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

This short film from the producers of DamNation looks at the effects of four dams on the lower Snake River. It envisions how a future without those dams might bring back a resurgence of salmon to the area.
DamNation: damnationfilm.com/
Learn more about reasons to remove the dams at Patagonia: www.patagonia.c...
Learn more about reasons to keep the dams at Northwest RiverPartners: nwriverpartners...
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Remove the Dams to Save the Salmon? | Short Film Showcase
• Remove the Dams to Sav...
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[@packbadge]

I recommend that you all watch the film DamNation. That is were this clip is from. Such a good film. Very thought provoking and moving. Even if you don't agree with the message, the film's still very good for history and also has amazing scenery.

[@fradrake11]

Great film . I remember seeing great Salmon runs in Ireland . Today the Salmon only come in very small numbers. As a fly fisherman I have the greatest respect for nature and everything in it.

[@PewGoBoomLife]

Are damns causing problems? Or is it over fishing and things of this nature?

[@SamiLo2]

@@PewGoBoomLife it’s a combination of both

[@johnisbell574]

When we built those Dams we created one industry at the expense of another. The fishing industry is the one that suffered the most, along with the Fisherman. The Electrical Companies did quite well though. You might say that we can't live without Electricity, but I would say you won't do very well without food either. We need both, but I do not believe we need to grow one at the expense of the other.

[@XXXUnFallenXXX]

let's stop talking about it and just do it, I'll go work for free if i have too.

[@rubenscott3972]

UnfallenHero nothing will ever be good because the ppl that want to fix want a big pay

[@gokulbalagopalpayyanur8080]

Me too

[@mrbrainbob5320]

@@rubenscott3972 who are these people?

[@jennierubyjaneofficial298]

We need to educate this dumbshit

[@twistedjigco.548]

All for cheaper power... I’d do it too.

[@droper40]

It funny to see a government agency argue for the preservation of the Snake River dams. Their points; 1.Grain transportation.... The railway goes right along the river. 2. Flood control in Portland... four Columbia River dams to do that 3. Economy and jobs.... more would be created by removing the dams, 4. All the US Army Corps of Engineers does to save salmon.... the dams existence is the biggest single contributor to the decline of wild anadromous fish. 5. Electrical generation... we have a surplus of electricity, and have you ever heard of windmills which are abundant by the way along the Columbia River Gorge. Free the snake remove these dams!!!

[@Meirstein]

These dams produce well over 3 gigawatts of electricity. You would need thousands upon thousands of windmills to replace that.

[@ix_stompdown_-xi8199]

Matthew Rittenbach I would rather live in the dark and eat well

[@deannelson9565]

@@ix_stompdown_-xi8199 no you wouldn't you're just a lying sack of s*** would most likely has never lived outside of a major city!

[@noelharrison902]

@@Meirstein yea but back then you did not need a fishing license to harvest the bounty of the river system, so the government in it's infininte wisdom challenged that eventuality by taking it away. at that point i am pretty certian the government had more knowelege than the avarage american, who just wanted a job as to the eventual outcome of their .gov actions, seriously, tax money is the mana that fuels the boondoggle.

[@HusseinDoha]

@@noelharrison902 I don't get what mean? You are against fishing licene? It's only necessary during seasons and the revenue goes toward managing fishing and the rivers. I don't see a problem here. The commentator you replied too was talking about the dams great electricity generation output. Which can't be replaced with unreliable windmills. So forget it.

[@rickmurie5861]

Beautifully done and persuasive. Please get the word out to those who aren't aware of the value healthy salmon runs provide.

[@alexhamilton4368]

Are they going to remove the dams ..?? I really hope so UK 🇬🇧 supporter ❤❤❤

[@ronward3949]

To restore the Snake demands only the integrity to replace large scale hydro to smaller scale projects that can harness local energy by dam removals, yet still allow innovation for reopening the mainstem to fish passage for all anadromous and fish travel back to those upper reaches where, I believe, some excellent instream spawning habitat remains with high quality spawning gravels, glides, tailouts, and tributary mouths. Having traveled some of those areas, I found the available habitat well suited and not as prone to problematic situations due to erosion, over compacted substrates which often curtail productivity. This is an excellent example where water quality, stream flow, and natural gravels and substrates would and are providing high quality spawning for various anadromous or just highly mobile riverine species including sturgeon, steelhead, salmon species, and others. Fish species ecological niches often demand this corridor of active freshwater flows of the natural riverine ecosystem. It also applies to other organisms, substrates, and bedloads to fully integrate continuity to the perpetuate the actual functioning riverine ecosystems! This unique and highly viable watershed will provide cold water and solid integrity to the complete processing of all life forms that rely on this continuity!

