By Bill Arthur
A huge thank you to all who have sent postcards or emails to Governor Inslee asking for additional spill (water over the dams) for the lower Snake and Columbia River dams in order to more safely deliver young salmon to the ocean. “Spill” delivers young out-migrating salmon more quickly and in better condition over the dams and to the Pacific Ocean. Our voice was heard. An agreement was reached among the federal agencies, states (including Washington), and the tribes and signed off on by Judge Simon that will deliver modestly higher spill starting April 2018 for this years out-migration of young salmon. This is a good start and we appreciate the positive work by Washington State and the other parties. However, more can and needs to be done starting in 2019.
Increasing spill helps increase the number of salmon that successfully migrate to the ocean and then return to spawn benefitting these depleted and endangered runs and providing more food (salmon) for our endangered orca who feed off the mouth of the Columbia River at key times of the year. Spill is the most important near-term action we can take while we work toward a more permanent solution: of eventually removing the four lower Snake River dams – the action that will best recover the salmon and steelhead of the Snake River.
The science shows that higher levels of spill will benefit salmon recovery. Oregon currently has a water standard that allows for higher spill levels than Washington, so Washington State standards become the limiting factor. And, both Oregon and Washington could – and should - increase the standard to allow for higher spill consistent with the science.
We will be joining with Save Our Wild Salmon and other groups working on salmon and orca protection to ask the state of Washington to modify their rules in order to increase the total dissolved gas (TDG) water quality standard to 125% in the Snake and Columbia Rivers. Washington’s current standard is a combination of 115/120% (above/below the dams) and Oregon has a 120% standard. An increase to 125% would provide substantial benefit for downstream migration of young salmon and steelhead.
Please consider sending a letter to Governor Inslee asking that he direct the Dept. of Ecology to initiate a rule-making early in 2018 in order to modify the Total Dissolved Gas Standard on the Snake and Columbia Rivers to 125% starting with the 2019 migration season. Our salmon and orca will thank you!
Governor Inslee
Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 40002
Olympia, WA 98504-0002
For further information contact:
Bill Arthur -billwarthur@gmail.com
Alex Craven – alex.craven@sierraclub.org