Lower Monumental Lock - Snake River
Perhaps the most exciting aspect of our voyage on the Columbia and Snake Rivers is that there are so many, often contrasting, focal points. In just three days, we have been in the heart of areas of great natural beauty - the Columbia River Gorge, Hells Canyon and the surprising Palouse River. We have seen ospreys, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep and other wildlife. Canyon walls are afire with a spring bouquet of colors. Reminders of Lewis and Clark dot the landscape, from plants and animals that they first described to western science, to geographical features named by the Corps of Discovery. There is the imprint of the native peoples and their rich and varied cultures throughout the region.
The eight dams through which we pass during this journey can be discussed from countless angles. They have created a great avenue of commerce that has enabled the great grain producing region known as the “Inland Empire” to send massive amounts of wheat, by barge, to Portland, and from there to Asia and other parts of the world. There is flood control, irrigation and of course the extraordinary production of electricity that has fueled the industrial growth of the Pacific Northwest.
Then too, there is the impact on salmon, already severely depleted by over fishing before the first dam was built. For many, salmon and the culture of this region are so intricately intertwined as to be inseparable.
Looking down river from the lock chamber, the 700 ton guillotine gate open ahead of us, it is a good time to digest and integrate some of the extraordinary experiences from the last few days, and to ponder the future of this diverse region.
Perhaps the most exciting aspect of our voyage on the Columbia and Snake Rivers is that there are so many, often contrasting, focal points. In just three days, we have been in the heart of areas of great natural beauty - the Columbia River Gorge, Hells Canyon and the surprising Palouse River. We have seen ospreys, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep and other wildlife. Canyon walls are afire with a spring bouquet of colors. Reminders of Lewis and Clark dot the landscape, from plants and animals that they first described to western science, to geographical features named by the Corps of Discovery. There is the imprint of the native peoples and their rich and varied cultures throughout the region.
The eight dams through which we pass during this journey can be discussed from countless angles. They have created a great avenue of commerce that has enabled the great grain producing region known as the “Inland Empire” to send massive amounts of wheat, by barge, to Portland, and from there to Asia and other parts of the world. There is flood control, irrigation and of course the extraordinary production of electricity that has fueled the industrial growth of the Pacific Northwest.
Then too, there is the impact on salmon, already severely depleted by over fishing before the first dam was built. For many, salmon and the culture of this region are so intricately intertwined as to be inseparable.
Looking down river from the lock chamber, the 700 ton guillotine gate open ahead of us, it is a good time to digest and integrate some of the extraordinary experiences from the last few days, and to ponder the future of this diverse region.