[@pazsion]

what is down stream and where will that water go? will it maintain a level the fish can swim? are they already adapted and just need a path up stream? like other dams? how much of this water is used for drinking water? is there a free way to replace what would be lost ?

[@ronward3949]

Reservoirs alter water temps,, promote eutrophication, block continuity of headwater to mouth and Sea, reduce oxygen content, and block bedload and stream function. It is incredibly important and as stated this could be so, so effective with those upstream reaches being so necessary and of super quality upstream habitats.

[@pancakeface5717]

7-years since this intelligent and important film was produced. Here in July 2023, I see little hope for the LSR dams being removed any time soon. Indeed, with climate change impacts, the many other negative impacts, and poorly managed fisheries, I see little hope for Columbia Basin salmon runs.

[@JETZcorp]

This point was waved away in about 2 seconds, but the big deal here really is the electricity. Those dams together are good for about 3.5 gigawatts of power, which for perspective, is about the nameplate capacity of ALL the wind power installed in Oregon. The dams have a higher capacity factor, meaning their net generation in a year is greater, though not by much. But the dams can make up to their nameplate capacity at any time, whenever demand is greatest; whereas the wind turbines make their power whenever the wind feels like blowing. Essentially this means that if you want to remove those dams, the area is going to need power to replace that, because right now Oregon is still buying out-of-State coal power and ending that is a high priority for the legislature. Doing it with wind means installing something like 4-5GW worth of turbines, which is doable but definitely not cheaper than operating the dams, and if you've seen what our current capacity looks like, it's a LOT of land usage and takes a lot of time. And if we're being honest, they're already building out wind as fast as they can anyway. Alternatively we could do the heroic thing and install maybe 2 nuclear reactors with a 90+ percent capacity factor. Contrary to popular belief, that option is a LOT safer than dams are; statistically right in the same ballpark as wind. Shove 'em over in Hanford next to the one they already have there, if you insist. But, REAL WORLD, what would actually happen is they would very quickly and very QUIETLY install some natural gas plants and get the power that way. Just like they're doing to replace the coal plant at Boardman. I'm not against removing the dams, but we do have to be realistic about all the consequences. Removing them would almost certainly mean a lot of new CO2 going into the atmosphere. This isn't a little project on the Elwha; these ones are the real deal. The advantages and the disadvantages are not trivial.

[@memeboi6017]

those dams aren't hydroelectic

[@JETZcorp]

@@memeboi6017 The four on the Lower Snake? They most decidedly are.

[@memeboi6017]

@@JETZcorp wait they are ???

[@carloverseurope]

Come on America, I really hope you can make a difference.

[@Quercusssss]

About time I see a decent video on this channel

[@susanfaber2595]

The people will come and visit to see the restored river, we will come far and wide to thank the people who can make this happen

[@lag9765]

Restoring life for all living things.

[@lynneproudfoot3624]

The salmon were here befor the Europeans And the salmon were flourishing. 125 years of improving the river system by the Army Corp of engineers improved our living standards but almost destroyed the salmon fishing industry. Taking out the dams would responsible stewardship to the earth. And make hero’s of all involved! 🐟🐟🐟🐟

[@adventureanglingpnw1821]

Bring back salmon and steelhead on the upper Colombia river past the coulee dams and also the Spokane river too.

[@twistedjigco.548]

This is just messed up and shows how greedy this world is... sad thing is, most people don’t care. All for what? Your $20 cheaper power bill?

[@adventureanglingpnw1821]

I agree I grew up near the Spokane river and my great grandfather used to tell me stories of the huge runs of steelhead and salmon that would come up the river. After the dams were built those fish are extinct on that river. Sad to see it this way.

[@greenishbuttons]

Hilarious! Lewiston, ID a seaport?!?! Its too laughable. To put up 4 huge dams for Lewiston? There is a reason, here in Idaho, we call Lewiston the armpit of Idaho.

[@bubba8876]

The smell.

[@ericpook8819]

@@bubba8876 The smell is much better now. People use to say it was the smell of money as it was from the paper mill. The mill put in a continuous digester and chemicals used to cook/bleach the wood fiber which almost eliminated the stink.

[@peterdorn5799]

with services and benefits replaced and region is made whole, they come out ahead salmon population rebuilt and the incoming revenue leads to better health care and education, cost benefit analysis the region gains a lot

[@duckdrop9158]

What a beautiful place to visit.

