By Alyssa Macy and Stephanie Solien, December 1, 2021
Our elected leaders have a historic opportunity to shape our region's future. They must build on investments already secured for salmon and lead new investments that boost our economy, invest in a diverse, clean energy future, and honor the commitments made to Northwest tribes. We can’t let this opportunity pass us by. We must act now!
By Tom Kiernan, September 36, 2021
“Urgent action is needed to remove four federal dams on Washington’s Lower Snake River to save endangered salmon from extinction and honor treaties and commitments to Native American tribes…We need U.S. Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell and Gov. Jay Inslee to step up and seize this opportunity.”
By Save Our Wild Salmon, September 8, 2021
Welcome to Save Our wild Salmon’s Hot Water Report 2021, Week 12, our final issue for this summer!
This summer, we’ve provided updates on real-time water temperatures in the lower Snake and Columbia River reservoirs via graphs and analyses, a report on the highest weekly water temperature at the forebay/reservoir of each dam, and the status of adult returns for the different salmon and steelhead populations as they return to their natal spawning grounds. We heard first-hand from scientists and other experts about challenges facing the Columbia and Snake rivers - and the opportunities we have to restore health to these rivers, and help recover healthy, resilient fish populations and the many benefits they deliver to the Northwest’s culture, economy, and ecology. Read the full Hot Water Report here.
By Save Our Wild Salmon, September 1, 2021
The Hot Water Report will track water temperatures in the lower Snake and lower Columbia rivers, record the status of salmon and steelhead returns and related reports, recent developments, and actions that state and federal agencies and our communities must take to ensure safer, healthier rivers and streams that protect and restore salmon and steelhead in the Columbia Basin requires. Read the full Hot Water Report here.
Hot Water Report 2021 - August 25, Issue 10
By Save Our Wild Salmon, August 25, 2021
The Hot Water Report will track water temperatures in the lower Snake and lower Columbia rivers, record the status of salmon and steelhead returns and related reports, recent developments, and actions that state and federal agencies and our communities must take to ensure safer, healthier rivers and streams that protect and restore salmon and steelhead in the Columbia Basin requires.
This week, on the lower Snake River, all reservoirs registered high temperatures above 68°F and the reservoir behind the Ice Harbor Dam registered the highest temperature at 73.04°F! Read the full Hot Water Report here.
By Save Our Wild Salmon, August 18, 2021
The Hot Water Report will track water temperatures in the lower Snake and lower Columbia rivers, record the status of salmon and steelhead returns and related reports, recent developments, and actions that state and federal agencies and our communities must take to ensure safer, healthier rivers and streams that protect and restore salmon and steelhead in the Columbia Basin requires.
This week, on the lower Snake River, all reservoirs registered high temperatures above 68°F and the reservoir behind the Lower Monumental Dam registered the highest temperature at 73.04°F! Read the full Hot Water Report here.
By Save Our Wild Salmon, August 11, 2021
The Hot Water Report will track water temperatures in the lower Snake and lower Columbia rivers, record the status of salmon and steelhead returns and related reports, recent developments, and actions that state and federal agencies and our communities must take to ensure safer, healthier rivers and streams that protect and restore salmon and steelhead in the Columbia Basin requires.
We had another high water temps this week: On the lower Snake River this week, the reservoir behind Ice Harbor Dam registered the highest temperature at 72.32°F. On the lower Columbia River, the reservoir behind the John Day Dam had the highest temperature this week at 74.30°F! Read the full Hot Water Report here.
By Save Our Wild Salmon, August 4, 2021
The Hot Water Report will track water temperatures in the lower Snake and lower Columbia rivers, record the status of salmon and steelhead returns and related reports, recent developments, and actions that state and federal agencies and our communities must take to ensure safer, healthier rivers and streams that protect and restore salmon and steelhead in the Columbia Basin requires.
The weather is now maintaining consistently hot and harmful temperatures in the reservoirs behind the lower Snake and Columbia River dams. On the lower Snake River, the waters in all four reservoirs have exceeded the threshold (68 degrees) all this week. Temperatures that exceed 68 degrees for any sustained period of time start to have harmful impacts to salmon and steelhead. Sustained temperatures in the 70's can become lethal. Read the full Hot Water Report here.
