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Picture Perfect by Robert L. Vadas, Jr. Pacific NW Magazine, April 23, 2006

When it comes to the Lower Snake River dams, the science and the economics are clear ("That Dam Problem," March 5). These dams were among the last built in the Northwest. The Army Corps of Engineers opposed their construction for decades, though it would've provided them new money and jobs. And despite the reservations of biologists about potential (now-seen) salmon declines and extirpations, Congress finally got its way.

These dams delivered pork (money/jobs) to the region, but their completion, as Lynda V. Mapes' feature indicates, has brought little more. This article paints a good picture of the possibility of maintaining the Lower Snake River farming community while (a) restoring the river and its salmon to health and (b) helping create a diverse, prosperous economy that blends wheat and wine with wild salmon, outdoor recreation, river trips, world-class fishing and tourism.