Snake River Dam Tour Brings Stakeholders Together

The Family Farm Alliance – partnering with the Idaho Water Users Association (IWUA) – last month wrapped up a tour that brought over 50 participants to the Lewis-Clark Valley to learn first-hand about the national importance of the Lower Snake River Dams and the broader Columbia River system.

The tour brought together a diverse group, including farmers, tribal leaders, conservationists, port officials, and water advocates, for a firsthand look at critical infrastructure, including Dworshak Dam, pictured above (photo courtesy of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), the third highest dam in the United States.

“These on-the-ground experiences are central to the Alliance’s mission: building understanding, strengthening relationships, and advocating for practical solutions that preserve irrigated agriculture in the West,” said Alliance Executive Director Dan Keppen.

As a backdrop to the tour, drought conditions continued to tighten their grip on much of the Northwest, with Idaho water managers warning that shortages are now increasingly likely. The Idaho Department of Water Resources last month noted that exceptionally warm, dry weather since April has “dramatically changed the outlook on water supply conditions statewide.”

Paul Arrington, IWUA’s executive director, said his team was excited to bring people to show them their country and issues.

“Sometimes it seems that all we ever read about in the news is the conflict that’s brewing in the Colorado River Basin,” said Mr. Arrington. “This tour gave a diverse group of participants some time to step away from those challenges and see what other Western basins are facing.”

CLICK HERE to download the PDF Version of the August 2025 edition of the “Monthly Briefing”, where you can read more about this, and these other important issues to Western water users, from a perspective that you won’t find anywhere else:

• “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act Signed, Sets Stage for Major Water Investments
• Trump’s NEPA Overhaul Reshapes Environmental Review
• Farm Bill Faces Uncertain Fall Amid Budget, Nominee Fights
• USDA Escalates Fire Readiness as Western Wildfire Season Intensifies
• Colorado River Negotiations Intensify as Deadline Approaches
• SCOTUS Ruling Clears the Way for Federal Workforce Cuts
• California Groups Urge Changes to FWS Yellow-Legged Frog Habitat Plan
• White House Issues Executive Actions Regarding Data Centers
• Trump Administration Elevates Ag as National Security Priority
• Senate Advances Spending Bills as House Leaves for Recess, Showdown Looms
• House Advances Bills to Tackle Resources Challenges Before August Recess
• Alliance Backs United Water in Critical Water Rights Appeal
• Family Farm Alliance 2025 Annual Conference Registration Opens            

Please do not hesitate to contact dan@familyfarmalliance.org if you have any difficulties downloading the August 2025 “Monthly Briefing”.