Thomas Dean | US Environmental Policy Student
From a distance, dams can appear as an incredible engineering accomplishment. Humans created these structures to harness nature’s power to generate electricity, irrigate farmland, and regulate water.[1] However, for the fish of the Pacific Northwest, dams are walls of death. As someone who grew up fishing Idaho’s rivers and boating its reservoirs, I’ve seen firsthand how dams have altered the water, the seasons, and the ecosystems around them. With the fifth highest river mileage of any state, Idaho’s identity is closely tied to its waterways.[2] What’s often framed as a technical or economic issue is deeply personal for those of us who call this region home. Salmon, steelhead, and other native fish used to thrive in the region’s rivers as they migrated hundreds of miles from the Pacific Ocean to spawn in cold mountain streams. Today, fish populations in our rivers are crashing, and removing the dams is no longer a radical idea, rather it’s the last real chance we have to save them.[3]
Migration
Salmon are born in freshwater and migrate to the ocean to mature. Ultimately, they return upstream to reproduce, a cycle that covers thousands of miles. But over the past century, humans have constructed more than 400 large dams across the Columbia River Basin.[4] The effects of these dams are drastic as they block or delay fish passage, slow river flows, and increase water temperatures, all of which increase mortality for these fish.[5] On the Columbia and Snake Rivers, there are 18 dams that these salmon navigate to continue their life cycle.[6] While there are mechanisms to guide the salmon through these dams, fish ladders, turbines, spillways, and reservoir pools form a gauntlet of obstacles. On this journey to the Pacific, juvenile salmon must pass through eight different dams, and mortality rates through this system can reach 50%.[7]
Four Dams, One Crisis
The most clear example of dam-related devastation lies in southeastern Washington, where there are four federally operated dams: Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose, and Lower Granite. These dams all impact the natural flow of the Snake River. They were completed between 1961 and 1975 to support barge traffic and hydroelectric power but came at a huge ecological cost. Since their construction, Snake River salmon and steelhead populations have plummeted by over 90% pushing many species to the brink of extinction. Many major scientific reviews of fish recovery in the Columbia Basin call for the removal of these four dams offering the best hope for restoring populations. According to a NOAA study, it was predicted that dam breaching would quadruple adult returns of Chinook Salmon to the Snake River.[8] Yet, the dams remain in place, and the populations continue to fall.
On The Home Front
As an Idaho native, I felt it was necessary to give insight into the local implications of the dams. I’ve grown up fishing in Idaho’s rivers and boating at Lucky Peak Reservoir, where the water and wildlife are an essential part of the community’s way of life. Lower water levels in the Boise River have led to overgrown vegetation which has shortened the floating season. In recent years, I’ve also witnessed a surge of advocacy within Boise. From signs in front yards calling for dam breaching to community events hosted by conservation groups and tribal representatives. In a similar fashion to the “Save the Turtles” movement, an individual can drive through the city of Boise without seeing a “Save the Salmon” bumper sticker or sign. People hailing from communities intertwined with nature understand that this is not just an abstract environmental issue. This is about protecting our identity, our economy, and our natural heritage. The future of Idaho’s rivers, the salmon that once defined them, and the activities Idahoans love, all depend on whether we start to rethink the old infrastructure that is limiting ecological health.
The High Price of “Clean” Energy
People in favor of keeping the Lower Snake River dams often cite their hydropower output as a reason for preservation. Together they generate about 1,000 average megawatts of electricity annually which is roughly enough to power 800,000 homes.[9] However, that power is both seasonal and replaceable. A 2022 report by the NW Energy Coalition found that the dams’ energy could be offset with renewable energy solutions and efficiency improvements which would cost about $1 per month for the average Northwest household.[10] Meanwhile, the cost of trying to preserve salmon without breaching the dams has dramatically increased. The federal government has spent over $14 billion on salmon recovery through fish passage improvements, hatchery supplementation, and habitat restoration since the 1980s.[11] These attempts have made it the most expensive endangered species recovery effort in U.S. history, yet the results are underwhelming.
