All dams on the columbia have fish ladders and many have installed fish bypass systems for smolts heading downstream. These systems consist of inlet channels and dewatering channels, that collect the fish, and send them into a flume, totally avoiding the turbine intakes, and depositing them on the
downstream side of the dam, in the fast moving current also to avoid predators.
The bypass has two entrances, one consisting of a 40 foot high reticulating
wall, that can be moved to increase, or decrease the inlet opening, to
accomodate varied river flows, to maintain efficient collection of salmon
smolts.

Tests have been performed involving introduction of salmon
smolts, into a live unit, with transmitters, and balloons that inflate
several minutes after passing through the turbines. These fish are then
collected, and monitored for 24 hours. fish surviving this period, are then
designated, as successfully passing through the turbines. Our passage rate
is right at 95% successfully, much better than the toll that natural
predators take.

Turbine designs have also been revised to reduce the blade to wall clearances, also reducing the mortality rate of smolts that do make it into the system by 30%.

If the dams, are SOOOO bad, why do we have the LARGEST recorded salmon run in history this year? And every dam on the Columbia River is still here?

One last thought, this year at the Entiat fish hatchery 20,000 hatchery salmon were clubbed. What does that tell you? That is pretty darn far up the river system.

Don't get me wrong, I am totally in agreement with removing the Elwah. I just think it is wrong to make a blanket statement that "dams are to blame" for the salmon decline.
There is a consious effort on our rivers and at our dams to save the salmon. I just wish I could say the same for the nets, and the people using them.

Sorry for the long and jumbly message. I'm off the box now.