Fish, dams can coexist

The guest editorial published Aug. 13 in The Lewiston Tribune should get the attention of our local Nez Perce Tribal Fisheries and it proves the point that Citizens for Preservation of Fish and Dams have been advocating since the group formed a few years ago. They have advocated that fish and dams can coexist without breaching.

The editorial’s headline is “Fish project and federal funds worth celebrating” and it goes on to state no one questions the fact that local agriculture, recreation and any long-term development hinge on the long-term availability of water. The Bureau of Reclamation, in conjunction with Garco Construction, created a one-of-a-kind helix fish-passage system past Cle Elum Dam. On July 27, Gov. Jay Inslee noted the significance of the new fish-passage facility at a groundbreaking and ribbon-cutting ceremony. He stated: “New Cle Elum fish passage facility is leading the nation in opening salmon habitat.”

The lower Snake River dams do not require this type of fish-passage system. Why is there such emphasis on breaching these dams when the emphasis should be to require Idaho Power to construct similar helix fish passage past their three upper Snake River dams that have blocked the main spawning habitat for salmon? If you want to research this fish-passage system that keeps a dam in place, search Cle Elum Fish Passage online.

It is time to stop considering breaching as a means for fish recovery when four Idaho dams are the main cause of salmon and steelhead decline.

Marvin J. Entel

Clarkston