All language subtitles for Salmon Running the Gauntlet PBS Nature 2011 720p HDTV EN SUB

Narrator: WE'VE ALWAYS RELIED
ON CERTAIN TRUTHS --

THE SUN RISING IN THE EAST,

WINTER TURNING INTO SPRING,

AND SALMON ALWAYS
SWIMMING UPSTREAM.

IN THE COLUMBIA RIVER BASIN
OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST,

EVERY STREAM AND TRIBUTARY
ONCE TEEMED WITH SALMON.

Man: THEY WOULD COME IN,
IN SUCH GREAT NUMBERS

THAT THEY CHANGED
THE CHEMISTRY OF THE WATER.

Man: THERE WERE
MAJOR SALMON RUNS

12 MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR.

IT WAS A NEVER-ENDING
HIGHWAY OF SALMON.

Narrator: BUT NOW,
SALMON ARE FISH OUT OF WATER.

INCUBATED IN PLASTIC BAGS,

THEY EMBARK OF
THE STRANGEST OF JOURNEYS,

MIGRATING UP AN IMPOSSIBLE
GAUNTLET OF OUR MAKING.

Man: THERE WAS THIS BELIEF
THAT HATCHERIES

WERE A WAY TO HAVE OUR CAKE
AND EAT IT TOO.

Narrator: HATCHERIES HAVE BECOME
THE SURROGATES FOR THE RIVER --

AND IT'S NOT WORKING.

Man: SALMON ARE IN TROUBLE.

IF THIS CREATURE IS REMOVED
FROM THE TAPESTRY,

THE TAPESTRY WILL UNRAVEL.

Narrator: HIGH IN THE CENTRAL
IDAHO MOUNTAINS,

ONE OF NATURE'S GREAT TRAVELERS
HAS COME HOME.

AFTER YEARS AT SEA,

THIS SOCKEYE SALMON FOUGHT ITS
WAY UP THREE RIVER SYSTEMS

TO REACH THESE SPAWNING GROUNDS
BEFORE IT DIES.

AN IDAHO SOCKEYE'S FINAL JOURNEY

IS ONE OF THE MOST GRUELING
FACED BY ANY SPAWNING FISH --

900 MILES INLAND,
OVER 6,000 FEET IN ELEVATION.

EXHAUSTED AND JUST SHORT OF
THEIR LIFE'S DESTINATION,

THEY ARE SCOOPED FROM THE RIVER,

WEIGHED AND MEASURED,

AND TAKEN FOR A RIDE...

140 MILES, TO A WAREHOUSE
OUTSIDE BOISE, IDAHO,

WHERE THEY ARE GATHERED
WITH OTHERS OF THEIR KIND --

REMNANTS OF A POPULATION

TEETERING ON
THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION.

BETWEEN 1985 AND 2007,

AN AVERAGE OF ONLY 18 SOCKEYE
RETURNED TO IDAHO EACH YEAR.

FISHERIES BIOLOGISTS
NOW CAREFULLY CONTROL

THE REPRODUCTION OF WHAT WAS
ONCE AN ICON OF ABUNDANCE.

INSTEAD OF SPAWNING NATURALLY,

EACH NEW GENERATION

BEGINS LIFE IN AN INCUBATOR
OF PLASTIC BAGS AND PVC PIPING.

THESE ARE NOT FARM-RAISED SALMON
ON MENUS EVERYWHERE.

A YEAR FROM NOW,

THEY WILL BE RELEASED TO
THE RIVER AND THE OCEAN,

WHERE THEY'LL LIVE LIKE FISH
BORN IN THE WILD.

BUT WHEN THEY RETURN TO
THE COLUMBIA,

THEIR HEROIC CLIMB
WILL BRING THEM...

HERE.

ACROSS THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST,
FISH HATCHERIES HAVE BECOME

SURROGATES FOR
RIVERS AND STREAMS,

INCUBATING ALL SIX
SPECIES OF SALMON,

INCLUDING IDAHO'S
ENDANGERED SOCKEYE.

"PROTECTING" SALMON HAS COME TO
MEAN "PRODUCING" THEM.

MORE THAN A HUNDRED MILLION
ARE RELEASED INTO

THE COLUMBIA AND ITS TRIBUTARIES
EACH YEAR.

YET, CLEARLY,
SOMETHING'S NOT WORKING.

MANY COLUMBIA BASIN SALMON
POPULATIONS ARE ALREADY EXTINCT,

AND 13 MORE

ARE LISTED AS ENDANGERED
OR THREATENED.

FROM ONE PERSPECTIVE,

HATCHERIES ARE EVIDENCE OF OUR
WILLINGNESS AND CAPACITY

TO HELP AN ANIMAL IN TROUBLE.

FROM ANOTHER,
THEY'RE EVIDENCE OF

JUST HOW MUCH TROUBLE
THIS ANIMAL IS IN.

OVER MILLENNIA,
THE ANNUAL MIGRATION OF

TENS OF MILLIONS OF SALMON

BECAME A DEFINING EVENT
FOR ALL MANNER OF LIFE

IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST.

NOW, IT'S THEIR ABSENCE
THAT'S SHAPING THE REGION.

THE STORY OF SALMON
IS THE STORY OF A CREATURE

AT ONCE RESILIENT AND FRAGILE,
MANIPULATED AND WILD.

IT'S ONE OF THE NATURE STORIES
OF OUR TIME.

LIKE MANY NORTHWESTERNERS,
NOVELIST DAVID JAMES DUNCAN'S

BOND WITH SALMON RUNS SO DEEP

IT DEFINES "HOME."

Duncan: I WAS MOVING DOWN
THROUGH THE CREEK BED,

DISOBEYING EVERY RULE
MY GRANDMA HAD SET DOWN FOR ME.

AND THERE WAS A LOG,

CANTILEVERED OUT
OVER A DEEP POOL.

I HAD NO IDEA WHAT I'D FIND,
BUT I JUST FELT LIKE,

"I GOTTA GO LIE ON THIS LOG,"
SIX YEARS OLD.

SO I'M LYING ON THE LOG,

AND THIS BIG OLD HOOK-JAWED
MALE COHO COMES UP.

IT'S GREEN AND RED.

IT'S GOT THIS GLARING,
UNBLINKING EYE.

IT'S JUST LOOKING RIGHT INTO
THE HEART OF ME.

AND, TO ME, THAT BECAME
LIKE A COMPASS --

LIKE, I WANT TO LIVE
WHERE THESE GUYS LIVE.

I WANT TO BE IN THE PRESENCE OF
THIS MYSTERIOUS CREATURE.

DON'T FORGET THAT LITTLE ONE
THAT'S IN FRONT OF THE DRUM.

Narrator: "SUDS" SODERSTROM
LIVES HUNDREDS OF MILES

DOWNSTREAM FROM DAVID DUNCAN.

