Speak up to Protect the Chehalis River’s Wild Steelhead

Wild steelhead advocates have an important opportunity to protect one of the best remaining steelhead runs in the United States by stopping the proposed dam on the Chehalis River. So please speak up today and tell the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that you oppose this misguided dam proposal and that it is time to develop real solutions for the Chehalis Basin.

While the Chehalis River lacks the fame and notoriety of Washington’s more iconic rivers like the Skagit and Hoh, most years the Chehalis boasts a run of wild steelhead larger than any river in the state. As recently as 2004, the Chehalis had 19,000 wild winter steelhead return to its waters. But much like many of its sister rivers, the Chehalis has experienced a steady decline of returning wild steelhead in recent years.

Help Create a Brighter Future for Chehalis Wild Steelhead

We have the opportunity to reverse this decline by investing in important habitat restoration. However, before we can break out the shovels, we must first stop the dangerous flood mitigation dam being proposed in the upper Chehalis watershed, which environmental assessments show will causes irreparable harm to the basin’s wild fish and wildlife populations. Making matters worse, this destructive proposal would also cost taxpayers between $625 million and $1 billion and won’t even be an effective solution to the basin’s flooding problems.

The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers’ recent environmental review makes it even clearer that now is not the time to build a new dam on the Chehalis River. Instead, we must invest in smart, forward-thinking alternatives that can accomplish the dual goals of reducing flood impacts and restoring the basin’s critical aquatic ecosystems.

Please take action today and help create a brighter future in the Chehalis Basin by telling the Army Corps to keep the Chehalis River flowing free!