Removing dams not solution for salmon, orcas

Published 1:30 am Friday, January 11, 2019

The futures of chinook salmon and orca whales are entwined. Many propose removing dams to increase salmon runs. While well-intentioned, dam removal is a short-term and short-sighted proposal. The dams to be removed provide the largest electrical power in the United States. As the earth warms, water behind these dams may become a potable water source as mountain snowpacks diminish.

Why don’t we re-engineer present fish ladders around the dames in question? By doing so, we maintain and increase chinook salmon runs, feed the orcas, continue to generate electricity and have potable water reserves in the event of declining mountain snowfall and spring runoff

Warren Walton

Bothell