Oregon
Despite federal dams, Columbia and Snake River tribes fight to keep fishing traditions alive • Oregon Capital Chronicle
This summer for the first time the U.S. government acknowledged that nearly a century of damming waterways in the Columbia and Snake rivers for hydroelectricity has devastated fish runs central to the lives of Northwest tribes.
Its report, released in June, made headlines and followed promises by the Biden administration to restore native fish populations to the rivers.
But tribal members who fish and live along the Columbia River remain skeptical.
“I don’t think much will ever change on the river,” said Ralph Whitefoot, a fisherman on the Columbia River and a member of the Yakama Nation. “I’m sure as hell not going to get my hopes up.”
Another Columbia River fisherman, Rebecca Winnier, a member of the Yakama Nation, said the report rang hollow because the authors didn’t pledge to take the dams out.
“We need to let these dams go,” Winnier said. “We’re just out of balance.”
Rebeccah Winnier (left), Coal Hert (center) and Stephen Hert (right) reel in traditional hoop nets from a scaffold run by Winnier’s company, Northwest Fish Hogs, along the Columbia River in Skamania County on Thursday, July 25, 2024. (Jordan Gale/Oregon Capital Chronicle)
Winnier, who just celebrated her 46th birthday, is a member of the Yakama Nation. Apart from a six-month stint in central Washington’s Tri-Cities area, she has spent her entire life in and around the town of White Salmon, on the Columbia River. She’s built up a large fishing company called Northwest Fish Hogs. Her operation is large, but she still uses a traditional hoop method of catching fish that tribes in the region have used for thousands of years. She points up the river to where her uncles, aunts and her father used to fish – within eyesight of where she fishes now.
“Salmon are a part of our creation story. It would be very difficult to separate fishing and this river from our identity,” she said.
In 1855, the Nez Perce, Umatilla, Warm Springs and Yakama tribes entered into a treaty with the federal government, ceding millions of acres of their land to the U.S. In return, the federal government guaranteed their hunting and fishing rights at traditional sites in perpetuity.
Between 1938 and 1975, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built 11 hydroelectric dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers. Bonneville Dam was the first to go up, and it’s the last one before the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean.
The dams deprived the region’s tribes of their traditional fishing areas by blocking salmon runs and isolating tribal members from the food they’ve depended on for milenia. The dams also flooded tribal fishing villages and structures when reservoirs were created, burying thousands of acres of tribal land and sacred sites underwater.
After the dams were built, tribal members found themselves limited to fishing – and sometimes living – in unfamiliar areas on both sides of the river that were designated by the U.S. government for the four Columbia River Treaty tribes. Some sites don’t have potable water or even electricity even though the power-producing Bonneville Dam is just miles away.
“I’d really like to see some resources in place for those that are left out here,” said Connie Shippentower, a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation who fishes along the Columbia River.
Connie Shippentower, a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, has spent a large portion of her life along the lower section of the Columbia River. She and her ex-husband began building a fishing complex in 1988 while she was pregnant with her youngest of two sons. They chose a spot near a former tribal village that was flooded during dam construction.
Although she now lives on the Umatilla Reservation near Pendleton, Connie regularly treks down Interstate 84 to help family and friends with fish canning and other odd tasks.
Whitefoot also knows the Columbia River well. He’s 63 and raised his three daughters at a U.S. designated site east of Stevenson, Washington.
Whitefoot has fished in the Columbia River his entire life. He catches a variety of fish but mainly salmon. He also smokes and cans his fish and those caught by other tribal members. He sells the products at farmers markets and tribal events as far away as Seattle and caters ceremonies and weddings.
Everyone who gathers at tribal fishing sites along the Columbia River depends on the salmon, even if they don’t fish themselves. Some focus on cleaning boats and making and selling nets while others prepare the fish to go to markets.
Whitefoot is among those who do it all – and he intends to remain along the river.
“For me, when the net is out, and I’m picking blackberries from the bushes, it’s a good life,” Whitefoot said. “It ain’t much, but it’s mine.”
Whitefoot often works with Farley Eaglespeaker, a member of the Nez Perce Tribe. Eaglespeaker was born and raised in Lewiston, Idaho along the Snake River and, at 21, is the owner of Eagleboys Fish, which sells whole fish and packaged fish from the Columbia River.
He still spends most of the time in the Lewiston area, but when he’s not playing in basketball tournaments, he and three friends drive down Interstate 5, catching and selling fish as far as Vancouver, Washington and Portland.
Eaglespeaker said he thinks a lot about the complexity of traditional relationships with the fish in the Columbia and Snake Rivers and fishing for profit in a river system that was once just a part of their culture, not a business.
“We’re not supposed to fish for the money, but we have to because it’s the world we’re born into now,” he said.
David Coit scored 17 points, Elijah Saunders added 15, and Maryland defeated Oregon 70-60 in a first-round game of the Big Ten Tournament on Tuesday.
