This is a piece I did for Northwest Artists Against Extinction’s 2024 poster contest.

I’m going to start with: dam removal is a complicated issue and might not always be the right choice or time. In this case (the lower Snake River) I believe the way to go is to take them out while we still have fish. (but we also need to listen to and address community concerns)

Unfortunately, fish ladders only address one of the dangers dams pose to fish/river ecosystems and the other impacts are even harder (or impossible) to engineer away:

• Stagnant water slows the journey of out-migrating salmon and makes upstream harder to find for returning salmon
• The lower Snake reservoirs often cause dangerously high temps for salmon and create conditions that favor harmful algae blooms
• Dams still block fish migration for species the fish ladder wasn’t designed for (basically anyone who’s not Salmon will struggle)
• Lake-like conditions favor non-native fish that compete with Salmon and other native fish

If you’re interested in learning more:

• I listened to the podcast Salmon Wars while working on this painting and I highly recommend it if you’re looking to learn more about salmon in the Columbia basin and how the dams break treaty rights.
• I’ve recommended it before but I’ll recommend it again: DamNation is a well told and engaging intro to the side effects of Dams and why dam removal is being pursued in many places.
• If you’re in the mood for a big read, Cadillac Desert really gets into the history and systems that built us into such a “DamNation” and got us into a tough situation with Western water rights allocations.
• Final shout-out: check out what Youth Salmon Protectors have been doing for Salmon advocacy! Encouraging to see young people fighting for the future of Salmon.