ESA Listed Salmon & the 4 Lower Snake River Dams

The population and economy of the Pacific Northwest were much smaller before the dams were built. Have students investigate how these dams transformed the region's economy, geography, and the environmental impacts they have had on wildlife, especially salmon ("salmon" will include steelhead throughout this curriculum). The US Army Corps of Engineers (COE) and the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) are the owners and operators of the 31 federally owned hydro projects on the Columbia and Snake Rivers. Following America's entry into World War II, some of these dams provided low-cost power, the Pacific Northwest was the logical location for aluminum plants needed to produce the metal for airplanes. Students will learn about current salmon populations and economic growth, then examine the costs and benefits of the dams in modern times. This unit aligns with WA State's Social Studies assessments formerly called Classroom Based Assessment "Causes of Conflict".

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