The vast majority of salmon are getting up, over, around and through the four lower Snake River dams even as legal challenges and political battles swirl around them, according to the federal agency in charge of monitoring fish health.
For every 100 young Chinook and steelhead that head downstream and past the four dams every spring, about 75 survive.
kAm“%92E’D AC6EEJ 8@@5[” D2:5 #:E49:6 vC2G6D[ r@=F>3:2 9J5C@A@H6C 3C2?49 49:67 7@C E96 }2E:@?2= ~462?:4 2?5 pE>@DA96C:4 p5>:?:DEC2E:@?] “x? 2 =@E @7 C:G6C DJDE6>D[ E92E H@F=5 36 D@>6E9:?8 E96J H@F=5 D9@@E 7@C]”k^Am
kAmu@C 6249 @7 E96 7@FC 52>D[ }~pp >2:?E2:?D 2 D6A2C2E6 DFCG:G2= DE2?52C5 7@C ;FG6?:=6 D2=>@? 9625:?8 5@H?DEC62>] %96 286?4J H2?ED heT DFCG:G2= 7@C J62C=:?8 r9:?@@< 2?5 DE66=9625[ 2?5 hbT 7@C DF3J62C=:?8 r9:?@@< =6DD E92? 2 J62C @=5]k^Am
kAm%96 52>D 2C6 249:6G:?8 E9@D6 A6C7@C>2?46 DE2?52C5D[ vC2G6D D2:5]k^Am
kAmu@C 25F=E 7:D9 DH:>>:?8 FADEC62>[ E96 DFCG:G2= C2E6 :D 23@G6 h_T]k^Am
kAmw@H >2?J 7:D9 DFCG:G6 E96 EC6< A2DE x46 w2C3@C[ {@H6C |@?F>6?E2=[ {:EE=6 v@@D6 2?5 {@H6C vC2?:E6 52>D :D 2E E96 4@C6 @7 E96 564256D=@?8 4@?7=:4E @G6C E96>]k^Am
kAmt?G:C@?>6?E2= 8C@FAD 2?5 }2E:G6 p>6C:42? EC:36D H2?E E96 52>D C6>@G65 2D 2 H2J E@ :?4C62D6 D2=>@? A@AF=2E:@?D]k^Am
kAmu2C>6CD 2?5 @E96C DE2<69@=56CD DFAA@CE D2=>@? C64@G6CJ[ 3FE D2J 52> 3C6249:?8 :D?’E 2 D:=G6C 3F==6E E92E H:== 2FE@>2E:42==J =625 E@ >@C6 7:D9]k^Am
kAmx? E96 >:55=6 2C6 286?4:6D DF49 2D }~pp’D }2E:@?2= |2C:?6 u:D96C:6D $6CG:46[ C676CC65 E@ 2D }~pp u:D96C:6D[ H9:49 >@?:E@CD E96 52>D’ :>A24E @? 7:D9[ 2?5 E96 &]$] pC>J r@CAD @7 t?8:?66CD[ H9:49 @A6C2E6D E96 52>D]k^Am
kAm~7 `a 5:DE:?4E A@AF=2E:@?D @7 7:D9 :? E96 :?E6C:@C r@=F>3:2 32D:?[ D6G6? 2C6 AC@E64E65 F?56C E96 t?52?86C65 $A64:6D p4E 2?5 7:G6 2C6 F?=:DE65]k^Am
kAm“r=62C=J[ E96 7:D9 2C6?’E C64@G6C65[ E96J’C6 DE:== =:DE65[” vC2G6D D2:5] “%96 8@@5 ?6HD :D[ H6 92G6?’E =@DE 2?J A@AF=2E:@?D :? ad E@ b_ J62CD @7 =:DE:?8[ 6:E96C]”k^Am
k9bmw@H 7:D9 >@G6k^9bm
kAmx? E96 =2DE 7:G6 J62CD[ E96 ?F>36C @7 7:D9 A2DD:?8 FADEC62> A2DE {@H6C vC2?:E6 s2> 6249 J62C 2G6C2865ik^Am
kAm• |@C6 E92? dd[___ 25F=E r9:?@@<]k^Am
kAm• }62C=J `e[___ r9:?@@< ;24<D[ >2=6 D2=>@? E92E C6EFC? E@ E96:C 7C6D9 H2E6C DEC62> 2 J62C @C EH@ 62C=:6C E92? ?@C>2=]k^Am
