Fishing and conservation groups want the Washington Department of Ecology to loosen up some regulations and allow more water to be spilled over dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers.
If the timing is done right, spilling more water over dams helps young salmon migrate down river to the ocean. Conservationists compare it to the ride salmon used to get when they went over free flowing waterfalls. It speeds them along during a crucial phase of life, increases their survivability, and is a heckuva lot safer that being flushed through turbines.
In petitioning for the rule change, the groups argue that the benefits of increasing spills are backed up by sound science.
“This petition needs to be granted — and fast — to help our Northwest salmon economy recover and become strong again,” says Liz Hamilton of the Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association. “Spill is a proven, effective action that will help to ensure that there will always be sustainable salmon runs for the people and communities that depend on them.”
When I talk with fishery managers about the recent good runs on the Columbia River, and the good run we’re expecting this year, they say increased dam spills is one of the reasons.
Oregon has already approved rule changes to allow more spillage. These groups, which also include Earthjustice and the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, say Washington should follow Oregon’s example.
Washington controls spillage not through volume of water, but by limiting how much dissolved gas is allowed in the river. By easing up on that by a little bit, the groups say it can mean several millions more gallons of water over dams.
