Meet our Educators: Gwen Trice

Gwen Trice

Founder & Executive Director, Maxville Heritage Interpretive Center, 

Joseph, OR/ Maxville, OR

September 10, 2024

Gwen Trice’s old blue truck led our caravan on a turn-off from the main logging road outside of Enterprise, OR. When we finally stopped, she climbed out and stood proudly on the wrap-around porch of a large log cabin, which we later learned was a reconstructed supervisor’s lodge. Leaning on her cane and beaming at us in the twilight, she welcomed us all warmly to Maxville. 

Maxville was a logging boom-town operated by Bowman-Hicks Lumber Company from 1922 to 1933. It was also a heavily segregated town; despite the fact that many of the Black and White workers did the same type of labor, they lived on opposite sides of town in vastly different housing situations. 

Although the town’s site holds many memories of hurt and oppression, it also holds opportunity for regrowth. As archeologists excavate pieces of Maxville’s past, Gwen is working on shaping its future. For our group, Maxville took on the role of an emotional catalyst. Sitting in the great-room of the supervisors lodge, Gwen guided us through conversations about our roots. Without knowing it, we were engaged in healing our own trauma and learning more about each other. Through emotional connections, silly games, and improvised skits, we aided the realization of Gwen’s vision of Maxville as an “amnesty space”.

Gwen has a personal connection to the Maxville of old: her father and grandfather were among the 40-60 Black workers recruited by Bowman-Hicks to log in the area. Soon after Bowman-Hicks abandoned the area, Gwen’s family moved to La Grande, Oregon, where she grew up amidst the societal and legal racism of the mid-twentieth century. 

As she spoke about her experiences as a Black child in that era, her slow, measured voice often became emotional. “My process includes my tears,” she told us, chuckling and wiping her eyes. For Gwen, the struggles of Maxville’s legacy are still raw. Through her work in public schools with the program “Seeding Hope and Healing”, Gwen gets to meet many students of color who have had experiences of race-based oppression. She strives to create a space where they can work through that trauma, “building muscle tone” to come out of difficult experiences.

Our time with Gwen was revolutionary. Her grounding presence inspired an emotional vulnerability and honesty of the highest caliber in her listeners, and we all share Gwen’s hope that many more people will be able to engage with Maxville in such a meaningful way. Gwen believes the continued un-earthing and reconstructing of Maxville’s past will create a haven for education, artistry, and authentic love of people and place.

by Carlie Johnson

Meet our Guests: Eric Crawford

Eric Crawford

Snake River Campaign Director, Government Affairs, Trout Unlimited

Lewiston, ID

September 9, 2024

We met Eric Crawford at a rest stop off Highway 12, near Lewiston, Idaho, nestled up against the Clearwater River. From his first words, Eric’s enthusiasm was palpable. He greeted us with handshakes and smiles before he began to tell us about his life’s mission. 

As the Snake River Campaign Director for Trout Unlimited, Eric’s objective is clear: removal of the four Lower Snake River dams. Eric stands firmly on one side of what is a fiercely debated issue. To him, the salmon are of the utmost importance. He spoke fervently about the issues caused by the dams and the limited time we have to fix these problems as they become further exacerbated by climate change.

Citing the importance of salmon to the native tribes of the area, salmon’s ecological importance as a keystone species in their ecosystem, and our ability to compensate for the negative effects of dam removal, Eric crafted a compelling argument as to the urgency and importance of these dams’ removal.

