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Snake River Salmon Returns Pt 1 by Bob Larson AgInfo.net, July 2, 2021

I’m Bob Larson. Contrary to claims made by some calling for removal of the Snake River dams, the Spring Chinook salmon they say are in danger of extinction saw returns at the Lower Granite Dam increase for the second straight year, up 27% over last year and 55% higher than 2019.

U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse says the latest data is encouraging and demonstrates we’re making real strides with our current mitigation efforts ...

NEWHOUSE ... "There are a lot of variables, obviously, that some we have control over and some we don’t, but fish passage is one thing we do and I’m just glad to see that we have a positive trend."

But, Newhouse says there’s still plenty of work to do ...

NEWHOUSE ... "We want to continue working on all those other variables that we have control over to make sure that this continues on into the future. So, it’s good news. You know, it’s certainly not the end of the story. We still have work to do, but I think it’s important that we recognize progress when we are able to achieve it."

Any reaction from from the dam removal proponents ?

NEWHOUSE ... "I have not, but we tried to monitor the news from around the country and haven’t seen anything coming from the other side on this particular development, so we’ll keep watching."

Newhouse says the Spring Chinook returns are trending in the right direction, proving what we already know: dams and salmon can, and do, co-exist.

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He also had another reason to celebrate, saying there are three new, healthy orca calves in the Southern Resident pod, that looks better than it has in a decade.

Our goal will continue to be recovering salmon by addressing threats of predation, loss of habitat, and untenable conditions of the ocean and Puget Sound.

Together, we can restore our salmon and save the orcas, while also protecting the benefits our dams provide for our region and the leading source of Washington state’s clean, reliable, renewable, and affordable energy.