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Commentaries and editorials

First Dams to Go
Shouldn't Be Snake

by Matthew Ruane
Tri-City Herald, August 5, 2021

Water pours through the Ice Harbor Dam on the Snake River east of Pasco. It is one of four lower Snake River dams covered in an environmental review that will look at whether removing the dams is the best option to improve salmon runs. Two weeks of record heat, and our power grid survived, barely. Drought meant rivers were overheating. Because the Snake River dams reserve water, they were able to spill extra to keep rivers cool for fish. AC for both us and the fish! Aren't the last couple of weeks concrete examples why we need these dams?

More bad news. California's failing grid is taking power from neighboring states. And where will those states make up the lack? It's not just Washington that uses Snake River dams to keep power affordable for our most vulnerable.

Let's face it. More heat is likely. We all need those dams.

There are plenty of small, abandoned dams silting up salmon spawning grounds. Why not take the abandoned dams out first?


Matthew Ruane, Richland
First Dams to Go Shouldn't Be Snake
Tri-City Herald, August 5, 2021

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