Last month at Bonneville Dam, an extraordinary coalition of Northwest tribes, government agencies and river users — including farmers, businesses and utilities — gathered to celebrate a landmark event for our region's iconic salmon.

This year's return of about 2.3 million salmon and steelhead to the Columbia River Basin shattered the modern-day record for total annual salmon returns — an abundance we haven't seen since fish counting began at the dam more than 75 years ago.

These numbers matter to the tribes, for whom salmon are a sacred "first food." They matter to the commercial and sport fishing industries that benefit from a bountiful catch. If you live in the Northwest and have ever paid an electricity bill, the numbers matter to you, too.

Read the full story at the Oregonian>>

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