This is ridiculous and it completly pisses me off that the Whatcom County Council would write a letter saying that they support Dams partialy because they help Salmon by alleviating the dangers that natural rivers pose to them.

We all know that this is not true, Salmon returned to fleeflowing rivers for thousands of years and flourished. It wasnt until Dams were built, Habitat raped, and fish overharvested that the salmon began to decline.

But.... the Whatcom County Council thinks that, nope, the Dams are actualy good for Salmon, give me a break.

Heres Part of the Article

Dams help salmon, according to the Whatcom County Council.This is the complete text of the letter that the Whatcom County endorsed that will be sent to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, President Clinton, presidential candidates Al Gore and George W. Bush supporting Dams on the basis that they help the Salmon.

The letter

Council plans to send to federal officials and legislators, President Clinton and presidential candidates Al Gore and George W. Bush:

"Whatcom County Council members wish to place on the record their opposition to breaching of the Snake River dams. We believe the cost/benefit ratio of breaching the dams is negligible for salmon recovery.

"In the larger picture, pollution created by replacement power plants and by additional vehicles required to truck commodities currently being barged, create greater hazards to fish, humans and the entire ecosystem. In fact, it is our position the benefits to fish from dams may outweigh potential negative aspects.

"Natural rivers have always presented certain hazards. The shallows create higher temperatures and constricted areas where predators find the fish easy prey. The rapids are notorious for bruising and damaging fish. Dams replace these natural damaging situations with fish ladders and resting pools thereby making their passage less demanding on the salmon's food reserve. In addition to the very positive energy benefit that citizens gain from dams, it is entirely possible that the dams' net effect on salmon survival is also positive.

"We believe factors other than dams must be given serious review. Fifty-eight animal species prey on salmon. It is our position that the protected status of these certain animals must be reevaluated.

"To successfully increase the survival rate of salmon, we believe that good harvest management is equal in importance to that of having quality habitats. It is also our position that the National Marine Fisheries (Service's) focus must remain with monitoring catch as opposed to regulating land use. To regulate land use, we believe, is a usurpation of state rights."

Im not sure what kind of info they were given to make them think this way but obviously Whatcom County Council Members are not very educated on Salmon decline.

It frustrates me that they would write this letter because it says that no Dams arent a problem at all and hey building more might actualy help the Salmon.

Its Hard to express how I feel about this, so sorry for rambling on.