Newhouse Dams Vital To Ag, Regional Economy

Saturday thousands are expected in Columbia Park in Kennewick, for Riverfest 2019.  Organizers say the event is a fun and low stress way for everyday citizens to learn the value of the Columbia and Snake river dams to the Inland Northwest way of life.  Representative Dan Newhouse, a farmer himself, said not only do those dams provide much needed irrigation water and generate electricity, but they do so much more to the Ag industry.

“Allow the Snake and Columbia River systems to literally be a highway from Lewiston, Idaho to the ocean.  And that’s a tremendously important link for many of our producers around the region.  It keeps a lot of trucks off the road, and is very economical way to transport goods.”

Riverfest was launched in 2018 to combat those that claim the dams, specifically the Snake River dams need to be removed to help salmon and steelhead migrating in the area.  Newhouse disagrees with the idea the dams, must be removed to save wildlife.

“The dams and salmon can co-exist.  There’s been a tremendous amount of work done, a lot of investments made to make sure the, and continue to be made, to make sure the salmon can pass through the dams systems.”

Click Here to learn more about Riverfest 2019.

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