Umatilla is right on the Columbia River which runs between Washington and Oregon. We stayed at the RV park at the marina because we are water babies. The highway was close enough we got road noise, but it was nice and dark at night and the river was beautiful.
We took our bikes for a ride on a really neat nature trail to McNary Dam to check it out. We turned around before we got there because Dan’s tire was flat. After changing the tire and having lunch, we rode back to the dam via the road.
McNary Dam is one of 8 dams on the Columbia River. The visitor center is full of exhibits and information, including a great video, about how the dam is designed to aid in the salmon migration every year. Of course, the dams were built for commerce and electricity reasons, but the Army Corps of Engineers recognized that salmon was vital for the indigineous communities and the general population. So, in constructing the dam, they incorporate fish ladders for adult salmon and other species to swim up against the current when it’s time to lay eggs. The McNary Dam specifically has a whole crew dedicated to helping the juveniles (smolt) survive the journey downstream.
There is even a fish viewing room, which is a cutout of one of the fish ladders, and apparently, during migration season, you can see all kinds of fish swimming through the viewing windows. We saw one fish, and I think it was a rainbow trout. I was pretty damn excited to see it!
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