[@hoggybhoy1967]

Can someone link an update please 👍

[@andrewvillanueva4222]

Dams have killed the king salmon runs in the snake, Sacramento, and others. Salmon need cold water to live.

[@zombiesnake6550]

Next should be the columbia, ive seen it my entire life as a series of heavily polluted lakes un godly amount of sediments built up from manny years of floods from the grande rond river, five pints creek, wolf creek, runoff from sumpter and from starkey.

[@JETZcorp]

Without the dams on the Columbia, the entire Pacific Northwest does not have electricity. There will be a bit from the fossil fuel power, and you might vaguely see the dim glow of your lights get slightly brighter when the wind turbines come on. Get rid of those dams and you'll need a HUGE source of replacement power. You could do it with fossil fuels, which was the alternative when those dams were built. I for one am glad they chose dams over coal. The only other way you could do it is with an aggressive build-up of nuclear power, like France did a few decades ago. If you try to do it with wind you'll never do it. They're already building those as quickly as they can afford and it's not even keeping pace with population growth.

[@chenalindelossantos967]

Actually aside from this, in China hundreds of dams are existing now leading to extinctions of a lot of big fish. :'(

[@NickolayEl]

That's very true but it's not like China gives a shiat about human beings either, 2020 now and my point is proven ;)

[@davidwebber5158]

No fish ladders in China

[@525Lines]

Dams also effect the earth's orbit with a slight wobble. With solar panels creating more power and being cheaper all the time, it may be time to re-evaluate dams.

[@travischung2800]

What is the song?

[@r1de936]

I wanna save the salmon!!!!

[@dirtymouthdon]

Support SALMON HATCHERY ! My wife and I do. If it wasn't for hatcheries we wouldn't have any salmon now. In streams where wild salmon are and aren't fish and left to there own. Does Not improve Their numbers . wild salmon eggs , less than 40% will hatch most of the time it is less. Only one or two % will return to spoon One female lays 5000 eggs 40% or less will hatch 2400 may hatch. Half of these will be taken by Birds and other fish Now you have 1200 smolts. seals and more birds ,will take more smolts . Returning fish. the number is very small. But mother nature Has taken care save some of these fish .out of the 5000 egg eggs > The first to return are the 2 year olds every year a few will return up to 6 years.

[@Tiggitytye]

+Donald G Banhart hatcheries are terrible for the wild fish, which would not need hatcheries if the dams were removed.

[@brandtmccall5184]

Thank-you Donald for your dedication to salmon and all species inc. humans dependent on them for survival. Removing key dams like the lower four snake dams is essential too, study after study has concluded as much. Salmon are as you know an essential keystone species wow you and your wife are blessed souls doing very important earth stewardship work. .So glad also judge Michael Simon recently ruled on a five year review of the lower snake dams. If we all keep doing our part thinking of future generations and dedication to flourishing salmon spawning along the coast of BC/Washington/Oregon it will happen positive thinking is important too, and optimism. Wishing you and your wife the very best in health and happiness.

[@brandtmccall5184]

I absolutely agree and study after study concludes as much key dams need to dismantled looks the US courts are in support of too. Hatcheries are very helpful too, we must all work together and respect each other dedication and efforts, to preserving wild salmon. Thank-you for caring so much.

[@ralphparise2267]

Why do we allow fishing nets in any river?

[@RAPIDPUNCHES]

They've been talking about this for years now. It should be done now. They should remove the dams.

[@Maloy7800]

I didn't know Patagonia was in Oregon.

[@paddywhack9261]

"Patagonia, the universal outerwear choice of outdoorsfolks everywhere."

[@RonGay58]

There are thousands of dams across the USA that should be removed. Maine had great salmon runs to but dam removal will not even be considered dew to the rick power companies. Another thing being ignored is the technology of safe, clear nuclear power generation. Have you ever heard of a nuclear submarine or air craft carrier melting down or blowing up?

[@pascalbeck7200]

This is so sad

[@robertcalamusso1603]

Dr Montgomery is a true expert

[@jackcoleman1632]

The effect of Fukishima on the Pacific and on salmon runs makes it necessary for the salmon to have every possible opportunity to survive as a species. If the the salmon die, we will die.

[@thunderpooch]

Fukushima didn't release near as much radiation as you're alluding to. If the salmon die, we do not die. It will be the cumulative affect of all poor environmental decisions. Now get out there and save the salmon. Start by having cogent arguments and facts on your side. It will help greatly.

