Elise Richman

This confluence of the Middle Fork and main Salmon rivers marks the southern boundary of the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area, the largest contiguous Wilderness Area in the lower 48 states. The Middle Fork's 1968 designation as a Wild and Scenic river protected the river’s free flowing status. Removing the lower Snake River dams would allow salmon to take full advantage of this extensive and pristine habitat.

The watershed of Idaho’s Salmon River, a major tributary of the Snake River, contains some of the most expansive intact salmon and steelhead habitat in the lower 48 states. Thanks (or not) to eight dams on the lower Snake and Columbia rivers, only a small and decreasing number of these iconic fish are able utilize their high elevation, climate resilient spawning and rearing grounds in central Idaho. Creeks such as Johnson, Kelly, Elk, and Bear Valley can continue to play a key role in the persistence of interior Columbia Basin salmon and steelhead if survival rates past the lower Snake and lower Columbia dams are improved. Removing the four lower Snake River dams and replacing their energy, irrigation, and freight transportation benefits is technically feasible and would give these fish -- which migrate up to 1,000 miles and up to 7,000 feet above sea level -- a fighting chance in the face of climate change and other ecological degradation.

Sunbeam Dam was built on the upper main Salmon River in 1909 to power local gold mines. The dam only operated for one year, but remained until 1934 when it was blown up to restore sockeye salmon habitat in the lakes -- including Redfish, Petit, and Alturas -- at the Sawtooth Mountain headwaters of the Salmon River. Will the lower Snake River dams -- built over half a century after Sunbeam Dam -- follow in Sunbeam’s footsteps?

Barging is the primary reason for the four lower Snake River dams. After the dams’ construction in the 1960s and 1970s Lewiston, ID — 465 miles from the ocean — became an inland port. This image highlights the rip rap levees that separate the city from the river. These are essential to prevent flooding because the dams elevate the river above parts of the city. Breaching the dams would help reconnect Lewiston with its riverfront, restoring a major natural amenity. River barges could be replaced with a revitalized rail system.