Maryland held Oregon to 3-for-22 shooting (14%) with 0 for 10 from 3-point distance in the first half and the Terrapins led 33-12 at the break. Maryland scored the first nine points and the Ducks made their first field goal at the 8:46 mark, making the score 17-8. Maryland later ran off 10 consecutive points for a 31-10 lead. Coit scored 12 points in the first half.
An 11-2 run helped the Ducks cut their deficit to 12 points early in the second half, but Maryland allowed only three points over the next 5 1/2 minutes and the lead was 58-34 near the 8-minute mark. A dunk and a three-point play from Nate Bittle started a 15-2 run for Oregon and it was 60-49 with 4 1/2 minutes remaining.
The Ducks got within single digits a few times, the last at 67-58 with 53 seconds remaining but Maryland’s Darius Adams made 3 of 4 free throws to preserve a double-digit margin.
Bittle scored 16 points, Kwame Evans Jr. 14 and Takai Simpkins 10 for 16th-seeded Oregon (12-20).
Maryland, seeded 17th, got 12 points, six rebounds and five assists from Andre Mills. Solomon Washington also scored 12 points and Adams finished with 10 points for the Terrapins (12-20).
Maryland defeated Oregon for the first time. The Ducks had won the only two prior matchups — both since joining the Big Ten last season. Most recently, Oregon won 64-54 at Maryland in January.
Up next
Maryland plays ninth-seeded Iowa in the second round on Wednesday.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — Crude oil prices surged after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and stalled tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, pushing gas prices sharply higher across the country, though Oregon and Washington are seeing smaller increases than many other states.
The national average price for regular gasoline jumped 43 cents over the past week to $3.54 a gallon.
Oregon’s average rose 31 cents to $4.26 a gallon, the 42nd-largest week-over-week increase among states.
Washington also increased 31 cents, ranking 44th-largest.
READ ALSO | Oil prices spike amid Iran war; Oregon gas remains above national average
The current national average is at its highest price since July 2024. Oregon’s average is at its highest since Sept. 2025.
“When crude oil prices shoot up, pump prices follow suit because crude oil is the basic ingredient in gasoline and diesel. It’s impossible to predict how high prices might go, but expect elevated oil and gas prices as long as the conflict in Iran continues and tankers are stalled in the Strait of Hormuz,” said Marie Dodds, public affairs director for AAA Oregon/Idaho.
AAA notes that, in general, every $1 increase in the price of crude oil leads to a 2.4- to 2.5-cent increase in the price of gasoline.
Crude oil typically accounts for about 47% of the cost of a gallon of gasoline, with refining at 16%, distribution and marketing at 20%, and taxes at 17%, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
About 20% of the world’s oil and refined products flow through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passageway of the Persian Gulf bordered by Iran.
Tankers traveling through the strait carry oil from major producers including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE, Qatar, Iraq and Iran. Any disruption can affect global oil supplies. While the U.S. does not rely on Iranian oil, China and India do.
Seasonal factors are also adding upward pressure. Gas prices typically rise starting in mid-to-late winter and early spring as refineries undergo maintenance ahead of the switch to summer-blend fuel, which is more expensive to produce and less likely to evaporate in warmer temperatures.
National gas price comparison/AAA chart
Most areas have a May 1 compliance date for refiners and terminals, while most gas stations have a June 1 deadline to switch to selling summer-blend. Some refineries begin maintenance and the switchover in February.
In Oregon, the average price for regular gas began 2026 at $3.42 a gallon. The highest price of the year so far is today’s $4.26, and the lowest was $3.33 on Jan. 20. Nationally, the average began 2026 at $2.83 a gallon. The highest price of the year so far is today’s $3.54, and the lowest was $2.795 on Jan. 11.
AAA reported that U.S. gasoline demand decreased from 8.73 million barrels per day to 8.29 million for the week ending Feb. 27, compared with 8.88 million a year ago.
Total domestic gasoline supply decreased from 254.8 million barrels to 253.1 million. Gasoline production increased last week, averaging 9.3 million barrels per day compared with 9.2 million barrels per day the previous week.
Crude oil prices have been volatile. West Texas Intermediate surged to near four-year highs around $95 per barrel this week but fell to the $80s today as President Trump signaled the conflict with Iran may end soon.
On the West Coast, all seven states remain in the top 10 for the most expensive pump prices nationally.
California has the highest average for the fifth week in a row at $5.29 a gallon and is the only state at or above $5.
Washington is second at $4.69, Hawaii third at $4.59, Nevada fourth at $4.30 and Oregon fifth at $4.26. Arizona averages $3.97 and Alaska $3.95.
All 50 states and the District of Columbia saw week-over-week increases. California had the largest jump at 62 cents, while Hawaii had the smallest at 19 cents. AAA said Oregon and Washington prices also rose last month after an outage of the Olympic pipeline.