Eric didn’t just come to persuade us, either. He willingly took on our questions and concerns, speaking candidly about the difficulty of his job, and the complicated, multi-faceted range of issues that come with negotiating dam politics. When asked about whether he’s considered the possibility of failing his mission, he said it’s just something you can’t think about. He has to believe that the dams will be breached. 

by Theo Rollman

Meet our Educators: Roger Amerman

Roger Amerman

Enthnogeologist

Stites, ID

September 8, 2024

It was a smokey late Friday afternoon when we pulled into the driveway of the Nez Perce Longhouse in Stites, Idaho. Roger Amerman, renowned Choctaw ethnogeologist, beadwork artist, and close colleague and friend of Whitman College, greeted us right away with cheerful introductions and hugs with former students. A circle formed immediately, drawn to Roger’s contagious excitement as he dived into his life and the surrounding area. Ethnogeology, as he explained, is the study of Native American engagement with the environment- soils, geologic phenomena, and natural resources- over the course of over 16,000 years. 

Soon many of us got to work carrying the large poles (lodgepole pine) from Roger’s property down the road to the yard of the Longhouse. With the sun setting, we followed Roger’s instructions to set up the traditional teepees. The teepee entrance always faces East; orientation in the landscape and the cosmos is central to the Nez Perce way of life. Over dinner, he had us all laughing over stories from his Whitman years.

The next day we visited the Heart of the Monster, a geological monument near the town of Kamiah. The large grassy mound marks a central part of the Nez Perce origin story; when Coyote killed the Monster, who had broken laws of the land by eating all the animals, he discarded the parts of its body across the land. Roger also took us to see the lesser known Lungs of the Monster. In the smoky heat, we stood on the hill looking over the ridges of the Lungs as he reflected on his approach to geologic research. He spoke about the importance of collaborating with all the demographics of a given community- elders, government officials, non-official groups, and all the other “cats.” He also spoke about the universal benefit of incorporating Indigenous knowledge into Western science; “We believe we’re the only ones keeping us connected to the land! And if we lose it, our situation as human beings is at best, precarious,” Roger said. His knowledge of the area yielded other benefits- ice cream and a secret swimming spot. 

During our jet boat tour through Hell’s Canyon the following day, Roger added his valuable wealth of knowledge and distinct energy. A constant message throughout, occasionally followed by a fistbump, was “petroglyphs don’t lie, baby.” These symbols, as he explained, revealed the exact legacy of the area. The big-horned sheep depicted on the rocks, as opposed to deer and elk, reveal the central animal to the Sahaptin people living in the region thousands of years ago. 

Wildfire smoke forced us to depart from Roger a day early. As we stood in the yard of blue flowers saying our goodbyes, he asked us all to name our favorite mythical creature and three reasons why. His was a centaur- fusion of man and animal. Going forward, he encouraged us to not overlook conflicting truths. In his words, “pay attention. Even if each family has a little bit of a different story, you don’t throw any of that data away. You see how you can use that to tell a better story.” 

by Alice O’Brien

Meet our Guests: DR Michel

DR Michel

Executive Director of The Upper Columbia United Tribes

Kettle Falls, WA

September 5, 2024

One hundred and one river miles from Grand Coulee Dam, lies a place called Kettle Falls. If paddling or driving by, you won’t see nor hear the impressive falls that provided a meeting place of salmon, water, and people for thousands of years. In 1940, the installation of Grand Coulee dam created the reservoir dubbed Lake Roosevelt, drowning the falls, as well as much of the history and culture along with it. 

Perched above the bank of Lake Roosevelt and the former Kettle Falls, Westies met with DR Michel. Michel is a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation. With decades of experience in resource management, forestry, business, Michel has a deep understanding and passion for all things salmon. Michel now works as the executive director of the Upper Columbia United Tribes (UCUT). UCUT is a non-profit which focuses on improving river conditions for salmonids, wildlife, and humans.

Michel spoke to Westies about the complex state of the salmon run on the Upper Columbia, as well as upstream environmental pollutants, with large downstream effects. Michel shared with Westies about a metal processing plant on the Columbia river north of the U.S. Canada border, that contaminated the river with metal toxins. He went on to speak about the pathways forward to a cleaner river.The Westies were lucky to speak with Michel, as he reflected that he was not educated about the cultural and tribal significance of Kettle Falls growing up, and is now working to change that for today's youth. 