SALMON FIGURE PROMINENTLY
IN HIS IDEA OF HOME, TOO.

Soderstrom:
THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST IS SALMON.

IT'S THE HISTORY OF THIS AREA.

YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE HOW MANY

LIVELIHOODS THIS HAS SUPPORTED,
JUST THIS ONE LITTLE STATION,

AND THERE USED TO BE
FISH STATIONS

ALL UP AND DOWN THE RIVER.

THEY'RE LIKE...

EACH ONE WAS LIKE
A LITTLE COMMUNITY.

MY FAMILY'S BEEN DOING IT
SINCE 1872.

I HAVE A SON

AND SOME GRANDSONS THAT LIKE
THE WATER, TOO, YOU KNOW.

THERE'S THINGS I WANT TO
TEACH THOSE KIDS.

Narrator: THE LINEAGE
OF SOME FISHING FAMILIES

EXTENDS EVEN FURTHER.

SALMON NOURISHED THE REGION'S
NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITIES

FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

WHILE MUCH OF THAT BIOLOGICAL
ABUNDANCE IS GONE,

A RICH CULTURAL HERITAGE
ENDURES.

Woman: IF IT WAS JUST ABOUT
SOMETHING TO EAT

YOU COULD JUST GO TO
THE GROCERY STORE.

IT'S NOT THAT AT ALL.

IT'S BEING OUT HERE
AND WORKING HARD,

STAYING WITH THE CUSTOMS
AND TRADITIONS

AS MUCH AS YOU CAN
IN THIS WORLD.

IT'S NOT JUST THE FISH.

Narrator:
FOR MOST OF THEIR LIFE,

SALMON TRAVEL THE NORTH PACIFIC,

FORAGING THE OCEAN'S
RICH FOOD SUPPLIES.

WHEN A MYSTERIOUS INNER SIGNAL
DRAWS THEM BACK TO THE COAST,

THEY GATHER AT THE MOUTHS OF
THEIR RESPECTIVE HOME RIVERS

BEFORE TURNING UPSTREAM.

THEY COME IN WAVES, OBSESSIVELY
SEEKING THE STREAMS --

OFTEN THE VERY GRAVEL BEDS --
WHERE THEY WERE BORN.

Man: THERE WERE MAJOR, MAJOR
SALMON RUNS

12 MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR.

AS SOON AS
THE SPRING CHINOOK WERE DONE,

THE SUMMER CHINOOK WERE THERE,
THEN THE FALL CHINOOK,

THEN THE WINTER COHOES,
THEN THE STEELHEAD.

IT WAS A NEVER-ENDING
HIGHWAY OF SALMON.

Duncan: THEY WOULD COME IN,
IN SUCH GREAT NUMBERS

THAT THEY CHANGED
THE CHEMISTRY OF THE WATER.

IT'S THIS ORGY OF ABUNDANCE.

Narrator: FOR SOME,
HOME IS THE COASTAL RAIN FOREST.

FOR OTHERS,
IT'S A HIGH DESERT CANYON.

AND FOR IDAHO'S
ENDANGERED SOCKEYE,

HOME IS DEEP IN THE CONTINENT'S
RUGGED ALPINE INTERIOR.

PAST EIGHT GIANT DAMS,

COUNTLESS FALSE TURNS,

IDAHO SOCKEYE REMAIN INSISTENT

ON THE UNIQUE CHEMICAL SIGNATURE
OF REDFISH LAKE --

A COLD WATER WOMB
IN THE SAWTOOTH MOUNTAINS,

NAMED FOR THE COLORFUL FISH
THAT ONCE SPAWNED HERE

IN THE TENS OF THOUSANDS.

AFTER EXCAVATING A GRAVEL NEST,

THEY SET THE NEXT GENERATION

ON ITS WAY.

SOON AFTER, THEY DIE.

Duncan: IT'S AMAZING
WHAT THEY DO

IN ORDER TO REACH THESE
BIRTH HOUSES

OF THESE BEAUTIFUL
WILDERNESS STREAMS --

EASTERN OREGON, EASTERN
WASHINGTON, IDAHO STREAMS.

THEY GIVE UP THEIR LIVES

TO PUT THOUSANDS OF THESE LITTLE
GLOWING RED BALLS

INTO THE STONE SPINE
OF THIS CONTINENT.

IT'S THIS LUMINOUS BALL --
IT LOOKS BACKLIT,

IT LOOKS LIKE THE SUN.

IN COLD STONE, COLD WATER,

THEY FIND A FIRE
THAT CREATES LIFE.

Narrator:
FOR THE COLUMBIA BASIN,

THAT FIRE WASN'T JUST
FIGURATIVE...

IT WAS TRANSFORMATIVE.

THE FRANK CHURCH
RIVER OF NO RETURN WILDERNESS

IN CENTRAL IDAHO
IS THE HEART OF

THE LARGEST ROADLESS AREA
IN THE LOWER 48.

THERE ARE NO DAMS
BLOCKING STREAMS,

NO CHAINSAWS FELLING TREES,

NO ACTIVE MINE SHAFTS
PUNCTURING ROCK.

HUMANS HAVEN'T LEFT
MUCH OF A MARK HERE.

BUT SALMON HAVE.

RANCHER AND RIVER GUIDE
JERRY MYERS

LIVES ON THE EDGE OF THIS
VAST WILDERNESS,

NEAR THE SALMON RIVER.

GOT DARK, DIDN'T IT?

Myers: I WAS BORN ON A SMALL
FARM AND RANCH IN CENTRAL IDAHO.

I GREW UP LOVING THE OUTDOORS,
OF COURSE,

AND WORKING IN THE OUTDOORS.

THERE'S A NICE LITTLE SEAM
IN THERE.

USUALLY THIS IS THE PERFECT
TIME IN THE EVENING.

I'VE LIVED ON SALMON STREAMS
MY WHOLE LIFE.

YOU UNDERSTAND
BY LIVING OUT HERE

THAT THINGS ARE CONNECTED.

AND A BIG, HUGE PART OF THAT
IS SALMON.

THIS LITTLE CREEK'S CALLED
CABIN CREEK,

AND IT RUNS THROUGH
MY BACK YARD.

THIS WATER COMES FROM
THESE BIG MOUNTAINS.

SNOW MELTS,
SOAKS INTO THE MOUNTAINS,

SLOWLY COMES OUT
IN THE FORM OF SPRINGS

AND KEEPS THESE LITTLE CREEKS
RUNNING YEAR ROUND.

THIS WATER'S PURE ENOUGH
I COULD DRINK IT,

BUT IT REALLY DOESN'T HOLD MUCH
IN THE WAY OF NUTRIENTS

BECAUSE IT RUNS THROUGH GRANITE
AND FAIRLY STERILE SOILS.

LIFE HERE NEEDED A KICK START.

AND THAT KICK START
WAS PROVIDED BY SALMON.

FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS,

THE BIGGEST COMPONENT

OF THE FOOD BASE FOR THIS AREA
WAS SALMON,

AND IT TIED THE RICH NUTRIENTS
OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN

TO THESE MOUNTAINS IN IDAHO.

IT'S PROBABLY EASIER TO NAME

THE ORGANISMS THAT AREN'T
DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY SALMON

THAN IT IS TO NAME
THE ONES THAT ARE,

BECAUSE EVERYTHING'S AFFECTED..

Narrator: EVEN SALMON THAT
ESCAPE PREDATORS NOURISH LIFE.

DEAD ADULT SALMON PROVIDE FOOD
FOR SMALL INVERTEBRATES

THAT IN TURN
FEED NEWBORN SALMON.

THE BENEFITS OF HUNDREDS OF
MILLIONS OF POUNDS

OF MARINE NUTRIENTS
SWIMMING UPRIVER EVERY YEAR

AREN'T CONFINED TO THE EDGES
OF RIVERS AND STREAMS --

OR EVEN TO ANIMALS.

Myers: BEARS WILL COME DOWN
AND EAT THAT CARCASS,

AND THEN BEARS WILL GO
UP INTO THE WOODS,

AND DO WHAT BEARS DO
IN THE WOODS.

AND BY THAT MECHANISM,

THEY ACTUALLY SPREAD NUTRIENT
UP THESE MOUNTAINS.

SO YOU CAN FIND SALMON-GENERATED
MARINE NUTRIENTS

IN THESE BIG PONDEROSA TREES
AROUND HERE

THAT ARE WAY AWAY FROM
THE STREAM BED.

BUT THEY WERE SPREAD UP THERE
BY ANIMALS.

Narrator:
THROUGHOUT THE NORTHWEST,

WILD SALMON HAVE BEEN

THE CURRENCY OF
BIOLOGICAL RICHNESS.

BUT NOW, THAT WEALTH
IS SLIPPING -- OR ALREADY GONE.

A RANCHER THAT USED TO
HAVE THIS RANCH

SAID HE WOULD
LAY AWAKE AT NIGHT,

KEPT AWAKE BY
THE SPLASHING SALMON

THAT WERE DOWN IN THE CREEK.

MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN HERE
FOR NINE YEARS

AND WE'VE YET TO SEE A SALMON.

Narrator:
FOR MOST NORTHWESTERNERS,

WILD SALMON ARE EITHER A MEMORY
OR A STORY.

NEITHER FEEDS THE LAND.

Duncan: WILD SALMON
ARE NOT SNAIL DARTERS.

SALMON ARE THIS
UNBELIEVABLY CHARISMATIC

AND BIOLOGICALLY
NECESSARY CREATURE.

AND SALMON ARE IN TROUBLE --

AS MUCH AS ANY SPECIES
OF PLANT AND ANIMAL

IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST.

IF THIS CREATURE IS REMOVED
FROM THE TAPESTRY,

THE TAPESTRY WILL UNRAVEL.

Narrator: INCREDIBLY,
THE UNRAVELING OF

THE COLUMBIA RIVER'S TAPESTRY

HAS BEEN ASSISTED BY

A CENTURY OF EFFORTS TOWARD
SALMON CONSERVATION.

IN RESPONSE TO EVIDENCE THAT

CARELESS DEVELOPMENT OF
RIVER SYSTEMS WAS KILLING FISH,

WELL-INTENTIONED PEOPLE STARTED
REMOVING THE FISH

FROM THE RIVER.

AND THE FATE OF SALMON

HAS LITERALLY BEEN IN OUR HANDS
EVER SINCE.

MORE THAN 150 YEARS AGO,

EUROPEAN AMERICANS ARRIVED
IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

EAGER TO EXPLOIT THE SEEMINGLY
UNLIMITED SUPPLY OF

BEAVER PELTS, GOLD,
TIMBER AND SALMON.

THE ANNUAL SALMON CATCH
SKYROCKETED

WHEN INNOVATIONS IN CANNING

MADE IT POSSIBLE TO SHIP TO
MARKETS ALL OVER THE WORLD.

OVER-HARVEST...

HABITAT LOSS...

IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE

PRODUCTION AT
EVERY CANNERY IN THE REGION

WAS IN DECLINE.

SALMON, AND EVERYONE WHO
DEPENDED ON THEM, NEEDED HELP.

EXPERIMENTS WITH CONTROLLED
REPRODUCTION OF SALMON

SUGGESTED THEY COULD BE
MASS-PRODUCED IN HATCHERIES --

A KIND OF FISH FACTORY.

Man: AND THERE WAS THIS
TREMENDOUS EXCITEMENT

BECAUSE THEY WERE ABLE TO GET

90% OF THE FISH, THE EGGS,
TO SURVIVE,

WHEREAS IN NATURE JUST A FEW
PERCENT WERE SURVIVING.

SO THERE WAS THIS IMMEDIATE
ASSUMPTION THAT

FOR EVERY FISH THAT SURVIVED
IN THE HATCHERY

THAT WOULD NOT HAVE SURVIVED
IN NATURE,

YOU WERE GOING TO HAVE
ANOTHER FISH BACK.

AND AS A RESULT THERE WERE THESE
WILDLY OPTIMISTIC ACCOUNTS

ABOUT HOW MUCH MORE PRODUCTIVE
THE WATER WOULD BE

THAN THE LAND.

Narrator:
ALTHOUGH STILL SPECULATIVE,

THE DREAM OF UNLIMITED
HATCHERY PRODUCTION

WAS A CONVENIENT ALTERNATIVE
TO DEBATING REGULATIONS

ABOUT WHO GETS TO CATCH FISH
AND HOW MANY.

Bottom: ESSENTIALLY THERE WAS
THIS BELIEF THAT HATCHERIES

WERE A WAY TO HAVE OUR CAKE
AND EAT IT TOO.

Narrator: WATER WAS PUT TO WORK
WITHOUT CONCERN

FOR IMPACTS ON FISH.

RIVERS, LARGE AND SMALL,
WERE STRAIGHTENED,

DIVERTED, AND IMPOUNDED.

OVER 400 DAMS NOW CONTROL

THE COLUMBIA
AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.

IT'S ONE OF THE MOST
HYDROELECTRICALLY DEVELOPED

RIVER SYSTEMS IN THE WORLD.

MANY DAMS WERE BUILT WITH
FISH LADDERS --

ARTIFICIAL RAPIDS THAT ALLOW
FISH TO PASS AROUND THE DAM.

BUT THERE WERE SOME
NOTABLE EXCEPTIONS --

SUCH AS IDAHO'S
HELLS CANYON DAMS,

WHICH BLOCKED PASSAGE TO
THE ENTIRE UPPER SNAKE RIVER,

INCLUDING DESERT STREAMS AS FAR
AWAY AS NORTHERN NEVADA.

