A: Yes. Historically, millions of wild salmon and steelhead returned to the Snake River and its tributaries in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Unfortunately, long-term data show that since the construction of the lower Snake River dams in the 1960s - 1970s, fewer and fewer fish have come back. The number of wild Snake River spring/summer Chinook that return to the uppermost Snake River dam has declined by at least 60 percent since the dams were constructed. Source

According to a study done by the Nez Perce Tribe’s fisheries department, nearly half of the Snake River salmon and steelhead populations have reached the quasi-extinction threshold, meaning that the population is too small to be able to reliably sustain itself. Source

A: After they are born in high mountain streams, juvenile Snake River salmon and steelhead must pass through eight dams on the Columbia and Snake Rivers in their migration to the Pacific Ocean. Migrating past these dams comes at a cost:

• The dams create stagnant reservoirs that are difficult to swim through, increase water temperatures to lethal levels for fish, and put the fish at a higher risk of predation. Source

• The combined effort of swimming 900 miles and passing eight dams to the ocean requires too much energy for many fish, and many perish as they transition to salt water. Source

• Even though the dams are equipped with bypass systems, many fish still cross the dams by swimming through the dams’ turbines or over their spillways, which significantly increase the risk of death or injury. Source

• Years later as adults, salmon and steelhead must fight through the same dams and reservoirs to return home. Predators and lethally hot reservoirs kill many more fish on this return migration. Source

A: Dozens of studies have shown that removing the lower Snake River dams is our best chance at recovering endangered salmon and steelhead populations. A recent report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) came to the conclusion that removal of the four lower Snake River dams is a centerpiece action that must be taken to save these fish from extinction. Source

To bring more fish back to the Northwest, their migration must be made safer. Removing the lower Snake River dams would mean a cooler, free-flowing river and a safer, faster journey for fish. Scientists agree—this is our best chance to save wild salmon and steelhead from extinction. Source

A: Yes. However salmon first need a river. Salmon are born in a river and they return to spawn in a river.

Ocean conditions are a major driver of salmon and steelhead abundance and always have been. Conditions that salmon and steelhead experience in the eastern Pacific can fluctuate dramatically. Even as adverse ocean conditions become more common, there will continue to be years when ocean conditions are favorable to salmon and steelhead.

When these positive conditions exist we need to enable salmon and steelhead to take advantage of them. Even the best ocean conditions won’t save a fish that’s already been killed by dams. And when conditions are poor, we need to be sure we have done all we can to achieve the best survival rate for salmon. We can do this best by providing the most favorable river migration conditions possible, including restoring the lower Snake River. This will increase salmon abundance, productivity and diversity.

“Smolt-to-adult return” (SAR) rates, or the percentage of juvenile fish that survive and return as adults, are another important consideration. The smolt-to adult-return rates for salmon vary drastically for salmon who live in the same ocean, but return to different parts of the river. Salmon that migrate to and from the Columbia River, and therefore only pass two to four dams, have SAR rates that have consistently reached 2-4% over the last few decades, while Spring/summer Chinook that return to the lower Snake River and pass eight dams have return rates that barely reach one percent. Generally, these fish need a 2% return rate to maintain existing population levels, and more than 2% to begin to recover. Source

A: For thousands of years, Northwest Tribes stewarded and harvested salmon in the Snake River Basin. In exchange for most of their lands, tribes reserved the right to harvest fish throughout the region, which the federal government committed itself to.

The lower Snake River dams are an ongoing source of injustice to Northwest Tribes as these dams decimate salmon populations, a traditional food source and cultural foundation for the “Salmon People” of the Northwest.

When the dams were constructed, the reservoirs they created also flooded sacred lands, disrupting cultural practices and the relationships Native people have with the river.

Recently, the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians and the National Congress of American Indians passed resolutions calling for removal of the lower Snake River dams as a means to restore abundant salmon and steelhead populations and honor the commitments the federal government made to Northwest tribes.

A: The Northwest’s energy system is rapidly improving with the integration and development of clean energy alternatives and grid modernization technologies. The Snake River dams currently only provide 4% of the region’s energy.

A balanced mix of wind, solar, energy efficiency, demand response, and storage can replace the power provided by the lower Snake River dams, increase reliability, decrease greenhouse gas emissions, and keep energy prices stable for years to come. Source

A: Some farming communities along the lower Snake River use barges to export agricultural products—mainly wheat—downriver, eventually making their way to the coast. The Snake River dams allow this transport by creating a navigation channel.

However, in recent years, farmers have begun to ship fewer products via barge. Barge shipments through the lower Snake River dams have declined by more than 50% over the past 3 decades. Source

Much of the country uses trains to get wheat to export markets. In 2019, 60% of America's wheat exports moved to coastal ports by rail, and many farmers in Eastern Washington and Idaho are already using rail to transport their wheat—a method they used before the dams were built. Source

When we mention replacing the transportation services currently provided by the lower Snake River dams, we are referring to the need to identify and make investments to replace the barging capacity with upgrades and additional rail capacity—allowing grain to move to market efficiently and affordably.

A: Removing the lower Snake River dams would restore a free-flowing river and bring abundant salmon back to the Northwest. This alone would increase economic opportunities for recreational fishing and tourism businesses. With the right investments, the economic benefits could extend even further.

For example, investments in the redevelopment of the Lewiston/Clarkston riverfront could boost tourism, create new jobs and spur the growth of an economic opportunity zone; investments in transportation could create cheaper shipping alternatives for farming communities; and investments in clean energy alternatives could result in lower rates for ratepayers. Source

A: Within recent years, the political landscape has shifted with governors, elected leaders from both parties and tribal leaders working together to find solutions that restore salmon and steelhead to abundance.

In 2021, Congressman Mike Simpson (R-ID) released the Columbia Basin Initiative, a proposal that would breach the lower Snake River dams, replace their services, and restore salmon and steelhead to abundance. Source

In 2022, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Washington Governor Jay Inslee released the Lower Snake River Dams Replacement Benefit Report. This report found that the services currently provided by the lower Snake River dam can be replaced or mitigated, and that dam removal is our best chance to stop salmon extinction.

Lower Snake River Dams: Benefit Replacement Report (August 2022)

• Download report.

• Senator Murray and Governor Inslee’s Recommendations following the Conclusion of the Joint Federal-State Process on Salmon Recovery (August 2022)

  • Link to PDF

Momentum is also taking place at the state level. In 2023-2024, the Washington State Legislature approved several salmon and steelhead priorities, including budget provisos for specific planning efforts to replace the energy, transportation, and irrigation services currently provided by the lower Snake River dams. Through these processes, Washington will develop a blueprint for how to make dam breaching feasible while leaving no community behind.

Source

In 2022, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Washington Governor Jay Inslee released the Lower Snake River Dams Replacement Benefit report. This report found that the services currently provided by the lower Snake River dam can be replaced or mitigated, and that dam removal is our best chance to stop salmon extinction. Source

Momentum is also taking place at the state level. In 2023, the Washington State Legislature approved several salmon and steelhead priorities, including budget provisos for specific planning efforts to replace the energy, transportation, and irrigation services currently provided by the lower Snake River dams. Through these processes, Washington will develop a blueprint for how to make dam breaching feasible while leaving no community behind.

A. Transitioning away from dam-generated power would involve a combination of renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, nuclear and geothermal power, as well as energy efficiency measures and grid modernization efforts. Studies have shown that these alternatives can provide reliable and sustainable energy while minimizing environmental impacts.