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EPA Says Federal Dams Raise Water Temperature In Snake River

Storms clouds emerge over the Teton Mountains
Rob DeGraff
/
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Photo taken of the Snake River on July 31, 1987.

LEWISTON, Idaho (AP) — An Environmental Protection Agency report provides details about how federal government dams in the Snake and Columbia river system raise summer water temperatures and hurt endangered salmon runs.

The report issued on May 19 said dams on the rivers play a role in raising water temperatures above 68 degrees, which is the point at which the water becomes harmful to salmon and steelhead.

The Lewiston Tribune says the report also noted the water in the Snake River often exceeds 68 degrees before it enters Washington from Idaho.

The same then happens with water from the Columbia River when it enters Washington from Canada.

 

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