[@JETZcorp]

Fukushima had ZERO effect on the salmon. No fish within 1,000 miles of the US West Coast has been found with even close to as much radioactivity as an average human. If you've ever hugged someone, you've gotten more radiation than you'll ever get from eating fish. If you've ever flown in a commercial airplane, you've gotten more radiation than you'd get in most of the Fukushima exclusion zone.

[@BeaveHolio]

Dams are necessary for clean energy obviously all his concerns are just engineering problems.

[@marieewican5223]

Wow.

[@Pnwfishin12]

Don’t the dams hold water from above because if we break down 1 dam than the Columbia rivers water will be a lot higher

[@MrQbenDanny]

If the dams serve no purpose, why are they still operating?

[@CelibateCetologist]

+MrQbenDanny I don't know about most dams, but some of them usually serve as water sources for cities/towns that aren't next to a lake or river themselves. Or if they are, it's usually to provide extra water for other purposes. For example, the Colorado river is dammed because a lot of cities in the southwest United States don't have a body of water nearby. But I could be wrong.

[@MrQbenDanny]

+CelibateCetologist Thank you for your intelligent comment.

[@zachdonohue8795]

33.8% of all dams (over 26k) in the U.S. is solely for recreational purposes in the resulting reservoirs. The dam boom reached its peak between 1950 & 1979. Now over time...the negative impacts that dams have on downstream ecological areas have been identified & rivers/streams that have had dams removed have flourished in recovery. Many large cities, Atlanta for example, dammed rivers in the 1940/50s under the pretense for hydroelectric energy by the Army Corps of Engineers, only to late use the resulting reservoirs as a main water supply source for the city of Atlanta...this has resulted in "Water Wars" of litigation between Georgia & Alabama/Florida who suffer from lower flow rates downstream (negative impacts on fisheries including oysters/shellfish in the coastal drainage areas because salinity levels are too high due to decreased flow from upstream because of the dams in Atlanta), among other things. It is my opinion that fast growing metropolis' such as Atlanta have the responsibility to find long term solutions to providing ample water supply for its residents (for example: desalination plants on Georgia coastline & water pipelines to the greater ATL area) without violating the initial reason the dams were built (for hydroelectricity, not water supply) & basically leaving communities downstream SOL. There is pros & cons for dam construction/maintaining, but with the proper education on the background of dams & their cause/effect...you will see the pros do not outweigh the cons & removal of nonessential dams should be policy going forward.

[@Liuhuayue]

Funny how this is titled "... to Save the Salmon?" when they showed images of cooked salmon. Clearly, humans just want to "save salmon" to an extent... so that the salmon will get just big enough for catching and eating.

[@travischung2800]

Go take a hike and rethink your life, maybe even take your parents with you to reflect

[@Liuhuayue]

Travis Chung Lol, what are you even getting at? Who are you to suggest such a thing? How irrelevant.

[@Oborowatabinostk]

+Liuhuayue Salmon are a food source to predators such as bears, which you also see in the video, as well as humans, there is a natural food chain which humans are also apart of. Over consumption and poaching are also problems, but separate issues. Removing these dams could propogate and restore their natural habitat and life cycle.

[@gaybear98]

bruh we already eat alot of salmon so we wanna make sure it doesnt extinct just like anu other animals ok?

[@parsakondori]

Danny L Because it harms the ecosystem if they go extinct.

[@chriswatson3464]

What about salmon cannons?

[@henrycastro-miller252]

Dam Daniel

[@wyattrieb8150]

This is so sad. So everybody, start to save the salmon!!!

[@rayvasquez9767]

Man that shit made me mad , it's irritating, shouldn't have no dams.

[@spookyduzit]

well at least remove the unnecessary dams and fish latter the rest of them

[@davidwebber5158]

Yea let's start with the dams with no fish ladders in Idaho

[@Beeontree]

I support the removal 😄🐟

[@powderbeast5598]

It would help.

[@royrogers3133]

Google salmon cannon

[@taeho9raphy]

Can you actually remove a dam without just blowing it up?

[@freedomfighter6183]

If you want to save the salmon get the commercial gillnetters out of the Columbia River explanation point

[@DavidBylsma]

fish ladders?

[@philhobs1]

It doesn't always work, many of these have been used but the salomon aren't always use to it, and if these are many predators camp a these position. It is a solution but not a great one

[@gube]

save the salmons

[@ralphparise2267]

Stop the netting

[@ix_stompdown_-xi8199]

Ralph Parise Netting doesn’t have anything to do With that you idiot… Look at all 400 times on the river had to stop the flow, that’s with destroying Salmon runs

[@RJTheMountainSage]

where humans dont rip up gods beautiful garden, there life thrives even with humans just not humans mixed with capitalism

[@CelibateCetologist]

I know salmon farms are starting to become a thing so will those farms become a part of the recovery effort?

