Columbia/Snake Salmon Recovery Campaign
The mighty Columbia and Snake Rivers define the Northwest. They once produced the greatest salmon runs on Earth, sustaining native cultures, ecosystems and economies since time immemorial. Today, just a small number of wild fish return to only a fraction of their historic habitat. Despite their size, the rivers are not immune to the effects of climate change, as we saw in 2015, when thousands of sockeye perished on their way up the Columbia because the river was too warm.
But it’s not just salmon that are impacted by dams. The Southern Resident Orca population, also critically endangered, relies on Chinook salmon from the Columbia and Snake for a critical part of their winter diet, when they intercept the fish off the mouth of the Columbia. But the fish aren’t there in the numbers needed to feed pregnant females and the population is perilously close to going extinct.
But it’s not just salmon that are impacted by dams. The Southern Resident Orca population, also critically endangered, relies on Chinook salmon from the Columbia and Snake for a critical part of their winter diet, when they intercept the fish off the mouth of the Columbia. But the fish aren’t there in the numbers needed to feed pregnant females and the population is perilously close to going extinct.
A Basin-Wide Strategy
Pacific Rivers’ has a basin-wide strategy focused on flows, temperature, water quality and passage to recover salmon, help Orca and restore communities that depend on healthy rivers. We’re advocating for more flow from Canadian dams through the renegotiation of the Columbia River Treaty in order to help juvenile salmon get to the sea and keep the river cool. Treaty renewal also creates an opportunity to support fish passage and reintroduction to areas currently blocked in both the U.S. and Canada. Another area of focus is the relicensing of the Hells Canyon Complex, three dams on the mid Snake River in Idaho and Oregon. These dams block fish passage, have changed the flow and temperature of the river, and create the conditions for toxic levels of mercury to accumulate in resident fish, which the government advises not to eat. The new license for the project will last 50 years, which is why our involvement is critical for ensuring the impacts of the dams is addressed equitably.
In the lower Snake, we are working with a broad coalition that seeks the removal of four federal dams in Washington state. These dams slow the river and increase its temperature, making conditions ripe for disease and predators, which threaten young salmon migrating to the ocean. Fortunately, political winds are shifting and the region is beginning to shape the contours of what could be the biggest river restoration project in history.
In the lower Snake, we are working with a broad coalition that seeks the removal of four federal dams in Washington state. These dams slow the river and increase its temperature, making conditions ripe for disease and predators, which threaten young salmon migrating to the ocean. Fortunately, political winds are shifting and the region is beginning to shape the contours of what could be the biggest river restoration project in history.
