What if the fish make it past the dam? Due to the rising of water temperatures caused by the dam, the fish will either die from heat stroke or develop whirling disease. What do a few fish matter anyway? Salmon are a food source for orcas, bears, and even humans. So without these precious fish humans will not only lose a delicious food, but also cause the population of many other species to be depleted. So it is critical for these fish to reach their native breeding grounds. How many will successfully complete this miraculous journey? Currently about 90% of fish die before making it past dams such as the Ice Harbor Dam in Washington (Nicole 2). In rivers such as the Snake River. That has caused a decrease in the number of fish from a whopping 400,000 in its "pre dam" era to 3,000 currently. …show more content…
The dams must be removed. The Northwest Power Planning Council concluded in 2010 that the region can meet its current and future energy needs without the power from the dams located on the snake river (which is the most heavily dammed river in the world) (Nicole 2). The Elwha Dam located on the snake river was the largest dam removal project to ever take place. Since the removal of the dam, salmon have flourished through that part of the river and the populations are predicted to hit all-time highs. In 2012 steelhead, pink salmon, as well as chinook and coho salmon have spawned in river reaches previously blocked (Nicole 1). It's not too late to save the fish of these rivers, but action must be taken now. Removing the four high cost dams on the lower Snake River has been identified as the single largest step we can take for salmon recovery (Babbitt 1). Restoration of the rivers begins as soon as the dam is removed. Fish can finally return to their breeding grounds that they have been displaced from for over a