The cheapest gas in the nation is in Kansas at $2.96 a gallon and Oklahoma at $3.01. Kansas is the only state with an average in the $2 range this week. The gap between the most expensive and least expensive states is $2.33 this week, up from $2.05 a week ago.
Compared with a month ago, prices are higher everywhere: the national average is up 62 cents and Oregon’s average is up 68 cents.
Compared with a year ago, the national average is up 45 cents and Oregon’s average is up 53 cents.
Diesel prices also spiked. The national average for diesel rose 89 cents over the week to $4.78 a gallon, while Oregon’s average jumped 72 cents to $5.02.
A year ago, the national average for diesel was $3.63 and Oregon’s average was $3.86.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A federal judge in Oregon on Monday restricted federal officers from using tear gas at protests at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland, in response to a lawsuit filed by the ACLU of Oregon on behalf of protesters and freelance journalists.
U.S. District Judge Michael Simon issued the preliminary injunction after a three-day hearing in which the plaintiffs — including a demonstrator known for wearing a chicken costume, a married couple in their 80s and two freelance journalists — testified about having chemical or projectile munitions used against them.
The lawsuit, whose defendants include the Department of Homeland Security, argues that federal officers’ use of such munitions is a retaliation against protesters that chills their First Amendment rights.
“Plaintiffs provided numerous videos, which were received in evidence and unambiguously show DHS officers spraying OC Spray directly into the faces of peaceful and nonviolent protesters engaged in, at most, passive resistance and discharging tear gas and firing pepper-ball munitions into crowds of peaceful and nonviolent protestors,” Simon wrote, using the term OC Spray to refer to pepper spray.
“Defendants’ conduct — physically harming protestors and journalists without prior dispersal warnings — is objectively chilling.”
DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In previous statements, it said federal officers followed their training and used the minimum amount of force necessary.
Simon had previously issued a temporary restraining order similarly limiting federal agents from using chemical munitions during protests at the ICE building. His preliminary injunction is the second in recent days restricting agents’ tear gas use at the facility, following that of a federal judge overseeing a separate case brought by the residents of an adjacent affordable housing complex.
Federal officers’ aggressive crowd-control tactics are causing concern as demonstrators in cities across the country have protested the immigration enforcement surge spearheaded by President Donald Trump’s administration.
In his Monday order, Simon limited federal agents from using chemical or projectile munitions such as pepper balls and tear gas unless someone poses an imminent threat of physical harm. He also ordered agents not to fire munitions at the head, neck or torso “unless the officer is legally justified in using deadly force against that person.”
Additionally, officers cannot use pepper spray against a group in an indiscriminate way that would affect bystanders; they must only target people who are engaging in violent unlawful conduct or actively resisting arrest, or use it “as reasonably necessary in a defensive capacity,” Simon wrote. He specified that trespassing, refusing to move and refusing to obey an order to disperse are acts of passive, not active, resistance.
Simon also granted provisional class certification, which means his order covers a broader group of all those who have peacefully protested or reported on demonstrations at the ICE building in recent months.
The preliminary injunction will remain in effect while the lawsuit proceeds.
Not ‘a litre of oil’ to pass Strait of Hormuz, expect $200 price tag: Iran
Tornadoes hit Illinois, Indiana and Texas as severe storms sweep US
Coast Guard rescue swimmer dies after medical evacuation mission off Washington coast turns tragic
WATCH: Walz, Ellison, Omar refuse to answer when pressed on fraud after contentious fraud hearing
Texas Gov Abbott issues warning of Chinese spying in medical tech
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
Not ‘a litre of oil’ to pass Strait of Hormuz, expect $200 price tag: Iran
Tornadoes hit Illinois, Indiana and Texas as severe storms sweep US
EXCLUSIVE: ICE says El Paso detention facility will stay open under new contractor after $1.2B deal scrapped
Von der Leyen ‘acting outside of competence,’ Araud tells Euronews
Wheelchair curler Steve Emt’s path from drunk driver to three-time Paralympian
-
Wisconsin1 week agoSetting sail on iceboats across a frozen lake in Wisconsin
-
Massachusetts1 week agoMassachusetts man awaits word from family in Iran after attacks
-
Detroit, MI5 days agoU.S. Postal Service could run out of money within a year
-
Pennsylvania6 days agoPa. man found guilty of raping teen girl who he took to Mexico
-
Miami, FL7 days agoCity of Miami celebrates reopening of Flagler Street as part of beautification project
-
Sports7 days agoKeith Olbermann under fire for calling Lou Holtz a ‘scumbag’ after legendary coach’s death
-
Virginia7 days agoGiants will hold 2026 training camp in West Virginia
-
Culture1 week agoTry This Quiz on the Real Locations in These Magical and Mysterious Novels