Rafters plunge down Husum Falls on the White Salmon River. Photo taken before the Condit Dam was removed in 2011.
credit:
Creative Commons/Rachel Wente-Chane
Washingtonians living near the White Salmon River gathered to celebrate their newly-granted access to the river. Pacific Power’s decision last year to breech the Condit Dam means areas flooded for almost one hundred years are now open.
Crews haven’t quite finished the slope restoration in spots where the dam once caused the river to pool. Tribal members, kayakers, and others are eagerly awaiting full access, which could come as early as next month. Once those remaining areas are open, it’ll be possible to raft or kayak all along the White Salmon, into the Columbia. But already, boaters have reported seeing salmon or steelhead in parts of the river where they haven’t been spotted for years.
This story first appeared on OPB News. Continued there…
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