Columbia Riverkeeper fights to protect salmon from dams, hot water, toxic pollution, and climate change.
Do You Know These Top 10 Salmon Facts?
- Salmon are a keystone species—meaning they have a significant impact on their ecosystem. More than 135 species depend on salmon.
- Salmon are so integral in our ecosystem that nutrients from salmon can be found in trees!
- Salmon thrive in cold water. They need the water temperature to be below 68 degrees F to survive their journey.
- Salmon are anadromous, meaning they spend part of their life in freshwater (rivers) and part of their life in saltwater (the ocean). They are born in freshwater, mature at sea, and return to the streams where they were born to spawn a new generation.
- Salmon have an amazing sense of smell, and they use it to navigate back to their spawning grounds.
- Salmon are culturally significant to many Indigenous peoples. Often considered relatives, salmon are one of the First Foods.
- Salmon are the primary food source for Southern Resident Orcas.
- Snake River salmon have to overcome many obstacles on their journey, including eight massive dams.
- Snake River salmon are going extinct, and removing the Lower Snake River dams is the best hope for their recovery.
- Snake River salmon spawn in one of the largest, most intact wild areas in the country.
Take Action: Save Salmon and Orcas
It’s been twenty years in the making! This summer is our chance to convince elected officials to remove the Snake River dams. Demand leadership now! Tell Northwest leaders and President Biden to remove Snake River dams, prevent salmon extinction, and honor Tribal rights!
