Law urges halt to Willamette River dams’ hydropower to save salmon

Congress has directed the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to explore stopping hydroelectric generation at Oregon’s Willamette River dams to protect endangered salmon.

Tony Schick reports for ProPublica and Oregon Public Broadcasting.

In short:

• New legislation signed by President Biden requires the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to consider ending hydropower at Willamette River dams.
• Proposed fixes, like $170 million fish traps and trucking salmon downstream, have been criticized as costly and ineffective.
• Emptying reservoirs to restore natural river flow could help salmon but may impact boating, irrigation and drinking water systems downstream.

Key quote:

“Our salmon heritage is literally on the line.”

— Kathleen George, council member for the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde

Why this matters:

Endangered salmon populations in the Pacific Northwest are critical to ecosystems and Indigenous cultures. Current dam operations obstruct migration, risking extinction. Exploring alternatives to hydropower may provide a path for balancing energy needs and ecological preservation.

Read more: US acknowledges harm of dams on Northwest Native American tribes