The Fish Problem

Human actions over the past century have led to a progressive decline in the health and productivity of Oregon’s rivers, streams and lakes. Though the settlers made era-appropriate decisions while “taming” the land, their arrival in the West ushered in an unprecedented time of habitat impact. Timber extraction, hydropower development, livestock grazing, hatchery production and agricultural irrigation impaired the ability of salmon runs to sustain themselves. Today, more than 85 percent of historic salmon habitat has been lost or compromised throughout the region, and Pacific salmonid populations flicker at less than 4 percent of their historic abundance. More than 30,000 miles of Oregon’s streams fail to fully support aquatic life due to water quality impairment.