One has to wonder if the long-range management paradigm for salmon of fishing populations down rather than meeting ecological needs, substituting wild fish/wild ecosystems for hatchery fish/controlled ecosystems is really not part of a long-range plan to allow as much development as possible (multiple use).

We don't need reasonably protected ecosystems because we can mitigate with fish hatcheries. We don't need to stay away from floodplains; we can build levees and dredge. We can always "fix" things instead of leaving them alone.

The dam will, unfortunately, be built because economic need always wins. Which gets back to ecosystem management. IF we had managed the Chehalis for ecosystem needs (and Rivrguy has those numbers) there would be some pretty big annual terminal fisheries that would depend on keeping the watershed working. But, since we would rather support remote economies with those fish the locals, who bear the burden on land-use, will opt for what rewards them. And is they never see a fish in "their" creek, why protect the creek?