Because a river runs through it Congressional staffers see firsthand the benefits of Marine Highway 84

For the third year in a row, the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) and other river stakeholders brought a group of congressional staffers to Lewiston, Idaho, in mid-August to showcase the lower Snake River dams and the critical role they play in the region’s economy. 

Sixteen staffers from across the nation started the day hearing from a panel of river users about Marine Highway 84 and asking questions before heading off to Lower Granite Dam. At the dam, staffers took a jet boat through the lock; heard a presentation from Paul Ocker, chief of operations for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla Division; and toured the dam’s fish research facility and turbines. The afternoon was spent at the Port of Lewiston where port general manager Scott Corbitt gave them a tour, explaining how the port depends heavily on the river system, and treated the group to ice cream. The day wrapped up with dinner at a local vineyard with growers. 

On the bus between stops, staffers heard from a variety of stakeholders about irrigation, power generation, and the movement of goods up and down the river.

“This tour is becoming a ‘must-do’ event for staffers in Washington, D.C.,” said Michelle Hennings, WAWG executive director. “It gives us an opportunity to bring people out who might have a direct impact on Marine Highway 84 and show them what the dams look like, and how they work. For many of them, they’ve only heard misleading information about the dams. On this tour, they get to visit the research facilities that are helping to restore fish runs, hear directly from growers who depend on irrigation water from the system, and visit businesses that couldn’t survive without the dams.”

This year, outside the Pacific Northwest, staffers represented districts in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Indiana, Hawaii, Minnesota, Tennessee, North Carolina, Florida, and California. The tour was sponsored by WAWG, the Washington Grain Commission, the Washington State Potato Commission, The McGregor Company, and Northwest RiverPartners.

What the staffers had to say

“The Washington Association of Wheat Growers’ Snake River tour is one of the most well-rounded educational events that taught me and my fellow staffers the importance of our dam systems to our nation. Barge transportation, reliable power, and irrigation are all made possible because of the Snake River Dam System. It was great to hear from local communities on the importance of this piece of infrastructure, and I appreciate the opportunity to educate myself on this fantastic tour hosted by the wheat growers.” Jack Long, legislative assistant for Rep. Michelle Fischbach (R-Minn.)

“Growing up on the Columbia River, I’ve always known the importance of Marine Highway 84. Seeing its impact on Washington wheat highlighted its importance to our local and trade economies.” Dallas Parr, district representative for Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.)

“While we consider the Lower Snake River Dam System part of our backyard here in Washington’s 5th District, this event really highlighted how this system operates as critical infrastructure for Eastern Washington across local, regional, and truly global networks. Credit to the visionaries that brought it into service and wholehearted respect for those who champion its value for future generations.” Dan Bisbee, district director for Rep. Michael Baumgartner (R-Wash).

“It was wonderful to join the Washington Association of Wheat Growers on a tour of the lower Snake River. The tour provided me first-hand testimony to the varied uses of the river, from hydropower to navigation to fish and wildlife conservation to tourism. Its benefits for economic development, infrastructure development, and quality of life are important foundations for policy affecting the Army Corps, hydropower, and the Palouse overall.” Katie McNiffe, professional policy staff for the Republican Study Committee.

“This tour was a wonderful opportunity to see the lower Snake River dams up close and personal. These dams are vital infrastructure and are irreplaceable when it comes to energy, agriculture, and recreation in the region. It was especially great to see the immense work being undertaken to protect and restore salmon populations in the river system.” Sam Hendricks, senior legislative assistant for Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho).