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[clarki]

https://vancouversun.com/news/call-to-break-u-s-dam-so-salmon-can-return-to-similkameen-river-in-b-c

The Enloe Dam, built in 1920 in WA state with no fish ladders, destroyed anadromous fish populations in the Similkameen. It has not produced electricity since the mid 1950's.

Imagine the Similkameen with salmon...

 

[redlad]

That would be wonderful. I used to fish the Similkameen regularly when I lived in osoyoos in the 80s. Lots of whitefish and trout fishing was decent then, It has been a downward trend since then.  This would no doubt help to reverse the trend.

[bigblockfox]

my favourite line of the article

"Few other single actions could generate this much benefit for salmon"

true statement

[redside1]

a little more in depth article on the subject

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/a-dam-blocking-348-miles-of-salmon-streams-hasnt-generated-electricity-since-1958-but-who-will-take-it-down/

[RalphH]

the last push for the removal of Enloe took place before OPUD filed to redevelop the dam's hydro electric capability in 2008. Even before there was talk of taking the dam out in the 90s. At the time many people in the know on both sides of the border cast doubt on the river's suitability as salmon habitat. It's mostly mediocre to poor trout habitat plus there will be a substantial falls at the dam site for salmon and steelhead to get past. Here is BC there supposedly is little to no historical evidence that salmon or steelhead were present before the dam was built.

Please note OPUD wants it off their hands and doesn't want to pay for it's removal.

"The dam is built on a natural 15 foot falls. It has always prevented anadromous fish passage beyond this point. The Canadian Tribes have historically opposed the introduction of non native fish into their waters."

from: https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/nicola-similkameen

IIRC correctly when removal of Enloe Dam was first discussed, an article in the Vancouver Sun quoted a BC Government Biologist as saying much of  the Similkameen is not good trout habitat as there is issues with anchor ice formation in the winter and in summer stream temperatures approach levels lethal to trout.  Coarse fish such as pike minnow and suckers dominate the lower half. At a time when ocean survival rates were considerably higher than today he thought the river at best support a population of a few hundred steelhead.

[skaha]

 At a time when ocean survival rates were considerably higher than today he thought the river at best support a population of a few hundred steelhead.
[/quote]


--Well that would be more than most tribs of the Frazer like the  Thompson, Chilcootin soI gues it would be a bid deal.

[wildmanyeah]

At a time when ocean survival rates were considerably higher than today he thought the river at best support a population of a few hundred steelhead.



--Well that would be more than most tribs of the Frazer like the  Thompson, Chilcootin soI gues it would be a bid deal.

When survival rates were higher

[RalphH]

At a time when ocean survival rates were considerably higher than today he thought the river at best support a population of a few hundred steelhead.



--Well that would be more than most tribs of the Frazer like the  Thompson, Chilcootin soI gues it would be a bid deal.

yeah higher ... so when they have gone from say 10% back in the late 80s or early 90s to less than 2% today ... maybe 50 to 100 fish if lucky?