[@memeboi6017]

nope there for food and they spread deadly illnesses to wild salmon

[@uluzistherealest]

I really only have one environmental issue, I hate dams! I see no reason for any at all.

[@cryptolegend6803]

MR PRESIDENT! BRING DOWN THESE DAMNS! BRING TEH SALMON BACK TO THE SNAKE!!!! =P

[@alexisgros-louis2310]

2020 :((

[@annykasellulerjogja1968]

But dam has ladder right?

[@memeboi6017]

nope

[@jameswei3885]

wait if all the salmon is caught up by the dams, where do they go? does the humans like transport it?

[@AdventuresPvP]

+James Wei Normally a fish ladder is used to transport the fish to the other side. Not sure if every dam has one

[@darenkeo2587]

Sad

[@tyrmyrmidon2846]

I like salmon

[@its2realj]

Solar in Washington?

[@colinberry4992]

eastern washington is a desert

[@JETZcorp]

@@colinberry4992 Eastern Washington is a hot desert half of the year and a very cold desert the other half. Visit Walla Walla in January sometime and ask yourself if Seattle could be run by the energy coming out of the sky. That is why solar is a VERY small player in OR and WA. The idea that you're going to power everything with solar is really a Southern California notion. But SoCal is apparently the culture hub of the entire world so whatever people think there seems to get spread everywhere, until Germany gets 20 years into their solar roll-out and starts to realize that it would have been more efficient make electricity by burning money.

[@colinberry4992]

@@JETZcorp even when it is cold the east side is still very sunny, dry with few clouds. I can vouch as such being a tricities resident. that being said. the idea we should remove the snake river dams is silly.

[@JETZcorp]

@@colinberry4992 It can be sunny but the sun is low in the sky and the day is short. You can feel the heat on your face is nothing like as intense as Summer. Perhaps solar could make 60% the power in Winter it'd make in Summer. That's still no good for powering a city. Compare that to the steady 24/7 power you guys get from that nuclear plant out by Hanford, and it's a joke.

[@robertcalamusso1603]

The dams served a purpose. But know there is a higher purpose ~ restoring wild salmon, steelhead and bull trout. We can do it. ☮️🇺🇸🐋

[@MrMrsteve01]

so sad we are so greedy

[@budhvinisreal5216]

Meanwhile we have feminists.

[@memeboi6017]

those damm dams

[@brianfarmer6223]

And it didn’t happen, so sad they couldn’t pass this bill.

[@gouthamkumar1750]

the made a device called "SALMON CANON" to overpass these dams...this issue is already solved

[@jules2630]

It is not solved, We have exhasuted other options but it's been determined the lower 4 need to go. We heard that maybe by 2030 the dams will be removed. But the Southern Resident Orcas who only eat salmon are starving. And chinook salmon numbers are still dwindling. I forget who said it, but Mike whomever said he worries 10 years is too long to wait...

[@ameersattar9829]

2 ☺

[@yen3299]

But if u remove the dam won't the water flood ? The place ?

[@lcoi-3200]

Jenny Nguyen no

[@bcorzine1]

DAAAMMMNNNNN

[@tyrmyrmidon2846]

Is it possible to create a salmon cannon?

[@GMdark11]

Some dams have a ladder where fish could swim through.

[@TS-ep4du]

why keep the dams if they do not serve a impotent purpose any more

[@victor6721]

Kanye west is a gay fish

[@sayittomyfaceidareyou8629]

I will never eat salmon and I love Orcas❤️

[@LP-ju2fi]

Ditch wind, solar, and hydro. Go MRS's and LFTR's. Let's go nuclear. It's safer, more environmentally friendly, and more power dense.

[@sw8741]

Give Hippies an inch and they'll take 5000 miles! How about this, we wait until all the other dam removal projects produce the billions of salmon they promised first. All the promises of "this fishery had so many salmon you could walk across the river on their backs", what do they show for it? All you hear is "If we remove this dam here, that dam there, and those 3 dams over there it will open up "prime spawning areas and the salmon will flourish"". Where are the billions of salmon all that effort was suppose to create?

[@ninja2kernow]

Homo sapiens suck.

[@GorillazFan-]

1st

[@ciachox1383]

Congratulations :)

[@nemuiyani8891]

Remove the dams, the samon where there first.