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The four lower Snake River dams cause an average additional water loss of approximately 30,000 acre-feet per year due to evaporation compared to free-flowing conditions. This loss is valued at roughly $110 million as a water right and is equivalent to the water needed to grow 8,000 acres of apples or supply the household needs of 240,000 people. Future projections (2025–2055) suggest these losses will persist or slightly increase, ranging from 30,100 to 32,800 acre-feet per year across eight global climate models.

The Biden administration has announced a plan to restore endangered salmon and steelhead in the Pacific Northwest, committing over $500 million in federal funding and support for clean energy projects to replace the services of four dams on the lower Snake River. This plan aligns with the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative (CBRI), which calls for breaching the dams within two fish generations. Earthjustice and several Native tribes and states have paused litigation against the government to allow for the implementation of these commitments, though final dam breaching will require Congressional action.