Remove the Dams to Save the Salmon? | Short Film Showcase

if you think about the way a river works

if you think about the way a river works in a landscape it essentially functions

in a landscape it essentially functions

in a landscape it essentially functions as the circulatory system it drains the

as the circulatory system it drains the

as the circulatory system it drains the waste products off of the land and that

waste products off of the land and that

waste products off of the land and that sediment is the stuff that basically

sediment is the stuff that basically

sediment is the stuff that basically structures habitats in rivers and then

structures habitats in rivers and then

structures habitats in rivers and then once it gets to the coast it builds

once it gets to the coast it builds

once it gets to the coast it builds beaches it creates the offshore

beaches it creates the offshore

beaches it creates the offshore environments that flow of material is

environments that flow of material is

environments that flow of material is incredibly important technologically and

incredibly important technologically and

incredibly important technologically and building dams disrupts that but there’s

building dams disrupts that but there’s

building dams disrupts that but there’s another aspect rivers in terms of flow

another aspect rivers in terms of flow

another aspect rivers in terms of flow back upstream that most people don’t

back upstream that most people don’t

back upstream that most people don’t tend to think about and in the northwest

tend to think about and in the northwest

tend to think about and in the northwest that’s greatly mediated by salmon

that’s greatly mediated by salmon

that’s greatly mediated by salmon because when salmon leave their native

because when salmon leave their native

because when salmon leave their native streams are little fish when they come

streams are little fish when they come

streams are little fish when they come back a couple years later they’re huge

back a couple years later they’re huge

back a couple years later they’re huge they put on like 90 percent 95 percent

they put on like 90 percent 95 percent

they put on like 90 percent 95 percent of their body mass in the marine

of their body mass in the marine

of their body mass in the marine environment and what that essentially

environment and what that essentially

environment and what that essentially means is that a large fish run the kind

means is that a large fish run the kind

means is that a large fish run the kind of fish runs we had historically in the

of fish runs we had historically in the

of fish runs we had historically in the northwest

northwest

northwest you can view as a nitrogen pump that’s

you can view as a nitrogen pump that’s

you can view as a nitrogen pump that’s basically scavenging food out of the

basically scavenging food out of the

basically scavenging food out of the oceans and bringing it back on land

oceans and bringing it back on land

oceans and bringing it back on land feeds the bugs the trees and the forests

feeds the bugs the trees and the forests

feeds the bugs the trees and the forests they feed the Eagles they feed the Bears

