THE DALLES, Ore. - Two Pacific Northwest tribes on Monday demanded the removal of three major hydroelectric dams on the Columbia River to save migrating salmon and starving orcas and restore fishing sites that were guaranteed to the tribes in a treaty more than 150 years ago. There have been calls by environmentalists and others over the years to remove Columbia River dams, an idea opposed by agricultural and business interests. The Lummi Nation is in northwestern Washington state, far from the Columbia River, but it has also been touched by construction of the dams, said Jeremiah Julius, Lummi Nation chairman. The orcas were hunted for food for generations by the Lummi Nation in the Salish Sea, he said. The Columbia River Basin once produced between 10 million and 16 million salmon a year.

Source: thestar October 14, 2019 19:23 UTC