A Wild Ride On the Snake River

Introduction by Producer, Kelly Meinhart

his past summer I had the thrill of visiting the Snake River, and was amazed by the natural beauty, free-flowing power and energy, unique wildlife habitats, and mostly by the complex changes in the river as it flowed along its course. My traveling companion, Steve Hoffman, Director of Bird Conservation for the Pennsylvania Audubon Society and I were overwhelmed by our travels, pointing out countless Peregrine Falcon nests perched above the river, unique flora and fauna of the west, and the openness of the countryside. We decided to take advantage of a river tour being run on the Snake to get a better look at the river, and it was a fun-filled ride - including raptor sightings and a lot of white water thrill.

teve writes, "Our whitewater raft trip down the Snake River was an incredible adventure. The scenery was eye-popping, and truly unforgettable. I was especially excited to see several Bald Eagles and Ospreys up close, as well as a mink foraging along the river's edge!" Steve, who was sitting at the front of the raft, had the best view of the power of the river, while I opted to sit more in the middle of the raft!

y trip to the west, and my adventure on the Snake have prompted me to look further into the health and future of the river. In my research, I have again found that American Rivers is a wonderful place for river information. It is for that reason that I would like to again feature their work as the National Feature for Watershed Weekly.

—Kelly



The Snake River
By American Rivers

hen Lewis and Clark traveled on the Snake River nearly 200 years ago, over two million wild adult salmon and steelhead returned from the Pacific Ocean to the Snake River basin each year. Today, the remaining Snake River salmon and steelhead stocks - all listed under the Endangered Species Act - are in steep decline and headed toward extinction as soon as 2016 unless action is taken toward their recovery.

he primary culprits in this tragic decline are four federal dams on the Lower Snake River. These dams have turned the free flowing Snake into a series of slack water pools and created lethal obstacles to migrating adult and juvenile fish. Other factors in the decline of Snake River salmon include poor salmon hatchery and harvest management, unsustainable timber and agricultural practices, and water diversions that deplete natural flows.

n order to restore Snake River salmon and steelhead populations to healthy and sustainable levels, we must protect the environments that support them, such as streams and estuaries. If these essential habitats are not maintained in a healthy state, wild salmon populations will continue to decline and eventually become extinct.

t is clear that wild salmon recovery depends upon addressing and correcting the main factors that have contributed significantly to their decline. This will require habitat restoration, reforms to hatchery and harvest practices, and planning to partially remove the four lower Snake River dams - the most effective way to restore Snake River salmon - if dam removal proves necessary to save Snake River salmon.

estoring these legendary fish is not just the right thing to do - it is also the nation's legal responsibility and the best choice economically, culturally, and environmentally. The federal government is obligated under federal law to prevent the extinction of Columbia and Snake river salmon and steelhead and to protect their habitat. It also has treaty obligations to Native American tribes and Canada to protect the salmon fishery.

or the last 20 years recovery methods have focused on collecting juvenile fish, loading them in barges and trucks, hauling them below the last dam, and releasing them back into the river. Despite spending over $3.5 billion in on barging and other recovery measures salmon and steelhead continue to decline and are now on the verge of extinction.

nder a recovery plan released in late 2000, the Bush administration is obligated to take new action to recover Snake River salmon and steelhead. The administration, along with Congress, will be responsible for implementing a long-term recovery plan for Snake and Columbia River salmon and steelhead. The plan initially relies on non-dam removal strategies to recover the fish - changes in dam operations, habitat restoration, hatchery reforms, and harvest management - with barging juvenile salmon around the dams remaining the plan's cornerstone. If these new (and not so new) recovery measures are not funded and implemented, or if they fail to work, the plan could require Congressional authorization for partial dam removal as soon as 2003 (with actual removal possible by 2005).

merican Rivers is working through grassroots, political, and legal channels to ensure that every effort to restore salmon is pursued. Salmon recovery need not mean economic hardship for rural communities. Any plan to recover Snake River salmon and steelhead must work for people affected by the recovery effort. It is not an either-or proposition. With careful, collaborative planning, the affected communities, federal and state governments, and the conservation community can create a plan to recover Snake River salmon that protects and even enhances the regional economy.

Copyright © 2006, GreenTreks Network, Inc.