By Save Our Wild Salmon, July 28, 2021
The Hot Water Report will track water temperatures in the lower Snake and lower Columbia rivers, record the status of salmon and steelhead returns and related reports, recent developments, and actions that state and federal agencies and our communities must take to ensure safer, healthier rivers and streams that protect and restore salmon and steelhead in the Columbia Basin requires. Read the full Hot Water Report here.
By Save Our Wild Salmon, July 21, 2021
The Hot Water Report will track water temperatures in the lower Snake and lower Columbia rivers, record the status of salmon and steelhead returns and related reports, recent developments, and actions that state and federal agencies and our communities must take to ensure safer, healthier rivers and streams that protect and restore salmon and steelhead in the Columbia Basin requires. Read the full Hot Water Report here.
By Save Our Wild Salmon, July 14, 2021
The Hot Water Report will track water temperatures in the lower Snake and lower Columbia rivers, record the status of salmon and steelhead returns and related reports, recent developments, and actions that state and federal agencies and our communities must take to ensure safer, healthier rivers and streams that protect and restore salmon and steelhead in the Columbia Basin requires. Read the full Hot Water Report here.
By Save Our Wild Salmon, July 7, 2021
The Hot Water Report will track water temperatures in the lower Snake and lower Columbia rivers, record the status of salmon and steelhead returns and related reports, recent developments, and actions that state and federal agencies and our communities must take to ensure safer, healthier rivers and streams that protect and restore salmon and steelhead in the Columbia Basin requires.
The weather is now maintaining consistently hot and harmful temperatures in the reservoirs behind the lower Snake and Columbia River dams. On the lower Snake River, the waters in all four reservoirs have exceeded the threshold (68 degrees) all this week. The Ice Harbor Dam has consistently maintained mean temperatures above 68°F, and with a high mean temperature of 71.24°F on July 28, July 29, and August 3. The Lower Granite Dam had high mean temperatures of 71.24°F on August 3. Temperatures that exceed 68 degrees for any sustained period of time start to have harmful impacts to salmon and steelhead. Sustained temperatures in the 70's can become lethal. Read the full Hot Water Report here.
By Save Our wild Salmon, June 30, 2021
The Hot Water Report will track water temperatures in the lower Snake and lower Columbia rivers, record the status of salmon and steelhead returns and related reports, recent developments, and actions that state and federal agencies and our communities must take to ensure safer, healthier rivers and streams that protect and restore salmon and steelhead in the Columbia Basin requires. Read the full Hot Water Report here.
By Save Our wild Salmon, June 25, 2021
The Hot Water Report will track water temperatures in the lower Snake and lower Columbia rivers, record the status of salmon and steelhead returns and related reports, recent developments, and actions that state and federal agencies and our communities must take to ensure safer, healthier rivers and streams that protect and restore salmon and steelhead in the Columbia Basin requires. Read the full Hot Water Report here.
Rivers, hydropower and climate resilience
By Tom Kiernan, Opinion Contributor
The impacts of climate change, felt first and hardest on the water cycle in the form of floods and droughts, demand that we protect and restore healthy, free-flowing rivers. In addition to protecting rivers that provide our drinking water, irrigate crops, manage floodwaters, recharge groundwater supplies and nurture fish and wildlife, we must reduce reliance on fossil fuels and boost energy from renewable sources.
United States Senator: Patty Murray Press Release
“Regional collaboration on a comprehensive, long-term solution to protect and bring back salmon populations in the Columbia River Basin and throughout the Pacific Northwest is needed now more than ever. However, a solution must ensure those who rely on the river in the Basin and across the Pacific Northwest are part of the process. Any solution must honor Tribal Treaty Rights; ensure reliable transportation and use of the river; ensure ongoing access for our region’s fishermen and sportsmen, guarantee Washington farmers remain competitive and are able to get Washington state farm products to market; and deliver reliable, affordable, and clean energy for families and businesses across the region.