Michel holds an optimistic view that we can use both technology and traditional practices to bring a healthier run of salmon. “We’re talking about passage within the current construction, to avoid those politics around dam removal…we still feel like there is enough room and technology to make a substantial run.” Through Michel’s knowledge and optimism, Westies furthered their understanding of the politics and practices regarding salmon recovery in the Columbia Basin, as well as the everlasting impacts of Grand Coulee Dam. 

by Owen Schott

Meet our Guests: Matt McDaniel

Matt McDaniel

Hatchery Manager at Chief Joseph Dam Hatchery Program

Bridgeport, WA

September 3, 2024

We began our meeting with Matt McDaniel outside of the visitors center at Chief Joseph Dam. Matt was dressed casually and in sunglasses like the rest of us, but his American flag fish polo shirt stood out and made it immediately apparent that this man has a deep passion for his job. McDaniel, currently the Hatchery Manager at Chief Joseph Dam Hatchery Program, explained that he fell in love with fish hatcheries after getting a job at another hatchery after he graduated college. 

Chief Joseph Dam produces the second most amount of power in the United States after Grand Coulee. Inconveniently, the dam lacks a fish ladder making it impossible for salmon to migrate to their spawning grounds up river. The Chief Joseph Dam Hatchery Program, owned by the Colville Tribes, sits in front of the looming concrete dam as a mitigation effort to provide salmon for both tribal and recreational fishers.

Matt McDaniel led our group down to the raceways where they keep adult fish prior to harvesting their eggs and sperm. The most memorable part of our visit was viewing the room in which the hatchery program incubates millions of salmon eggs in cold water (around 45 degrees fahrenheit) after the fertilization process. The hatchery program aims to release 2.9 million hatchery smolt into the Columbia River this year and generally expects a >1% return rate of previously released adult hatchery fish from the ocean. 

Matt was incredibly straightforward with us about the issues of disease and resource competition posed by hatchery fish as well as their positive impacts on the environment and people. He does not see a future where wild fish populations return to their pre-dam and pre-overfishing levels, but he is hopeful that the integration of hatchery fish will continue to stabilize struggling river ecosystems. 

by: Linnea Krig

Meet our Guests: John Sirois

John Sirois

Traditional Territories Advisor of the Confederated Tribes of Colville Reservation

Methow Valley

August 29, 2024

As the traditional territories advisor of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville reservation, John Sirios stood before us, providing an invaluable educational opportunity. We met him on his ancestral lands in the Methow Valley, x̌ʷnámx̌ʷnam, also known as Hummingbird. It was a plot of land purchased by the Methow Conservancy and returned to the Colville tribes with no strings attached in an effort to welcome the Methow descendants back home. Formerly known as the Wagner Ranch, the land sits along the Chewuch river and has become a communal space for the Methow descendants to learn, celebrate, and preserve culture.

John taught us about the creation story of salmon, the struggle within the Colville tribes to find a space to gather, and the uphill battle to preserve language and culture.  As he spoke, he also highlighted some of the corporations and dams that oppress their way of life. Grand Coulee and Chief Joseph Dam, cemented in the Columbia river, obstruct the passage of salmon, decimating the fish population, and in turn the culture of the Methow descendants. Learning about this directly from an indigenous perspective was enlightening and lit a fire for the necessity of change. The people of the Colville tribes continue to fight for the removal of the dams, demanding accountability and action for the betterment of all living things. 

by Kiana Potter

Meet our Guests: Rick Desautel

Rick Desautel

Colville Tribal Member

Coulee Dam, WA

September 4, 2024

On a sunny September morning we arrived at the Colville Tribal Museum overlooking the mighty Grand Coulee Dam. We were there to meet with Rick Desautel. Rick, along with almost half of the members of the Colville Reservation, are part of the Sinixt tribe whose homelands stretch along the Columbia River into Canada and the Arrow Lakes region of British Columbia. Despite the Sinixt’s very real existence, the Canadian government declared them extinct in 1956. Since then, the national border has severed ties between the Sinixt and their homeland. Over the past decade surviving tribal members including Rick have waged a legal battle, fighting for their rights to access traditional territory once again.

