For The Seattle Times, Lynda Mapes (@lyndavmapes) writes that Seattle City Light is seeking to relicense three hydroelectric dams on the Skagit River that provide one-fifth of the city’s power, which would extend the dams’ use for decades. But as salmon, and the whales that eat them, continue to struggle, tribes and other groups are pushing for more protections for the river’s fish. Now, research studies are underway to understand the impact of the dams on salmon, and how these dams might be reconfigured, or even removed, to help the fish pass through on their journeys. Photo of the Skagit River’s Ross Dam from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
