NWF Leads Efforts To Save Imperiled Snake River Salmon

National Wildlife, June-July, 2000

Working on several fronts, the National Wildlife Federation is battling to reverse the severe decline of salmon in the Pacific Northwest. For decades, the fish have suffered losses as a result of human activities in the region, and many populations of all five salmonid species in the Northwest are now federally listed as endangered or threatened.

NWF is particularly concerned about the future of the two surviving salmon species that spawn in the Snake River: chinook and sockeye. Experts say that these fish are likely to be extinct by 2017, unless the federal government agrees to bypass four dams on the lower Snake River that block the salmon from reaching their spawning grounds. In an effort to save the fish, NWF and two of its state affiliates, the Washington Wildlife Federation and the Idaho Wildlife Federation, have filed suit in federal court seeking partial removal of the dams.

Recently, a federal judge ruled that the government is not exempt from complying with water-quality standards in its operation of the dams. The judge gave both sides 90 days to demonstrate whether or not the dams are responsible for damage to the river and its fish.

Not long ago, NWF and its allies delivered to the White House written comments from 120,000 citizens asking for the administration's support for removing the Snake River dams. NWF also organized people to participate in 16 public hearings on dam removal, held throughout the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. In addition, NWF helped convince Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber to publicly announce his support for the plan to dismantle the dams.

To educate people about the issue, NWF has produced a video-Bringing Back the Salmon, Bypassing Dams to Restore Snake River Salmon-which it will send to groups for a nominal shipping charge.

It's not too late to make your voice heard. To find out more about what you can do to help, check NWF's Web site at www.nwf.org/salmon, or contact Tim Stearns, 418 First Avenue West, Seattle, Washington 98119; phone: 206-285-8707; e-mail: salmon @nwf.org.

Removing outdated dams to save salmon will begin a new era of restoring endangered species.

- Tim Stearns

Director, NWF Northwestern

Natural Resource Center