As we sat in a large quiet room, Rick passionately told us his story. It all began with the shot of an elk in what the Sinixt consider traditional hunting grounds in Canada. Rick was the one to take that shot and after a long legal process Rick was granted an aboriginal of Canada by the Supreme Court of Canada. Now, after being granted rights in Canada, the Sinixt are working to re-familiarize and bind with the land as well as gain status as First Nation people. Rick talked about their existence alongside the battle for Salmon describing that “We need to get home just like the salmon need to get home.” Living in a world where simply existing is a protest, Rick is hopeful and continues to work with the community to regain connection to their sacred land.  

by Cameron Collister

Meet our Guests: Nakia Williamson

Nakia Williamson

Director of the Nez Perce Cultural Research Department

Stites, ID

September 7, 2024

Ring. As a blanket of smoke settles over the Nez Perce reservation, we stand in stillness, listening to the resonance of a bell. 

Nakia Williamson, a Nez Perce (Nimiipuu) tribal member from Lapwai, Idaho, sang a traditional song as the horizon grew intensely apocalyptic. Smoke from wildfires scattered across Idaho compounded, filling the valley to its brim. As the director of the Nez Perce cultural research department, he spoke on behalf of the land; his thoughts flowing effortlessly, echoing the South Fork Clearwater River behind us. 

Post-mining, where the landscape now brims with tailings, the Sahaptian name for the Clearwater changed to a word akin to “dirty water.” The Sahaptian language is inherently relational: words are defined by their reciprocity, and their vowel-rich sounds blend into the environment itself. English, however, is a language full of arbitrary structure and rigidity. When teaching English speakers, Nakia thinks carefully about his word choice and the human-environment separation our language creates. He says he is not an environmentalist, as environmentalism implies human detachment from nature. 

Instead, Nakia spoke of a deep interconnectedness with the land in which “Natural Law” is understood. Written in the landscape, nature holds time-honored, ancient knowledge. Natural Law is boundless; it cannot be contained to a book or three-credit course. So, we interact, dig our hands into the earth, and listen…

by Ava Frans

Meet our Guests: Dana Visalli

Dana Visalli

Citizen Scientist, Gardener

Methow Valley

September 1, 2024

Nestled among alfalfa, wheat, and fruit farms in the heart of the Methow Valley, Dana Visalli lives a life deeply connected to nature. Upon our arrival, he warmly greeted us from his porch. Through his cabin's large windows, we saw shelves lined with endless books and plants. Dana immediately began sharing his lifestyle with enthusiasm. He lives on a few acres, with an outdoor composting toilet, solar panels, and a large garden.

As he spoke, our conversation naturally flowed between topics. A point on natural history might lead to the blooming cycles of his front yard plants, while a discussion on ecology might shift to his favorite flower, the Rocky Mountain bee plant. His garden, where he grows beets, tomatoes, eggplants, carrots, strawberries, lettuce, and more, is central to his life. He sells his produce to a local health food store and welcomes community members weekly to pick up their fruits and vegetables directly from his farm, taking pride in showing them where their food comes from.

Soon, all 21 of our students were exploring his property with butterfly nets, examining plants under microscopes, and searching for critters in the creek. From our time with him, it was clear that Dana’s extensive knowledge comes from his passions and avid habit of reading. His commitment to sustainability and thoughtful approach to global systems were evident. Dana’s enthusiasm for close observation and learning underscores his dedication to understanding the natural world and encourages reflection on the sustainability of our society.

by Cambria Bartlett

Meet our Guests: Alexa Whipple

Alexa Whipple

Program Director, Methow Okanogan Beaver Project

Winthrop, WA

August 30, 2024

The Westies met Alexa Whipple and other members of the Methow Okanagan Beaver Project for a hot, sweaty, and inspiring day along leafy streambeds in the Methow Valley. The Beaver Project began in 2008 and has been directed by Alexa since 2019. It works to preserve and restore beaver activity in the Methow and Okanagan watersheds by facilitating human-beaver coexistence, outreach, and education. 

