BOISE, Idaho — In 2020, the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers selected to not remove the dams on the Lower Snake River, but on Dec. 18, these entities submitted a notice of intent to prepare a new supplemental environmental impact statement.
Conservation groups, the tribes and anglers look at the dams as the number one reason why salmon and steelhead don't return to Idaho like they used to.
However, a coalition of power entities in the northwest, the Port of Lewiston and the Idaho Farm Bureau have voiced their opposition to breeching the dams.
In 2024, more sockeye salmon passed through the Lower Granite Dam than any other year since the numbers started being recorded in 1975, the most steelhead returned since 2015 and there were better than average numbers for chinook salmon.
The Lower Granite Dam is the final dam out of eight the fish need to navigate from the ocean down the Columbia and through the Snake River to return to Idaho. The numbers of returning fish can be found here.
"This year was relatively good in the context of the last ten years, but if you look at the context of the last 50 to100 years it’s just a tiny fraction of what used to come back to Idaho," said Jack Hurty of the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association. "The number one thing that contributes to salmon and steelhead decline in Idaho are the four dams on the Lower Snake River."
Several different factors have threatened these species of fish, it's a complex issue, but it's one that effects rural Idaho as communities like Riggins, Salmon and Challis rely on the salmon and steelhead to drive their economies.
"They are a huge driver for rural economies in the state of Idaho at $200 million dollars a year for fish guiding," said Hurty. "They are a keystone species so they supply nutrients to our inland ecosystem supporting 130 other species and then on a culture level they are vital."
The Idaho Farm Bureau opposes breeching the dams because farmers rely on the barge system to send products down the river from the farthest inland sea port in Lewiston with the most common being wheat. It's the fourth largest crop in Idaho.
"Idaho produces about a hundred million bushels of wheat and about half of our wheat is exported," said Sean Ellis of the Idaho Farm Bureau. "It goes down the Columbia and Snake River system to Portland and it gets exported mainly to Asian markets."
The last few years haven't been kind to farmers who had to deal with the supply chain crisis and inflation which drove up production costs. The barges allow farmers to send wheat down the river with one barge equal to 35 rail cars or 134 truckloads at around half the cost.
"If the dams went away it’s been estimated it would cost the average wheat farmer in Idaho about another dollar a bushel for his wheat," said Ellis. "If you know what farmers are getting right now for their wheat it’s not above breaking even, so adding another dollar for wheat would put a lot of wheat farmers out of business."
In addition to the supplemental EIS, there are currently several other studies happening right now including a replacement of energy study, a transportation replacement study, a water study and a recreation replacement study.
"I think at this point it’s not necessarily if this will happen, but when it will happen and how it will happen," said Hurty. "Is it going to happen soon enough to help our wild salmon and steelhead population and is it going to happen in a way that keeps Idaho companies whole?"
"Every farmer I've ever talked to wants to restore the salmon we just don't believe the dams would do that," said Ellis. "It doesn't make any sense economically and there is no guarantee that taking the dams out would help the salmon."
We will be sure to keep you updated on the supplemental EIS and any developments on the future of the four dams on the Lower Snake River. There will be a public comment period as this process moves forward.
