Salmo- thanks for two things, stating facts and history in an accurate and succinct manner and withstanding the temptation to engage in personal attacks. You are a credit to your point of view. You did not address the possibility of creating free flowing streams around the dams and I would be interested on your take on this idea. Also, which dams specifically are we talking about.

On the subject of corporate welfare you and I see eye to eye. It is truly pathetic the level to which people will fall (conservatives included) in order to make a buck or get a buck from you and I.

According to my grandfather the gov't mandated that he keep half his land in summerfallow lest he be financially punished.(through taxes) This was done in order to keep the price of wheat artifically high and supposedly help farmers. I'm not sure anyone except the gov't really understood the pretzel logic involved there and I was too young to care. (it meant less work for my 12 year old butt which I favored)

I'm not opposed to removing the dams if it makes the most sense. Perhaps I just have more faith in the ingenuity of the American people and their ability to come up with a win-win solution. What about private hatcheries for the production of sea-run commercial fish. The harvest could take place at the hatchery upon return without netting the river. They have private prisons and road construction...I'm also still pessimistic about the silt. I think it could be a pretty large problem and next to impossible to assess prior to dam removal.