Northwest Reel Life July 2024 Volume 3 Issue 9 - Flipbook - Page 16
sources like storm runoff
from vehicles or improperly
disposed industrial waste,
are contributing factors to
the decline in salmon stock.
POSITIVE TRENDS
On the West Coast, there
are currently 17 salmon
populations listed as
threatened or endangered
under the Endangered
Species Act. These
populations range from
California to Washington
State and include (but are
not limited to) the Lower
Columbia River Coho, Snake
River Sockeye, Hood Canal
chum, and Puget Sound
Chinook salmon.
Though these facts might
not inspire optimism at
first glance, it’s important
to note that “threatened”
doesn’t necessarily mean
these populations aren’t on
an upward swing in terms
of recovery. For example,
the Lower Columbia River
Coho has steadily been
making progress toward
the federally approved
recovery goal.
Hood Canal Summer
Chum and Snake River Fall
Chinook are both currently
approaching that set goal.
Yet, more needs to be done.
DAM REMOVAL
Enter damn removal...
Dam removal works for
salmon recovery, but there
are many issues created
by the removal of dams.
For example, on the lower
Snake River, dams create
vast amounts of clean
energy, and reduce water
velocity, thus allowing
easy movement of barges
for agricultural product
transportation, and they
help provide irrigation for
swaths of agricultural land.
In short, they are a huge
part of local economies and
infrastructure alike.
These inherent issues with
dam removal were finally
addressed in what was
a culmination of years of