By Linda Mapes, February 7, 2021
Idaho Republican Rep. Mike Simpson is pitching a $34 billion plan to breach four Lower Snake River dams in what he calls a "a once-in-a-lifetime chance" to save salmon. The concept could forever alter life on the Columbia and Snake rivers.
“We view restoring the lower Snake River – a living being to us, and one that is injured - as urgent and overdue. Congressman Simpson, in focusing on the facts and on a solution, speaks the truth - that restoring salmon and the lower Snake River can also reunite and strengthen regional communities and economies. “ Chairman Shannon F. Wheeler
“Restoring the lower Snake River will allow salmon, steelhead and lamprey to flourish in the rivers and streams of the Snake Basin,” said Kat Brigham, Chair of the CTUIR Board of Trustees.
“We have reached a tipping point where we must choose between our Treaty-protected salmon and the federal dams, and we choose salmon,” said Yakama Nation Tribal Council Chairman Delano Saluskin.
By Allen Pinkham, Dec 9, 2020
I belong to the Wallowa and Palouse bands of the Nez Perce. My family are descendants of Chief Red Bear, who helped Lewis and Clark build canoes and navigate the free-flowing Columbia River. I am the great-great-great-grandnephew of Chief Joseph.
By Lynda V. Mapes, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020
“We are losing inherited rights, losing part of a relationship, even part of ourselves. These for us are human rights issues. Without [salmon] we lose everything, identity, language, spirituality, our way of thinking. That is what is at stake.” – Nakia Williamson, Nez Perce Cultural Resource Program Director
By Annette Cary, October 24, 2020
A coalition of environmental and fishing groups will ask the courts to intervene for a sixth time after the federal government again decided not to breach the four lower Snake River hydroelectric dams.
By Alexander Matthews / 10th November 2020
For over a century, one of the most important salmon runs in the United States has had to contend with historic dams – and now four of them are set to be taken down.
By Lynda V. Mapes / November 8th, 2020
The dam is of no use to anyone, not the small rural public utility district that owns it, and not to tribes longing to bring salmon back to this river. Obstacles of cost, liability and a quest by the PUD to revive the dam for more than a decade stood in the way of removal.
Tuesday, November 3, 2020 9:44am
Excellent letter by Marc Sullivan on the 4 Gov./state process in the Peninsula Daily News (Port Angeles)
By Eric Barker of the Tribune / Oct 24, 2020
A coalition of environmental and fishing groups signaled Friday they plan to return to court in an effort to invalidate the federal government’s latest salmon and dams plan.
By Jeremy P. Jacobs, E&E News reporter / Tuesday, October 13, 2020
Governors of four Pacific Northwest states announced a new commitment to recover the region's iconic salmon and steelhead, an implicit acknowledgement that federal efforts appear to have hit an impasse.
The governors of the four Pacific Northwest States pledged in a letter of agreement to work together, and with Native American Indian tribes and regional stakeholders, to rebuild Columbia River salmon stocks.
By Lynda V. Mapes / September 25th, 2020
The Center for Whale Research confirmed that J41 had a new calf but, as the whales are in Canadian waters, little is known about the new arrival. This is the fourth birth to the southern residents since 2019.
By Patsy Doherty / September 23, 2020
Our region’s Indigenous people are suffering from the same loss as mother orca Tahlequah and her family: a loss of salmon. As an enrolled Makah, former councilwoman for my tribe and the mother of four fishermen sons, I am personally connected to the struggle of the orcas.
By Lynda V. Mapes / September 23, 2020 at 4:21 pm
Tahlequah’s new calf is a male, the Center for Whale Research has confirmed. The young whale was seen the evening of Sept. 22, near Point Roberts, Whatcom County, where photos taken from a whale watch boat and examined by center researchers documented the young whale is male.
August 2020
Attached are the latest return numbers for Chinook salmon, steelhead, and sockeye to the Snake River basin. As you can see the numbers remain well below the 10 year average and far from the recovery goal numbers that are required. The Fish Passage Center has estimated that we could achieve, once again, a million chinook returning to the Snake River and its tributaries if the four lower Snake River dams were removed.
The Environmental Protection Agency issued a report Tuesday detailing summertime water temperature problems on the lower Snake and Columbia rivers and assigning significant responsibility to federal dams.