AND THE GRAND COULEE,

WHICH BLOCKED PASSAGE TO
THE SPAWNING GROUNDS

OF THE FAMOUS "JUNE HOGS" --
100-POUND CHINOOK SALMON

THAT WERE AMONG
THE LARGEST ON THE PLANET.

Soderstrom: YOU GO ABOVE THESE
HUGE DAMS AND YOU THINK,

GOD, WHAT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN
AND WHAT IT WAS.

IT'S JUST GRAVEL BED AFTER
GRAVEL BED AFTER GRAVEL BED.

YOU JUST COULD IMAGINE HOW MUCH
FISH COULD SPAWN IN THESE AREAS

AND THEY CAN'T GET THERE.

WHEN THEY CLOSED THE GATES
ON GRAND COULEE,

OVER A THIRD OF
THE SPAWNING AREA

OF THE COLUMBIA BASIN
WAS TOTALLY BLOCKED OFF.

THAT WAS THE END OF IT.

FIVE YEARS LATER,
THE RUN WAS DEAD.

Narrator: THE LOSS OF EACH RUN

IS BIGGER THAN JUST
A GIVEN LENGTH OF RIVER.

LOSE A STREAM,

LOSE THE ADAPTATIONS
SALMON EVOLVED

IN RESPONSE TO
SPECIFIC CONDITIONS THERE.

ALL THAT DIVERSITY IS WHAT
ENABLED SALMON TO SURVIVE

AND THRIVE
THROUGHOUT THE REGION.

TODAY, THE NATURAL PRODUCTIVITY
OF THE COLUMBIA WATERSHED

HAS BEEN REPLACED BY
OVER 170 HATCHERY PROGRAMS.

Woman: THIS IS CARSON NATIONAL
FISH HATCHERY.

WE RAISE PRIMARILY
SPRING CHINOOK SALMON HERE.

OUR FISH LIVE HERE
APPROXIMATELY 18 MONTHS.

THEY ARE RELEASED IN APRIL
OF THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY
1.6 MILLION FINGERLINGS

ON STATION AT THIS TIME.

WE DO A DECORATIVE COLORATION
ON THE BOTTOM OF OUR RACEWAY

SO THAT IT SIMULATES
BEING OUT IN NATURE,

SO THAT THEY'RE NOT ACCUSTOMED
TO LOOKING AT

WHITE CEMENT OR GRAY CEMENT;

THEY ARE LOOKING AT WHAT
THEY WOULD POSSIBLY SEE

OUT IN NATURE.

I JUST LOVE 'EM --
THEY'RE WONDERFUL.

[ LAUGHING ]

Bottom: THE WHOLE IDEA
OF THE HATCHERY

IS TO PRODUCE A LOT OF FISH,

AND DO IT JUST LIKE WE WOULD
AN INDUSTRIAL PRODUCT.

THE HATCHERY IS BUILT
AROUND THE NOTION

THAT WE DEVELOPED EARLY ON,
THAT WE'RE GOING TO

MAKE THE OPTIMUM FISH,

WE'RE GOING TO RELEASE IT
AT THE RIGHT SIZE,

WE'RE GOING TO
RELEASE IT AT THE RIGHT TIME,

WE'RE GOING TO CONTROL
THE CONDITIONS

SO IT SURVIVES
ALL OF THE VAGARIES

OF THAT FRESHWATER ENVIRONMENT.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE REAL BASIS
OF THE PRODUCTIVITY OF SALMON

IS THEIR GENETIC DIVERSITY.

AND THE PROBLEM IS,
IS THROUGH THE PROCESS

OF REARING FISH
IN A CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT

GENERATION AFTER GENERATION,

YOU LOSE THAT GENETIC DIVERSITY
THROUGH INTERBREEDING

OR THROUGH SELECTION
IN THE HATCHERY OR BOTH.

Narrator:
IT'S A BIZARRE TWIST OF FATE

THAT OUR TAKEOVER OF
SALMON REPRODUCTION

HAS LEFT THEM MORE VULNERABLE
THAN EVER

TO CHANGING CONDITIONS
IN THEIR ENVIRONMENT.

NO PART OF THEIR WORLD CHANGES
MORE THAN THE SALT MARSHES,

WETLANDS, AND TIDAL CHANNELS
OF THE COLUMBIA ESTUARY.

HERE, WHERE THE RIVER
AND OCEAN MEET,

WATER TEMPERATURE, SALINITY,
AND FOOD AVAILABILITY

VARY SIGNIFICANTLY
FROM AREA TO AREA,

SEASON TO SEASON,
YEAR TO YEAR.

ALL THIS VARIATION CREATES
OPPORTUNITIES, AND CHALLENGES,

FOR SALMON.

Bottom:
IT'S AN AMAZING TRANSFORMATION

THAT THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH
TO ADAPT PHYSIOLOGICALLY

TO SALTWATER.

HAVING A PLACE THAT THEY CAN
LAYOVER AND GROW TO A BIG SIZE

IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT
FOR THEIR SUBSEQUENT

SURVIVAL AT SEA.

OUR MANAGEMENT FOR SALMON
THROUGHOUT ITS LIFE CYCLE

HAS REALLY BEEN BASED ON
THE ASSUMPTION THAT

THERE'S SOME OPTIMUM,

BUT THAT'S JUST NOT THE CASE.

VARIATION IS CRITICAL
TO THEIR RESILIENCE.

THERE IS A LATE-ARRIVING
WILD FISH --

WE KNOW THAT
BECAUSE OF ITS SIZE.

Narrator: UNFORTUNATELY, WITH
FEWER THAN ONE OUT OF FIVE

COLUMBIA RIVER SALMON
NOW BORN IN THE WILD,

VARIATION IS ON THE DECLINE.

Duncan: THE IMAGE
I LIKE TO USE IS THAT,

WITH THE HATCHERY PROGRAMS
WE'RE TRYING TO REPLACE

BACH, BEETHOVEN, AND MOZART
WITH YANNI, YANNI, AND YANNI.

AND IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK.

Narrator: THOUGH WE CERTAINLY
KEEP TRYING TO MAKE IT WORK.

ALL TOGETHER, COLUMBIA BASIN
HATCHERIES CONCEIVE IN LABS,

RAISE IN TANKS,

FEED, WEIGH, MEASURE,
SORT, TRACK, COUNT,

AND FINALLY, RELEASE

OVER A HUNDRED MILLION SALMON
EVERY YEAR.

BUT FEWER THAN 1% OF
THE JUVENILES

WE PRODUCE EVERY YEAR
RETURN AS ADULTS.

IT TURNS OUT THERE IS MUCH MORE
TO SAVING SALMON

THAN JUST MAKING SALMON.

REPLACING SALMON'S SPECIAL
GENIUS WITH OUR OWN

HAS RESULTED IN EXTREMELY
CREATIVE, AND EXPENSIVE,

STRATEGIES FOR THEIR PROTECTION
OUTSIDE THE HATCHERY.

