Salmon, Climate Change Cast Doubt on Future of Dams

A major federal court decision requires reassessment of four dams on the Lower Snake River in Washington, and may set a precedent for others. The dams block access to some 5,500 miles of historic salmon spawning. Almost from the moment they were completed in 1975, four hydroelectric dams on the Lower Snake River in eastern Washington State have been a key focus of dam removal advocates, including environmental groups, commercial fishermen and Native American. A recent court decision might be their biggest victory yet.