they feed the Eagles they feed the Bears

they feed the Eagles they feed the Bears essentially fertilizing their own world

anything that blocks a river like a dam

anything that blocks a river like a dam does limit their access to part of the

does limit their access to part of the

does limit their access to part of the world that they need to complete their

world that they need to complete their

world that they need to complete their lifecycle

the four dams in the Snake River in the

the four dams in the Snake River in the upper reaches of the columbia basin or a

upper reaches of the columbia basin or a

upper reaches of the columbia basin or a clear overshoot and they are in my

clear overshoot and they are in my

clear overshoot and they are in my judgment largely responsible for the

judgment largely responsible for the

judgment largely responsible for the destruction salmon runs but the weaves

destruction salmon runs but the weaves

destruction salmon runs but the weaves to see all the way up into the Rocky

to see all the way up into the Rocky

to see all the way up into the Rocky Mountains Idaho the Snake River Basin

Mountains Idaho the Snake River Basin

Mountains Idaho the Snake River Basin holds today the largest intact remaining

holds today the largest intact remaining

holds today the largest intact remaining set of pristine salmon habitat left in

set of pristine salmon habitat left in

set of pristine salmon habitat left in the lower 48 we’re talking over five

the lower 48 we’re talking over five

the lower 48 we’re talking over five thousand miles of stream habitat in

thousand miles of stream habitat in

thousand miles of stream habitat in central Idaho alone if we took out the

central Idaho alone if we took out the

central Idaho alone if we took out the four lower Snake River dams salmon and

four lower Snake River dams salmon and

four lower Snake River dams salmon and steelhead would have access back into

steelhead would have access back into

steelhead would have access back into all those areas there should not be four

all those areas there should not be four

all those areas there should not be four dams on the lower Snake River choking

dams on the lower Snake River choking

dams on the lower Snake River choking out the most important wildest salmon

out the most important wildest salmon

out the most important wildest salmon refuge left 5,500 miles of high

refuge left 5,500 miles of high

refuge left 5,500 miles of high elevation streams more resistance to

elevation streams more resistance to

elevation streams more resistance to global warming than any other water shed

global warming than any other water shed

global warming than any other water shed if the salmon runs were restored that

if the salmon runs were restored that

if the salmon runs were restored that would be the jumping-off point to this

would be the jumping-off point to this

would be the jumping-off point to this unbelievable wilderness Nexus that is

unbelievable wilderness Nexus that is

unbelievable wilderness Nexus that is really one of the most beautiful places

really one of the most beautiful places

really one of the most beautiful places in the world

temps change the habitat when you

temps change the habitat when you disturb the habitat it can be

disturb the habitat it can be

disturb the habitat it can be detrimental to the native fishes and

detrimental to the native fishes and

detrimental to the native fishes and beneficial to non-native fishes the

beneficial to non-native fishes the

beneficial to non-native fishes the river is no longer a river it’s a lake

river is no longer a river it’s a lake

river is no longer a river it’s a lake and the lakes are full of predators that

and the lakes are full of predators that

and the lakes are full of predators that liked nothing better than to eat a nice

liked nothing better than to eat a nice

liked nothing better than to eat a nice young salmon smoked

the Pacific Northwest right now

the Pacific Northwest right now according to The Oregonian newspaper

according to The Oregonian newspaper

according to The Oregonian newspaper spends a billion dollars a year on

spends a billion dollars a year on

spends a billion dollars a year on salmon recovery and they’re not getting

salmon recovery and they’re not getting

salmon recovery and they’re not getting very much for it

there are study after study now that are

there are study after study now that are showing that hatcheries present on a

showing that hatcheries present on a

showing that hatcheries present on a river reduce the survival of the wild

river reduce the survival of the wild

river reduce the survival of the wild fish the primary purpose for these dams

fish the primary purpose for these dams

fish the primary purpose for these dams always was transportation it was to make

always was transportation it was to make

always was transportation it was to make Lewiston Idaho a seaport the only reason

Lewiston Idaho a seaport the only reason

Lewiston Idaho a seaport the only reason it’s just slightly cheaper to send

it’s just slightly cheaper to send

it’s just slightly cheaper to send weight down the river rather than

weight down the river rather than

weight down the river rather than putting it on the railroad which runs

putting it on the railroad which runs

putting it on the railroad which runs right along in the record is because of

right along in the record is because of

right along in the record is because of the subsidies given the fiscal condition

the subsidies given the fiscal condition

the subsidies given the fiscal condition in this country the budget issues now’s

in this country the budget issues now’s

in this country the budget issues now’s the time simply to remove that subsidy

the time simply to remove that subsidy

the time simply to remove that subsidy but and you’ll find the wheat growers

but and you’ll find the wheat growers

but and you’ll find the wheat growers doing very well

a dam is a means to an end and we’ve got

a dam is a means to an end and we’ve got it the other way around now we look at

it the other way around now we look at

it the other way around now we look at them as in states they built they’re

them as in states they built they’re

them as in states they built they’re there they’re going to stay there

there they’re going to stay there

there they’re going to stay there forever

forever

forever and their intent was to increase the

and their intent was to increase the

and their intent was to increase the economic output of a region in the

economic output of a region in the

economic output of a region in the country and so when they stop doing that

country and so when they stop doing that

country and so when they stop doing that they’re no longer viable a lot of the

they’re no longer viable a lot of the

they’re no longer viable a lot of the work that we’ve done on the economics

work that we’ve done on the economics

work that we’ve done on the economics and cost shows that if you keep the dams

and cost shows that if you keep the dams

and cost shows that if you keep the dams the national economy is losing at least

the national economy is losing at least

the national economy is losing at least 150 million dollars a year these four

150 million dollars a year these four

150 million dollars a year these four dams are really expensive to operate in

dams are really expensive to operate in

dams are really expensive to operate in a minute they diverge from that end

a minute they diverge from that end

a minute they diverge from that end state that you’re after the other look

state that you’re after the other look

state that you’re after the other look down is just it’s big we need another

down is just it’s big we need another

down is just it’s big we need another tool here is it wind energy is it solar

tool here is it wind energy is it solar

tool here is it wind energy is it solar panel it’s look at this as a means not

panel it’s look at this as a means not

panel it’s look at this as a means not an end

the beautiful thing about salmon is that

the beautiful thing about salmon is that if you look at their history they’re

if you look at their history they’re

if you look at their history they’re incredibly resilient if you give them

incredibly resilient if you give them

incredibly resilient if you give them half a chance they can come back

when you remove the dam and the river

when you remove the dam and the river becomes a river again the complexity

becomes a river again the complexity

becomes a river again the complexity begins to reappear there’s a ripple

begins to reappear there’s a ripple

begins to reappear there’s a ripple effect of restoration that moves all the

effect of restoration that moves all the

effect of restoration that moves all the way through the river basin on Western

remove the lower Snake River dams is one

remove the lower Snake River dams is one of the big jewels embedded in the holy

of the big jewels embedded in the holy

of the big jewels embedded in the holy grail of salmon recovery this would be

grail of salmon recovery this would be

grail of salmon recovery this would be the biggest watershed restoration in

the biggest watershed restoration in

the biggest watershed restoration in North America not on earth if we did

North America not on earth if we did

North America not on earth if we did this

this

this it’s the largest possible salmon

it’s the largest possible salmon

it’s the largest possible salmon recovery venture of which humanity is

recovery venture of which humanity is

recovery venture of which humanity is capable would be simply the removal of

capable would be simply the removal of

capable would be simply the removal of those four dams