IT BEGINS WITH THE CHALLENGE OF

KEEPING THEM ALIVE
ON THEIR JOURNEY TO THE SEA.

THE FIRST THREAT TO NEWLY
RELEASED HATCHERY SALMON

IS BAD HABITS.

USED TO BEING FED
AT THE SURFACE,

MANY BECOME FOOD THEMSELVES.

EVEN THE INSTINCTS THEY DO
RETAIN FROM THEIR WILD ANCESTRY

MIGHT NOT BE AS RELEVANT
IN TODAY'S RIVER.

Duncan: THEY USED TO TRAVEL
FROM THE HEADWATER STREAMS

TO THE OCEAN,
FACING BACKWARDS.

THEY WERE JUST --

THEY JUST WOULD HOLD THEIR PLACE
IN THE CURRENT,

AND THE CURRENT JUST SWEPT THEM
OUT TO SEA.

NOW THERE ARE EIGHT DAMS
BLOCKING THEIR JOURNEY

THAT CREATE ABOUT 400 MILES S
SLACK WATER, OF DEAD WATER.

SO THEY HAVE TO TURN AROUND
AND SWIM,

FACING DOWNSTREAM,
BURNING UP THEIR ENERGY.

SO IT'S A REALLY
UNNATURAL SITUATION

WE'VE CREATED FOR THEM.

Narrator: A FOUR-INCH FISH
ARRIVING AT A 100-FOOT DAM

DOESN'T HAVE MANY GOOD OPTIONS.

SOME JUVENILES GET SWEPT INTO
THE TURBIBES

THAT ARE GENERATING ELECTRICITY.

Duncan: THE FISH IS SUDDENLY

SHOT DOWN TO A 110-FOOT DEPTH.

THINK ABOUT HOW YOUR HEAD FEELS

WHEN YOU'RE 12 FEET DEEP
IN A SWIMMING POOL.

THEY'RE UNDER
UNBELIEVABLE PRESSURE.

Narrator: OTHERS TAKE THE PLUNGE
DIRECTLY OVER THE SPILLWAY.

EITHER WAY, A NUMBER OF
JUVENILES WILL DIE AT EACH DAM.

AND SURVIVORS OFTEN FIND
THEMSELVES DISORIENTED

IN THE TURBULENT
TAILWATERS BELOW...

WHERE THEY'RE EASY PREY

FOR PIKEMINNOW, A NATIVE FISH
WHOSE POPULATION HAS EXPLODED

IN THE WARM, SLOW WATER
BETWEEN DAMS.

IN RESPONSE, AUTHORITIES HAVE
ENLISTED THE HELP

OF BOUNTY HUNTERS.

HUNDREDS OF FISHERMEN
LIKE TIM HISTAND

NOW FISH FOR PIKEMINNOW

BECAUSE PIKEMINNOW HAVE A PRICE
ON THEIR HEADS.

IT LOOKS TOO EASY, DOESN'T IT?

THIS IS FIVE BUCKS.

Narrator: THE MORE PIKEMINNOW
TIM TURNS IN,

THE MORE EACH IS WORTH -
UP TO $8 A FISH.

A FEW HAVE SPECIAL TAGS --
SWIMMING JACKPOTS

WORTH $500 EACH.

TIM DOES SO WELL AT IT,

HE CAN SHUT DOWN
HIS CONTRACTING BUSINESS

FOR FIVE MONTHS EVERY YEAR
AND HUNT PIKEMINNOW FULL TIME.

Histand: LAST YEAR I CAUGHT

3,650, I THINK,
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

THE YEAR BEFORE, I HAD 4,400.

SO, IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS --

IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS
I'VE PROBABLY CAUGHT

CLOSE TO 20,000 OF THEM.

SINCE THE BOUNTY HUNT BEGAN,

OVER THREE MILLION PIKEMINNOW

HAVE BEEN CAPTURED
AND TURNED IN.

IT'S A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR
A YEAR CAMPAIGN,

ONE WE'LL PROBABLY BE PAYING FOR

AS LONG AS THE DAMS
ARE IN PLACE.

A SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE
OF OUT-MIGRATING JUVENILES

PERISH AT EACH DAM.

IDAHO'S SALMON RUN AN ESPECIALLY
DEADLY GAUNTLET

ON THEIR WAY TO THE SEA.

Martin: THE CUMULATIVE EFFECT
OF EIGHT DAMS

SAPS THE STRENGTH OF THESE FISH
AND CAUSES DELAY IN MORTALITY.

IT'S THE DEATH OF
A THOUSAND CUTS.

Narrator: 40 YEARS AGO,
THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS

AND THE NATIONAL
MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE

BEGAN AN EXPERIMENT THAT'S GROWN
INTO A CORNERSTONE

OF SALMON RECOVERY EFFORTS --

FISH TRANSPORT.

AN UNDERGROUND PIPE
WITH AN OPENING ABOVE THE DAM

FUNNELS FISH TO THE SITE.

THIS AREA'S THE ACTUAL
JUVENILE FISH SEPARATOR --

AND THIS IS WHERE WE SPLIT THE
LARGE FISH FROM THE SMALL FISH.

THEY GO INTO A BIN AREA

AND OUT THROUGH
THESE TWO FLUMES.

Narrator: A RANDOM SAMPLE
IS CHECKED FOR

THE TAGS HATCHERIES IMPLANT

IN THE NOSES OF SALMON.

AND THEN THEY'RE ALL TRANSFERRED

TO A BARGE OR A TRUCK
FOR THE JOURNEY DOWNRIVER.

$50 MILLION A YEAR HAS PURCHASED

COLLECTION, PASSAGE,
AND TRANSPORT

FOR AS MANY AS 20 MILLION
YOUNG SALMON.

Duncan: YOU'VE GOT THE SALMON
BEING REMOVED FROM THE RIVER

FOR 130 MILES TO "PROTECT" THEM.

THERE'S ALSO A WONDERFUL LIGHT
DISPLAY ON THE GRAND COULEE DAM

OF SALMON.

IT'S A LIGHT SHOW THAT'S
REPLACED A LIVING SPECIES

AND A THOUSAND MILES OF RIVER.

WE'RE TRYING TO
SELL OURSELVES ILLUSIONS.

IT'S A FORM OF INSANITY.

THERE'S NO EDIBLE
VIRTUAL SALMON.

THIS IS NOT A COMPUTER GAME --
THIS IS BIOLOGY.

Narrator: A FEW MILES
BELOW BONNEVILLE,

THE YOUNG SALMON ARE
UNCEREMONIOUSLY

FLUSHED INTO THE RIVER.

THE 150 MILES BETWEEN BONNEVILLE
AND THE SEA

ARE REGULARLY DREDGED

TO KEEP THE CHANNEL OPEN
FOR TRANSPORTS AND BARGES.

