Friday June 19, 2026
Capital Press —
The Lower Monumental Dam on the Snake River. The Public Power Council claims that the court-ordered increase in spill over the dam and the John Day Dam delayed adult salmon passage this spring. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers/Contributed)
The federal court order to increase spill over Columbia and Snake river dams delayed adult salmon passage “significantly” at two dams, according to the Public Power Council.
Citing reports from the Columbia River Basin Water Management technical management team, the council says adult salmon at Lower Monumental Dam on the Snake River and John Day Dam on the Columbia River were unable to find fish ladders to swim upstream to migrate and spawn “because of the massive amount of water coming over those dams,” said Scott Simms, council.
“Due to ongoing litigation regarding this issue, we don’t have a comment,” said Matthew Nies, public affairs specialist for the Department of Justice.