WEBVTT

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June 19 , 1975 , a steam-powered paddle

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boat named Portland makes its way up

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the Snake River . It carries with it a

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dream navigation all the way to

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Lewiston , Idaho . At Journey's End ,

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the brand new Lower granite Lock and

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dam . This is the 4th generation of

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employees . You know , there's the

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first generation . When I came on ,

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they retired out in the 80s and then

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you know there seems to be a flow every

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10 years . Built by the US Army Corps

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of Engineers Walla Walla District ,

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Lower granite was the last link in a

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465 mile inland waterway . It

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transformed the river into a highway ,

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powering communities and protecting

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them from floods . The dam itself

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really hasn't changed that much , but

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the fish passage has changed immensely .

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There used to be an underground pipe

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and now there's this large facility all

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around us . From

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pioneering fish bypass systems and

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advanced research tools to moving

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millions of tons of grain and goods

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safely to market . 50 years later ,

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lower granite continues to deliver on

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its promise , clean renewable energy ,

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a vital navigation route , and a

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commitment to fish passage and

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environmental stewardship .