles of free flowing water in the Snake River and regain 14,000 acres of land. As an additional result, it may be a critical factor in saving Resident Orca in the Salish Sea, who feed 80% on Chinook salmon. They are near extinction also.

I grew up in Port Angeles, WA. The removal of the Elwha Dams in that area was accomplished a few years ago and the result has been wonderful to see. The entire habitat of the area’s plants, animals, fish and other aquatic life have rebounded. Make a journey there part of your summer wanderings, enjoy the site and learn about it. It can happen here too.

Please support any efforts our members of Congress make to accomplish this goal. We cannot kick this can down the road any longer.