Watershed Moment

On Dec. 3. 2007 the Chehalis river valley in Washington State experienced a catastrophic flood like never before, marking the 4th major flood in 30 years and the resurgence of long-standing interest in building a flood retention dam. As the region prepares to pursue possible solutions with a combination of infrastructure and restorative design, this wild salmon stronghold faces rising water temperatures and a 100-year legacy of habitat degradation. The dam efforts have also caused diverse stakeholders, including the Confederated Tribes of Chehalis, Quinault Indian Nation and Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife to undertake massive scientific investigation in order to learn more about this little known basin and its fragile habitat. If no action is taken, the prized spring Chinook population will stay on trajectory toward extinction in coming years.

Episode Duration: 57 minutes and 36 seconds

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