As they traveled down the Columbia River and interacted with Indian tribes of the area, members of the expedition had plenty of opportunities to see and eat the salmon. The salmon is still an important element of the economy and environment of the Pacific Northwest, but the life of the salmon has changed due to changes on the rivers of the Northwest. Join us to learn about the life cycle of the salmon. View footage of the Dworshak National Fish Hatchery and ask questions about their production of spring chinook salmon. Ask questions of our guests at The Dalles Dam concerning their hydroelectric operation and salmon ladders in operation, and find out about the salmon's role in native cultures of the area.
Contents of the Broadcast:
1. Opening to 4:05--Introduction, welcome, information on today's location, orientation to today's topic
2. 4:05 to 20:00--In this segment, we look at the natural life cycle of the salmon with guest biologists Milo Zyndol and Bob Cordie from The Dalles Dam. Topics include the natural life cycle of the Pacific Salmon, different types of salmon, the salmon runs at the Dalles, and the anadromous nature of the salmon. Student questions deal with the effect of saltwater on the salmon and how the salmon knows where to return to spawn. Images of the salmon in various life stages accompany the topics above.
3. 20:00 to 38:03--Next we turn to the role of the salmon in the lives of native peoples in the area. We are joined by John Jackson, Heriditary Chief of the Cascades Tribe, Wilbur Slockish, Heriditary Chief of the Klickitat Tribe, and Philip Waltlamet of the Columbia River InterTribal Fisheries Commission. Topics include the role of salmon as both a food source and its impact on native cultures and economics. Student questions lead to discussion of traditional fishing techniques, the use of the salmon beyond food, how much of the salmon is used for food, its role in ceremonies, a description of the First Salmon Feast and the role of the Columbia River InterTribal Fisheries Commission.
4. 38:03 to 59:19—This segment focuses on the impact of man-made changes to the salmon's natural habitat and programs established to deal with those impacts. We are joined again by our biolgists from The Dalles Dam. Topics include the use of salmon ladders and the work of salmon fish hatcheries. Susan Sawyer, Information and Education Specialist from the Dworshak National Fish Hatchery explains the rearing and return of the salmon developed there as she takes students on a video tour of the nursery room and spawning rooms at Dworshak National Fish Hatchery. Other images and video footage in this segment includes salmon ladders in operation. In addition to these topics, student questions lead to a discussion of the types of engineers who build salmon ladders, do all dams have fish ladders, dangers for salmon or other fish as they use the ladders, and the survival rate of salmon.
5. 59:19 to End--Student questions close our program with discussion on the effects of salmon ladders on other fish, materials used to make salmon ladders, and the proportion of fish reproducing naturally versus in fish hatcheries. We then offer closing comments, topics of upcoming webcasts, thanks, and goodbye.