Dam Removal Works
For those questioning whether removing the dams would actually work, the evidence is clear. In 2011, two large dams were removed from the Elwha River in Washington, reopening over 70 miles of salmon habitat. Within just one year, salmon were found spawning in stretches of the river that had been blocked for over a century.[12] Since then, populations have steadily increased along with riverbank vegetation and bird diversity. The removal isn’t solely about the salmon. Now, the largest dam removal in U.S. history is complete on the Klamath River. Four dams are being deconstructed across southern Oregon and northern California and biologists expect tens of thousands of fish to return in the first few years alone.[13] If it can be done on the Klamath, it can be done on the Snake.
With regards to policy, the Pacific Northwest is at a pivotal moment in addressing the future of its dams. In August 2022, Washington Governor Jay Inslee and U.S. Senator Patty Murray released the “Lower Snake River Dams: Benefit Replacement Report,”. In this report, it was concluded that the services provided by the four Lower Snake River dams like hydropower, irrigation, and transportation can be feasibly replaced, laying the groundwork for potential dam removal.[14] Furthermore, the 2023 Columbia Basin Initiative, was a $1 billion agreement between the federal government, Northwest tribes, and the states of Washington and Oregon. The initiative aimed to restore salmon populations and invest in clean energy, which hints at a possible dam breaching.[15] However, opposition still remains. Just this year, lawmakers introduced the “Defending Our Dams Act” (H.R. 2073), which seeks to prohibit federal funding for dam breaching.[16]
The Pacific Northwest is defined by its rivers. The science is clear, the solutions are proven, and the public, especially in places like Boise, is beginning to demand change. Breaching the four Lower Snake River dams isn’t just about saving fish. Breaching would restore balance to ecosystems and preserve the nature that shapes life in Idaho and beyond. If we want our future generations to witness salmon returning home, we must choose living rivers over outdated infrastructure.
Citations
Great Old Broads for Wilderness. “Snake River Juvenile Salmon Survival Spins.” May 2019, https://www.greatoldbroads.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Snake-River-Juvenile-Salmon-Survival-Spins.pdf.
GrrlScientist. “Billions in Conservation Spending Fail to Recover Wild Salmon in Columbia River Basin.” Forbes, 31 July 2023, https://www.forbes.com/sites/grrlscientist/2023/07/31/billions-in-conservation-spending-fail-to-recover-wild-salmon-in-columbia-river-basin/.
Idaho Rivers United. “Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative.” Idaho Rivers United, https://www.idahorivers.org/cbi.
Kelly, Erin. “Matheson to Congress: Snake River Dams Are Vital to Power Supply in Northwest.” America’s Electric Cooperatives, 30 Jan. 2024, https://www.electric.coop/matheson-to-congress-snake-river-dams-are-vital-to-power-supply-in-northwest.
Klamath River Renewal Corporation. “Benefits of Dam Removal.” Mar. 2012, https://klamathrenewal.org/benefits/.
Lee, Gabriel. “The Big Dam Era.” Energy History, Yale University, https://energyhistory.yale.edu/the-big-dam-era/.
Mapes, Lynda V. “The U.S. Has Spent More Than $2B on a Plan to Save Salmon. The Fish Are Vanishing Anyway.” Oregon Public Broadcasting, 24 May 2022, https://www.opb.org/article/2022/05/24/pacific-northwest-federal-salmon-hatcheries-declining-returns/.
National Park Service. “Elwha Ecosystem Restoration.” U.S. Department of the Interior, https://www.nps.gov/olym/learn/nature/elwha-ecosystem-restoration.htm.
National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. “Miles of River by State Chart.” https://www.rivers.gov/image/miles-river-state-chart.
Newhouse, Dan, et al. Defending Our Dams Act. H.R. 2073, 119th Congress, introduced 11 Mar. 2025. Congress.gov, https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2073/text/ih?format=txt&overview=closed
NOAA Fisheries. “Atlantic Salmon ESA Conservation and Management.” 2022, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/atlantic-salmon/protected.
