The River Before 1962
Prior to 1962, the corridor from Lewiston, Idaho to Pasco, Washington was blessed with a free-flowing river.
- Sandy river beaches for boating, swimming, picnicking and sunbathing
- Beautiful, vegetated river islands—great for fishing and duck hunting
- Rivers full of fish to catch
- Bountiful wildlife—for hunting and viewing
Travel back to the early 1970’s when the lower Snake River was free-flowing through Lewiston-Clarkston. Long-time resident Richard Scully shares this delightful account of growing up in Lewiston and enjoying the bounty of outdoor recreation opportunities the area offered. Read: Recalling the Lewiston of My Youth (PDF)
Tom Rogers grew up spending weekends with his family hunting, fishing, searching for arrowheads and playing on the white sand beaches near Lewiston. These days, he misses the river. “If the river could ever come back, people would know what true recreation is all about,” Tom says. Read: Recollections of Recreating on the Snake River (PDF).
Life changed dramatically for the residents of Lewiston and Clarkston when the Snake River became Lower Granite Reservoir. Many favorite haunts for hunting, fishing, boating or just being in nature disappeared. Anglers and hunters lost their favorite places and witnessed the loss of fish and wildlife. Salmon and steelhead numbers plummeted.
Washington State University 1971 video
This video (1971) was produced by Washington State University during the construction of Lower Granite Dam. It addresses the loss of wildlife resulting from construction of the dam.
To see the full film, click Here
John A.K.Barker Video
River guide and Idaho citizen, John Barker compares the past and present states of the lower Snake River in Lewiston and Clarkston. He tells the story of the drawdown conducted by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1992, taking the river back to its natural depth as it flowed through Lewiston and Clarkston. Local residents were pleased to see that the river channel, island, coves and rapids all reappeared. These features of the river are all still there—just lying in wait under the reservoir.
