FISHING -- Warming water temperatures in the Snake and Columbia rivers is catching the attention of fish scientists, especially those who support the removal of Snake River dams for the benefit of wild salmon and steelhead.

Following is the third memo in a series calling attention to the warming waters of the Columbia and Snake Rivers, and the impacts of those high water temperatures on migrating salmon and steelhead provided by Joseph Bogaard, deputy director, Save Our Wild Salmon Coalition, 206-286-4455 x103; joseph@wildsalmon.org

Summer 2013 - Hot Water Alert No. 3

Columbia and Snake River temperatures over 70 degrees for third straight week

Memo to Northwest writers, reporters, editorialists, and columnists – August 7, 2013

For the week July 29 through August 4, water temperatures were 70 degrees or higher 45 times at Columbia and Snake River federal dams passable to salmon – up from 35 readings the previous week. At three dams – The Dalles and John Day on the Columbia, and Ice Harbor on the Snake – temperatures were above 70 degrees all seven days both above and below the dams. At Ice Harbor Dam, temperatures have now been above 70 degrees for 17 consecutive days; at The Dalles and John Day, for 11 consecutive days.

The Dalles Dam(first reading = forebay/above dam; second reading = tailrace/below dam)         

July 29

70.1 F     70.2 F

July 30

70.7 F 70.7 F

July 31

70.8 F 70.9 F

Aug 1   70.6 F

70.8 F

Aug 2 70.1 F

70.3 F

Aug 3 70.2 F

70.2 F

Aug 4 71.1 F

71.1 F

John Day Dam (first reading = forebay/above dam; second reading = tailrace/below dam)

July 29 70.9 F

70.9 F

July 30 70.9 F

70.9 F

July 31 71 F     

70.9 F

Aug 1 70.8 F

70.8 F

Aug 2 70.6 F

70.6 F

Aug 3 70.9 F

70.9 F

Aug 4 71.5 F

71.5 F

Ice Harbor Dam  (first reading = forebay/above dam; second reading = tailrace/below dam)

July 29 71 F

71.1 F

July 30 70.8 F

71.5 F

July 31 70.8 F

71.2 F

Aug 1 70.6 F

70.9 F

Aug 2 70.4 F

70.2 F

Aug 3 71 F

71 F

Aug 4 70.2 F

70.6 F

Bonneville Dam (first reading = forebay/above dam; second reading = tailrace/below dam)

Aug 1 70 F

Aug 4 70.3 F

70.3 F

The Idaho Statesman reported August 3 that hundreds of endangered sockeye and chinook salmon were trapped in July by warm water at the base of the Lower Granite Dam fish ladder on the lower Snake. Turbine adjustments and auxiliary pumps finally got the fish moving up the ladder, but the situation could be a harbinger for days and years ahead.

See Columbia-Snake temperatures.