I take issue with Marjorie Millner’s letter (“Save salmon; breach dams,” Our Readers’ Views, Feb. 10).
For starters, Millner has no idea or concept of just what the Snake River dams do besides controlling the flow of water on the Snake in Eastern Washington. Folks, we are talking about flood control, irrigation to nearby farmlands, river navigation of marine traffic to Lewiston, Idaho, electric power generation to a vast three-state region and, of course, aiding salmon to get upstream to their Idaho and Wyoming spawning grounds.
The Army Corps of Engineers played an important part in the building and maintenance of these dams over the past 50 years. The dams play a vital role in the economic and daily life of the Spokane and Eastern Washington region.
As a 50-plus-year salmon guy, I share Millner’s concern for saving salmon stocks, however in the long scheme of things, the needs of people far outweigh the salmon fish count on any dam, any day you want to check. To breach one or all four dams would be a serious mistake. Do not turn back the clock. People come before fish. Leave the Snake River dams alone.
