Join the Family Farm Alliance (Alliance) and Idaho Water Users Association (IWUA) in Lewiston, Idaho – America’s furthest inland seaport – to examine the issues and challenges of managing the Columbia and Lower Snake Rivers for multiple uses including navigation, hydropower, fisheries and recreation.
The tour is scheduled for July 15-16, 2025. CLICK HERE for complete information about the tour, including the itinerary, registration, hotel reservations, sponsorship opportunities and tips on traveling to and from Lewiston.
The Columbia-Snake system is the top wheat export gateway in the U.S., with barging on the Snake River handling nearly 10 percent of all U.S. wheat exports. In addition to the economic benefits of providing ready access to world markets, river barging provides significant environmental benefits. In 2020 alone, it would have taken over 42,000 rail cars or over 162,000 semi-trucks to move the cargo that was moved by barge on the lower Snake River – adding approx. 1.2 million tons of CO2 and other harmful emissions into the environment.
Operating the system is not, however, without controversy. For decades, the region has been embroiled in litigation over asserted impacts of the river system on salmon and steelhead populations. The call to breach the four dams on the lower Snake River for the benefit of salmon is persistent.
During your visit, you will hear perspectives from governments, tribes and stakeholders engaged in these matters. You will also get to see, firsthand, key infrastructure such as Dworshak and Lower Granite dams and the Clearwater Fish Hatchery. Plus, you’ll be able to experience a jetboat ride through one of the tallest navigation locks in the United States.
The registration fee for the tour is $350 per person, which includes all tours, the jetboat activity, lunches, and the group dinner on July at Lindsay Creek Vineyards.
To register, visit: https://www.familyfarmalliance.org/watertour2025/.
For any questions or further information, please contact Jane Townsend, Family Farm Alliance: (916) 206-7186 or jane@familyfarmalliance.org; or Paul Arrington, Idaho Water Users Association: (208) 344-6690 or paul@iwua.org.