kAm• |@C6 E92? dd[___ 92E496CJ DE66=9625]k^Am
kAm• |@C6 E92? `c[___ H:=5 DE66=9625]k^Am
kAm}F>36CD 7=F4EF2E6 56A6?5:?8 @? E96 J62C[ H62E96C 4@?5:E:@?D 2?5 9@H >2?J AC652E@CD 2C6 7665:?8 @? E96>]k^Am
kAmp5F=ED DH:> FADEC62>[ DA2H? :? E96 C:G6C DJDE6>D 23@G6 E96 52>D 2?5 E96:C @77DAC:?8 >:8C2E6 5@H?DEC62> 2E G2CJ:?8 E:>6D E@ E96 !24:7:4 ~462?] %96J E96? =:G6 :? E96 @A6? @462? 7@C D6G6C2= J62CD]k^Am
kAm%@ 86E 5@H?DEC62>[ E96 ;FG6?:=6 7:D9 6:E96C DH:> @C C:56 E96 C:G6C 7=@H ?62C E96 DFC7246 @7 E96 H2E6C[ D2:5 |:4926= |:=DE6:?[ 2 }~pp DA@<6D>2?]k^Am
kAm%96J 86E A2DE E96 52>D D6G6C2= H2JD] %96 52>D 2C6 3F:=E D@ E92E DA:== 82E6D @A6? 7C@> E96 3@EE@> FA[ D@ E96 7:D9 42? 5:G6 566A E@ 7:?5 E96:C H2J E9C@F89]k^Am
kAm%96J 42? 2=D@ 86E A2DE E96 52>D E9C@F89 DA:==H2J H6:CD[ H9:49 2==@H E96> E@ C:56 E96 H2E6C 2D :E A2DD6D @G6C E96 DA:==H2J]k^Am
kAm%96 DA:==H2JD 8C62E=J C65F46 E96 492?46D E96 ;FG6?:=6 7:D9 H:== A2DD E9C@F89 E96 52>D’ EFC3:?6D[ |:=DE6:? D2:5] %FC3:?6D @A6C2E6 56A6?5:?8 @? E96 C:G6C 7=@H 2?5 2C6 D4C66?65 2E D@>6 52>D E@ AC6G6?E 7:D9 7C@> 6?E6C:?8]k^Am
kAmu@C 25F=E 7:D9 C6EFC?:?8 7C@> E96 @462?[ E96 A2DD286 :D =6DD DEC6DD7F=]k^Am
kAm“&ADEC62> :D 24EF2==J 62D:6C[” vC2G6D D2:5] pE E96 52>D[ E96 7:D9 DH:> FA E96 8C25F2= :?4=:?6 @7 E96 =2556C E92E DA:C2=D 7C@> E96 5@H?DEC62> D:56 @7 E96 52> @G6C E@ E96 FADEC62> D:56]k^Am
kAmt=D6H96C6 :? E96 &]$][ 7:D9 =2556CD “@7E6? A6C7@C> >F49 H@CD6[” 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm“%96 7:D9 =2556CD :? E96 r@=F>3:2 #:G6C 32D:? 2C6 2D 8@@5 2D :E 86ED[” 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm“$2=>@? 2C6 D@ 5C:G6? E@ 86E E@ H96C6 E96J H2?E E@ 8@[ :7 J@F 8:G6 E96> 2? @AA@CEF?:EJ[ E96J H:== E2<6 :E[” 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm%96 D2=>@? 5:6 27E6C DA2H?:?8] $@>6 DE66=9625 2EE6>AE E@ C6EFC? E@ E96 @462? 2?5 E96? >2<6 2?@E96C CF? E@ DA2H? 282:?[ vC2G6D D2:5]k^Am
k9bm|:8C2E:@? E:>:?8k^9bm
kAmu:D9 A@AF=2E:@?D 2C6 EJA:42==J ?2>65 7@C E96 E:>6 @7 J62C E96J DH:> FADEC62> 2D 25F=ED[ vC2G6D D2:5]k^Am
kAmu2== r9:?@@< DA2H? :? E96 2FEF>? 2?5 E96 DF3J62C=:?8D 6>6C86 :? |2C49 2?5 pAC:=] %96J >:8C2E6 5@H?DEC62> E@ E96 @462? :? =2E6 |2J E9C@F89 yF=J]k^Am