Beavers are considered a “nuisance species” in the state of Washington, but they are vital to river ecosystems. By building dams, beavers create swaths of habitat for other organisms, reduce water sediments, and increase nutrient cycling. Beaver populations are far lower than they should be in the Methow–and across the west–because of the historical fur trade and ongoing failures in human-beaver cohabitation. The Methow valley is only at 18% of its beaver capacity. 

As project director for the Methow Okanagan Beaver Project, Alexa strives to create conditions that will enrich beaver, human, and ecosystem dynamics.  As we talked to her, Alexa also emphasized the many lessons that humans can learn from beavers, including how to take care of the landscape, share resources, and benefit other creatures. 

Throughout the day, Westies explored a handful of coexistence devices installed by the Beaver Project. We engaged in some hands-on stream restoration by creating temporary wooden devices to mimic beaver dams and slow down water flow. Thanks to Alexa’s enthusiastic explanations, demonstrations from other Beaver Project team members, and an afternoon working in the field, Westies gained a deeper appreciation for beavers and the importance of the Methow Okanagan Beaver Project’s work to help them thrive. 

by: Juliette Silvers

Meet our Guests: Susan Prichard

Susan Prichard

Research Scientist, UW School of Environmental and Forest Sciences

Winthrop, WA

August 27, 2024

Outside of Winthrop, Washington on a Forest Service road traversing the ridge above 8 Mile Creek, a tributary of the Chewuch River, we drive through the dense forest of Ponderosa Pine and Douglas Fir, observing the abrupt transition to bare scorched trees and fireweed gone to seed. The Cub Creek 2 fire burned 80,000 acres in 2021, starting on the Chewuch River and burning over the ridge in front of us and into the Falls Creek drainage. 

With us is Dr. Susan Prichard, a research scientist with the University of Washington School of Environmental and Forest Sciences. Her research focuses mainly on fuels management and climate-resilient forestry practices in the wake of higher severity wildfires.

“Even though it's tempting to say that all these wildfires are a result of climate change and warmer, drier, longer summers, I would say a huge part of the problem is loss of Indigenous burning which happened well over a hundred years ago through here and active fire suppression,” she tells us as we look across the burned landscape. 

The valley used to be stewarded by Methow people, and was burned intentionally every 5 years. These understory fires were conducted primarily through grasses and brush. Susan estimates that when prescribed burning was regularly implemented, severity effects of wildfires were much lower, consistently falling in the range of less than 20% of the vegetation burned. “We’re looking at over 120 years of fire exclusion here,” she concludes. 

The wind picks up and we all stand and listen as the snags begin to fall across the valley.   

by Gwen Marbet

Meet our Guests: Deed Fink

Deed Fink

Rancher

Winthrop, WA

August 28, 2024

In a small circle of students overlooking the expansive golden hills and fields of the Methow Valley, Deed Fink shared his personal journey and insights into local ranching. His family first arrived in the region in 1892, eventually settling on Deed’s current property just outside the small town of Winthrop.

Growing up, Deed worked for a Forest Service road crew, put out wildfires as a smokejumper, and served as a supervisor at the Washington State Department of Transportation, eventually retiring to dedicate his focus entirely to ranching. His day starts at dawn, changing sprinklers, hauling hay, managing his fields, and moving cattle. Deed explained how the region has changed with an influx of people moving from the cities, which has driven up housing costs, and strained the local water supply.

