Due to climate change, salmon populations are decreasing because the dams are affecting upstream and downstream migrants. While attending the discussion on climate change’s impact on salmon, I found it to be really interesting because I didn’t realize how climate change and the dams were negatively impacting the salmon populations. The dams make it impossible for the fish to repopulate because they are unable to reach their unique original spawning grounds further upstream. Climate change is impacting the salmon by the warming temperatures because salmon are used to living in a cold-water habitat.
Since the temperatures are increasing, mid-watershed elevations will switch from snow dominated to rain dominated. Higher climate temperatures lead to less snow and more rain, which is a major cause for the rivers’ temperatures to be rising. The increased water temperatures will stress migrating adults, may disrupt growth and downstream migration timing of juveniles. As of right now, they are unsure of how much warming will wipe out the salmon population, but there have already been fish die offs from the rising water temperatures.
However, they are already seeing a movement of fish going upward to Northern Canada and Alaska. Many areas are trying to create fish passages in dams to get the fish going back up into Canada. One specific place that is doing this that I found to be really cool was Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. My dad and his entire side of the family have lived in Coeur d’Alene for almost 20 years, so it is a second home to me. So I was really proud to say that a place I call home is taking charge in trying to save the salmon.
I found this discussion to be extremely interesting and I learned a lot because I had never learned much about salmon coming from Wisconsin, so I didn’t realize how big of an issue this was. Many of the older people at the discussion were very heated about the salmon issue in the Pacific Northwest. They took the issue very seriously, which showed me how serious of an issue it is. What I learned from the discussion is that the salmon are very important to the Pacific Northwest and we need to do everything in our power to save them.
I never thought about that… How climate change is not only affecting us humans but animals too. It’s saddening because we are the ones causing it. It’s important to preserve the life of our animals because they do so much for our environment that we don’t know. I love your ideas and blatant comments about the Salmon, you are very passionate about this.
It is difficult to think that our actions are truly having a negative affect on all forms of life. Human’s carelessness is putting species that have nothing but a positive effect on our planet, on the verge of extinction. I admire your strong views on this topic and also coming from the Midwest, I never heard about how we are effecting the salmon population in the Northwest Pacific. Thank you for bringing this topic to my attention.