This year, however, with the drought and power demands surging, there is little, if any, water to spare. BPA's Hansen says federal power and environmental agencies are meeting almost daily to negotiate the conflicting demands of people and fish. It's the drought. The drought is the enemy, and we're all doing everything we can to fight it. Hansen makes clear, however, that compromises on salmon might be unavoidable.
Environmentalists say more needs to be done to help salmon.
Last year, they campaigned vigorously but unsuccessfully for the federal government to remove four dams on the Lower Snake River to help salmon. And just last week, they complained that BPA has ignored its legal obligations to treat salmon and power needs equally. The real test for salmon comes next month, when the annual downstream migration of young salmon begins to peak. Our Wild Salmon Coalition says he fears the worst. We feel it's going to be more of a spring massacre.