10-01-2014, 02:45 PM
Althogh we would all love to see salmon back in the upper reaches of their native rivers, it can't happen in Idaho as long as we are using river water for irrigation. Water quality (temperature and chemicals, as well as chronic turbidity) would kill the smolts before they could out-migrate. Even if they installed ladders (or fixed the ladders) on Hell's Canyon, Oxbow, Brownlee, Swan Falls, Strike, Bliss, Lower Salmon, Black Canyon, Cascade, Lucky Peak, Arrowrock, Anderson Ranch, and the various low head projects...I believe it would be a waste of billions of dollars. I would love to have the chance to catch salmon in the Boise River like my Grandpa did.
Sad that we put ourselves in this spot, but people have to eat and everyone loves air-conditioning and electric lights. Sometimes the price we pay for modern conveniences is pretty steep. At this stage, the best we can hope for (and work for) is to keep what we have, and restore the runs that are in place. The next time you see a Nez Perce fisheries guy, thank him. They have done more to restore the runs than anyone else at this point...
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Sad that we put ourselves in this spot, but people have to eat and everyone loves air-conditioning and electric lights. Sometimes the price we pay for modern conveniences is pretty steep. At this stage, the best we can hope for (and work for) is to keep what we have, and restore the runs that are in place. The next time you see a Nez Perce fisheries guy, thank him. They have done more to restore the runs than anyone else at this point...
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