Deed hopes people understand that ranchers aren’t trying to destroy the environment, and that they actively care for the land they steward. He stresses the importance of listening to one another and finding a common ground to develop practical solutions. Through his stories and wit, our group gained a deeper appreciation for the ranching lifestyle, and its distinct relationship with the land and agricultural practices that shape the region. 

by Henry Anderson

Meet our Guests: Craig Boesel

Craig Boesel

Rancher 

Winthrop, WA

August 28, 2024

We’re sitting in the shade of a tree overlooking part of the Methow Valley, talking to Craig Boesel, a down-to-earth rancher with a shy smile and an eagerness to share. Craig has been ranching in the Methow Valley since the 70s, after cutting his teeth smokejumping in the North Cascades. He still proudly wears his big silver smokejumper belt buckle. He emphasizes the importance of the lessons he learned smokejumping; being alone, doing the hard things you think you cannot do, and working with people of differing opinions and perspectives in order to do good for the greater community.

We lean in as he talks and talks, eager to hear his richly nuanced love for all things living and his clear passion for “protecting the dirt.” As we delve into his relationship with the Methow, he talks about the onset of rapid development and urbanization in his beloved valley. Craig decided he wanted to protect his ranch by creating a family trust for agricultural use so that “potentially some little boy or girl that wanted to be something on the land” could be able to live with the same values and lifestyle that he holds dear. While chasing cows around his land, he often doesn’t see a soul, “just the birds and the animals and maybe a new baby fawn that was born that day or something, and it can make my day.” 

by Antonia Prinster

Meet our Guests: Clara Hoffman

Clara Hoffman

Home Range Program Coordinator

Twisp, WA

August 28, 2024

Clara Hoffman showed up to our camp wearing a pair of chic clogs and double-knee jeans. A member of the Westie class of 2018, Clara now lives in the Methow Valley working as the Project Coordinator for Home Range Wildlife Research. 

During the winter she spends most of her week on snowmobiles categorizing lynx habitat, setting and monitoring traps. During the summer months, she spearheads Home Range’s efforts to improve human-Black Bear relationships in the valley through education and community outreach regarding conflict mitigation strategies. An aspect of her lynx work that I found especially compelling was her investigation into how climate change impacts predator-prey dynamics as low snowpack seasons negate the lynx’s evolutionary advantage on snow.

Clara hails from Vermont and was raised in a culture of farming and animal husbandry; though these are not her vocation, she shared that these passions are still close to her heart. She lives in a yurt on a small farm in Winthrop that has “the best carrots I have ever had”. This year, she grew her rows on the property, heirloom tomatoes (which didn’t do so well), green beans, and one singular melon!

by Irving Baldwin

Meet our Guests: Kristen Kirkby

Kristen Kirkby

Cascade Fisheries

Winthrop, WA

August 29, 2024

We were lucky enough to meet 2004 Westie Kristen Kirby on the banks of the glittering Methow River. Post Whitman, Kristen has been working as a Fisheries Biologist, currently with Cascade Fisheries. In talking about her work, she described the number one priority as “restoring natural processes for habitat.” She taught us about the ways humans have interfered with the habitats and natural life cycles of fish, specifically salmon- habitat disturbance, hydropower, hatcheries, and harvesting of fish. With Cascade Fisheries, Kristen works to reverse these impacts, with projects such as constructing log jams to provide spawning ground for salmon, steelhead and other species. 

As we sit with her, we are surrounded by a restoration project, working to re-engage the floodplains of the river to provide more opportunities for fish to reproduce and thrive. 

The group dons wetsuits and snorkels, and we move our classroom into a large eddy of the river. Joyful faces pop out of the water to describe the fish they’ve seen, and Kristen helps us identify them- Mountain Whitefish, various trout, and even a couple Chinook Salmon.

