Atmospheric River(s) in the forecast again (Vancouver, Bellingham: school, live)

[jetgraphics]

Originally Posted by 509

IF western Washington residents are serious about saving the Orca's and Puget Sound salmon the dams on the Skagit River need to be removed.

This expert says NOPE.
https://mynorthwest.com/1558075/dori...ia-river-dams/

Though fish ladders don't work too well with salmon, there's no mention of the possibility of using LOCKS. I presume the cost of adding locks (for navigation as well as fish migration) is far better than ripping out the dams. . .

And as the expert pointed out, the rise in predators (pinnipeds, raptors, etc) are also reducing the salmon population. . . and they're protected, too. Which population do you wish to "massacre" in favor of the other?

IMHO, America's dam policy is not as robust as it could be. I'd rather a TVA style initiative, with not only flood control and hydropower, but expanded navigation, and shoreline stabilization and development.

[MechAndy]

I’m with 509 on this topic.

I will also add that the pinniped’s (as bad as they are) are not the real culprits.
We are.
Shifting the blame onto them just seems wrong.

Locks for salmon migration?
How well has that ever worked out?

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by MechAndy

I’m with 509 on this topic.

I will also add that the pinniped’s ...

The what??

[MechAndy]

Fancy word for the seal family.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by MechAndy

Fancy word for the seal family.

Well, I've always said, C-d is a learning experience...

[rkcarguy]

Originally Posted by MechAndy

I’m with 509 on this topic.

I will also add that the pinniped’s (as bad as they are) are not the real culprits.
We are.
Shifting the blame onto them just seems wrong.

Locks for salmon migration?
How well has that ever worked out?

There is alot going against the salmon:

-Foreign countries fishing in international waters off our coast netting every last fish they can get.
-In Puget sound, the pinniped population is eating more salmon than all the other consumer groups combined. The lack of sharks and other predators in the sound, combined with Orca's that prefer salmon(so we're told by our biologists) has allowed the seal population to explode. You can easily chart the decline back to the beginning of seals and sea-lions being federally protected.
-Seals and sea lions swim up to the bases of dams and gorge themselves on the fish.
-Drought-flood weather cycles and the unwillingness to dredge rivers mean warm shallow rivers that kill fish, and then floods that completely blow out spawning areas(seen this happen with my own eyes in my river fishing spots over the years).

The fish bypasses of various types do work, how many of you have been at the Ballard locks and watched the salmon go through? Enough got through that lake Washington used to have an awesome sockeye fishery.

https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/reports/...ake-washington

[509]

Originally Posted by jetgraphics

This expert says NOPE.....................
............................https://mynorthwest.com/1558075/dori...ia-river-dams/

Removing the dams on the Columbia River system will do LITTLE to save the Orca's.

The dams that need to be removed are ALL in western Washington.

The so called experts have not even looked at dam removal in western Washington.

However, applying the ecological concept of strongholds to western Washington watersheds is the ONLY way that Orca's and other creatures in Puget Sound are going to survive with projected growth.

We are probably the last generation that has the option of saving Puget Sound and we are ingnoring the issue instead talking about Snake River dams and their removal.

Stupid, really stupid.

[rkcarguy]

Originally Posted by 509

Removing the dams on the Columbia River system will do LITTLE to save the Orca's.

The dams that need to be removed are ALL in western Washington.

The so called experts have not even looked at dam removal in western Washington.

However, applying the ecological concept of strongholds to western Washington watersheds is the ONLY way that Orca's and other creatures in Puget Sound are going to survive with projected growth.

We are probably the last generation that has the option of saving Puget Sound and we are ingnoring the issue instead talking about Snake River dams and their removal.

Stupid, really stupid.

To compound the issue, the state has targeted the low hanging fruit (recreational fishers) with perpetually shorter seasons, restricted areas, and lower limits(now 1 salmon in most fisheries iirc), despite the fact that recreational license fee's are responsible for a large portion of the hatchery program. With our area having the same boat launching ramps since the early 80's and now triple the users, such limitations were the last straw for many "reccies", myself included.

[rantiquity]

Originally Posted by MechAndy

I’m with 509 on this topic.

I will also add that the pinniped’s (as bad as they are) are not the real culprits.
We are.
Shifting the blame onto them just seems wrong.

Locks for salmon migration?
How well has that ever worked out?

The Ballard locks seem to be working just fine. You can go below water level and watch the salmon swim toward Lake Washington thru glass windows.
The Salmon continue their run up the Cedar River and has been a fun event to watch.
But in my opinion commercial purse seine fishing nets are worst as they are dragged across the bottom of the ocean catching anything and everything.
I remember seeing a gill net stretched across the mouth of the Quinault river at Tahola along the Washington coast just north of Ocean Shores.

[MechAndy]

I’ve seen gill nets at the spit.
Good to know that the locks help.

Other than fish, shellfish and a few game birds I’m not much of a hunter.
Not really against it, it’s just not me.

That being said,
Maybe it’s time we revisit the idea of trimming down our pinnipeds.
A healthy ecosystem relies on balance.
This system currently lacks balance.

There are several different ways we can help the orca and salmon.
We should get serious about that.
As another person mentioned we might be the last generation that has this opportunity.