NW Energy Coalition. “Lower Snake River Cold Snap Factsheet.” Mar. 2024, https://nwenergy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2024-03-06-LSR-Cold-Snap-Factsheet.pdf.
Ross Strategic and Kramer Consulting. Lower Snake River Dams: Benefit Replacement Final Report. Office of the Governor, State of Washington, Aug. 2022. https://governor.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2022-11/LSRD%20Benefit%20Replacement%20Final%20Report_August%202022.pdf.
Save Our Wild Salmon. “Restoring the Lower Snake River.” https://www.wildsalmon.org/projects/lower-snake-river-waterway/restoring-the-lower-snake-river.html.
[1] Lee, Gabriel. “The Big Dam Era.” Energy History, Yale University, https://energyhistory.yale.edu/the-big-dam-era/.
[2] National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. “Miles of River by State Chart.” https://www.rivers.gov/image/miles-river-state-chart.
[3] Mapes, Lynda V. “The U.S. Has Spent More Than $2B on a Plan to Save Salmon. The Fish Are Vanishing Anyway.” Oregon Public Broadcasting, 24 May 2022, https://www.opb.org/article/2022/05/24/pacific-northwest-federal-salmon-hatcheries-declining-returns/.
[4] Northwest Power and Conservation Council. “Fish Passage at Dams.” Columbia River History, https://www.nwcouncil.org/reports/columbia-river-history/fishpassage/.
[5] Ibid; ft. 3
[6] NW Energy Coalition. “Lower Snake River Cold Snap Factsheet.” Mar. 2024, https://nwenergy.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2024-03-06-LSR-Cold-Snap-Factsheet.pdf.
[7] Ibid; ft. 6
[8] NOAA Fisheries. “Atlantic Salmon ESA Conservation and Management.” 2022, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/atlantic-salmon/protected
[9] Kelly, Erin. “Matheson to Congress: Snake River Dams Are Vital to Power Supply in Northwest.” America’s Electric Cooperatives, 30 Jan. 2024, https://www.electric.coop/matheson-to-congress-snake-river-dams-are-vital-to-power-supply-in-northwest.
[10] Ibid; ft. 6
[11] GrrlScientist. “Billions in Conservation Spending Fail to Recover Wild Salmon in Columbia River Basin.” Forbes, 31 July 2023, https://www.forbes.com/sites/grrlscientist/2023/07/31/billions-in-conservation-spending-fail-to-recover-wild-salmon-in-columbia-river-basin/.
[12] National Park Service. “Elwha Ecosystem Restoration.” U.S. Department of the Interior, https://www.nps.gov/olym/learn/nature/elwha-ecosystem-restoration.htm.
[13] Klamath River Renewal Corporation. “Benefits of Dam Removal.” Mar. 2012, https://klamathrenewal.org/benefits/.
[14] Ross Strategic and Kramer Consulting. Lower Snake River Dams: Benefit Replacement Final Report. Office of the Governor, State of Washington, Aug. 2022. https://governor.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2022-11/LSRD%20Benefit%20Replacement%20Final%20Report_August%202022.pdf.
[15] Idaho Rivers United. “Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative.” Idaho Rivers United, https://www.idahorivers.org/cbi.
[16] Newhouse, Dan, et al. Defending Our Dams Act. H.R. 2073, 119th Congress, introduced 11 Mar. 2025. Congress.gov, https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2073/text/ih?format=txt&overview=closed
What an incredibly insightful blog post! I especially appreciated your section on the price that the salmon pay for clean hydropower energy. It truly highlights the external costs that should be considered when implementing renewable resources and the importance of being intentional in the placement of energy sources where they are most beneficial. This makes me question how much the Pacific Northwest values hydropower outputs compared to ecosystem and population restoration. One reason for the opposition of dam breaching may be due to the initial investment put into the dam construction and the want to see that return on investment but, as you stated, the amount of spending the U.S. places in salmon recovery is drastic and decreasing that spending could easily outweigh the potential return on investment. Because this is an interstate issue, I wonder how the federal government will response to the proposed act and whether states will soon adopt their own measures to breach dams that are hurting fish populations.