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About Giant Wing Dams by Bill Perconti Lewiston Tribune, March 9, 2025

Mankind has already proven that
it's possible to do better than nature

Given that only two options seem to be on the table regarding the Snake River dams, here's a third: Why not reengineer the Snake River dams into giant wing dams? A wing dam could provide flow from the bottom to provide colder downstream water while allowing migrating fish to possibly go around. In addition, a wing dam may be engineered to continue providing, or possibly provide more, electricity than the present dams.

Mankind has already proven that it's possible to do better than nature in providing ideal habitat for salmonoids. Those who have fished the Missouri River below Holter Dam in Montana know cold water released from the bottom of Holter Reservoir provides a better environment for trout than previously existed.

Do the Snake River dams currently supply cold water from beneath the dams? If removed, would the cold water advantage be compromised? Can we afford the loss of power given the current and growing need for it? Should resources -- read taxpayer money -- be used to go forward, not backward?

Yes, reengineering the Snake River dams would be an ambitious project, but no more far-fetched than tearing down the existing dams .... Removing the dams for unknowns (guessing that salmon runs will improve), while eliminating known benefits (irrigation and power) is simply not good thinking.

Seems like reengineering the dams would provide a win-win for both sides, and I'm confident in American know-how there are hotshot engineers out there who could make world-beating designs to benefit all.