A debate about four Washington state dams has put the spotlight back on a longstanding story about salmon. The Idaho Statesmanhas begun a seriesabout the endangered species, which asks whether destroying the dams will be enough to save the fish. Frankie Barnhill sat down with Statesman reporter Rocky Barker to learn more about what’s at stake.
Barker has been following this issue for about 25 years. He says in that time, some things have changed in the debate (ex: climate change is now an issue, while the four dams in question have created sophisticated passages for the fish to swim through since the early 90s). Barker says one thing he's learned from reporting on the salmon is that the species is both fragile and resilient, and is tied to the identity of the Northwest.
The Idaho Statesman's series runs through October. For more information, search #SavingSalmon on social media.
Find reporter Frankie Barnhill on Twitter @FABarnhill
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