Howard letter: Salmon editorial

This is a hardy thank you to the Idaho Statesman Editorial Board for keeping the issue of breaching the four dams on the lower Snake River active in the public arena. The authors of the statement are to be congratulated for their insight and pro-bias position in de-authorization of the four dams. The breaching of these dams is not just about wild salmon or steelhead restoration but also about watershed restoration of three main rivers, the Snake, Clearwater and Salmon along with dozens of tributaries that flow from Idaho, Washington and Oregon into these rivers. There is also the social restoration of decades of sport and commercial fishing traditions and their multiplier effect on local economies. Also, there is the consideration of Native Americans and the need to meet treaty obligations to provide food and ceremonial fish to respect their traditions. The road most taken by Terry Flores, executive director of Northwest River Keepers, and an older generation of BPA, Corps and BR managers is flawed with chuckholes, landslides, and antiquated dams. The Agencies should start breaching the dams, starting next Monday on Lower Granite Dam after mid-morning coffee break. This will leave an intelligent legacy for having done this.

This story was originally published December 19, 2016 at 5:38 PM with the headline "Howard letter: Salmon editorial."