kAm$AC:?8 r9:?@@< 2?5 DE66=9625 42? DA6?5 FA E@ E9C66 J62CD :? 7C6D9 H2E6C 367@C6 >:8C2E:?8 @FE E@ E96 @462? 2D ;FG6?:=6D]k^Am
kAm}~pp 3:@=@8:DED 36=:6G6 25F=E FADEC62> >:8C2E:@? 92D?’E 492?865 >F49 3642FD6 @7 E96 52>D] %96J >:89E 36 D=:89E=J 56=2J65[ 3FE E96J’C6 2=D@ ?@E 7:89E:?8 2D DEC@?8 2 4FCC6?E 2D 367@C6 E96 52>D H6C6 4@?DECF4E65]k^Am
kAm“xE <:?5 @7 H2D96D @FE[” vC2G6D D2:5]k^Am
kAm~? E96 @E96C 92?5[ E96 52>D 4C62E6 C6D6CG@:CD[ H9:49 D=@HD E96 H2E6C 7=@H 2?5 :?4C62D6D 6IA@DFC6 E@ AC652E@CD]k^Am
kAm$H:>>:?8 5@H?DEC62>[ ;FG6?:=6D 7246 2 3:E @7 2 9625H:?5 E96 H9@=6 H2J[ vC2G6D D2:5]k^Am
kAm“xE >2<6D :E 2 =:EE=6 92C56C[ :E 4@DED D@>6 >@C6 6?6C8J E92? :E 5:5 9:DE@C:42==J[” 96 D2:5 @7 E96 ;FG6?:=6D] “%96J’C6 AC@323=J 56=2J65 AC6EEJ DF3DE2?E:2==J 4@>A2C65 E@ 9:DE@C:42= 4@?5:E:@?D]”k^Am
kAm{2E6?E @C 56=2J65 >@CE2=:EJ :D E96 3:886DE F?2?DH6C65 BF6DE:@? DFCC@F?5:?8 E96 D2=>@? 2?5 E96 52>D[ |:=DE6:? D2:5]k^Am
kAm%92E’D H96? ;FG6?:=6 7:D9 5:6 =2E6C 3642FD6 @7 E96 DEC6DD E96J 6IA6C:6?46 86EE:?8 A2DE E96 52>D] x7 E92E 92AA6?D[ :E’D ?@E C67=64E65 :? }~pp’D 7:D9 A2DD286 ?F>36CD]k^Am
kAm“%96 AC@3=6> :D E92E 56=2J65 >@CE2=:EJ :D 5:77:4F=E E@ >62DFC6 3642FD6 :E @44FCD :? E96 @462?[ 2?5 5:776C6?E H2JD @7 6DE:>2E:?8 :E =625 E@ 5:776C6?E C6DF=ED[” 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm}~pp :D =@@<:?8 7@C 36EE6C H2JD E@ >62DFC6 56=2J65 >@CE2=:EJ[ vC2G6D D2:5]k^Am
kAm“xE’D 56G:=:D9=J 92C5[” 96 D2:5] “%96 D4:6?46 :D 492==6?8:?8 @? E9:D]”k^Am
kAm+6C@ >@CE2=:EJ[ @C `__T DFCG:G2=[ :D ?@E A@DD:3=6[ 96 D2:5] “w:89” @C “D:8?:7:42?E” ;FG6?:=6 >@CE2=:EJ H@F=5 DE:== @44FC ?2EFC2==J]k^Am
kAm!C652E@CD DF49 2D D62 =:@?D 2?5 @C42D 2C6 AC:>2C:=J :?E6C6DE65 :? 25F=E D2=>@?[ |:=DE6:? D2:5] %96 3:886DE AC652E@CD 7@C ;FG6?:=6 7:D9 :?4=F56 3:C5D DF49 2D 8F==D[ E6C?D 2?5 4@C>@C2?ED 2?5 ?@??2E:G6 82>6 7:D9 DF49 2D 32DD 2?5 H2==6J6]k^Am
kAm“xE’D 2 =@?8 2?5 52?86C@FD EC:A 7@C 2 D>2== 7:D9[ 2?5 E96C6 2C6 >2?J 9F?8CJ >@FE9D 2=@?8 E96 H2J[” |:=DE6:? D2:5]k^Am
kAm~462? H2C>:?8 5F6 E@ 4=:>2E6 492?86 >2J 36 E96 3:886DE 724E@C @7 2==[ |:=DE6:? D2:5]k^Am
kAm“$2=>@? DFCG:G2= :? E96 @462? :D 4=@D6=J C6=2E65 E@ @462? E6>A6C2EFC6D[ 2?5 2D E96 E6>A6C2EFC6D :?4C62D6[ DFCG:G2= 564=:?6D[” 96 D2:5]k^Am