SOME OF WHAT'S BEEN REMOVED

HAS BEEN PILED NEAR
THE MOUTH OF THE RIVER

AS PART OF A SANDY ISLAND,
WHICH HAS ATTRACTED

THE WORLD'S LARGEST BREEDING
COLONY OF CASPIAN TERNS.

TOGETHER WITH THEIR YOUNG,

THESE TERNS CONSUME MILLIONS OF
JUVENILE SALMON A YEAR,

MOSTLY HATCHERY FISH
RELEASED ON

A DELICIOUSLY
PREDICTABLE SCHEDULE.

TO PROTECT YOUNG FISH,

THE GOVERNMENT IS BUILDING
THE TERNS

AN ALTERNATIVE ISLAND
FARTHER OFFSHORE.

IF THAT'S SUCCESSFUL,
MAYBE SOMETHING SIMILAR

CAN BE DONE FOR
THE TERNS' NEIGHBORS --

13,000 PAIRS OF CORMORANTS

AND THEIR VERY HUNGRY CHICKS.

Soderstrom: WE HAVE CORMORANTS
NOW IN HUGE, HUGE NUMBERS.

WE HAVE A WHOLE NEW SPECIES
OF CORMORANT

THAT'S MOVED INTO
THE COLUMBIA SYSTEM

TO ATTACK THESE FISH.

Narrator:
FINALLY, WHAT'S LEFT OF

THE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS
OF SALMON

CONCEIVED IN PLASTIC BAGS,
RAISED IN TANKS,

FED FLOATING PELLETS,
AND DRIVEN DOWNSTREAM,

HEADS OUT TO JOIN THE COMMUNITY
OF LIFE AT SEA.

Bottom: THE IDEA OF CONTROLLING
THE ENVIRONMENT FOR SALMON

SEEMED LIKE A GOOD THING AS LONG
AS WE HAD CONTROL OF THE FISH.

BUT AT SOME POINT,
WE HAVE TO RELEASE THEM OUT

TO COMPLETE THEIR LIFE CYCLE.

AND ONCE THAT HAPPENS,
WE HAVE TAKEN ON FAITH

THAT EVERYTHING WE'VE DONE
UP TO THAT POINT

HASN'T AFFECTED THEIR OPTIONS

IN THE FUTURE --
AND THAT'S REALLY NOT THE CASE.

Narrator: IN MOST RESPECTS,
HATCHERY AND WILD-BORN SALMON

NOW APPEAR THE SAME.

FOR TWO TO SEVEN YEARS,
THEY SHARE THIS OCEAN PASTURE.

REGARDLESS OF THEIR BIRTHPLACE
AND LIFE HISTORY,

ANY SALMON CAUGHT HERE
IS MARKETED AS "WILD."

BUT THERE ARE
IMIMRTANT DIFFERENCES.

THOSE DIFFERENCES
ARE ONLY EXPRESSED

WHEN SALMON QUIT THE SEA
TO COMPLETE THEIR LIFE CYCLE --

WHEN THE COLUMBIA
CALLS THEM HOME.

FOR RETURNING
COLUMBIA BASIN SALMON,

BONNEVILLE IS
THE THRESHOLD BETWEEN

THE WILD, OPEN OCEAN AND
THE MANAGED, ENGINEERED RIVER.

SALMON HOLD FOR UP TO 24 HOURS
AT THE FOOT OF THE DAM,

AS THEY PREPARE TO ENTER
THE FISH LADDERS.

THE PAUSE ISN'T JUST
INCONVENIENT...

IT'S SOMETIMES DEADLY.

Soderstrom: THE SEA LIONS
HAVE FIGURED IT OUT.

AND THEY FIGURE

SOMETIMES 4% OR 5% OF THE ADULTS

ARE CAUGHT BY THE SEA LIONS
AT BONNEVILLE DAM.

THEY'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT
THE OTHER 130 MILES

WHERE THE SEA LIONS ARE WORKING
DOWN THROUGH HERE, TOO.

Narrator:
ABOUT $1 BILLION A YEAR

ARE NOW COMMITTED TO

COLUMBIA RIVER SALMON RECOVERY,

INSPIRING EXTREME MEASURES TO
PROTECT THE INVESTMENT'S RETURN.

DURING THE SALMON RUN,

BOATS PATROL THE WIDTH OF
THE COLUMBIA BELOW BONNEVILLE,

TRYING TO DRIVE SEA LIONS
BACK TO THE SEA.

IN 2008, 35,000 NON-LETHAL

CRACKER-SHOTS, RUBBER BULLETS,
AND SEAL BOMBS

WERE FIRED AT ONE PROTECTED
SPECIES ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER.

FISH THAT ESCAPE PREDATION
AND ENTER THE LADDERS

PASS BY THE COUNTING WINDOW
AT BONNEVILLE.

HERE, WE MEASURE HOW WELL
THEY -- AND WE -- ARE DOING.

LATELY, ABOUT A MILLION FISH
A YEAR,

BOTH WILD AND HATCHERY-BORN,
TRAVEL PAST THE WINDOW.

THAT'S LESS THAN 8% OF
AN AVERAGE RUN 100 YEARS AGO.

THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT DECLINE

ARE GOING TO PROVE
EVER MORE DEVASTATING.

Duncan: SALMON ARE THE EUCHARIST
OF THE INDIAN TRIBES.

WE SIGNED SACRED TREATIES

FOR WHICH THE TRIBES GAVE UP
ALL THEIR LAND.

THEY GAVE UP EVERYTHING THEY HAD

IN EXCHANGE FOR
THE RIGHT TO FISH.

AND THEY SHOULD BE RECEIVING
THE BENEFIT OF

THE FISH COMING BACK
BY THE MILLIONS.

WE ARE JUST CHEATING
THE INDIANS OUT OF

WHAT THEY GAVE UP EVERYTHING
IN ORDER TO GUARANTEE.

Narrator: ESTIMATES OF LIABILITY
TO THE TRIBES FOR LOSING SALMON

REACH INTO
THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

BUT IT'S NOT JUST THE TRIBES WHO
ARE LOSING SOMETHING IMPORTANT.

FISHERMEN LIKE "SUDS" SODERSTROM
FACE SEVERE RESTRICTIONS

ON WHEN AND WHERE
THEY CAN CATCH FISH.

2009's SUMMER CHINOOK SEASON

WAS THREE NIGHTS OF FISHING

BETWEEN DUSK AND DAWN.

Soderstrom:
THIS IS MY LIFE, YOU KNOW?

AND IT'S BEEN MY FAMILY'S LIFE.

IT'S HARD TO WATCH IT DYING
LIKE IT HAS.

YOU'VE LOST WHAT BELONGS.

SALMON BELONG.

Narrator: THE DREAM OF
UNLIMITED HATCHERY PRODUCTION

TURNED OUT TO BE JUST THAT --
A DREAM.

