Dam siren blares false alarm to Skagit Valley town Some residents of the Skagit Valley got a scare early Monday morning: An evacuation siren went off at 6:53 a.m. near the town of Hamilton. John Ryan
Multiple false alarms warning of a dam failure have Carnation residents on edge If the Tolt River Dam failed, it would be catastrophic for the roughly 2000 people that live in Carnation. Fortunately, the city has an alarm system that would alert residents of a dam failure so they could evacuate. Unfortunately, residents have unexpectedly and pointlessly heard that sound eight times in the last four years. Libby Denkmann Play AudioListen 8 mins
Okanagan River salmon eyed for endangered-species protection A fisheries agency is asking for public input on whether to list a salmon from the Columbia River Basin as an endangered species. John Ryan
While this year’s lamprey numbers look good, tribes say more needs to be done Fish counters are seeing thousands of lamprey going past Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River. But tribal biologists say these toothy, eel-like fish have a long way to go before they’re in the clear. Courtney Flatt
Feds announce millions in funding to bring salmon back to the Upper Columbia River In a historic agreement, the federal government announced Thursday it will fund tribal efforts to bring salmon back to the Upper Columbia River. Two massive dams have blocked salmon from that part of the river for close to a century. Courtney Flatt
Remembering the music that put Grand Coulee on the map 80 years ago Washington state was forever changed by the Grand Coulee Dam. The Dam still provides tons of hydropower today, and created a reservoir for farmers to divert and use as the breadbasket of the state today. When it was finally completed in January of 1943, US Government officials enlisted folk music legend Woody Guthrie to write a series of 26 songs about the dam. It’s a quirky moment in US and music’s history – but it produced instant classics that many will recognize, like “Roll on Columbia.” Libby Denkmann Play AudioListen 26 mins
Getting fish passage over Skagit dams will take decades After years of drama with Tribes who say the dams are getting in the way of the salmon. If successful, it’ll be introducing fish into a region it hasn’t been in for 50 or even more years. Gustavo Sagrero Álvarez Play AudioListen 5 mins
For tribes, welcoming salmon to the Upper Columbia is a reminder of ‘lifelong work’ Each Spring, Northwest tribes celebrate the first foods of the season. At a Colville ceremony marking the return of migrating salmon, ecological challenges were top of mind. Courtney Flatt Play AudioListen 5 mins
Can fish and dams coexist on the Skagit River? New plan may be first step Seattle City Light has released a new plan for managing three hydroelectric dams on the Skagit River. The dams provide 20% of Seattle’s electric power, and have been the subject of a series of lawsuits by tribes arguing that the dams stop salmon from flourishing. Gustavo Sagrero Álvarez Play AudioListen 2 mins