By allowing us to experience a glimpse of the extraordinary underwater world, Kristen lets us see for ourselves why we should care about restoring the vitality of these species and the incredible habitats they live in.

by Sofia DeFanti

Meet our Guests: Matt Benson

Matt Benson

Benson Farm Incorporated Native Seeds

Moses Lake, WA

August 26, 2024

Matt Benson owns Benson Farm Incorporated (BFI) in Moses Lake, Washington where they grow ecological plants using agricultural practices; they work with customers one on one through a five year process to produce native seeds for restoration projects. Matt started his career working with native seeds by following his father, Jerry Benson, a farmer who was a botanist for Washington State's Department of Wildlife. His father was tasked with mitigating the damage caused by building a dam. He tried a new system when the traditional mitigation strategies created by the Natural Resource Conservation’s (NRC) failed to achieve the desired results. This new system collected native plants for the specific region and multiplied the number of seeds to restore the area. This practice started BFI as it is known today.

At BFI Native Seeds, the Westies toured BFI’s agricultural plots and greenhouses while talking about Matt's contribution to ecological restoration projects. Matt’s job requires a deep understanding of the land in the West and in the Columbia Basin where BFI is located. He commented that the Columbia Basin is a great seed-growing region because it's not very windy, there's great water from Grand Coulee Dam, stable climate, and good soil- which are all controllable features that can be used to produce seeds for native plants on the west side of the Rockies. We were able to learn how Matt produces the seeds, the challenges he faces, and how BFI plans to continue working on restoration projects.

By: Caitlyn Taylor

Meet our Guests: Scott Corbitt and Mary Iacobelli

Scott Corbitt and Mary Iacobelli

General Manager and Communications Coordinator

Port of Lewiston

August 22, 2024

Scott Corbit is the general manager of the port of Lewiston. Scott describes his beloved town of Lewiston, the second largest city in northern Idaho, as “ground zero” in the issue of removing the four Lower Snake River dams. Charged with a passion for the families and economy of Lewiston, Scott discusses the variant of factors that make Lewiston and so many people dependent on the operation of the dams. Lewiston relies on the reservoir made by the dams to recharge the aquifer that is the city's water source. The Port is only operational with the navigation capabilities of the dam. Corbitt explains how he believes that fish and dams can coexist and that existence would be most beneficial for everyone. 

Mary Iacobelli works alongside Scott as the communications coordinator. Mary is a journalist and takes the role of writing humanitarian stories surrounding the port. Mary shared stories of the local family farms that rely on the port as a transportation source for their wheat. 

Scott leaves us with some impactful words. He encourages the Lewiston community to step up against the dam removal because “it's different this time,” explaining that there have been efforts since the dams have been built to remove them but these efforts have always stopped dead in the water. This time he feels like there is more of a chance.
By: Annika Schwartz

Meet our Guests: Peter Yager and the Lower Granite Dam

PETER YAGER

Park Ranger

Lower Granite Dam Visitor Center

August 22, 2024

We got our first view of the Lower Granite dam as the five-vehicle caravan cruised up the stagnant Snake River. We visited the Lower Granite dam to learn about hydropower, navigation, and salmon on the Snake River, which perfectly fits into this semester’s theme of Water in the West. The Lower Granite is a run-of-the-river dam in Southeast Washington. It is the highest dam on Marine Highway M-84, which carries barges for 465 miles between Lewiston, Idaho and the Pacific Ocean via the Columbia and Snake rivers. We parked at the visitor center and strolled in, all 21 students, professors Lyman and Stan, and our science communications educator, Sarah Koenigsberg. A man in his early 30s and a hi-vis Army Corps vest walked out of his office and asked for everyone’s IDs so he could photocopy them. Just like the water upstream, visitor access to the dam is restricted. The man’s name was Peter Yager, and his mullet stuck out from under his hard hat. As we walked down the road to the salmon lab, Peter dispelled bits and pieces of his life story. He grew up on the Yellowstone River in Montana, and appreciates the value of a wild river. Peter worked as a horse patrol EMT in Yellowstone National park before transferring to Lower Granite last year. He said he’d have no qualms finding a new job if the dam was breached the next day. As we talked about rising awareness of habitat loss and salmon populations, Peter said, “I don’t think these dams would have gone in if we put them in now.” Our heads perked up.

by Jackson Schroeder