BUT EVEN WERE IT REALIZED,

SOMETHING IRREPLACEABLE
WOULD BE LOST.

FISH THAT RETURN TO HATCHERIES

DON'T FIND A FIRE
IN COLD STONE...

OR EXPRESS THE RIOTOUS DIVERSITY

THAT HAS SO LONG BEEN
THE SALMON'S GREATEST STRENGTH.

THEY DON'T FERTILIZE
THE ALPINE WOMB

THAT WAS, FOR MILLENNIA,
EACH GENERATION'S BIRTHPLACE.

Myers: A LOT OF PEOPLE I THINK

HAVE A MISUNDERSTANDING

THAT ALL THIS MONEY'S
BEING SPENT ON SALMON,

AND THAT SALMON
ARE SUDDENLY BEING RECOVERED.

WE'VE HAD A FEW BUMPS UP
IN THE NUMBER OF SALMON

THAT HAVE COME UP
THE COLUMBIA AND SNAKE RIVER

THE LAST FEW YEARS,

BUT WHAT THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND

IS THAT THOSE ARE FISH
COMING BACK TO HATCHERIES.

THEY'RE NOT GOING UP
THE TRIBUTARIES,

THEY'RE NOT PROVIDING
ANY TYPE OF NUTRIENT

FOR ALL THE MYRIAD
OF STREAMS AND SMALL RIVERS.

SO WE'VE GOT TO BE
REALLY CAREFUL

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
RECOVERING FISH,

THAT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT

GETTING BIG NUMBERS
OF HATCHERY FISH UP.

THAT'S NOT RECOVERY.

Narrator: WHAT TRUE RECOVERY
WOULD MEAN TO THIS PART OF IDAHO

IS SOMETHING GREGG SERVHEEN
AND HIS COLLEAGUES

WANT TO UNDERSTAND.

THE COMPLETION OF THE THREE-DAM
HELLS CANYON COMPLEX IN 1967

ELELIMINATED SALMON FROM THOUSAS
OF MILES OF STREAMS

IN THE UPPER
SNAKE RIVER WATERSHED,

ENDING THE FLOW OF NUTRIENTS

FROM THE SEA.

Servheen: WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT
THOSE ADULT SALMON,

THESE SWIMMING FERTILIZER SACKS

THAT CAME BACK UP INTO
THESE SYSTEMS,

DID FOR THESE ENTIRE ECOSYSTEMS.

WE'RE TESTING CARCASSES BECAUSE
WE BELIEVE THEY'RE THE CLOSEST

TO THE NATURAL
RETURNING SPAWNING SALMON,

AS WELL AS
A MANUFACTURED PRODUCT

THAT SIMULATES THOSE CARCASSES.

Narrator: FOR THREE YEARS,

THE TEAM WILL TRACK HOW QUICKLY

THE MARINE NITROGEN
CARRIED BY SALMON

MOVES THROUGH THE SYSTEM.

THEY'LL LOOK FOR IT IN PLANTS,

IN BUGS THEY CAT ON
STICKY TAPE,

IN ANIMALS SUCH AS THE AREA'S
BUG-EATING BATS.

Servheen:
IT TAKES A TREMENDOUS EFFORT

TO TRY AND REPLACE
THOSE NUTRIENTS

THAT THESE SALMON
JUST NATURALLY BROUGHT BACK

OVER THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

AND THEY DID IT ALL

WITHOUT PAY OR RECOMPENSE
OF ANY SORT.

Narrator: WE CAN NEVER HOPE
TO FERTILIZE THE LAND

AS EFFECTIVELY AS
WILD SALMON ONCE DID,

BUT WE CAN MAKE IT EASIER

FOR SALMON TO
TAKE UP THE TASK AGAIN.

Crowd: FOUR, THREE,

TWO, ONE!

Narrator: OF THE 79,000 DAMS
ON AMERICAN RIVERS,

MANY ARE OLD
AND EXPENSIVE TO MAINTAIN.

AND MANY, LIKE SAVAGE RAPIDS DAM
ON OREGON'S ROGUE RIVER,

BLOCK SALMON FROM
SPAWNING STREAMS.

IN 2009, SAVAGE RAPIDS
JOINED THE GROWING LIST

OF DAMS THAT HAVE BEEN
TAKEN DOWN.

WHEN IT WAS, THE ROGUE RAN FREE
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 80 YEARS.

I'M JIM MARTIN.

I'M SO HAPPY TO BE HERE.

Narrator: JIM MARTIN
WAS AMONG THOSE

WHO GATHERED FOR
A CELEBRATORY FLOAT

OVER THE STRETCH OF RIVER
WHERE THE DAM ONCE STOOD.

Martin: THE BEST ESTIMATE
IS THAT

REMOVING SAVAGE RAPIDS DAM
FROM THE ROGUE RIVER

WILL INCREASE THE SALMON
AND STEELHEAD POPULATIONS

BY ROUGHLY 20%.

Narrator: IN THE NORTHWEST,

EVERY STREAM THAT'S RESTORED

INCREASES THE POSSIBILITIES
FOR SALMON...

AND FOR PEOPLE.

Bottom: PART OF THAT ECOSYSTEM

THAT WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT RESTORING

IS THE ONE IN WHICH WE LIVE.

IT'S DEFINITELY NOT JUST
A SCIENTIFIC PROBLEM.

IT'S A QUESTION OF WHAT KIND OF
WORLD PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE IN.

Narrator: RANCHER DOUG McDANIEL
OF WALLOWA, OREGON,

WANTS THAT WORLD TO INCLUDE
WILD SALMON.

HE AND HUNDREDS OF
OTHER LANDOWNERS

ARE WORKING WITH LOCAL
WATERSHED ASSOCIATIONS

TO RESTORE STREAMS
TO A MORE NATURAL STATE.

DOUG REMEMBERS
FISHING THIS STREAM AS A CHILD,

BACK BEFORE IT, AND MANY OTHERS
IN THE NORTHWEST,

WERE STRAIGHTENED
IN THE '40s AND '50s.

McDaniel: AS A BOY,

THIS RIVER WAS FULL OF TREES
AND LOGS AND BIG HOLES

AND WASHES HERE AND THERE,

AND IT RAN ALL OVER THE PLACE
AND IT WAS FANTASTIC FISHING.

ANYTHING WE CAN DO IN THESE
STREAMS TO BRING THAT BACK,

I THINK IT JUST MAKES
A LOT OF SENSE.

AN INCREASE IN SALMON WOULD MEAN

AN INCREASE IN THE HEALTH OF
THE STREAMS.

Narrator: CURVES AND POOLS
AND ROCKS WERE ADDED

TO DOUG'S STRETCH OF THE RIVER,

AND WOODY STRUCTURE
WAS WORKED INTO THE BANKS.

AND NOW HE HAS
JUST THE SORT OF STREAM

A SPAWNING FISH WOULD
HAPPILY CALL HOME.

