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Returning rapids
Dams will forever change a river. Sometimes I sit and wonder what certain rivers must have been like prior to a dam’s construction. That typically brings about more questions than answers. What was the river like years before? Were there bigger rapids? What was the fishing like? What did the native cultures lose when we…
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Hope and resilience in the Garden State
Imagine that, a native brook trout stream within sight of New York City.
Hope and resilience. Those were the two words that stuck with me as I walked the miles-long trail with Chris Henrickson, the chapter president of the East Jersey chapter of TU. Eventually, we made our way to a small deteriorating dam. Behind the dam, water collects into a small reservoir, where it warms up under…
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Vedavoo stands with TU on Lower Snake proposal
“Our lives are full of problems that have no clear answers. Often, the simple solution is hard to find, and the black and white is hidden somewhere in all the gray areas. This isn’t one of those situations. If we want to have wild salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River Basin, the Snake River is the place. These fish are now at only 1 to 2 percent of their historic populations. Why? Dams. Vedavoo is proud to stand with our partners at Trout Unlimited in support of the proposal to Remove the Lower Four.”
I’ve never made any secret about the fact that I’m a big fan of Vedavoo – the small company from Leominster, MA that makes great gear for fly anglers – and lots of other outdoor enthusiasts. If you see me on the river, chances are I’m going to be wearing one of their sling packs.…
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Never been closer: new progress on the Klamath
The Klamath River is one of the country’s most beleaguered watersheds. This summer, wildfire, extreme drought, and poor water quality — all exacerbated by climate change — are causing severe hardship for salmon and other native fishes, Tribal cultures and communities, agriculture and local economies. But on July 27, the Oregon Public Utilities Commission provided…
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Hatcheries can’t save Snake River salmon and steelhead
A chinook salmon headed upstream to spawn. John McMillan photo. Editor's note: This is the third in a series of posts that show why the four dams on the lower Snake River must come out to ensure a future for Snake River salmon and steelhead. In the mid-20th century heyday of large dam construction, when…
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Debunking the ‘it’s the ocean’ excuse to protect Snake River dams
The Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. Wikimedia Commons photo. Science tells us that the best way to recover Snake River salmon and steelhead is to restore and reconnect inland habitat Editor's note: This is the second in a six-part series focusing the plight facing Snake River salmon and steelhead and the scientific evidence that…
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Big day in Klamath Country
FERC approves license transfer; request sent to Congress for drought assistance Two things happened on June 17 that underscore the influence of Trout Unlimited’s two decades of work in the Klamath River basin to restore this river and its legendary salmon and steelhead runs. First, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved the transfer of…
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