Congress is of two minds. Some want to protect the dams at all costs. Fortunately, we are in the camp most of Congress is in and this letter expresses that sentiment. More than 200 dams are found in the Columbia and Snake river ecosystem. Although more than 200 dams are found in the Columbia and Snake Rivers ecosystem, the four lower Snake River dams are receiving more attention for several reasons.
Economists say the four lower Snake River dams are the lemons.
They don't really provide any benefits. None provide any flood control. The dams do produce some electricity - five percent of the regions' electricity. The dams on the river provide an inexpensive way for farmers to transport grain and are a low-cost electricity source for aluminum manufacturers along the river, said Hayes. The U.S. government has an obligation to 13 Native American tribes in the Northwest to maintain salmon runs.