IN OREGON ALONE, MORE THAN 3,500
STREAM MILES HAVE BEEN RESTORED.

THERE ARE EVEN RESTORATION
EFFORTS UNDERWAY IN THE ESTUARY.

GENERALLY, FISH RUNS RECOVER
QUICKLY WHEN GIVEN THE CHANCE.

Duncan: I'VE SEEN SOME OF
THESE STREAMS RECOVER

AND HAVE RUNS OF
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FISH.

AND IT'S UNBELIEVABLE
HOW THAT UNIFIES

EVERY SINGLE PERSON
IN THE WATERSHED.

I'VE SEEN THESE EVENTS WHERE

PEOPLE ARE OUT THERE
RECLAIMING STREAMS

THAT HAVE BEEN TURNED INTO
DITCHES BY DREDGING,

AND YOU SEE AN OLD
RUSH LIMBAUGH-LOVING FARMER

AND A GREEN-HAIRED PUNK
LAUGHING AND TELLING STORIES.

I MEAN, THAT'S PRETTY GREAT.

Narrator: INSPIRED BY
THE SUCCESSFUL RESTORATION

OF LOCAL SPAWNING STREAMS,

MANY IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
ARE EXCITED ABOUT

AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CHANGE
AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL.

THE FOUR DAMS ON
THE LOWER SNAKE RIVER

WERE CONSTRUCTED PRIMARILY
AS NAVIGATION LOCKS

IN THE '60s AND '70s.

THEY DISRUPT MIGRATION
TO AND FROM

SOME OF THE HEALTHIEST
HABITAT REMAINING

IN THE COLUMBIA RIVER WATERSHED.

Duncan:
THE LOWER SNAKE RIVER DAMS

TAKES THINGS INTO
A WHOLE DIFFERENT DIMENSION.

BY SIMPLY REMOVING THESE FOUR
COLD WAR CONCEIVED DAMS

ON THE LOWER SNAKE,

YOU HAVE DONE WHAT THESE HEROES
HAVE DONE

ON THESE SMALL WATERSHEDS

TO 5,500 MILES OF
BEAUTIFUL WILDERNESS STREAMS

THAT COULD LITERALLY SUPPORT
MILLIONS OF SALMON.

IT'S SO SIMPLE --
IT'S JUST SIMPLE.

IF THE FOUR LOWER SNAKE RIVER
DAMS WERE REMOVED,

IT WOULD BE THE LARGEST WILD
SALMON RECOVERY PROJECT

THAT'S WORKABLE ON EARTH

AT A TIME WHEN
THE OCEANS ARE IN CRISIS.

Narrator:
SIMPLE DOESN'T MEAN EASY.

UNTANGLING A CENTURY OF
CLEVER ALTERNATIVES

TO SALMON SWIMMING
UP AND DOWN STREAMS

WILL MEAN EMBRACING A DIFFERENT
SET OF CHALLENGES.

Myers: FOR US TO TACKLE
THIS SALMON PROBLEM,

WE HAVE TO WORK ON THE THINGS
THAT WE'RE GOOD AT --

BETTER WAYS TO GENERATE
ELECTRICITY,

TO WATER FIELDS,

TO GET COMMODITIES TO THE COAST.

WE CAN DO THOSE THINGS.

AND IF WE GIVE NATURE A CHANCE
TO RECOVER THESE FISH,

IT WILL HAPPEN.

Narrator: IN THE SUMMER OF 2006,
ONLY THREE SOCKEYE

PASSED ABOVE ALL EIGHT DAMS

AND COMPLETED THEIR
900-MILE ODYSSEY TO IDAHO.

CITING POOR RETURNS,

AN ADVISORY PANEL
NICKNAMED THE "GOD SQUAD"

RECOMMENDED ENDING
THE CAPTIVE BREEDING PROGRAM

FOR IDAHO'S ICONIC SALMON.

BUT JUST WHEN HOPE, AND FISH,
WERE ALMOST EXTINCT,

WE WERE REMINDED OF
THE RESILIENCE

OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING
SO HARD TO SAVE.

IN THE SPRING OF 2008,

A FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERED

THE COLUMBIA
AND SNAKE RIVER DAMS

TO SPILL WATER
FROM THEIR RESERVOIRS.

FOR A FEW MONTHS,
THE SYSTEM WAS MANAGED

TO ACT LIKE A RIVER AGAIN.

WATER FLOWED.

AND JUVENILE SALMON
FOUND THEMSELVES

POINTED INTO A CURRENT,
MIGRATING TO THE SEA.

FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS,

PEOPLE CONTINUED
THEIR SALMON POLICY BATTLES

IN COURTROOMS AND STATEHOUSES.

THE SALMON,
INDIFFERENT TO IT ALL,

AFFIRMED THEIR PURPOSE
THE ONLY WAY THEY COULD.

IN THE SUMMER OF 2010,

MORE THAN 1,300 SOCKEYE

RETURNED TO THE CREEK
BELOW REDFISH LAKE --

THE BEST YEAR FOR RETURNS SINCE
THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE DAMS.

ALTHOUGH IT'S ONLY A FRACTION
OF A PERCENT OF HISTORIC RUNS

IN THE TENS OF THOUSANDS,

THE MAGNITUDE OF THE IMPROVEMENT
SHOWED US THAT

IT'S NOT TOO LATE FOR SALMON.

Martin: SIX MILLION YEARS OF
EVOLUTION IN THESE STREAMS,

TEN THOUSAND YEARS OF EVOLUTION
SINCE THE LAST GLACIER --

ARE WE GOING TO THROW IT ALL
AWAY IN ONE GENERATION

AND LEAVE NOTHING
FOR OUR CHILDREN?

IF THE FISH WERE IN
ANY WORSE SHAPE,

THEY WOULDN'T BE SAVEABLE.

AND, IF THEY WERE IN
ANY BETTER SHAPE,

MOST PEOPLE WOULDN'T
CARE AS MUCH.

THIS IS THE TIME.

Narrator: EVEN AS
THE REGION CELEBRATED

THE SIZE OF THE RETURN,

A SIMPLE, HUMBLE ACT
EXPRESSED A TURNING POINT

THAT MAY BE EVEN MORE PROFOUND.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN DECADES,

IDAHO FISH AND GAME DIDN'T TAKE
EVERY RETURNING SOCKEYE

TO THE HATCHERY.

MINDFUL THAT THE JOURNEY

TO TRUE RECOVERY TAKES THEM
BACK WHERE THEY BEGAN,

BIOLOGISTS RELEASED SOME SOCKEYE

TO SPAWN NATURALLY
IN REDFISH LAKE --

WHICH WELCOMED THEM HOME.

TO ORDER, CALL 1-800-336-1917.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE
SEEN ON THIS "NATURE" PROGRAM,

VISIT pbs.org.